Sunday Snapshot - Perseverance

Perseverance was the school word of the week for Em and myself, last week.  We talked about the turtle and the hare and we talked about how God gives us things to do that might be hard but we don't quit - we persevere. 

Now if you have been around here long enough, you know that our little Lizzie has an abundance of perseverance.  This is something she is certainly not lacking in - at all! 

Sometimes when I stop and think about how far this precious child has come in just 2 1/2 short years, it literally takes my breath away.  She was 2 years old, non verbal, tiny and sorely lacking in the knowledge of what it was to belong.  She was 17 pounds and wearing 3 month size clothing.  She drooled excessively because her mouth muscles had not been used enough to have any kind of strength and she would hold little bits of food in her mouth for hours on end. 

Lizzie had a clubfoot that was turned completely backwards and upside down as well other differences in her hands and feet.  After enduring 18 clubfoot casts, a brace, two hand surgeries and much perseverance, Lizzie continued in her usual "me do it" style.  This is Lizzie walking for the first time after all of her 18 casts had come off - for good!!!

Yeah, we knew she would excel at whatever she put her glorious mind to and soccer was something that Lizzie and Em had been exposed to from the very beginning.  Our boys play soccer, hubby coaches them in soccer and we helped to start our own soccer club here as an outreach to the community.  So when the girls started playing last Spring, we were not at all surprised that Lizzie walked right onto that soccer field and took over!  She scores so many goals that hubby has to take her out periodically to give other players a chance to score or at least touch the ball!  Hehe!!

Emmeline, on the other hand was not so confident in her soccer abilities.  She hung back and many times wouldn't even venture out onto the field.  At home, she would beg her brothers to kick the ball around with her and we saw how good she was, but on Saturday's she just had a hard time with the crowd . and . her . sister.  I think that Em just felt overshadowed by her soccer star sister and it shook her confidence.  You see, Lizzie is still SO tiny and SO cute and SO sure of herself.  All good.  Unfortunately, Lizzie tends to get ALL the attention.  It is so bad sometimes that the boys' friends (in particular) will walk right by the girls and say, "Hi Lizzie," and totally ignore Em.  She had not ever mentioned it until one day a few weeks ago when we were at the boys' school and it happened again, over and over and it was SO obvious.  I knew it had to affect her and I think it had begun to effect Em's feelings for Lizzie.  She was jealous. 

Much of the first year that Lizzie was home was spent on her treatment and her adjustment and her bonding and her amazing accomplishments.  It was necessary for her and looking back I would not do it any differently.  However, we have come to realize that as Lizzie has blossomed, Em might need a bit of that extra attention for a while. The decision to home school her and only her has been such a blessing and although she will still tell you that she wants to go to a "real" school next year, this time has been good for her and for her relationship with Lizzie.  We have also begun to see a change in Em's confidence and perseverance on the soccer field.  Lizzie is still scoring many "goalies" but her sister is now scoring her own "goalies" and loving it! 

The two girls rule the field and at 4 years old, seem to really "get it."  Soccer has now become something that they can share - together - as sisters.  Hubby, of course, is already salivating over planning his dream team as the girls get old enough for competitive soccer!!!  Heh! 

 

I hate to break it to him but they are already talking about Flag Football and T ball!!!!  Hehe!

Until then, however, we will thankfully persevere with our two very competitive, very headstrong, very sweet and very loving 4 year old soccer stars!

To join in or read more Sunday Snapshots go here,