Falcon Flight

Live. Learn. Soar. Those words are the motto for Wonder Boy's elementary school. Over the past 5 years, I think he's done quite a bit of all three. He's had some amazing teachers, met and made some good friends, and even had an adventure or two along the way.

There were field trips, major assignments, take home projects, and semi-annual productions. Who can forget the 3rd grade museum ? Or Wonder Boy's tribute to Leonardo daVinci? And there is a certain teacher who will long tell the tale of the boys who decided that one of them should serve as the big finale of the marble run (& ended up swallowing the metal marble in the process).

We've all been blessed by being part of the neighborhood school. It brought us closer to our neighbors. The teachers and staff made us feel like part of a family.

So while it's a time for Wonder Boy to stretch his wings and soar to a new school, it's a relief to know that he's had such a solid start to his educational career.

Thanks for 5 great years! Here's hoping the future will be just as incredible!

20/20 vision

They say hindsight is 20/20, but today I have something else in mind.

We're celebrating our 20th wedding anniversary! In many ways I can't quite wrap my brain around that number. When I look at it, I can't help but think that TWENTY seems like such a long time. I mean, that's nearly half my life! But how can that be?

I still remember every detail of our first date: from the blush on my cheeks when presented with a lovely long stem red rose to the fluttering of my stomach during that first kiss. I recall what we ate, where we hung out, and how I felt for almost every moment we were together. It seems like yesterday; not twenty-some-odd years ago.

But at the same time, I can easily think back on twenty years worth of memorable moments. Our first place. Our first dog. Graduations. Jobs. Houses. Wonder Boy! It all adds up faster than I could have ever imagined.

Still ... as I sit here to ponder things on this, our twentieth anniversary, it's not as much about looking back over the last twenty years as it is about looking forward to the next twenty years (& then some)!

We have plenty more in store for us, of that I am certain. I can imagine vacations, holidays, family adventures, graduations, milestones, WONDER BOY, and maybe even a few more additions to our little clan along the way.

I feel like, even though we've got 20 years under our marital belt, we're just getting started; just settling into our stride as we take off for what is still to come!

And I am so glad we get to walk this road hand-in-hand together!

Mom's Day '12

Mother's Day. As far as Hallmark holidays go, this has to be one of my favorites. Not because I'm showered with attention from my guys (though that is an awesome perk), but because it is another chance for me to stop and be thankful for those things that really matter in this life.

THIS is what matters, folks. No grand gestures needed. Just some quality time with my favorite people. Including a hug, a kiss, and a quick photo with my favorite 10 year old.

Spring Wrap Up

As happens all too soon each season, this weekend brought the end of soccer for the spring with an end-of-season tournament. Wonder Boy's team matched up yet again with the dreaded white team. And though they again played their hearts out, they (again) dropped this one to the other team.

It was with that loss weighing on their minds that they faced the maroon team in the afternoon game and you could tell it had lit a fire in them all. They played hard, despite the searing Texas heat. And this time came out with the win!

As always, we were the proudest cheer leaders on the sidelines - proud of the whole team for all they accomplished this season! They learned a lot about the finer points of the game this spring and by the end of the season were really clicking as a team. What could make a parent and fan any prouder?

We're already looking forward to soccer camp in June and then the start of fall soccer in September!

Not So Lucky 7

For the last game of the regular season, Wonder Boy's team drew a rematch with the top ranked team in the division. The boys all played super hard, but luck was not on their side. They had lots of good opportunities to score, but the ball took some unfortunate bounces and in the end, the other team came out on top.

Games like these are tough. Sometimes the ball just doesn't bounce your way. And then you start to second guess yourself. And you get more easily frustrated with your coaches and teammates.

For the most part, the boys held on and played their hearts out. But you could feel their frustration, regardless.

I guess it's our job, as their family and fans, to help them see all of the things they did WELL, so they can focus on THAT the next game out.

Wonder Boy and team get a week off to rest up before the end of season tournament on May 12 - 13. I'm sure they'll be ready!

Double Header

As I posted last week, Wonder Boy had a double header of soccer games this Saturday. My prayer had been for cool weather so that the boys wouldn't melt with 2 games out in the Texas sun. And that prayer was answered in spades! We woke to temps in the low 50s on Saturday morning and by the start of the first game, it had only warmed to the mid 50s. Talk about PERFECT soccer weather!

Wonder Boy and his teammates took full advantage of the break in the weather and revved their engines to full for the entire match! It was a tough game with a good team, but in the end our boys came out with the 2 - 0 win! We were hoping that this would fuel their efforts in the afternoon match and, again, we were not disappointed! By lunch time, the temperatures had warmed to the mid 60s (still very cool by Texas standards) but the boy and his team had no trouble. In fact, I felt kinda bad for the opposing team who were mostly beginners. Our coach was a good sport and used the opportunity to rotate players all around in order to give the other team every opportunity to stay in the game. At the final whistle, our boys came out with a 6 - 0 win and I was so proud that they handled themselves with such great sportsmanship.

Two wins in one day is a heck of a way to spend a Saturday! But those Ws did not come without a cost. Wonder Boy took a ball between the eyes in the first game and had to deal with a bloody nose. And then, before the match was over, he took an elbow to the mouth and sported a busted lip the rest of the weekend. But there is nothing like winning a couple of games to soothe the soul (and the swollen lip), so we never heard a complaint.

Only one weekend left of the regular season for this spring. Where did the time go? I'm not sure, but I fully intend to soak up the remaining moments of soccer for this spring. And then we can start the count down to soccer camp. :+)

A Valiant Effort

I know I say it after every game, but I truly love watching Wonder Boy on the soccer pitch. In seasons past, he has shined at practice but then been much more reserved at game time. This season, his confidence has turned a corner and it is showing on game day as well as on the practice field. And with this added confidence has come a shift in his field assignment. Now that his faith in his own skills - especially his passing and dribbling - is showing, Wonder Boy has been moved primarily to a left wing position. Sometimes he shifts to a center midfield position, but most of the time you will find him bringing up the left front.



One of the great aspects of this field assignment is that he is often in the thick of the action on the field! And when he makes his patented sneaky pass right into the middle of the field, perfectly at his teammate's feet as they crash into the box .... well, we can hardly contain ourselves!

Week 4's game was a tough one for Wonder Boy. A few minutes into the 2nd half, he caught a low spot on the field and twisted his ankle. We didn't see it happen, but we definitely saw him slow down. When there was a break in the action, we managed to get his attention and inquire about the problem. And soon after, we got the coach to pull him for a few minutes so that we could slip on a compression sleeve to help him out a bit. I feared this would not be enough and that he would not be able to enjoy the rest of the game, but Wonder Boy came through with a truly valiant effort. He ran and played hard, just as if he had never been injured in the first place. There were moments we could tell he was still hurting, but he never let up!

He always makes us proud, but there are moments (like this game) where he takes it to a new level. You just gotta love THAT!



Next weekend has a double-header on the schedule. Here's to hoping for a break in the weather and a wish for unseasonably cool temperatures so the boys don't wilt in the already building Texas heat.