Soccer Star

When Kate grows up she is going to be a soccer player. Perhaps even a soccer star. She told me so. And when she is too old to no longer play professionally? No biggie. She'll just be a coach. These are her life plans (she's five), and have been for quite some time. I told her that sometimes as kids grow they change their minds about what they want to be when they are grown, but she has assured me this would not be the case for her.

Alrighty then.

So I did what any mama of a future soccer star would do. I signed her up to play! Because she never had. All of her life's plans revolved around a game she had never played. But not any more! Because this season my baby is a Golden Eagle! And we are all really, really proud of her. Not because she actually happens to be quite good, because she is (she was the only kid to score goals in the practice scrimmage, and she also scored a goal in the first game of the season!), but because she was brave enough to step out from behind the shadow of her older sister whom she adores (a place she has placed herself). Typically, if Emma does it, Kate does it. And if Emma doesn't do it, Kate doesn't do it. But this time she just went for it! She was brave enough to try out for a sport that no one in our family has ever played, much less talked about, because she wanted to. And her new found confidence is what we are praising! We could not care less if she scored thirty goals or not a single one. We are simply proud of her for taking the risk and trying something new. So congratulations, Kate!

You are our shining soccer star!