Soccer

I keep taking my camera to take pictures at the soccer games, but somehow I never take them. Ryan is very strong and hits a baseball amazingly, as well as a golf ball. He has a strong kick. Put him on the soccer field, and he is just frustrating to watch. He picks flowers, he races with the other boys (oblivious to the ball at all times), he chats with any child who will listen, he makes underarm noises, he plays in the mud, he slides on the grass, and flops on the goal. Yesterday, he accidentally kicked a ball because someone kicked it at his feet. He spent the next 5 minutes laughing about that with anyone who would listen on the field. I believe he is having a good time, but it is hard to watch. At other times on the field, he'd just run up to the boys on the other team yelling out the score of the game. During all of this, the other boys are actually playing soccer. He is just turning 5 this weekend, but Joel is pretty sure that soccer is not the game for Ryan. It is true that he is not very fleet of foot. I guess if you look at a picture of him from when he was a baby, you might have guessed that speedy may not be his nickname.

He has lost all of the rolls on those legs, but he is still thick, and his feet are as long as Lydia's, but much wider. When he hit a ball far out of our yard the other day, he said, " Mom, maybe you should put me in baseball." He is probably right. I thought that soccer would be good exercise.

Now Lydia is very fast. She is on the short side for her age, but is as fast or faster than those long legged girls. She is a natural defender and hangs back. When the ball comes anywhere near her goal, she chases it down and clears it. Any goals that have been made against her team have been when she has not been in the game. Her games are fun to watch, as she has good and fun team mates, too. You may say, Lydia is older and has been playing longer. When she was his age, she had the same qualities. Her skills have improved, but she has always been involved in the game.

Our Saturdays are filled with soccer because we have two games. We also have 2 practices apiece per week. I'm thinking that I should start playing for the exercise, too. That would be a fine idea to have practice for the adults at the same time as the kids. I'm usually so pooped by the late afternoon. Where do the kids get all the energy?