It Could Be Rugby
Tuesday, October 6, 2009 at 11:19PM 
Sometimes Christian's soccer team (and this has been true for the last couple of years) reminds me of a rugby team instead. First there is the scrum (I don't know if that's the proper way to use rugby terminology...I'm not really qualified to talk about it, but these are the thoughts that come to my head. There you have it.) and then there is the shoving. I'm not positive, but I think the ref blew his whistle about 159 times during the game and called out,"No shoving!" or "Stop shoving, boys!" He said it with a little shake of his head and a half-grin, knowing full well that boys really can't help themselves.
So, there is a little shoving and mad circling and shouldering around the ball, but then they get back to the soccer.
I won't overdo the whole soccer thing, and show pictures from every game. We did manage to get some good ones of Christian tonight, so I thought the grandparents would like to see them.
He is good at throwing the ball back into the game. I would say that 90% of the time the boys forget to keep both heels down when they throw in. This is the rule, your feet cannot come up off of the ground when you throw in the ball. It's hard to do, it's their natural instinct to throw with everything they have, including their heels. It gives that extra little push. So it takes a lot of control to keep those heels on the ground. I'm glad that self-control is exhibiting itself sometimes in his life. At least I know that it is in that little body of his.
There are certain teams that are just good...this other team had aggressive players who were not afraid to take control of the ball. They had a high score by the end of the game, while we scored no goals. Here, Christian was trying hard to get the ball away from another player, and trying to keep him from scoring a goal.
Unfortunately, the kid scored; would you please look at Christian's face...it's like he can't believe that just happened.
At one point he went by me, where I was standing on the sideline, and shouted out,"The score is five to none-they have five, we have none!" He looked so indignant! I love, though, his determination in spite of such a score...
A cookie after the game doesn't hurt, either.
Now, this one? She would be happy outside all the livelong day. I am not kidding. She can throw one major fit when she has to come in from our backyard. The open air, the grass, the dirt, whatever...she loves it. It had rained earlier in the day, and so the field was wet. I had her on my hip for a while, but then she asked to get down. I said,"What are you going to do? Where are you going to go?" She pointed to the grass right beside me and said,"Right there," looking me straight in the eye. I put her down and she was total happiness.
And sweetness. (I accidentally wrote "sweetmess"...that would work, too.)
And what can I say about her? She is my lovely daughter. My sweet and sensitive girl. She had a great time playing with some friends who have a brother on Christian's team. It makes my heart glad.
So...our life keeps moving forward. There are many things on my mind these days. I am sorting through the papers in my head, so to speak. Some people say that the years when your kids are little are the best years of your life. I'll probably think so one day, when I'm old and they're all living on their own and I can't remember half of what life was like back then. Right now, the days are often hard. Honestly, it has more to do with me than with them. I have hard days and then look back on any given day and think about the moments that were good...and hope to be better at savoring them the next day. Looking at these pictures, seeing these smiles, knowing how happy they can be is priceless to me. Each night I hope that seeing and knowing that which is so valuable will help me look at them tomorrow in a new light. I want to treasure these days, not just survive them!
Reader Comments (4)
"I want to treasure these days, not just survive them!" I am in the exact same place as you right now...but it's so hard sometimes!
Christina, I am convinced that you have to forget a LOT before you can look back and say "those were the best days."
And soccer and shoving go together. I'm sorry. They just do.
LOVE the pictures! Our middle son loves soccer (as does my husband) so there is a lot of "soccer talk" in this house. And, yes, when they are little it doesn't really resemble soccer in its purest form all that much. But it is SO cute!
I can already look back with a lot sentimentality at my older kids younger years. But I would never say those years were easy, or even the best. Like, say, severe sleep deprivation?!? Who would miss that??
You do treasure your children, that is completely evident. That doesn't mean you have to treasure all of the challenges that come with this age and stage. Sometimes life is hard and we don't do ourselves any favors if we pretend otherwise.
Your kids are so adorable!!
i have been thinking this for a while now!
the days are flying past and I don't like it!
i want to soak it all in.