It's Official! I'm a Soccer Mom!

Last weekend marked a new day for me! I officially became a soccer mom. I can't say that I have ever even watched a soccer game! This year both my girls signed up to play on the Oasis team. Firstborn played soccer at PE when she was young, got a good hard kick to the shin, and decided soccer was not for her. But this year, she decided to sign up just to stay in shape for volleyball and basketball, with some shin guards! Twinkle Toes had determined years ago that when she hit 7th grade, she wanted to try out for soccer. They both made the team, and last weekend was our first tournament.

 

I was completely and totally clueless. I know all about screaming in a gym for volleyball and basketball, but what does a soccer mom do? I teased the girls that morning that I would be running up and down the sidelines, screaming, big sunglasses on, like a real soccer mom! But I clearly learned what I should do NEXT time...sunscreen, waters, a blanket to sit on, breakfast for the girls before the game!!!

I knew the base sold some breakfast sandwiches, so I decided we'd just eat there. I didn't factor in the fact that the girls would be warming up right when they got there. I sent out their sandwiches to the field. Firstborn promptly put them down near the goal. I started worrying later that maybe they never ate. At that point, Twinkle was on the field playing. My friends clued me in...ya gotta feed them at home. No time to eat here. (Insert here the fact that we just had Twinkle checked out for fainting so often and were told she needed to get some breakfast earlier and snacks mid-day!) So I jogged over to the other side of the field and whispered, "Psst! Did you eat?" Firstborn said, "No, not yet." I said, "Well, where's the food?!" She said, "...by the goal...I think." So I had to sneak down the sideline and grab their breakfast before a goal shot into it! If only you could have seen me, my friends were laughing. First day as a soccer mom FAIL! Anyway, they did eat after the game and won their first game!

Firstborn played the second half. She's a goalie. I don't think my heart beat when the ball was down there....but she blocked them all! I've seen that girl tackle, I knew she could do it!

And like real soccer parents, we had an injury. Twinkle got a solid kick to her ankle which swelled up and turned black and blue. A couple of guys would have been happy to carry her to the car, but a certain gentleman would not have anyone carrying her but him!

 

And so, now that I've done it, I can say that I love soccer games!!! Kids running around, snacks, cheering, sunshine. Soccer moms, what's your best advice for me?

CC in Moscow!

CC was asked to be part a team to travel to Moscow, Russia, to visit and serve on an accreditation team for a school similar to ours. Basically, the school pays hotel/food expenses for the team to come, and the team volunteers to observe, question, and then write a report recommending accreditation for the school. He had a wonderful week and brought me back these pictures.

This was his team. He thoroughly enjoyed his week with them and made some great friends.

This picture is, of course, my favorite!

Look What I Got To Hold

This was a highlight of the week! I got to hold a 12 hour old baby boy! This is the new nephew of my friend L. Her brother and sis-in-law live in Turkey, and came to our city for the birth of their son. He was awfully sweet....hmmmm.

Latin America: Here We Come!

Thursday was a real treat for me! Some of my daughters are dear friends with the Ecuadorian ambassador's wife. They do sleepovers, play dates, chats on facebook. When the Latin American embassies decided to put on a festival showcasing the food and fashions of their countries, these sweet friends asked my girls to help them represent Latin America! They went for several rehearsals and came home telling me stories of "amazing salsa dancers" and "how to walk the runway." I thought it was so hilariously creative of God to send us all the way to the Middle East to let my Turkey and Singaporean-born daughters represent Latin America! My friend M, the ambassador's wife (and pretty much the classiest lady I've ever met) invited me to be her guest. And my sweet hub CC said he'd substitute teach for me for the afternoon.

And so, I called out the spelling pre-test with lightning speed, gave them their homework papers, put on some fresh lipstick, and hopped in a cab with these great friends (whose daughters were in it as well). It was in the Ankara Palace, a decades-old classy hotel which reminded me ever so much of the old Hot Springs hotel where we used to sit and watch people ballroom dance. Creaky stairs, huge chandeliers, ornate woodwork. It was awesome.

What in the world does a school teacher wear to a fashion show? I threw on my boots and a Scottish scarf.

There were displays from all the countries. This jaguar is all beaded! We had hor dourves of real chips (fried) and guacamole, made by all the hispanic maids living with the embassy families. Um. Good. I threw down a drink that was solid white and cold (not milk. not alcoholic.). It was so smooth and creamy and cinnamony, I have no idea what I drank.

And then we entered the ballroom. With the paparazzi. And I realized this was an even bigger deal than I thought.

After some speeches welcoming us, we had some live Latin dancing. Salsa. Tango. Wow. I'd vote for them on Dancing with the Stars. I'd text their numbers several times. My friend L and I kept discussing how we might get our husbands to take lessons with us. I'll let you know if that happens.

