Brag Box

Photo Courtesy of Ben McDonald

This post has nothing to do with home decor or crafting.

It doesn't have anything to do with furniture makeovers or frugality.

Today, I'm going to talk about my other life.

Today, I'm simply a mom using her blog as a brag box...

So I can look back and remember
how I felt this morning, years from now.

For those of you that have been following me for a while, 

you know that two of my sons wrestle competitively.

Wrestling is something of a big deal in Iowa 

and parents start their children as young as 4 years old.

Being from the east coast - and the south -
where the be all end all is football, 

when we moved here I had no clue what wrestling was.

My sister-in-law and her husband begged us to get the boys involved.

I turned my nose up at it.

You want me to put my boys in a bathing suit 

so they can roll around on a mat with other boys?

Um.

No.

Fast forward 3 years later.

Ian comes home and says....

"Mom, I want to go out for wrestling."

Oh, Lord.

And in typical Ian fashion... 

He begged, wheedled, and cajoled until we gave in.

He was in 3rd grade.

Then:

Now:

And then Noah wanted to get involved 

because Greyson played basketball, 

Ian was doing football AND wrestling, and he had nothing to do.

On a whim, we signed him up when he was in 1st grade.

Then:

Now:

Photo Courtesy of Ben McDonald

I'll never forget that first year of tournaments.

To me, it just looked like a couple of sweaty boys rolling around 

and how the ref determined points was beyond Scott and I both.

Now, we're part of the hard core group of wrestling fans...

That "bathing suit"?

It's called a singlet.

Screaming "TWO!  That's two!" for a takedown 

and coaching screeching from matside.

Although I admit that after four years of training, 

the boys know a heck of a lot more than we do.

I'm sure there are times they think, 

"Mom!  Would you just be quiet.  

You don't know what you're talking about."

LOL!

Photo Courtesy of Christy Snyder

I've always said, "Forget Toddlers and Tiaras or Dance Moms.

 What they need to do is following around a bunch of mat moms."

We are vicious.

We can size up a child's weight, age, 

and capabilities in one sweeping glance.

LOL!

Yesterday was the IOWA AAU NE DISTRICTS at Waverly.

Photo Courtesy of Ben McDonald

This is a big deal.

This is what all our boys, our club, work all year towards.

This is why we get up at 6 am every Saturday 

and drive 2 hours to sit for 6 hours in a hot, stinky gym....

The chance to compete for the top 8 places in the state at the
IOWA AAU KIDS' STATE WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS
in Des Moines, at Wells Fargo Arena.

Photo Courtesy of Christy Snyder

This is the big time of Iowa Kids' Wrestling.

Photo Courtesy of Ben McDonald

Districts is...

14 Counties.

348 wrestlers.

Only the top 4 spots for each division/weight class qualify 

to go to state and are the top 32 in the state in their weight class.

You don't place in the top 4, you don't even make the Podium.

Super Quick Background...

And really important to the story.

It makes me tear up thinking about it.

As I mentioned, Ian started in 3rd grade.

That's hard.

Really hard.

Actually hard is an understatement.

It is torture.

Picture watching your child go out to the center of the mat and time and time again,
winding up on his back looking at the lights.

Or

Trying his hardest but more often than not,
not experiencing the euphoria that comes from being the one
that stands with his hand being raised in victory at the end of the match.

Imagine being the child that does that, time and time again.

Ian's wins were far between.

He was competing against kids that had been training 

for 4 years and he was a newbie.

Photo Courtesy of Ben McDonald

Oh, how he would cry.

Half the time he would run out of the gym,
completely out of the school, 

and hide in the car.

We would have to drag him back in to finish his bracket.

He would just get pounded.

And to top it all off, his little brother was having amazing success.

But Ian kept at it.

He kept going back.

In fact, it wasn't unusual for him to say, 

when we were going out the door for tournaments, 

"C'mon. Time to go get my butt whipped."

LOL!

Yesterday, all that hard work and determination paid off.

Ian, for the first time in 4 years, 

placed higher than his little brother.

Ian, is the current 

Iowa AAU Northeast District CHAMPION in the 100 lb weight class!

I wish I had a video of his finals match.

Pure.  Determination.

He wanted it.

And he got it.

And not only did he get it, he annihilated his opponent,
winning his final match 11-3.

It was overwhelming to watch.

I'm really glad there wasn't a video of me during that match...

Bouncing on the balls of my feet.

Pumping my fist in the air.

And crying with a big, giant grin on my face.

I wanted it so badly for him.

But I know that couldn't compare to how badly he wanted it for himself.

But, the win isn't even the important thing.

It was the lesson.

About not giving up.

About trying, trying, and trying again...

Even when you're beat down...

Tired...

And ready to quit.

I am so proud of my little man for his perseverance.

And the heart of a mother beats with pride.

Well done, Ian.  Well done.

Noah took District Runner Up this year.

For him, it was all in a day's work.

And I don't think he can truly understand the importance 

because in 3 years he's never failed to qualify.

This is his 3rd year as District Runner Up.

And he holds the title of 2011 Super Pee Wee 58 lb. State Runner-Up.

I'm equally proud of him...

But in a different way, if that makes sense.

For Ian...

I am over the moon.  

I love you, little man.

You earned it.