Kylie's Soccer Debut

The morning of Kylie's first soccer game, she told me she didn't want to play. I couldn't imagine why. I had bought the pink ball, socks, and cleats that she wanted. She had friends on the team, and she had actually asked me to sign her up. But that morning, she confided in me that she was upset about a previous practice. I wasn't sure if it was because it was raining for the entire hour, but that wasn't it - it was because she didn't win one of the "tag" games. Nevertheless, off we went with her shorts rolled and safety-pinned just to fit. She quickly forgot her worries when she found a coin on the ground and tucked it into her sock. As the game started she had a smile that remained until the end. After her team scored their first goal, she looked at me and yelled "I never want to quit soccer!!". It was so fun watching her play, and seeing her pure competitive joy - a joy I hope she remembers next Saturday morning.