My football player and his cheerleader

My heart beats just a little faster as we're getting these two ready for a Saturday game.  It's kind of like my little dream come true...

With the age difference between the two, I never imagined that we would actually find something that they could participate in together.  This year we did.  And with JK moving onto high school next year sniff sniff this will be the only year they'll be able to participate in a sport on the same field at the same time and I'm loving every single bit of it!  The only thing that could make this any better, would have been if  Molly could have cheered along side Lillie.  Of course even if her primary house wasn't more then an hour away, I don't think we ever could have gotten that girl to trade her cleats and shin guards in for pom poms, anyways.

JK is officially playing for two teams again which makes the weekdays a little exhausting with four hours worth of practice after school.  This kid of ours never complains though and really has found his true passion.  So far he has lead his team through two games coming away with pretty big wins for both of them.  His athletic ability astounds me.  People are always asking me where he gets it from, and I honestly don't know.  I wasn't bad in sports, but I certainly wasn't the superstar that he has proved to be so far.  Next week his middle school games will start and it will be fun to get to watch him play two games a week.  Although it can be a bit nerve racking at times, I really do love watching him participate in something that makes him so happy. 

Then there's our new little cheerleader.  Lillie is love love loving cheering for her big brothers team.  While she is a little young still and I think sometimes gets a little overwhelmed with some of the cheers, she really is doing an amazing job. And don't even get me started on how stinking cute she is in her little uniform!  In true Lillie form she has made a ton of friends and the girls she cheers with adore her (especially the older one's whom JK has told to watch out for her).  I don't know why I worry, (being as shes proven me wrong time and time again) but I was a little nervous over how she'd do getting up in front of such a large crowd. As usual she seems completely unphased by the people watching her and just has a blast.  This girl of ours loves to perform and has so much spirit in her!  One of the moms told me the other day, you just can't help but be drawn to her.  I don't know if she'll follow in my mom and my footsteps and turn out to be a high school cheerleader or not, but for now she is seriously having a blast!

This last Saturday my past and present came to heads for the first time when we took on Orting.  My cousin and  stepbrothers sons both played on the Orting side in the game right before ours. It was fun to sit with family and friends and cheer on the younger Jr. Cardinals to a victory.  It just felt so natural.  For JK and Lillie's game we loaded up our chairs and headed to the Bethel side.  It was a little strange to be sitting across from people I've known my entire life, cheering against their kids, some of whom our kids are pretty good friends with.  And although I was super proud of and excited for our boys, my heart did hurt a little for my old hometowns team as JK and his teammates walked all over them ending the game with a score of 28-0.  It was fun nonetheless and everybody, including JK's old Orting coaches were good spirited and proud of him and the job he did.