Tribute to Stomper

Just thinking about all the things I want to put into this post makes me realize one reason I might not have been blogging much lately. Things have been busy.

One of my favorite adventures of Stomper's lately has been the start of his martial arts career. He has been on a soccer team for four years now. Those boys on his team are such an awesome group of kids and I will never stop being grateful that we know them and have forged real friendships there, both for him and for me. I mean, LIFE LONG family friendships. But....it has become clear that soccer is not really his thing. We heard about a little low-key martial arts class and Stomper and two of his buddies have started going and he just LOVES it. I have always known that martial arts would be a big hit with him if he ever tried it. And I was right. Here he is on the day he earned his yellow belt. I think the focus is on JuDo....I think. :)

And...speaking of soccer, we have been really determined that we are done with soccer for Stomper.  He is just not that into it, he's one of the only kids on the field whose body just doesn't look like he knows how to play soccer.  He's very hesitant about approaching the ball and usually prefers to be on the sideline.  So we, along with several other families, have declared that we are done with soccer.  Except that...suddenly he's getting better.  And most of the kids on his team are going to sign on again after all and....they finally won a game last week.  I can't tell you how long it's been - more than a year.  His team has improved a lot over the past couple of years especially but never quite as much as other teams.  And then on Saturday his team really pulled it together and beat a team that regularly pounds us.  I was so proud!  The mommies on the sidelines were screaming possibly a bit more than was normal.  It was so fun and suddenly....I am not so sure about quitting soccer.  Dumb!  We already put our soccer money into martial arts and I know he'll love that more but.....still.  Having second thoughts.

The Winning Team!  Hurrah!!

Also going on for Stomper is the conclusion of a seriously tough year of school.  It has been great year; I love his teacher.  I kind of wish we were neighbors.  But it has been a BIG homework year and it has stretched Stomper to his limits.  We are pooped out.  (Let's face it; when your kid struggles with his huge homework load, so does his mother.)  (At least that is how it goes at our house. If you have it all figured out please don't tell me because I will just feel bad about it.)  As a final field trip for the year I got to help his teacher take the kids up to Farmington Bay, a bird sanctuary.  It was a beautiful day to be outside, but I will confess that I don't need to spend a whole lot of time in the future driving 5 10-year-old boys around in my car again.  I almost kicked them out at one point, but then one of them told me I sounded just like Katy Perry when I sang, and so I let them stay.