Why do we bother?

So, this Monday's gonna be another one of those days where I post lots and then will run out of stuff to say for the rest of the week.

I spent my morning trying to get set for Will's first soccer game tonight. I played soccer a little bit in elementary school, but never in a league. So it did not occur to me that I might need equipment for him, after I'd shelled out $200 registration for 2 months of games...for my 5 year old. I thought I might need cleats, but nothing beyond that. Until my more experienced sister-in-law pointed out to me that I may need shin pads and socks and stuff. And sure enough, on Saturday I realized that yes indeed, I do need to buy these things for my son. I guess they weren't included in the $200 registration. Silly me. They only get the shirts with that. And I knew that all the stores would be out of everything. But I had to go anyways because you can't traumatize your child their first time out on the field with not being prepared.

As we were getting ready to go, Will drops the news on me that he doesn't want to play soccer. Nope, he just wants to watch. So we talked for quite awhile about his concerns, but I couldn't convince him. So, now he's grouchy and me and the kids are heading out to buy supplies with only 2 hours until school starts.

Did I mention that almost 3 year old Natey wanted to wear his soccer shirt this morning and kept talking about going to buy HIS soccer equipment?

There aren't many places in town to buy sports equipment and the first stop, of course, had NOTHING. Not for 5 year olds anyways. So off to the expensive store in town. We were able to find everything there (from their limited stock) but the shorts. $40.00 cleats on sale from $50.00? Check. $20.00 shin pads? Check. $10 socks that are a size too big? Check. All for an ungrateful, grouchy, apprehensive (and possibly even scared out of his mind), nonathletic 5 year old child. Yup.

Then it was off to Walmart, where they had 1 pair of size 5 black soccer shorts left. Phew. Finny missed her nap, Willem was still grouchy and annoyed that we're not buying size 6 shorts (even though there were none), I was fully annoyed and in a rush to get home to get lunch before school and then there's Natey, who's the one who really wants to be playing and will be stuck on the sidelines twice weekly for 2 months watching his brother...who doesn't want to be there. Love it!

As I sit here, I'm trying to get some stickers out of the inside of his soccer cleats even though I really need to get on the treadmill cuz the younger 2 are both sleeping, but they don't want to come out. And I know he's gonna have SOME issue with stickers on the inside of these shoes that he doesn't want anyways.

All that to say, sometimes I wonder why we bother? I just hope and pray that somehow Willem will find this fun and I won't have wasted $300.

Oh, and it cost me $85 to fill my van up with gas this morning. Nice