Go Sabres!

Today was "Sabres Day" at Joey's school, and all students had the chance to sport their favorite Buffalo Sabres gear (or Sabre-colored outfit--logos weren't mandatory). This week is Catholic Schools' Week, and each day brings a special and exciting theme to boost kids spirits about being a part of a Catholic School. Some of my own best memories of Catholic Schools stem from the festivities of this week, and I'm excited that Joey gets to experience it now, too.

At breakfast this morning, Joey gave me more details about what today would bring.

"On Sabres Day, Sabre Tooth comes to school and plays BINGO with us!" Joey said excitedly.

Noah, munching on some fruit, spoke up. "Sabres Day?" he asked.

"Yes," said Joey importantly. "The Buffalo Sabres. They're our hockey team." (You can tell we're huge sports fans over here, right? We had to borrow the Sabres shirt, by the way.)

"Mom," said Noah, a hint of urgency in his voice. "I want to go to Joey's school today."

I blinked in surprise.  Before this moment, Noah was not seriously into any sport enough to make such a statement.

"And," he went on, before I could question this, "I'm going to need you to get my light sabre out of the closet."

"Your light sabre?" I repeated.

"Of course," he said, filling his mouth with watermelon.

"But Noah," Joey said, perplexed. "It's not Star Wars Day--" (and I could see he was definitely feeling it would have been a better idea)--"it's Sabres Day."

"Yes," said Noah, like we were all really, really stupid. "And I'm coming. And I'm going to need my light sabre. Of course."

I'm embarrassed to say it took me this long to figure out that Noah was imagining Joey's day at school to be filled with Luke, Darth, and the gang all dueling in some serious light sabre action. When Noah pictured "Sabres Day," he pictured "Light Sabre Day."

After a great deal of explaining about who the Buffalo Sabres were, why they mattered, and how fun their mascot Sabre Tooth is, Noah decided to let the whole thing drop.

Until Joey came home from school all mopey and disappointed. Apparently, he had NOT won Bingo (I never do, either--what's up with that?) AND had missed a chance to have his shirt signed by Sabre Tooth because his shirt was, as I mentioned before, borrowed. Looking at his glum little face, I tried to perk him up with, "Well, maybe we can go to a real Sabres game some time, and you can have Sabre Tooth sign your shirt there."

"Really?" asked Joey, a smile lighting his eyes again.

"Sure," I said.

"And I'll come, too?" Noah piped up, ever the second child.

"Sure," I said.

I leaned over and kissed his forehead just as he added, "And I'll definitely bring my light sabre!"

And he thinks WE'RE the weirdos!

P.S.--Noah's light sabre is kept in a closet on a high shelf because Noah is a little too violent and scary with it.