The day kicked off at a rather civilized hour...

a crisp 9 am, as I embarked on a journey of sportsmanship, following none other than my daughter, Makayla. Destination: soccer game one. She’s a defender by nature, but the universe had a surprise in store. Picture this – a defender scoring a goal! Yes, you heard that right. It was as if the soccer gods themselves decided to add a touch of irony to the match.

After the initial soccer shenanigans, a quick glance at the schedule revealed that there was no rest for the wicked—or in this case, the sporty. At high noon, it was time for Makayla’s encore, game two. Little did we know that the real show would be put on by the opposing team’s fans.

These folks were something else entirely. They treated the JV soccer tournament like it was the Super Bowl. The theatrics, the fervor, the sheer drama of it all made me question whether I’d been guilty of similar overzealous behavior during my older sons’ varsity football days. Ah, the sweet irony of maturity.

After the soccer drama had settled, it was time to switch gears and head to my son Cody’s 6th-grade football game, the season’s first game. I was eager to spend time on the grassy hillside with my family, joined by nearly all my other kids. But, alas, the game took a less-than-pleasant turn, as our team found themselves on the receiving end of a sound thrashing.

As I watched our boys bravely face adversity on the field, I couldn’t help but feel a strange kinship with the grass beneath me. It seemed as though my body had a mind of its own, and before I knew it, I was laying in the grass, taking impromptu nap amidst the chaos.

After the football spectacle, I was finally granted a break to refuel. Ah, the joy of food! But my respite was short-lived, as I had to dash off to stand in line for the next event on my hectic agenda. This, my friends, was the going to be the cherry on top: my son Marcques’s college football team’s home opener at Trine University.

The game kicked off at 7 pm, and from the very beginning, it was a rollercoaster ride of emotions. The fans were a spectacle in themselves, riding the highs and lows of the game with passion that was nothing short of theatrical. But the camaraderie of fellow football parents, who had become fast friends, made the experience worthwhile. We laughed, we groaned, and we weathered the storm of emotions together.

As the clock wound down, it became evident that our team was going to come up short on the scoreboard. However, there was one final twist to this tale that I couldn’t have predicted in a million years. During the game’s most nail-biting moments, I found myself overindulging. The stress got the best of me, and before I knew it, I was on the verge of a rather messy situation.

Game was over. With a sense of impending doom, I began my walk home, which quickly turned into a desperate jog. My pants were undone, and my belt was hanging like a forgotten accessory. The finish line was in sight – my own front door – and my heart raced in more ways than one.

As I rounded the corner of my house, I was greeted with an unexpected audience – my wife and daughter, expressions ranging from confusion to amusement. They caught me in my mad dash for the bathroom, pants down and belt askew. It was a scene straight out of a comedy movie.

In the end, my dear readers, this day was a testament to the unpredictability of life and the humor in our everyday mishaps. Sometimes, it’s the unexpected twists and turns that make our journeys truly memorable. And let’s not forget the importance of growing wiser and more composed, even in the face of an urgent restroom situation!

Blessed be, God Bless, and Peace. Deuces!