Between Bleachers, Errands, and Everything Else

Between Bleachers, Errands, and Everything Else

I’m sitting at volleyball practice right now, waiting for my daughter to finish. It’s one of those familiar moments in a mom’s life: sitting, waiting, checking the time, thinking about what still needs done, and getting ready to run again.

My 15-year-old is a ninth grader in marching band. My eighth grader cheers for football and basketball. And my seventh grader plays fall ball softball, summer ball softball, and volleyball. Their activities fill up the calendar—and often turn me into the driver, scheduler, snack provider, uniform finder, and cheering section all in one.

Today was a pretty good example of how life goes. I took my 26-year-old to the DMV to get his car tags, picked up my oldest daughter and her friends, mowed the grass, and handled the other little things that seem to appear all day long. Now I’m here at practice, waiting for pickup time and thinking about everything still waiting for me at home.

Being a single mom means there isn’t always another adult to trade off with. If someone needs a ride, I figure it out. If the grass needs mowed, I mow it. If there’s an appointment, practice, school event, or last-minute errand, I work it into the day somehow. A lot of motherhood happens in the in-between moments—in parking lots, on the way to the next place, and while sitting in the car waiting for practice to end.

And life doesn’t pause while I’m raising my kids. I’m also a junior at Ohio State University, working toward my social work degree. I’m on the Dean’s List with a 3.781 GPA, and I earned a scholarship for Ohio State’s social work program. I’m proud of that—not because every day is perfectly organized, but because I keep showing up for school even when the days are full and I’m tired.

Sometimes I look at the calendar and wonder how everything fits. Then I remember that it fits because I keep making it fit, one day and one car ride at a time. There are long stretches of waiting, plenty of running around, and moments when I’m doing three things in my head while sitting completely still. But there is also a lot of love in all of it: cheering from the sidelines, showing up for my kids, and building a future for myself along the way.

This season of life is busy. It’s noisy, tiring, and often measured in practice pickups and errands. But it’s mine. I’m raising my kids, going to college, and doing my best to be there for the people I love while still making room for the goals I’ve worked hard to reach.

For now, I’ll sit here at volleyball practice a little longer. Then I’ll pick her up, head home, and keep going.