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Just Soccer Mom Stuff: Every Mom’s Thoughts Before a Game

What am I going to wear?

The forecast looks good, but it could be freezing out on the field. It usually is. It doesn’t call for rain, but it’s clouding up now. It will probably rain. I really should layer up, bring a coat, a hat, maybe even some gloves, and an umbrella. I’ll probably sweat with all that on. I never dress right. I never know. But I swear it feels like it’s getting colder outside.

Where is the game today, anyway?

I really need to look up the field. I’m sure it’s far away, so I’ll spend four hours of my time taking my kid to the game and back. I don’t have that kind of time, but who really does? It’s worth it. I’ll remind myself that when I’m stuck in traffic and running late, again. I hope I’ve been to this field. I’ll probably get lost if it’s a new location. I better charge my phone so I can use Google maps.

I need to pack snacks.

And water. I really need coffee, so I’ll make some to go now. Should we just hit a drive-through after the game? I won’t have time to make dinner. Ugh. I hate spending the money, but I know my kid will be starving, so drive-through it is. I wish there were healthier fast food chains that were affordable. I wish I prepared something in the crock pot this morning. I wish I planned ahead and packed a dinner to go.

What color uniform is our team wearing anyway?

I better look for that email and make sure I actually did the laundry since the last game. I probably didn’t. The uniform is probably fermenting on the bottom of the dirty clothes pile in the basement. Oh well, can’t do anything about it now. No one will notice the stench on the field. And hey, it would just get dirty again anyway, so I’ll take a win for saving money and time on laundry.

I wonder if my kid will get some good play time?

I hope so. Committing all this time to being there warrants me seeing my kid out on the field. I wonder how Jason is doing? I hope his ankle is better. We need that kid to play today! All these kids are so awesome. I’m loving this year’s team and how well they’re playing together. They looked a little sluggish on the field last week though. I hope they show up to win today. That always makes all their hard work worth it.

I hope this field has bathrooms.

I hate those disgusting Porta Johns! Why are they so gross? I always have to pee. Please, oh please, let this field have bathrooms! And it would be nice if the bathrooms weren’t 15 fields over, too. Maybe I’ll stop somewhere right before we get to the field, just in case. No, we won’t have time for that. I probably shouldn’t drink my coffee, but who am I kidding? I won’t survive without it.

I hope it doesn’t rain hard.

I hate muddy fields, muddy shoes, muddy uniforms, muddy everything. I better check and make sure I have a few umbrellas in the back of the car. It’s always good to have extras for the poor parents who forgot theirs. It really does look like rain. The clouds are getting darker. UGH. It wasn’t supposed to rain! I hope I can park by the field and sit in my car to watch the game. Maybe the field will be near the parking lot! Probably not. It’s always the furthest field away. Why does that always happen? Why doesn’t Alexa know if it’s going to rain?

My kid better not forget anything.

He’s old enough to remember his stuff! He should wear some layers too. He probably won’t. I’ll make him throw some extra clothes in his soccer bag along with some more socks. He’ll probably be soaking wet with mud plastered all over him. Great. My car is still caked with dirt from the last game. I really need to get it cleaned out. I should buy some air freshener. Man, that kid stinks after a game. I’ll throw some big trash bags in the back of the car for all our wet, muddy stuff. Maybe that’ll help.

I can’t wait to see my soccer mom peeps!

I wonder how Lori’s dad is doing? I wonder how Gretchen’s new job is going? I really need to keep my eyes on the field this time. I can’t believe I missed that winning goal last game! I have to focus better, talk less. But I really do love my soccer mom friends. I just need to figure out how to have conversations while watching the game. After ten years of watching soccer games, you’d think I’d have mastered it by now.

I’m as ready as I’ll ever be.

Okay, got my layers on, rain jacket, rain boots, winter jacket, gloves, hat, umbrella, coffee, water, snacks, directions to the game, and my chair all packed and ready to go. I’ll probably get lost. We’ll surely be late. I’ll have to pee in a gross Porta John. The field will be furthest from the parking lot. I’m probably going to miss a really good play. And watch, it’ll pour during the entire game.

But hey, even if we lose, it’s all worth it.

Christine Carter writes about motherhood and parenting, health and wellness, marriage, friendship, and faith. You can find her work on her blog, TheMomCafe.com, and several online publications. She is the author of Help and Hope While You’re Healing: A woman’s guide toward wellness while recovering from injury, surgery, or illness.” And Follow Jesus: A Christian Teen’s Guide to Navigating the Online World”. 

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