01.18.13

Marie was invited to a birthday party Friday night but her dad, the soccer manager, said "no, you have soccer practice".  Normally we wouldn't be so hard on a 12-yr-old but she has decided to make soccer the center of her life and we're willing to support that -- as long as it comes first. When I called the mom to tell her she asked when practice was over and I replied that it would probably be about 9 p.m.  She then suggested we meet up with the party at a local donut shop at 9:30 -- yea!  So here is Marie, with birthday girl Z.  And that is a rare, special smile on Marie's face :) 
(See the clock in the background?  The place was PACKED.)