Quick view from my building. My office is actually one of the windows off the left but this view from the top of the stairs is so much better.
The true, the good, and the beautiful.
Big kiddo has his initial assessment for fall classes at a classical school here in town.
Starting Soccer, pt 3
We conclude our three part story on the boys starting soccer this spring. Paco had his first practice. Other than missing the first half of the NCAA Men’s basketball final (and let’s be honest, after how bad Baylor dominated, I didn’t miss much), I was glad the start time was a little later in the evening.
Paco did a lot better at practice than in his first game. I had mentioned previously that he struggled during the game because he didn’t understand that other kids get turns at the ball, and he doesn’t need to score a goal on every possession to have fun. We still had a few pre-practice jitters. When we arrived, Paco demurred when I encouraged him to go say hello to his coach. Eventually, with some coaxing, he finally joined his team during the warm up.
He’s starting to get the hang of the concept, and when he’s on, he’s actually very good. I won’t post the video but during the scrimmage, he handled the ball well and scored a goal.
Starting Soccer, pt 2b (Opening Day!)
It wouldn’t be a full morning of soccer without the big kid’s first game. Our theme of jitters continued. In fact the pattern was the same: lots of eager excitement, followed by extreme shyness just before the game started, tears in and throughout the game, with moments of courage and elation.
Nacho got to play goalie for a bit of the first half and was surprising good. But he was also scared of the ball. Although that isn’t exactly a good virtue for a goalie, he nevertheless did his best.
After the game, he was slapping high fives with his team-mates and told us that he really loves playing soccer “even though I cried a little.” For us, that’s really all that matters—getting him to enjoy the competition, over come low-stakes fear, and learn to love the game.
Starting Soccer, pt 2a (Opening Day!)
Today are the first games for the boys. Paco went first. Although we missed our first practice this week because we never received the email from the city league, Paco was very excited to get started.
Of course, no game would be complete without butterflies. Paco ran out to start and immediately returned, crying, after the first scrum for the ball. He didn’t like that he didn’t get the ball. Then he said that everyone was too fast. (Paco is actually among the fastest of kids his age.) The shyness is new for him, as he is usually the the first to introduce himself.
Thankfully it was an aberration from our usual Paco. He got back in there and gave it another go. This jittery shyness is a theme, I bet and both kids will overcome it eventually.
Spring Soccer, pt. 1
Today Nacho had his first soccer practice. He wanted to do a sport for more than a year and just as we began to look at youth sports last spring, the world shut down. So he was, to put it lightly, more than thrilled to start soccer.
He struggled a few times. Thrice he came running back to me asserting he wanted to quit. Thrice he went back and kept at it. I was proud to see him persevere through his frustration.
Weeding
I spent part of my weekend working on the back yard. When we bought our home last summer, both the front and back had been neglected for a long while. What green did cover the ground was a mix between crabgrass and nutsedge. After months of spaying herbicide to kill what was up, watering until new weeds emerged before repeating the process, I was finally down to the last few stubborn weeds.
Not long after I started the two older kids decided that they wanted to help. First came the eldest with his toy shovel asking what I was doing. I explained that the remaining weeds had roots that went deep into the ground and needed to be dug up by hand. He began to help by digging around some of the smaller weeds. Of course, little brother realized there was fun to be had. I couldn’t help but recall all the times I decided to “help” my dad when he was doing yard work and reflected on how he must have felt having to stop work to teach me how to pull weeds correctly or make sure I was doing ok. But those were some of the earliest, and still fondest, memories of doing something with my dad.
I forgot to snap a photo of the full bucket when we finished. But it was a real threat to do something with my older two boys.
Family photos
My wife has been wanting family photos for a while. Back in 2019, we agreed that “next year” we’d do it for our Christmas cards. Of course, that didn’t happen. A few weeks ago a member on one of her Facebook groups said she wanted to do free photo sessions to give back and get back into a rhythm for when the world opens up. Needless to say, we’ve very happy with the outcome.
Gabby and Mommy, January 14, 2021.
Been a hectic two weeks bringing baby number four. Iâve not had the time to immediately get a birthday shot up. I took this just after Gabriela was born. It was early in the morning and Lucia had not progressed much; so little in fact that they hadnât even called to set up for an epidural. The nurse told Lucy she had a while to sleep, or relax. I took my shoes off and started to doze. Less than five minutes later, Gabby was here.
#monochrome #sonyalpha #sonya7ii #newborn #family #blackandwhitephoto #35mm
Sunday Bike Ride, January 3, 2021. . . . . #blackandwhitephotography #monochrome #shotoniphone #family #vsco #lightroom #iphone12promax
Untitled, November 28, 2020. . . . . #vscocam #iphone12promax #blackandwhitephotography #monochrome
Thanksgiving 2020
Neither isolated nor alone. And while we miss our extended families and friends, it was a beautiful meal and day of thanks.
Coffee after Mass
Went for a quick coffee after Mass with the big kid. He got a hot chocolate and really enjoyed the time hanging out with me. Although he won’t say it, I think his favorite part was ordering for himself instead of standing passively while I do for him.
Just out of frame are our masks. This location has large sliding doors that are open in the winter when the Arizona weather is finally bearable. But it also means on a day like today we could actually sit down, and just enjoy some time together.
A quick coffee* after Mass (*it was a hot chocolate for him), November 22, 2020, Feast of Christ the King.
Open spaces.
Untitled, November 14, 2020.
Swing state (of mind), November 7, 2020
Power ranger or Luchador?
The Halloween costumes get a lot of use when you’re a toddler.
Trying on halloween costumes
Sunday prayer
A quiet moment at the end of Mass when the big kid started to figure out that everyone uses the time after Eucharist for quiet reflection. He asked Jesus to make his brain smarter so he could get better at Chess—that’s a good start, I think.
