4 day weekend

Hey!  We just had 9 whole days of school...it must be time for a 4-day weekend.  Whew, they work the kids hard around here.  Good thing we have next Wednesday off as well.

Anyhoo...

We've started soccer season around these parts.  This year, both Andrew and Lily are playing...although for different leagues.  We haven't remembered to bring a camera to Andrew's games yet...we've been too distracted by Shadow's doppelganger.  Seriously...there is a dog there that looks EXACTLY like her.  The owner says it's a pure bred long haired chihuahua.  I hate to break the news, but...uh...I think the "breeder" was pulling her leg.  Whatever.

We did remember the camera for Lily's game.  Her league has no separate practices...just a little drilling before 2 short scrimmages.  It is for 4 and 5 year olds.  We kept Michael out of it, because we wanted Lily to have her own first year.  And we weren't sure if she would like it.  She's never been super interested in sports...although she has enjoyed kicking a soccer ball around at Andrew's many games and practices through the years.

She is absolute joy out on the field.  She smiles the whole time, she aggressively chases the ball and throws herself into the pile of children that is 4/5 year old soccer.  She is a little champ.

Getting suited up.   

 Doing her best tiger growl.  She loves being on the Tigers.

 All ready to go.  Where is everybody?

 Warm up time!  Notice Assistant Coach Andrew helping out.  More on that later.

 Lily's least favorite part of soccer.  Not getting to play.  She kept pleading with the coach to leave her in.  Tireless.

 Start the game already!

 Lots of waiting for people to get set in 4/5 year old soccer.

 Coach Jerry telling the defenders to spread out.  Lily thought they were doing warm ups again.

 Controlling the ball 

 Going for the goal.

 Setting up for the corner kick (look at me with the soccer terminology) 

 Go, Lily, Go!

She was so much fun to watch.  So much more of a soccer enthusiast than I would have ever guessed.  She would make her Uncle Chad proud.

As for Assistant Coach Andrew...we don't know Lily's coach, but the first week, while we were in the parent meeting, Coach Jerry asked Andrew if he would help out.  Andrew took this job very seriously...my mom took some adorable pictures of Andrew mimicking every move Coach Jerry made and trying to pass along his vast soccer knowledge to the little kids.  We had a talk with him about not interrupting the coach while he's talking.  During yesterday's game, Coach Jerry got Andrew a white coaching T-shirt with the soccer association's emblem on it.  Andrew just bursts with pride.  And he is really really good at it.  He stands in the goal while the kids practice shooting for the goal...and he always pretends like he's really trying to stop it but it gets through.  The kids LOVE that.  And then during the game, he sat on the sidelines with the kids who weren't playing and kind of corralled them like a sheepdog.  I saw him find a kid who was with his parents when it was his turn to play.  Very gentle and kind and...Lord, he makes me so proud.  And he is just so EARNEST about it.  When we got home, he took off his coaching shirt (which is a huge adult size medium), and said, "Mom?  When does Lily have practice?  Because I want to make sure this shirt is cleaned so I can wear it."

Any of you with girls around his age should just start lining up for a betrothal right now.  Because this boy is a CATCH.  If you need another reason, today we went to BK to celebrate no school, and they gave Michael chicken nuggets instead of a burger.  We did drive thru, so there was no exchanging.  Andrew gave his burger to Michael without being asked and ate 4 measly chicken nuggets instead.  Such a good, kind boy.