Dear Kids,
You played soccer for the first time this fall. Games started on the first Saturday after the first practice, so you were in the game before you really knew how to play it. You were confused at first (and no wonder), but you figured things out.
My favorite memories of Marshall’s soccer season are the moments when he seemed to be in his own world during the games. He once spent most of his stint as goalie hanging from the crossbar of the goal. So, before the next game, I kept saying, “No hanging from the goal!” And he didn’t hang from the goal during the next game. Instead, he lay down on the field whenever there was a lull. So before the following game, I kept saying, “And no lying down during the game!” To give him just due, he didn’t love soccer, but he went to every practice and game without complaint. He had fun, just maybe not in the same way as the other kids did.
Livia really enjoyed playing. She scored several goals over the course of the season, but she seemed equally happy to be simply running up and down the field with an aggressive, I’m-gonna-get-that-ball look on her face. My favorite memory of her soccer season was the time that she was pelting down the field when she suddenly stopped, bent down, and picked a dandelion. It was also cute how, after discovering that her coach would pick her up if she fell, she would occasionally throw herself to the ground on purpose.
After playing in the hot sun, you deserved a cool reward. So sometimes on Saturday afternoons, after you had both finished your games, I took you to the ice cream shop. The nice thing about doing stuff with you kids is that there’s almost always something in it for me. Not only did I enjoy watching you experience new ice cream flavors for the first time, but the ice cream shop makes a delicious, decaf, low-fat pumpkin ice cream coffee drink. Yum. So a good time was had by all.
Livia wants to play soccer again next year. Marshall isn’t that interested. I think we might sign you both up again, though. Marshall might not have loved it, but the fresh air and exercise were good for him. Plus he liked the after-game ice cream, and so did I. Soccer is a great excuse to go for ice cream!
Love,
Mom