We Get Our Kicks From…
Our Saturday mornings begin with breakfast, loading up the van with our must-haves, and setting up camp on the sidelines in the cool (sometimes frigid) morning. It’s been a change of pace for us to have a set schedule on Saturdays, but it’s been a good fit for our family. We’ve gotten our kicks not just out of the sport of it all, or how cute they look with their names on the backs of their jerseys, or the excitement of watching them score their first goals…
~ It’s the high fives from a brother to a brother who is thrilled with his brothers’ success.
~ It’s the pleasure of seeing them take the hand of another teammate who is feeling shy and leading them on to the field.
~ It’s the smiles that come from letting them have a special splurge at the end of the game from the concession stand.
~ It’s the respect that they are showing to our neighbor now “coach”.
~ It’s even the tears that come from pain or disappointment. It’s relating to those hot tears that need reassurance and a grin of approval to balance out their disapproval of themselves.
~ It’s the family that come to cheer them on, and celebrate their accomplishments with them over the phone.
~ It’s learning that defense can be just as important as offense, even if it doesn’t come with the accolades.
~ It’s the joy of seeing my husband an encouraging coach.
These are the things that get me out of bed on those cold mornings, and get me through the increased laundry loads. Because at the end of the day, the eight soccer cleats have more to show for them than just mud.