Soccer Game

When we were least expecting it Fall quickly arrived at our doorstep sometime in the middle of the night. Today the temps are cool, drizzly and only in the 50's(!!!). I always scramble this time of the year to find warm clothes for the boys that actually fit. Sawyer's jeans now fit him like capri pants. Liam is all set because of school but I did notice how his sweats from last year (the ones he constantly tripped over because they were 2 inches too long), now fit perfectly. I did manage to get some fleece jackets ordered for them-just in time.

Today was Liam's soccer game. He definitely had more energy this time then last and did not need to stop and rest. (I'm sure not playing at the park for two hours before the game plus the cool conditions helped a lot). Ken stayed home with Beanie (Beanie at soccer=exhaustion) while I went to the game. Some of the kids on his team and the other team were really, really good. You can tell they have played before and are quite aggressive on the field, charging into the middle of the swarm of kids and kicking the ball. Liam on the other hand, is content to just be out there running and kicking the ball when he can but not particularly caring which direction it goes. He just has fun and is there for the social aspect. I can tell that he tries really hard to keep up and get the ball but most of the time he is just smiling so huge and laughing and not caring whether he kicks it or not. Contrary to my naturally competitive nature, I *LOVE* that he has such fun while he is there and I don't care that he maybe isn't as coordinated as a lot of the other kids or as fast--he is having a BLAST and he feels like he is doing a good job (and he is indeed doing good) and that is good enough for me. During the game his teammate fell and got hurt and immediately Liam jumped up and went to her side. He touched her arm and rubbed her back gently and asked if she was going to be alright. I saw the girl's mother smile at him and reassure him she would be ok. It always makes me feel so good when I see him do that. He has such a big heart.

When we were leaving the field I heard a boy on his team commenting how only he and Brice and another boy were "the only boys on the team who focused on the ball and played hard and scored goals" and the father agreed and told him to keep playing hard. My mama bear instincts came out and I wanted to say to that little boy and his father, "you know, I think EVERYONE on the team tries their best. Some kids are faster, stronger and (ahem) a whole year OLDER then other kids on the team but EVERYONE tries hard." Luckily Liam didn't seem to notice or care so I said nothing but I almost wish I would have and I probably would of added, "you might think you played the hardest, but who do you think had the most fun and smiled the most???" Because *I* know without a doubt, Liam did.