The Coolest Kids on the Planet

So I just spent another weekend with the coolest kids on the planet. Ivan and Miguel had a soccer tournament so they played in EIGHT games in two days. EIGHT. Ivan's team lost in the finals game but Miguel's team won their finals game. But my weekend started by going to see Bolt at the movie theater with Miguel and the Adams'! That movie is hilarious! Bolt is so cute! Everyone should see it!

After the movie, we went to eat at Chili's where I learned about the latest thing that Collin is doing. He has a friend who is from a rough family. This friend is in his reading group and is having trouble reading and being motivated to make an effort. Collin has decided to try to help him by encouraging him and working with him. When his teacher asked everyone in the class what they were thankful for, he said a lot of kids said things like, "I'm thankful for presents" or "I'm thankful for my Nintendo Wii." Collin told me how he was upset with kids who say things like that because they are spoiled. He said what he told his class he was thankful for was that he was in a family who helps people. What an amazing kid, to realize so young what really matters and then to take the initiative to try to help another kid his own age.

This weekend, at the soccer games, some kids walked past me as I was watching Ivan (a.k.a. Ronaldinho) score goals. They were both young, maybe 6 years old. They were brothers apparently and they were having a conversation that made me feel very sad. One said to the other, "You're the worst brother in the world." The second responded, "No I'm not." The first, "Yes you are. You're the worst." The second said, "I'm telling mom you said that." The first, "Mom already knows. She thinks you are too because you don't do anything good."

Then I turned my attention back to the game and thought about how awesome the kids are that I've surrounded myself with. Collin, Ivan, and Miguel are truly extraordinary kids. Saturday night, after 4 soccer games, Miguel and I were running errands around town and we came across a bunch of Salvation Army people collecting money for needy families. Miguel had a couple of dollars in his pocket to buy snacks at the soccer games the next day, but when he found out why the Salvation Army guys were there, he immediately pulled the money out of his pocket and put it in their basket. There's no desire inside of him to keep things for himself.

At one of his games, he won a penalty kick and the game was close (2-1). It was a critical game and he could easily have scored that penalty goal. He was set up to kick and then, at the last minute, one of his teammates asked him if HE could take the kick. This kid was not one of the best on the team and did not score the goal with the penalty kick either. But Miguel immediately said, "Okay," and stepped aside. At the end of the game, Miguel went right up to the referees to thank them and to the players on the other team to tell them that they played well. And after Ivan lost his game, Miguel asked why he was sad. I told him that it was because his team lost. Miguel asked if Ivan was still going to win a medal. The answer: no. Miguel's response: "Well, then I don't want a medal either. If Ivan can't have one, I don't want one."

And Ivan's the same way. At his game, he was supposed to be captain (a treasured honor) but when it was his turn to go meet the ref, he pretended to give one of his teammates five, and then spun him around and sent him running towards the ref to be captain instead. I am so blessed to have these kids in my "family". I'm not saying they never argue or fight...I'm just saying they are some amazing kids that change the lives of people who cross their paths. People ask me all the time why I spend so much time with them and every time I just shrug and say, "If you knew them, you'd already know the answer to that." God has truly blessed me and them. I am proud to include them in my family and have them trust me and count on me as a sister who will do anything for them.

(Here's Miguel and his team dancing after they won the tournament!)