Exercising...my Bragging Rights

"It's funny what you notice the first time you see someone; confidence, a nice smile, a little connection. What you don't see, what's impossible at first glance is everything else; at least everything that counts."
~Brooklyn, A Warrior's Heart (movie, 2011)

Don't be fooled by her beauty - this is one smart, tough cookie. On and off the field. My second born. She's been through a really rough time, taken a few hard hits, but she's still shining. I'm super proud of her.

This one was pulled at the prime of her teen years off competitive lacrosse and basketball teams in the US and had her academic success and career aspirations derailed when we relocated to Germany. Some days I think she still hates me for it. But most days she at least pretends she forgives me, or will one day.... Going to high school in a language you've never really learned is incredibly hard. But she's actually doing quite well even if she's not achieving the kinds of grades she used to get (without trying). She's working very hard, learning more than she realizes, and best of all, she's still got a heart of gold.

The last few days, as I've grown exasperated with my youngest, she's been tirelessly drilling her little brother in math multiplication so that tonight he seems to have finally mastered the pesky 7s and 8s without counting in his head.

Thanks to a sudden thaw and two days of rain, the local lacrosse fields are clear of snow and she was able to get out and do one of the things she loves - toss a hard little ball around from a little net on the end of a long stick.

I hope she had fun, she deserves to be happy.