The Year I Became a Soccer Mom

 From left: Eme Evans, Julia Veurink, Gracie Thomas, Abigail, Coach Josh

 Daddy's Little Girl

 Abigail and Julia

 Abigail and her good buddy John Alan...two peas in a pod

 Pre-game warm up (for anyone that knows Josh, you probably see this picture and can't help but to think of Richard Simmons "reaching for the stars")

She shoots...she scores!! 

 On the count of 3...Go Charms!

 We were blessed to have the love and support of many of our friends and neighbors, like Holly and Sam, cheering on Abigail each week from the sidelines

 GOOOAAALLLL!!!!

 Abigail and Ainslee

 We love the Kotara Family!!

 The Charms' two biggest cheerleaders (and future soccer stars), Jake and Caroline

 Even Mrs. Erin, Abigail and Julia's CDO teacher, came to cheer them on

 

 Abigail's first medal

 For these two, the best part of spending their Saturday mornings at the soccer fields was seeing each other

 It seems like our small group should form a soccer team of our own

(From left: Julia, Abigail, Ainslee, Ethan, Reagan, and Caleb)

The not-so "Mean Green"

 

Well, it's official...I can now claim the title of soccer mom.  This fall Abigail participated for the first time in our local AYSO soccer league.  The season was 8 weeks long and her particular age division consisted of 6 teams.  Each game was 30 minutes long and consisted of four 5 minute quarters. Each team only had 4 or 5 players, so everyone had plenty of playing time out on the field.  Abigail's team was the Charms, and let me tell you...they were the most adorable group of 4 year old soccer players I have ever seen.  I know I'm a little biased since my daughter is on the team and I have a slight crush on the coach but there aren't too many other 4 year old girls that I know that can make bright green look cute and make spending my Saturday mornings at the soccer fields with a 3 year old and a 14 month old in tow enjoyable.  We were blessed to have a group of girls that clicked with one another right away.  They found the perfect balance of having fun but also learning and somewhat improving on a few soccer techniques as the season went on.  Don't get me wrong, there were plenty of moments where all focus was lost...some girls went and hung out with their moms on the sidelines for a few minutes (while the game was still in the middle of play); others would get so excited about waving to people who came to watch them play that they would miss a goal being scored entirely.  In the end though I'm proud to say not only did each girl score a goal at some point during the season, but in our very last game, every single girl scored a goal.  While statistically we probably didn't finish in first place overall, I don't think there's another team out there that had more fun as a group than our Charms.  If you would have asked me in the beginning how the soccer season was going to go, I probably would have described our team as the soccer version of the "Bad News Bears".  I was wrong though.  The girls actually resembled a soccer team by the time it was all said and done.  More importantly though than wins or losses or how many goals were scored in any given game, it was the friendships we walked away with that will make this soccer season one to go down in the record books.  Congratulations on a GREAT soccer season Charms!

Cooper's Mustache Bash

 

Well here we are, a month after Cooper's 1st birthday and I am just now getting around to posting pictures from Cooper's Mustache Bash.  As a matter of fact, today is actually Caroline's birthday and while I have plenty to say and plenty of pictures to post from Caroline's Rock Star Birthday Party the overachiever/perfectionist in me is determined to post my blogs in order.  So with that being said let's take a quick visit down memory lane and revisit our Little Man's Mustache Bash.

This particular party was one of my favorite themes to date that I have put together for one of my children.  While it probably wasn't executed and carried out to its fullest potential, I had the best time playing around on Pinterest and brainstorming countless ideas of how to tie together food, decorations, games, and facial hair.  Who knew Mustaches could be so much fun?  Apparently Josh did.  The minute the idea of throwing Cooper a Mustache Bash for his 1st Birthday was even mentioned, Josh started drawing up sketches in his mind of ways he could grow out his facial hair and sculpt it into something glorious...all for the sake of his son of course.  As a Young Life staff spouse I should have known better than to pick a birthday theme that would encourage my husband to go all out and dress/act in full character form.  After all, this is the same man that has an ongoing walk-on character at Young Life Club named Hoof Arted.

Nevertheless, the Mustache Bash was a hit!  From Mustache cookies to Mustache Trivia to even a Mustache Pull-String Pinata, every guest at one point or another was sporting a Stache.  In fact, it's debatable as to who had more fun...the adults or the kids.  Regardless, it was a great evening, complete with lots of laugh, lots of memories, and lots of facial hair.  I can't think of a better way to celebrate such a sweet Little Man who has captured such a Big place in so many hearts in just 12 months. 

Happy Birthday Cooper!

It's hard to believe a year has flown by since my sweet baby boy first entered this world.  To be honest, I am in denial.  It seems like just yesterday I was holding him in my arms for the first time.  With a blink of an eye 12 months have come and gone and no matter how hard I try I just can't seem to keep my babies from growing up.  It's bittersweet.  While I know there are countless memories and milestones still yet to come there are days I would give anything to go back to the first few days of Cooper's life when time seemed to stand still and all that I had on my agenda for the day was to snuggle with my baby boy and get lost in his beautiful angelic face.  Twelve months ago I had no idea how powerful, fulfilling, and life changing a bond between a mother and her son could be.  Let's just say, I do now.

My Little Buddy,

Before I ever laid eyes on you I knew I loved you.  From the moment I heard your first heartbeat to the moment I heard your first cry I knew the Lord had prepared a special place in my heart just for you.  I can still remember the way my heart melted when I looked into your eyes for the very first time.  I have seen and known love before but never like this. While it's still hard for me to really even pinpoint what it is that makes a mother's bond with her son so unique I can assure you just from the way my heart flutters each time I walk into a room and make eye contact with you that what we have is like no other.  You have been the baby that most mothers only dream of having.  You are content, you are easy going, you are flexible, you love to sleep, you love to smile, you are patient, and you are just plain adorable.  It's impossible to even be in the same room as you and not want to smother you with kisses.  I love how you can be so flirtatious one minute and then sheepsihly bury your face in my shoulder the next.  I love how your face lights up when your sisters come into the room.  I love the sound of your deep belly laugh when someone tickles you under the chin or blows on your belly.  I love the fact that you are energized by music and can't help but clap your hands and bounce to the beat whenever you hear it. You bring so much life and love into our home and into our hearts. 

While life for me has undoubtedly gotten a little more crazy and a little more hectic as a mommy of three there is no life I would rather live.  I have all I could ever want and more.  I love you my sweet boy.  Happy Birthday Coop!

Love,
Mommy

Hey Bubba,

The Lord finally gave me a boy to help balance out all the girls in this house, and we will have our hands full until you're old enough to move out. Fortunately I have you for 17 more years before we will even consider that. Over those years I look forward to the many memories that a father and son get to make together. While I will have some of these same memories with your sisters I'm very thankful to have a son to play catch with, go to the ballpark with, play a round of golf with, give girl advice to, go camping with, take on a BBQ Tour, teach how to grill a steak, teach how to grow and shave a beard, teach how to treat a woman, and hopefully show how to be a man after God's heart. Most of those things are many years away but know that I started thinking about them the day we found out you would be our son and I won't stop thinking about them for your entire life. You also need to know that you have been prayed for and loved unconditionally since the day we found out you would be our son and I won't stop praying for you your entire life, and you will always be loved. The thing I look forward to the most is the day that Jesus meets you where you are in such a way that you respond "YES" to Him. I look forward to the many days we will do ministry together shoulder to shoulder. You are my one year old son, with whom I am well pleased. I love you little buddy.

Happy Birthday Cooper,
Daddy