When Keaton first started playing soccer [six years ago] they only offered soccer in the fall. And it was an instructional league.

Last year they added a spring competitive league and Keaton’s been playing in that for the last two years. Today was the tournament for that league. Keaton played at 9am, 10:15am and 12:45pm. The won their first game 4-2, they lost the second game 8-4, and won the last game 6-3. This record was enough to get them to the championship game tomorrow.

I’m so proud of him. I know he is so excited to make it to the championship game. They play the team they lost to today. So they need to get their game on and beat them tomorrow. Come out and cheer him on if you’d like. They play at 1pm on the soccer fields at school. Hope to you see you there.

Lee thought Keaton had baseball practice tonight. Which meant that Keaton had soccer practice from 5:30 to 6:30 and baseball practice from 6 to 7:30. So as soon as soccer practice was over we looked for Keaton’s baseball team, but we couldn’t find them anywhere. So I told Keaton to call his baseball coach when we got home to find out when the next baseball practice was.

Keaton said, “Why don’t you call him?”

I said, “Because you’re the one who plays baseball.”

He goes, “But I’m shy.”

I said, “Well get over it. Are you going to have me make calls for you when your thirty years old?”

To which he replied, “Yes.”

This is so typical of a man (or boy in this case). Lee always makes me call about things for him too. Men [as she shakes her head back and forth]. They are supposedly supposed to be the “stronger” sex. But yet, they can’t even make simple phone calls.

I was reading about Surburban Bliss’, “The Best Mommy Blog” [I'm not the one who gave her that title, the media did...and she deserves it], recent (and not so recent) problems she’s been having with her in laws. And it got me thinking about my in laws. Or more specifically, the woman who gave birth to my husband, as I like to call her. Well that’s what I call her on a good day at least.

In case your new I have written some things in the past that the woman who gave birth to my husband may consider to be a tad bit offensive. When I wrote that post back in September 2004 Lee was a little angry about it. Well not angry, but he was worried that one of his family members might read it. I personally don’t think that any of Lee’s family reads my blog or visits our website, but Lee thought maybe his Aunt Pam might venture over every now and then. Lee didn’t ask me to remove the post [or even tone it down] but he did let me know that he was concerned about some of the words I chose.

Although I chose not to edit my post [that time] I do try to take Lee’s feelings in to consideration. And if he had asked me to remove the post or change some words I would have. However, I also feel strongly that this is my blog and I will write what I want to. If you don’t like it then don’t read it. You may find this hard to believe but I actually do censor my blog [somewhat]. There are many things I would like to write about, but don’t [especially when it comes to work]. I don’t write anything here that I wouldn’t say to your face.

However, in this case, in the case of the woman who gave birth to my husband, I don’t feel the need to censor. I did not say anything that was not true. Although she tells me I “don’t know all the facts,” every time I have written to her or about her I have either stated (1) I “heard” this from someone [which I believe implies that the statement would not stand up in a court of law as it would be heresay] or (2) I only speak of things that have happened in the last 12 years that I have physically seen or heard with my own two eyes and ears.

And what more could she do to us? Ignore us some more? Continue to abandon Lee? Continue to not acknowledge her grandchildren? She already does all that so I’m not too worried.

I get very defensive when somebody hurts a member of my family and I will fight to protect my family no matter what. I am the mama bear of this family after all. And protecting my cubs family is not only my job but my obligation. I will continue to stand up for my husband until the day I die. And if she doesn’t like me defending my husband then she can eat my ass.

What really bothers me is, the woman who gave birth to my husband takes her anger for me out on Lee and our children. She is a grown woman in her 50s but instead of just coming to the adult realization that she can hate me but still love the rest of the family, she has chosen to ignore them. Not that she did much for any of them before I sent her the infamous emails, but still. I don’t like her. I make no bones about that. I tried to be a good daughter-in-law for many years. I pushed Lee to contact her and asked him to send cards for birthdays and stuff (although he never did). I didn’t have to do that. She’s nothing to me. She’s not my mom. She’s not even a friend. But she was the woman who gave birth to my husband so I felt it was my duty to try and help them mend their relationship. But nothing seemed to break through her selfish exterior. She could never see past herself and realize that there was a hurt little boy there begging for her love.

The woman who gave birth to my husband will never truly understand how much she hurt Lee. She will never understand the pain that abandoned (whether it be through adoption or left on somebodies doorstep) children feel. The woman who gave birth to my husband doesn’t think she did anything wrong. She thinks she doesn’t have anything to apologize for because she “did the best [she] could at the time.” She will never understand that even if that’s true it doesn’t stop the hurt in Lee’s heart.

So I came to the realization that there is nothing I can do to change her mind. There is nothing I can do to make her less selfish. There is nothing I can do bring them closer together. But I sure as hell will not let her continue to hurt him. All I can do is hope that one day she will stop “trying to make Lee understand” and just try to be his mom. Or even just a friend. And hopefully it won’t be too late.

After soccer practice today, all of the boys walked to their parent’s cars, got in and left. Keaton got in the van before he realized [at least he thought] he had brought a bottle of water. He got out to go retrieve the bottle. He didn’t bring a bottle after all, but when he got out of the van he realized nobody had picked up the soccer balls. So he grabbed the ball bag and began to pick up the balls for the coach. The geek that I am, I started to tear up because I just witnessed an example of helpful and courteous behaviour that I knew Keaton had in him, but seldom see. He could have just turned around and got back in the van when he realized he didn’t leave any water behind. But instead he took the iniative to pick up the balls so the coach didn’t have to do it himself.

Speaking of hormones, Keaton has his first official girlfriend. Now he has claimed to have girlfriends in the past. He has certainly had crushes; Britley and Courtney to name the big ones. But now it’s the real thing. How do I know? Because last night he showed me a piece of paper and he goes “I’ve got a phone number.” I said, “Is it your girlfriend’s number?” He replied, “Maybe” with a little grin on his face.

As were were leaving soccer practice at 6:30pm, Keaton goes, “We have to be home by 7pm. I’m expecting a phone call.” I said, “From your girlfriend?” He goes, “I’m just expecting a call.” So then when she called he immediately answered the phone. I didn’t even have a chance to see who was calling. Then it was supper time and Keaton never came to the table. So Lee hollered at him and he came to the table. With the phone at his ear. I heard him tell her “You talk to much.” What a way to win a girl’s heart.

Finally Lee told him to get off the phone (they talked for an hour). Keaton said “Man she talks a lot.” I asked what she said when he told her she talks to much. He said she laughed and said she does talk to much. Ahh, young love.