Soccer Mom

So it turns out being a soccer mom is hard.

And I just have one soccer aged kid.

The day of the first game I was running late, parked in the wrong parking lot and wound up carrying two kids, a large blanket, a camera, and a video camera about half a mile across the sports complex. And then Bentley pooped, and then Ivy pooped and so I had to walk half a mile back to the car to change their diapers. And then we were late, and I was crying real tears. It was miserable.

But she has been wanting to do soccer since she was three. And I was too busy birthing babies to afford her the opportunity till now. So we did it. We completed our first soccer season.

We never made it to a practice because, come on, one day a week for games was hard enough. Especially since somehow she got put on a team that met about as far away from us as you could possibly be and still be in the same city.

But she tried really hard in games. Well, actually, I got the impression that she wasn't trying that hard. She kind of ran around in the pack of kids. Never trying too hard to kick the ball.

And the problem was that if she did get in the general vicinity of the ball we would all cheer wildly. And for some reason when we would all cheer wildly, she would take her eye off the ball, flash us a winning smile and give us two VERY enthusiastic thumbs up.

Every. Single. Time.

My kids a brainiac, she's been very interested in reading and spelling since before she was three. But she can't do a summersault to save her life. I thought soccer would be a prime opportunity to teach her about teamwork, foot-eye coordination, endurance, rules, etc.

And I am sure it taught her some of those things. Or at least it would have if we would have made it to a practice or two.

But the greatest lesson? It was one that she taught everyone on the soccer field the day that she realized one of her friends from our old ward was on the opposing team.

And she ran around, in the general vicinity of the ball, but smiling and trying to hold hands with her long lost BFF.

It was so cute.

And I hope that putting her in soccer won't ever change her. She already knows the important thing. A friend is a friend, no matter the team.

Good job Gwen! I've never been so proud as when you would run by me a big thumbs up! And when you would try to hold hands with your teammates and sometimes your opponents, it made me far more proud than scoring a goal ever would.

P.S. Thank goodness it is all over though. Whew, kudos to you soccer moms out there!