This time of year is all about Football (Rinse & repeat). While it sucks the life out of me, it’s also a welcome distraction from college applications. Cole turned 18 last week and his high school graduation date was announced. Suddenly his moving out is looming very, very large. The fourth time does not make this any easier.

Thankfully Dave caught an earlier MAC flight home (Flying Space Available, Fly Away), he’d been away for two weeks visiting Soren in Texas and his Dad & Nicholas in New Mexico. Being a single mom during Football Season is nigh near impossible. Still, squeezing in the drive the Ramstein to pick him up, and then almost immediately turn around to go back for Cole’s game, stretched my love of road trips just a tad.

I spent Friday baking 60 cupcakes, that part is easy, it’s the frosting that kills me, and cooking pasta for 30 and enough garlic bread to make my entire house smell like the Gilroy Garlic Festival. Right after practice us football moms (Football Mom) fed the entire team tons of carbs in preparation for the big game. Then we took our big boys home & tucked them into bed. Their bus left at 4:30 the next morning for the big game.

Luckily we had till 10 before packing up and heading out to cheer on our beloved Panthers. I cheered so loud my voice is still hoarse! Our team fought hard. Brilliantly even. Cole broke the line and made several tackles and really pushed their quarterback Sadly it was not enough to win and the Panthers lost 6-to-13.

Still, couldn’t he have managed just a teeny, tiny smile for me?

me and cole