It’s crazy to think that we’re almost a whole decade past 2000 and all the bruhaha that went with that.

In keeping with the out with the old, in with the new feeling of a new year, this is a week of beginnings.  Tonight we start gymnastics at the new gym–Brown’s.  I’ve been planning for this day for two months and still can’t decide if I’m nervous or excited.  I hope William doesn’t lose his temper tonight.  I’ve been practicing stretches with him and trying to give him coping techniques for the discomfort of being stretched.  He does not have the kind of inner toughness that most of our family seems to possess–that stubborn, stiff-upper lip, never gonna let ‘em see me sweat attitude.  He’s more of a discomfort=pain=anger sort of guy.  Why?  I don’t know.  No one ever had to teach me to maintain my composure.  I absorbed it from my environment.  He’s not so much into absorbing those sorts of things, so I’ve been having to try to put into words what has been almost instinctive for me from as far as I can remember.  He’s getting so much better at it though.  He’s learning to relax and count and breathe.  He’s learning to not take discomfort personally.

Speaking of discomfort…I have my first practice as his basketball coach tomorrow.  Why am I so nervous about a group of 2nd-3rd graders?  I guess I’m probably more nervous about their parents.  I want our team to do well, but mostly I want each kid to improve in his understanding of the fundamentals.  I would love to be able to employ some actual strategy because that’s the fun part of coaching, but this age group is more about reminding them to keep dribbling and stay between their man and the goal.

We ended 2008 in Big Bend with most of the family.  I was super fun to see Allen and his brood for the first time in a long time.  I hope it’s not that long before we see them again.  2008 was interesting.

Wonder what lies ahead in 2009?