And then the little dolls came out. Sweet Cheeks represented Ecuador proudly with her dear Ecuadorian friend.

Firstborn represented Venezuela. This costume is minus her amazing pom-pom ball headband. But not to worry, it's all on youtube. She was so poised and so proud to represent them, holding the little hand of the ambassador's daughter, and it shows as she walks the catwalk. The Venezuelan ambassador's wife was so happy to have her wear the costume, she brought her a gift of thanks. I told her we'd save that treasure, and she could one day tell her children all about it. (Please check out her ball headband and war paint, missing here!!) Twinkle Toes was dressed in a traditional Chilean costume. She was so proud to wear this beautiful suit, hat, and boots. Though that blonde hair looks very un-Chilean, she was proud to represent them. One of the school mommies said it perfectly, "They have the Latino heart, that's all that matters."

Indeed!

Here's the youtube link

Here's the newspaper article

And for this girl, who spent many months in Mexico and truly thought she'd be living there in a hut one day, loving on people, shining my light, it was a little reminder that God knows I have the Latino heart, too.

Winter Ball: The Roaring 20's

Our "prom" is in the winter, a perfect time, I think! This year's theme was the Roaring 20's. My friend L was in charge of it and went.all.out. She's our art teacher, so there was no end to the creativity! Even with limited supplies here (no Hobby Lobby!), she turned our atrium into a beautiful ballroom for the kids.

Here is Firstborn before the event.

Twinkle Toes...(her first one!)

In addition to the awesome decorating, one of our teachers gives them dancing lessons and teaches them proper etiquette. The guys learn to ask everyone, especially the quiet girl in the corner. The girls learn to accept every offer to dance. They learn how to escort the girl to the floor. They learn the proper distance and how to hold him/her.They learn waltzes, swing, line dances. It is the way it should be, I think.

And it is so much fun to see the kids out of school uniform!

Here Firstborn is dancing with her best guy friend. He's a great kid!

Here's, a-hem, another friend.

And the best part of all was that my sweetheart asked me to go with him. We had so much fun! A friend took a picture of us. When I get it, I'll post it!

CC had planned to dance with 3 girls, his 3 girls. Before he even asked her, Firstborn found him, grabbed his arm, and asked him to dance with her. I was touched. She really cared far more about dancing with her dad than the other boys around.

And though this picture is a little blurry, I just love it. He is so proud of his girls.

Cryptic Messages and Updo's

The title is strange and random, I agree, but that's how I'll be blogging today. When CC left for the USA, I found this message on my whiteboard. It was just like the kind I used to get at SBEC when I was teaching there, and he was my sort-of-boyfriend lawyer friend. Can you figure out what it says?

Leave me a comment if you get it! (Ignore the division posters above.)

After he left, we decided to play beauty shop. This year I'd have 2 girls going to the Winter Ball. Thanks to Pinterest (or no thanks), they had high expectations and somehow thought I might be able to fulfill them. I needed a practice run. The style Twinkle Toes picked came with step-by-step pictures and thankfully, no flighty teenager sitting in front of her iphone, uploading to Youtube, and telling me how very easy it was going to be!

This is how our practice run turned out. I thought it was beautiful.

We decided when we did the real style, we'd pull it further over to the side to make a side bun.

Here is the final day's style! I added some twists and pinned it a little tighter than it shows here. You might note the other beautician working in the background. At the last minute, CC asked me to be his date (a first Winter Ball for us), and we were running short on time. Firstborn called her English teacher, Miss Campbell, (a cousin, somehow, we are sure), who always has beautiful hair. She came and braided her hair all around Firstborn's head, then added a darling curly side bun.

Here they are at the end of the styling session.

While I did Twinkle Toes' hair, Miss Middler did mine! Well done. Hard to believe a 12 year old could be that good! (But most nights while CC reads the Bible story, one of them is doing something to my hair.)

And amid all the time crunch, throwing together a sandwich for everyone, getting on the jewelry, and zipping up the dresses, I did think, "It sure is fun to have girls." 

My Valentine

All one sentence, "youerthebestdadevryouerthebestmomevr." Myfavoriteevr!

Finishing Up Basketball

It was a great season, finishing with a tournament. Here's our all-star team and coach.

The jumpball terrifies Firstborn. She snagged this one for sure.

Final score. Too bad I can't include sound...you would have heard one loud mama! (We were guests!)

Ol' Man Campbell

February 10th was the 100th day of school. Big Ben dressed as Ol' Man Campbell. He said his grandpas wear plaid shirts. I convinced him to wear the sweater vest (he isn't too keen on them, but I insisted), then we added a pair of bifocals. I begged/pleaded/bribed him to wear the long gray Duck Dynasty beard. But in the end, I didn't make him. Some battles are just not worth it when Dad is out of town!