Spring Soccer

We've been watching and playing lots of soccer lately.  Having lived abroad, the term football still falls more naturally off of my tongue.  Whatever you call it, I forgot how much I enjoy watching my oldest compete in her favorite game.  She willingly chose to forgo playing this past fall while her grandpa recovered from an almost deadly septic infection.  As I was trying to juggle responsibilities here and 2000 miles away, she made the decision to stay close to our families easier when she didn't hesitate in her response of "Family is more important."  I wasn't sure how taking a season off would affect her skill level since she's moved up a larger team this year, but it's brought much joy to see her slip back into the game like a hand slips into a glove.  It's always been a natural fit for her.  And that is why we get out three days a week and stand around in some pretty miserable weather conditions.  Spring soccer is known for its awful weather up here in Siberia and this past Saturday didn't disappoint. 

 

One word:  Sleet.

 

 

Little sister Bella is still content with Pee Wee Soccer, or Kiwi Soccer as she called it for the longest time.  Thankfully her practice only takes place once a week and we've been blessed that most of Boo's Saturday games have been at the same park as Bella's.

 

Right off the bat, I got to make one of those questionable parenting decisions last Saturday morning.  Bitty and Bella made a beeline for this mud as soon as we arrived.  Since Hubby was filling in as coach, I weighed whether I really wanted to fight with Bitty about this muck for the next hour.  After deciding that all of her clothes were washable and that she had on old shoes, I let Bitty march right in.  Not more than 2 minutes later, she was stuck.  Literally.  Fortunately Bella came to her rescue.  (Mom was too busy documenting the moment in photos.)  Problem solved.  Bitty wasn't the least interested in the mud after that. 

 

A good snack seems to solve most problems at this age, and Bitty was feeling much better after drowning her tears in fruit snacks.  Since then I've decided that I would like to hang Bella up by her toes for teaching Bitty the phrase, "Eew Gross," at some previous point in time.  These are the words that Bitty has exclaimed every time I've thought it necessary for her to wear those same boots this past week.  She is not impressed with the dried-on mud.

 

Since Bella's practice was the same time as Boo's game I didn't get to take as many photos as I would have liked.  Boo was so excited that her Daddy had agreed to fill in for the coaches who had other obligations last weekend.  I wish I had gotten a picture of him coaching because he did a great job.  Instead I was chasing Bitty who kept trying to escape to the playground that was up the hill from both fields.  At one point I was mortified because I looked up and realized that Bella was standing still while all her teammates were kicking their soccer balls with their parents.  I quickly ran and scooped up Bitty.  While juggling a crying toddler up front and a mega camera bag hanging off my back, I made my way over to Bella who giggled her little Dr. Evil laugh and then took off with the ball in a full run.  It was a pretty comical sight.

 

At the end of the morning, braving the sleet was all worth it just to see Boo heading to the car hand in hand with her Daddy.  You can literally see the pride she has in him by the bounce in her step.  And to tell the truth, I was proud of him too.  I'm always amazed at the wealth and variety of information he possesses.  It reminded me of the time that Boo was only 3 or 4 years old.  In earnest sincerity she looked up at him with her big blue eyes and exclaimed, "Daddy, you're my hero."  It was so sickening sweet that I almost gagged a little at the time, but it means the world to me that he's still a hero in her eyes.