first huddle

The soccer practice looked like an actual soccer practice today. There were cones for the kids to line up behind for kicking drills and dribbling drills. They seemed to enjoy that for a little while, but then they all kept dispersing to get water, visit their mommies, or play with a piece of cardboard trash on the field (which was Dennis' personal favorite diversion). So then the coach recruited an older kid to help out, and the two of them challenged the kids' team to take the ball from them and run it in for a goal. The kids LOVED this! Dennis giggled hilariously the whole time. After they started to lose interest in that, the coach had them running races back and forth across the field, which they also loved. Dennis high-fived the coach every time he kicked a goal (after he first pumped both fists in the air and jumped up, yelling a testosterone-laden "YES! I scored!!"). He and the other kids are attempting to come up with a team name. Their uniforms are royal blue, so Dennis wanted to be called the Stingrays (after his first choice of "Team Dennis" was not taken seriously). We'll see what they decide in a future practice (maybe next week). After their practice, the kids huddled up and put their hands in, yelling "TEAM!" after a three count by the coach. Dennis was so pumped up with his athletic prowess, so full of team spirit and enthusiasm, that it was difficult to get him down off his 'high' to go to church tonight. But he settled down just fine once we got there and his good buddy Grace spotted him and decided to sit with him at supper (he's a sucker for a pretty blonde!). I'm so glad he's excited about soccer, happy with his school and church life, and just generally pleased with his life. His happiness is contagious-- it affects the rest of us positively as well!