Soccer

The boys are really having a good time playing soccer. R, is of course, still um, new. He is younger than all the kids on his team, and even they don't pay a lot of attention. So, you can imagine how he tends to "drift." He likes it though, and seems to have no idea when the ball (and ALL of the other players) go right past him. His teammates are nice and so are their parents. S. only gets slightly frustrated when they are chasing each other or playing airplane instead of playing the actual game. . .

But then their is N. Remember in baseball when I said I still hadn't gotten used to the fact that he actually KNOWS what he is doing? I keep thinking he gets a hit or catches a ball or whatever out of luck. Toward the end of baseball season I kind of started getting used to the fact that he knew what he was doing. Well, now that is happening with soccer.

This child is good. I know, I know. I said this about baseball. But you have to understand how amazing the kid is. He is an outstanding goalie. This past weekend (keeping in mind that he had surgery on his MOUTH only 4 days before) he was just amazing. He was one on one with an offensive player several times and took a ball straight in the stomach that he should NOT have been able to catch. At one point, he made such a great stop that I was jumping up and down, and a water bottle flew out of my hand. It hit my friend's son in the head. He's 12, so it didn't really bother him, but I still had to establish a new rule of not holding anything in my hands while N plays!

Here's the coolest thing. I SO wish I had a video camera! A ball was coming from the side cross to the goal. There was no way N. could catch it. He jumped--at an angle--and stuck his arm out and punched the ball with his fist and deflected it up over the goal. It was truly beyond words to describe. S. (who is coaching) turned to look at me and put his hand over his mouth. He had to kneel down and got tears in his eyes. No exaggeration. It was that pretty of a play. Keep in mind that S was a collegiate goalkeeper, so he has pretty high standards. But, this was his kid and a textbook play--he was overwhelmed. So, seeing that, I of course get instant tears in my eyes. I love to watch them together (especially when they are NOT arguing!!)

So, I don't have a picture of it, but I think my friend Donna does. I will see if I can get it from her. There's just no way you can imagine how great it really was. . .