Redheaded Snippet, still high from the national tournament in Virginia Beach, was buoyed to further heights upon being notified yesterday evening that she has been selected to play in the Junior Olympics.
Approximately 120 players are chosen to compete. It's an honor and looks great on a resume.
Unfortunately, it also costs quite a bit of money.
We live very frugally. If we can't afford it, we find a way to get it cheaper or learn to do without. But every so often, something comes along that must be dealt with. The car will break down in a horrifying way. A niece will be born in a different time zone. Someone will suddenly swell up and develop spots or take a whack to the head with a hockey stick. And that's when things get hairy. Something must be done, of course, and the questions of exactly what to do and how far to go become complicated.
This recent trip to Virginia Beach was one of those things we felt we needed to deal with. People stuck their necks out and made things happen in order for Redheaded Snippet to be in the program that held the tournament. It wasn't their fault she was selected to go further than we had anticipated (or budgeted for) and we felt that in turning it down we would have been biting the hand that had fed us. And though it was definitely extending us further than we were comfortable, we went.
But there is no way we can afford to put her in this latest tournament. We still fear it will seem ungrateful of us to say no, but to go further into debt in order to send her would just be foolish and irresponsible. I went over it round and round in my head all night and all day, hardly sleeping and barely getting anything else done, and no matter how you look at it, it's just not doable.
So the answer, regrettably, has to be no. We are all disappointed, but I think we'll be glad we were prudent instead of careless when we look back on it.
At least I hope Redheaded Snippet will be...
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