Try, Try, Again

We took them ice skating today. The little girl stayed home, safe, with Poppa & Gramma. We get to the rink, it's crowded. We wait in line for a half of an hour just to get in. The kids are patient...the parents aren't. Rentals downstairs..we follow the signs and find ourselves in a chaotic mess of shoes, blades, and feet...everywhere. We ask for our sizes...wrong, try again, and again, and again. There...the kids and Mommy are set...but Daddy is not. You just can't fit size 16 feet in to size 15 hockey skates. Still, he puts on a brave face and we get our things together and head for the rink. Wait...where are Abby Sue's sneakers? They were just here...we look under every bench and bag...no one is helpful...they are just annoyed. Mommy is getting annoyed too. Breathe Jenn, breathe. There they are! Okay, just a few set backs, but now we are ready. Hold on... we need a locker..they only take change..can't get change downstairs..you gotta go upstairs for that. But wait...the purse won't fit in the locker...should we skate with it? Gonna have to. Please don't fall Jenn, you'll smash your camera to bits.(Can't put it into the locker because it costs 75 cents every time you go in and out of it). Breathe again...lets just get on the ice! Okay here we go....BAM! Two kids down..Mommy still standing, Daddy wincing in pain. Now we are coaching them and they are getting it...then, what's that? Zamboni time? We just got on the ice! Are you kidding me!? Breathe...get the kids off the ice. BAM>>BAM...we're okay..let's find a seat. The ice cleaner is fun to watch right? Where did all these rude teenagers come from..they are sprawled everywhere on there cell phones...no where to sit...just dirty looks. Merry Christmas to you too!...breathe Jenn. Abby Sue is thirsty. Really thirsty...gotta get a drink. Daddy has a dollar. The dehydrated 8 year old goes to get a drink from the "venting" machine. They are a dollar fifty..and it won't give us our dollar back. No one can help us. After all, "We don't take care of those machines.." they say.." you have to go to the customer service center here in the mall for that.(inhale..exhale)" Oh...okay...do you just have a drinking fountain? No answers on that one. Big sister is gonna have to just tough this one out. She chokes back the tears, the Zamboni has worked its magic, time to get skatin'. 5 more minutes of gliding and falling, smiles...but wait...Daddy's toes are revolting...he takes my big purple purse and heads off the ice. One down. The three of us skate to the middle. I'm halfway decent enough to coach them a little. Falling less...skating more...faster, more confident..SLAM! Ben meets ice face first. I heard it. Scoop up the boy...get off the ice..please Lord...don't let him have a broken tooth, concussion, etc. He's in pain. Big Sister is freaked, Mommy is done breathing...MEDIC! We better go...I can't handle head injuries. "No....I want to still skate!" says the brave boy with the bloody face. "What!?..really? You want to keep skating?" Daddy gives us all a hug...he's smiling again now that his feet are free. We are back on the ice. They love it. They don't want to leave. They can't wait to skate again. And me? I would've given up hours ago...at the first sign of trouble...written off the day...thrown in the towel. Not these kids. Perseverance. Determination. Lesson learned.