Matheus got to play in the game today at Patton---he played about 8 minutes in the first half and about 15 in the second....he played AWESOME....he passes the ball so smoothly...of course I know NOTHING about soccer but I know we were originally told he would have to wait a week to play and after one day of practice....he is in the game!! The shoes he has are not going to work as they are what they call 'turf shoes.' He borrowed some shoes today from a guy named Gill...Gill played on the team last year and he has been helping out with the team this year....giving guys rides to practice and helping to support and encourage the guys on the team.....he seems like a really neat kid. Here is a pic of him......he has GREAT hair!!! :)
The neatest experience about today was as follows.....I don't know if I can even do it justice and this is why I hesitate to write about it....also I don't want to insult anyone...you know...I am NOT a parent....and especially not Matheus' parent....so please do NOT misunderstand this.....this blog is primarily for me to remember and learn from this experience and not to insult anyone....I totally understand that hosting an exchange student is NOTHING compared to having a child of your own....so I in no way mean to compare my experience to those of parents out there. What the parents out there don't understand is that people like me....that are unable to have children of my own.....envy you....I want to experience what you experience...even the frustration and heartache....and pain...because I truly believe that there is NO greater love....nothing closer to God's love than the love that a parent feels for a child.
Anyway....I think I got to experience just a tiny fraction of this today.....and I think God let me experience it for a reason.....earlier this week....Tommy had given me the WCHS soccer schedule and I had written down all of the games on my calender....he had talked about scheduling and was SO excited about attending all of the games....I...knowing NOTHING about soccer....was not as excited as him....and when I was writing down all the games and the travel involved....was feeling a little overwhelmed as it was going to require some adjustment in my work schedule and a couple of days where I would have to meet Tommy in Hickory....a place I do not do well finding my way around....and driving at night lately has been more difficult for me in places I do not know well...(I need new glasses...ha) Anyway.....all of this had left me feeling somewhat reluctant about this whole soccer mom thing.....so here we are at the Patton game.....we are not really expecting Matheus to play.....but here he gets up off the bench....he's standing next to coach Clark who is telling him something.....I am poking Tommy....saying...I think he is going in....and then Matheus...turns around.....and looks right at us....to see if we are watching.....and we make eye contact....and it is like there is some comfort in the fact that we are there for him.....I smiled and clapped and yelled for him when he went in the game....I think I definitely mispronounced his name.....but he would say "close enough".....I will NOT miss a game....I will be there for him....that was one of the most awesome experiences I think I have ever had in my life....to know that I could be there for him....his mom and dad are half way around the world....and Tommy and I are standing in for them temporarily.....thank you Lord for this opportunity.....and thank you Claudia and Onofre for sharing your boy with us. I am already learning SOO much about myself and the capacity of the human heart.
This picture was taken by Grayson Barnette....one of the JV players......great pic kid.....#18 is Axel Guerra.....seems like a really great kid.....one of the captains of the team and a senior....Matheus tells us he is an honor student plus he has a job after school and on the weekends.....on his Facebook he talks about his relationship with God and he is a very polite and pleasant young man.....not to mention a GREAT soccer player! Tommy is showing me some things about his camera and he's going to let me practice some with it during the soccer season....so hopefully I will have many pics to share with you. They won't be as good as my hubby's but given that I have an excellent teacher....I will improve.
The Warriors played hard today but lost 2-4....but Patton is 3-A team...so they were not expected to win.
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