GOALLLLL!!!!

BIG news… Evey scored her first goal! Indeed, she scored it last Saturday on that rainy, drizzly morning.

It came late in the game… in fact, it may have been a golden goal, as both sides stopped playing immediately after the goal.

A low cross came from her left halfback. Evey timed her run perfectly, staying onside. The ball skipped once, Evey put her right foot out, made good contact despite the slippery conditions, and the ball spun into the lower right corner of the net! GOOOOOAAAAALLLLLLLL!!!!

OK, it didn't happen like that at all. It actually happened like:

Coach Kevin assembled the Yellow Giraffes. It was about time to pack it up as the rainy weather had all the parents fidgety.

Coack K declared, "Guys, let's get Evey a goal!" The kids fumbled around with the ball until Coach K finally propped it up right in front of an empty net. "Evey, kick it in the goal!" coach shouted. Evey kicked it, but it missed the goal. He got the ball back and teed it up again. The other kids all were confused, but continued bumping into each other and falling down as they are wont to do. Evey wound up and kicked this one into the back of the net! The kids all went wild with a goal celebration! Evey celebrated, but she didn't really understand... that she had just SCORED HER FIRST GOAL!!!

I had a smile ear to ear. It literally was the highlight of my weekend. I couldn't have been more proud.

I should mention, Evey was the only girl on the field for either team. It didn't slow her down. She had a nice game, getting more kicks in this week.

And another update... yesterday Evey was declared HAPPY FEET PLAYER OF THE WEEK again, making for back-to-back weeks, and three of these awards total. I even got an email from the coach about her skills. Here it is:  

Meg and I love working with Evey both at Leagues and at Lawrence Montessori, her enthusiasm is great and she always listens to us. I'm actually training with Meg to do weekly classes and came along to Lawrence Montessori last week; Evey did awesome there so I know she can do very well at Leagues as long as we encourage her! It seems like she has been practicing at home too, so whatever you guys are doing there, definitely keep it up -- I'm confident that she will keep improving with each week!

WOW! We're so proud of her... GREAT WORK EVEY, my SOCCER STAR!!!

BABY UPDATE: Adrianne is doing well, but nothing to report yet. She has an appointment tomorrow so maybe we'll learn something then. The due date is still Oct. 7th. If he goes the whole way, that's cool, we just hope for a healthy baby. The only complaint Adro has is some trouble sleeping, and occasional belly pains. But she's getting lots of back rubs.

OF NOTE: Today would have been my Dad's 65th birthday. We got the family together on Tuesday to do a toast to my Dad.

It's interesting how much has changed in a year. Last year, my Dad's birthday was reason to get a melancholy drunk on. This year, I was hopeful we'd be celebrating the birth of my son on my Dad's birthday.

My Dad certainly is not forgotten, but there were some serious strides made in 2011 to accept that Dad is gone and we're going to have to move on without him. Still miss him like crazy, but I think my brain finally understands the reality of it all. Here's to Boyd, who I know was watching Evey first goal on the sideline with me!