Fall Break with the Soccer Guys

One of the advantages of John's job is the experience our children get when we are with the team. That usually is only seeing them in passing after a home game, after practice, or somewhere on campus. But for the last 4 days we have been fully immersed in the Covenant College Men's Soccer Team experience. It's been so much fun, and we are so blessed to have such wonderful, wholesome guys who love the Lord and who love our children! It isn't many college soccer teams we would feel completely comfortable letting John Marshall pal around with for an hour on the back of the bus! They all know and love John Marshall, and treat him like he's one of the guys (as far as he's concerned!), but up until now they haven't had opportunity to get to know Isabella. For the first 2 days of the trip, John Marshall had fever (getting over the final clutches of the croup), so he and I stayed back at the hotel to recover. Isabella had the chance to go with Daddy and the "Soccer Guys", as we affectionately refer to the whole team. Bella calls them all "guy" except for a choice 3 whose names she knows and says freely (especially Josh!). When a Soccer Guy would walk past us Bella would point and say, "Mommy, another Guy ('another' is said with her tounge going in-out, in-out)!" She would call to the Guys to tell them when it was time to get on the bus, "Guy, bus! Let's go (a-doe!)!" Needless to say, they have certainly gotten to know and love her as they do her big brother.

We were quite busy, with sick children, soccer games, fun parks with putt-putt and go carts, and trying to keep some sort of napping schedule in play, so I hardly got any pictures! But here are a few I did get, and they capture the essence of the trip!

On the bus Saturday morning, heading to Montreat College in Black Mountain, NC:

John Marshall enjoyed the new movie I saved for this trip - Aristocats!

Isabella and her Daddy, watching Fox Soccer Channel (yes, John made sure that the bus had satellite just for that channel - what quality talk time!)

Once Bella realized there were other busses on the road, she kept a sharp eye out for them...

...and enlisted her Daddy's help too! It's tough to deny such a sweet, tender petition.

Success!

Poor John Marshall was sick all day Sunday, and so he and I had some quiet, sweet time just the two of us. We don't ever get to do that! He said, "Mommy, I like it being just you and me!" Sweet boy! Thankfully, by Monday he was feeling so much better, his fever was gone, and we were able to join the whole group at the fun park Monday night. Wouldn't you know, I left my camera at the hotel.
Then Tuesday we got packed while the team practiced, and then we waited for a quick, surprise visit from Mama Sue and Grandaddy Bill. They had been vacationing only 2 hours away, and were on their way home. As my sister Elizabeth so aptly said, "Two hours is only 'around the corner' for Mama Sue if she's getting to see John Marshall and Isabella!"

Here, John Marshall and Daddy are eating lunch and waiting in the hall for them to arrive while Isabella finished her nap in the room.


At the game that night, John Marshall and Bella had a great time. Covenant won, but it came at quite a price - one of the Guys broke his leg with only 12 minutes left in the game. Quite a while later, after parents were called to come to the hospital to get their son (can you imagine that call?) we were ready to drive ALL NIGHT to get home.

Set up in their "beds"...

...this soon turned into...

...this!

With a buss-full of exhausted Guys behind us, we set out for The Mountain, and rolled in just before dawn at 5:30. I have decided to stay up, and have had a few moments of quite I don't usually have in the morning while my family sleeps a little more. I suppose that's why I'm blogging! I think I'll go to bed at 8:00 tonight. Anyone believe me?!