Hollingsworth Heartbeat: Jamboree 2011 (Part 2)

The second half of the jamboree proved to be the best part. It was my Proud Mommy Moment Of The Day!!! If you're a Mom then you know what I'm talking about... those moments that make you smile and laugh and cry and yell all within a matter of minutes. Yeah, that kind of moment! Now I am always proud to see my kids excel and grateful when they do their best. And we always tell them to do their best, no matter what! We know it's not always about winning (although that is fun!) It's about seeing prayers answered. It's about knowing that the Lord is at work and showing me even in the smallest details of life (and football) that HE is greater.

So in the midst of a football game today... surrounded by tons of people that I don't even really know, in the hot sun, on the sidelines, with camera in hand... our Noah scored a touchdown and I was smiling and laughing and crying and yelling "Go Noah Go!" Clearly it was happy tears:) This time last year I wondered if he'd ever have a shining moment like this. He tried football for less than 2 weeks and it was more than he could handle. He was anxious and overwhelmed by the whole concept. He cried and didn't want to do it anymore and we certainly had no intention of him playing a game he didn't want to. We knew because of his earlier diagnosis of Asperger's that it really could be too much for him. Too many people, too much to remember, and alot of commitment. After starting therapy at the beginning of the year, we found out that he has a sensory dysfunction as well... that plays in to his tactile and proprioceptive senses. He doesn't like the feel of certain things and has preferences when it comes to clothes, bedding, some foods, etc. His therapy has taught him to manage these things and find ways to calm himself when angry or anxious. Putting pads and a helmet on a kid with sensory issues could be a nightmare. But Noah wanted to try football again and his therapist agreed it could benefit him if he could handle it. These past few weeks of practice have been a "trial run" I guess you could say. He's had to change his normal after school routine due to the practice schedule. Change isn't usually a good thing for him. We are having to do new things and some old things in different ways. And I have to say that Noah has done really well. He is improving and learning each week. This whole football thing could be a great outlet for him. So, when I say that I cried when he scored his first TD today it wasn't me being dramatic about him doing something good... it was me thanking the Lord for His good gifts!

So enough with all the chatter... want to see some photos?