Sunday, November 22, 2015

Soccer and My Girl

She has been playing soccer since she was 4.
A little thing with bright blond hair running down the fields.
She started off in the church leagues and rec leagues.
Playing her little heart out.
She dreamed of playing Division 1 college soccer.
People told us she really needed to be playing club soccer.
We resisted as long as we could because the commitment was so huge.
Finally, in the 6th grade, we made the move to club soccer.
Since that time, she has been to thousands of practices, played in hundreds of games across the southeast, won umpteen tournaments, played in 105 degree weather and sleet and snow, gotten cuts, bruises, bumps, lumps, concussions, black eyes, made wonderful friends, learned life long lessons and become an amazing soccer player.
My Girl.
Yesterday I watched her play her last club soccer game.
An end to an era.
Oh, this Senior stuff is hard!
As I watched her cross that field one last time after the game, my heart was full.
No longer a little girl with shin guards too big, but a beautiful, strong young woman who worked her heart out to reach her dream.
What a joy it has been to watch her play all these years.
All the time and money and miles driven were worth it all.
I am so proud of My Girl.
And now a new era begins...
And she will live her dream
I can't wait to watch her play.......



Sunday, November 1, 2015

A Halloween Weekend

Halloween started off Friday with parades, carnivals and parties at school.


The Lower and Middle school have a parade with costumes and then each has their own carnival. Lulu was dressed and ready for her book report dressed as Fancy Nancy and her party.

 Sam and his crew of friends... and I didn't quite get their costume...8th grade boys!
 Ninja Man Xin and the 4th graders.
 Jaida the bear and the 3rd graders
A little cake walk fun at a fabulous carnival filled with games, crafts and lots of food!

Then I dashed off to Lulu's school for her Kindergarten party.





Everybody got out early Friday so we headed to our favorite little pumpkin patch down the street.
Nothing like waiting until the last minute to get pumpkins!















I treasured these few moments as I knew this would probably be the last time all 5 went to the pumpkin patch together :( 

Then we headed home to prepare for the last home football game.

Julia wanted to make some posters for her friends playing their last home game and of course little sisters must watch and "help"

It was a fun night and the Seniors did it with spirit!


Because Sam is an 8th grader, he got the privilege of practicing and dressing out for the Varsity game this week.

 He is somewhere over there on the sidelines. 
He did such an amazing job of standing all night! Ha!!
He said after the game, "Um, I am not used to not playing. Man, I just wanted to get in there!"
Um, we were promised he wouldn't be put in against those HUGE 6 foot 5 inch 250 lbs boys!
He is growing up too fast and getting way too big but this mama wasn't ready for that quite yet!

Halloween arrived and we carved our pumpkins before we headed out to Julia's soccer game.




 The Littles' pumpkin. Jaida did the eyes, Lulu the nose and Xin the mouth.
And the Bigs' pumpkin!

Trick or Treat here we come!
 Sleeping Beauty
 A Teddy Bear
 Ninja Man

 A Dinosaur
 And one cool Hotdog!

Julia and some of her  Senior friends decided to go out in style and do it up BIG!
Look how awesome they look!
I LOVE it!




The candy collecting ended and we headed home to sort out the loot and have a little food and football watching.








I love this time of year and this "holiday"
It was such a fun weekend!