Going out with a bang!

We already said our last goodbyes to Jordan's high school football career and we're slowly getting used to that. Then last month was another sad goodbye as we watched him play his last Young Men's basketball games and the Lehi City Jr. Jazz games - EVER. Those of you that have kids that play ward/city sports know how much time this takes on a family. But cherish those moments because to look out over the boys that have grown up in our ward and realize that this will be the last Young Men's game they ever play is so sad...maybe, it's just me. I'm an emotional wreck lately over the dumbest little things.

Our ward has so many Young Men that we have two Deacon's teams, one teacher's team, and one priests team. Because the other wards in the stake don't break up their teams our younger boys were eliminated early on, but our priests went on to take 2nd in the Stake championship. Then it was on to Region.

**Note to reader: I say "we" as if I was playing or part of the team. But you know, it's all the same, right?

Our weekend went like this:

Friday March 15th

6:00 pm Young Men's Semi Final Region game---we won!

7:00 pm Jr. Jazz Quarter-Final game -- we won!

9:00 pm Jr. Jazz Semi final game -- we won!

That's a lot of basketball for one night on very hard bleachers!

Saturday March 16th

8:00 am Young Men's Final Region game--we won! Way to go 26th ward Priests!

Then on to the Legacy Center for more....

1:00 pm Jr. Jazz Final game -- we won! But it was a double elimination tournament and the other team had gone undefeated all year until now. So we had to play them again to win the whole thing!
4:00 pm. Jr. Jazz REAL final championship game -- we won!

It was a nail biter until the last second! We won by 5!

No way did anyone expect Jordan's team to win much, let alone win the whole thing. Their team name was "THE NAUGHTY PAIRATES" and full of football players, definitley NOT basketball players. They haven't made it very far in the tournament in past years. They usually overshot the ball, got a TON of fouls that were mostly hilarious, and had the best time out on the court together. Look at this team though.....Do they look like champions? Double click on the photo to get a good look at these guys!

Some look a bit rowdy, but they are all seriously the SWEETEST/FUNNIEST guys and OUTSTANDING students, athletes, and friends and I would be proud to call any of them my son. They suprised even themselves win after win. The finals were a battle/war and players from the other teams got technical after technical after being frustrated at not being able to get ahead and beat the Pirates. The NP's laughed at themselves mostly, but really came together at the end to win with grace and confidence. I ADORE these boys as I have watched them all grow up playing football and basketball together since 6th grade. They are now men and about to enter the big world. It's been a blast and I'm so thankful to have been able to be there to enjoy every minute of it!

I'm proud of you guys and am going to miss watching you play Josh, Jordan, James, Colby, Travis, E'an, Tyler, Chris, Calvin, Joey, and Danley!

So if you have to say good-bye you might as well do it with a bang!