There are only 81 days until Steel graduates from high school. It’s really hard to believe. Today I found the box of his graduation announcements sitting on the dining room table after he got home from school. As I opened the box to peek at the contents it was difficult to comprehend that it was my baby’s name typewritten on the small announcement inserts we are all so familiar with. For a moment I felt overwhelmed with all of things I need to do before the day comes. There are parties to plan, pictures to take, schedules to adjust and events to attend… It will all be here before we know it. Maybe a goal of mine should be to get these filled out and ready to go in the mail the first of May…? Hum… we’ll see. I’m sure I’ll be working on them the last week of April.
Graduation Announcements March 9, 2010
Being Steel Rocha’s Mom February 25, 2010
Today is a very important day. My baby boy is 18! That means that I am no longer legally responsible for a minor child! If he gets arrested, I don’t have to care. (I’m sure I will, but legally, it won’t be my problem.)
I was thinking about this birthday coming up and I remembered his first birthday. Around that time we took him to the Ripon Almond Blossom Festival and entered him the Diaper Derby. We must have known then that he was athletically gifted to enter him in competition so early in his life. Or perhaps, it was this event that sparked the fire of competiteveness in him and pushed him to become so accomplished as an athlete. Either way, I’m glad we did. Steel easily won his heat and then placed 2nd in the finals. I remember our biggest concern was that he would stand up and run the distance which would have disqualified him. He had to crawl the course and he was good at crawling, but he could walk by then too. When we told him this story this morning, I mentioned that I remembered the outfit he had on too. It was pair of Osh-Kosh overalls with a turtleneck and a baseball cap. He said, “That’s why I lost… wind resistance.”
I can’t believe how fast the time has gone. It seems like yesterday when we made that trip to Ripon. He has competed so many times since then, in so many different sports and it seems like they all just happened yesterday. It has been such a gift to watch him and the pride we have felt over the years is unexplainable. My heart still swells when people come up and ask me if I’m Steel Rocha’s mom. Some parents may brace themselves for bad news when they get asked that question about their kid. But for us it has always a satisfying experience. Everyone compliments his heart and his drive. They speak of his character (both on and off the field) and how much fun it is to watch him compete and although I cannot take credit, I thank them for their kindness and agree. He is extraordinary. He is my hero, and he makes it easy to be his mom.
Words with Friends February 21, 2010
I don’t know when it happened, but I’m going to admit here and now that my kids are smarter than I am. When I say smart, I mean in knowledge and intellectually. They have surpassed me as far as educational level (or are well on their way) but I still have them beat with common sense and experience that only comes with age. For the last several weeks, Steel has been talking about a Scrabble game that he plays on his phone called “Words with Friends.” It’s basically online Scrabble that you play against a live opponent, known or unknown. After discussing the game with a friend yesterday, I decided to download it and give it a try. I have three games going right now and the good news is that I’m currently beating Leroy and Sierra, but Steel is blowing me away. I’ll never be able to catch up. Steel has always liked spelling and vocabulary and now his mad skills are paying off. I’m lucky if I can form a word with the letters in front of me. Steel plans strategy and analyzes his scoring options to get the most for his turn. We’re all addicted. I’m hoping that the old saying is true… “The family that plays together, stays together.”
Blue Crew February 16, 2010
This basketball season has been particularly enjoyable for Steel. Without the rigorous wrestling schedule, he’s been able to go to most of the high school basketball games and cheer for his classmates. Tonight, CCHS claimed the WAC League Championship with their defeat against Hilmar. (It’s always a good day when we beat Hilmar… at ANYTHING!) I was across the gym taking pictures when Steel walked into the game. The kids in the Central fan section immediately got to their feet and applauded his arrival. It was great. They had been pretty quiet up to that point and it was obvious they were waiting for the leader of the pack.
Physique February 13, 2010
I’ve talked a lot about Steel’s eating habits over the last few weeks. He’s shopping and cooking very healthy food. He watches his calories and fat intake, focuses on lean proteins and avoids sugars and carbohydrates. All of this along with lots of exercise and workouts. We’ve been making fun of him but when you see a picture like this it’s easy to understand the payoff. I’m an intelligent person. Dieting is simple math. If you eat less calories than you burn, you will lose weight. Either you consume less, or burn more. Simple. Add to the fact that the calories you do eat have different benefits as well. Protein builds muscle and is used very differently by your body than fats or carbohydrates. Even though this is all common sense and logical, it’s not easy. The key is to get your heart to follow what your head understands, and it all comes down to discipline and that’s where I fail.
Flowers from Steel February 5, 2010
Steel’s been doing a lot of his own cooking and shopping lately and on his trip to Trader Joe’s today, he bought me a boquet of flowers. What a treat. There was no reason, no sucking up and no apologizing… just kindness. It warms my heart to see him mature and grow into an even more wonderful young man with each day. Whoever marries him will be a lucky girl.
Rally Boys II January 29, 2010
One of the best parts of Steel’s senior year has been his roll as a Rally Commissioner. He has had so much fun and we’ve witnessed some hilarious moments as they’ve planned and executed the videos, dances and games. Last weekend, they filmed the video (mostly at our house.) Today was the final production. The boys were all decked out in tuxedos and after the video was played, they were introduced and performed a dance. It was great.
For one of the games they called several darling girls out of the assembly for a kissing contest. The rally boys volunteered to be blindfolded and kissed by a random girl (on the cheek) and they had to guess which girl kissed them. After the boys were blindfolded, their mothers came out of the audience to stand behind their own son and offer the kiss. The second picture is Steel’s reaction to who kissed him. Another great memory.
Chef Boyardee January 25, 2010
Steel loves to cook. But even more than that… Steel likes to eat healthy. He’s always enjoyed good food, but lately he’s been focused on eating healthier and so he’s been doing a lot of his own shopping and cooking. He came in late from the gym today having stopped at the grocery store to pick up some ingredients for dinner. He made this delicious Taco Soup and I just couldn’t leave for my meeting without having some first. I was late, but it was worth it. The soup was really good and the perfect antidote to a rainy Monday night. He also made low-fat pumpkin muffins that were waiting for me when I got home. Who could ask for more?
Spirit Steel January 15, 2010
Steel has always been known as a “spirited” fan. When he was playing Pop Warner Football on the Novice and JV teams, he would join the cheerleaders after his game to root for the Varsity boys. When he was in 6th grade, the cheerleaders honored him at the banquet with a “Most Spirited” award.
Now we’re in the middle of the high school basketball season and Steel has been attending the games and cheering on his classmates. He has found an old basketball uniform that he wears to the games, covers his face with blue paint and has even made posters and signs to use at the game. Tonight, CCHS is at Hilmar for the game and since that is a big rivalry (not only for CC, but especially for our family) Steel’s gone above and beyond with his preparations. We don’t go to many games, but I do get reports of Steel’s costumes and dancing skills. I can tell how close the game was by how hoarse he is the following morning.
