I want to share with you the joy my children gave me this week...

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especially my 13 year old. Last Saturday she competed in the Division Championship of a Free-Throw Basketball Tournament. This was the third tier (first it was within the school, then it was the schools in our town, third is the District). There were four girls in her age group competing at this 25 shot competition. The first girl got 10 baskets. The next only got 3, and I can't remember what the third got. My daughter went last and I thought she only got 9 baskets. It turned out she got 10 and went into a 5-shot shoot-out. The other girl went first and only got one basket. My girl got two! She won! She is going on to Regionals! I am so proud of her. On Sundays both girls play soccer and both of them won their games this week (and most weeks). My 10 year old is amazing out on that gym floor the way she handles the ball. The coach and other parents always come up to me and tell me how well she played. She also altar serves pretty much every weekend at Mass and that brings me great pride too because she does a good job - the best! Today my 13 year old daughter competed with her school for the intermediate basketball championship with the three other schools in our District. She has been playing for four years and every year the same school wins and everyone grumbles about it. This year, today, not only did my daughter's team beat that school when they played them, they won the championship for the first time in who knows how long! My eyes filled with tears when I saw all the girls on the team crying because they won. Yes, they will move on to another level. And my daughter, she led the team to victory. She only sat out one shift of one game. She was the team's top player. She played hard and I was so dang proud of her. So for those parents who wonder whether your children should participate in this activity or that activity, don't deny them. It will bring you both great joy!