And the best Prank award goes to...

At dinner tonight we were all sitting around talking of different memories and one came up of when Grandmother Barnes jumped out of the upstairs room closet where Lisa and I were staying.  It was an on-going game between the three of us.  Earlier that morning Lisa and I had jumped out of her closet scaring her when she was doing laundry or ironing something if my memory serves me correctly and we thought we were clever and had got the best of her.  No way did it occur to us that Grandmother would retaliate.  So the day went on and Lisa and I had forgotten about it...little did we know there was something awaiting us.  Family prayer came and it was time to go to bed so after the prayer Lisa and I gave everyone a goodnight kisses and while we were doing that Grandmother being really sneaky, because we did not even notice it, ran up the other side of the staircase and hid in our closet.  Well Lisa and I got in bed and were just talking when we heard a creepy laugh.  We stopped and asked each other if we had both heard it, well we did and thought it was something else because it stopped.   A few minutes later again we heard the creepy laugh coming from our closet, mind you we were both young and still afraid of things under the bed and in the closet.  We turned on the light and called for Peter to come check it out since he was the brave older brother.  He came into our room and we waited and then the laugh came again.  By that time I was scared out of my wits and I am not sure how the other two were feeling exactly but I am sure they were too. Peter grabbed a pillow and put it in front of him as a shield as he crept toward the closet.  Right when he grabbed the door handle...."BOO!" Grandmother jumped out of the closet causing our brave older brother to run down the stairs, only hitting one as he ran down them.  I screamed and fell down on the floor tripping over the chair and Lisa flipped backwards over her bed railing.  Grandmother could not stop laughing and crying talking about how Peter's eyes were as big as softballs when she came out of the closet toward him.  This is a memory I won't ever forget, because I have never been more scared in my life (the laughing came from a mirror she got as a gift as a practical gift one year) or laughed that much and nor have I ever seen someone go down stairs as fast as Peter did.  So thanks for the memory and the best prank award goes to you, Grandmother Barnes.

Now Grandmother is really hard to find picturesof , so this will be the place holder until I can find a better one, but don't let the sweet smile she has on fool you for one moment ;)

Sister and Soccer

On our way to church this morning our conversation veered toward the topic of soccer and we spent a few minutes reminiscing of Lisa and I playing together on the same soccer team-Comets. Some moments were happy, some were frustrating and some were sad, but overall I think that we both enjoyed having each other around. Once I moved out of my forward position to center mid Lisa and I connected much more. She is fast and I was accurate so I knew that she could get to my through ball and she knew that I could get a good pass to her so she could run on to it.

Lisa makes a really good shot off a breakaway and I run up to her to congratulate her.  One of the many pros to being on the same team as your sister is you always have someone who is right there to give you a big hug after you do something great.

Heres us again just supporting one another again.

This video I really like because this team we played was the number one team the previous year and we ended up tying in the end, but it was the toughest game we had played at the Aiken tournament. But when I go after this one girl who has the ball I cannot get it from her so I call for help and no later than a few seconds the first person to show up (and notice how she comes in) is Lisa.  She comes in with all gusto to help and get the ball and we end up together in the end stopping the ball from advancing forward.

Soccer has held my heart for many years.  I have loved playing it since I was little and it was a dream of mine to play in college.  After I had injured myself the first time I took it really hard.  When I got infection I got even worst and thought my life was over. 

This ended up being the season ending play where I tore my ACL and meniscus the first time.

The second time I tore my Acl and meniscus I put on a brave face but was not really happy.  It actually was not until this fourth surgery that I actually accepted it and I am actually not that sad.  Will I miss playing soccer....well of course. I love it and it made me 100% happy, but something that has become a new love and focus of mine is sharing my knowledge of the game with others.  I get to coach at the high school again this year and I find this as rewarding as playing.  Another thing that I love to do now is watch others do well, I used to get jealous of others who got to play, but I really look forward to watching Lisa and Katie, both well deserving captains of thier teams do well in their own soccer careers.  I am grateful for the 13 years and few months here and there I got to play but now I get to enjoy the rest of my life cheering on my siblings and eventually, if they want, my own kids. 

But since I played mostly with Lisa I would like to say thanks for the great memories.  I ended my career great because you made it so.  When others did not care to welcome me back to the game you always were the one to run over in a few seconds and help me.