On a beautiful fall day in Bloomington, another BYSC (Bloomington Youth Soccer Club) Kicker season begins. The Miller family ventures across the street and down the road a little to Lincoln Fields, our Sunday afternoon home. Two girls will grace the field this year, which means running from field to field being sure to catch as many precious moments as we can--I call this the "Divide and Conquer" method of parenting.

One girl is a Mite. She is the number 4. She sits quietly and watches her coach carefully as they wait to get their team and individual pictures taken. She is not scard. She follows her team in a single file line over to her game. She does not volunteer to be the first in--she sits on the sidelines with her team and quietly watches. When it is her turn she follows the coach on the field with a smile. He places her on defense and she listens attentively as her teammate explains her role. The game begins and regardless of what coaches say the kids swarm to the ball--tripping over each other all along the way. But not this girl. She watches, and runs after the ball, but not too close--no need to get involved or wrapped up in the big huddle of kids. She kicks the ball when it comes to her--a soft kick--and then looks at her coach and her parents to see their looks of affirmation. She doesn't care what the score is. She heads off to play with her new best friend--squealing and running in the grass as her sister plays her game. High five from coach--smile from mom and dad and all is as it should be in this little girl's world. She takes a sip from her monkey water bottle and walks with mom home.

The other girl is a Duck. She practices her "skills" as she waits for her coach to come. She is the number 1. She sits quietly and watches her teammates as they wait to get their pictures taken. She is not scared. She dribbles over to her practice and volunteers to be "it" in a warm-up game of freeze tag. Her game begins and she is wherever the ball is--bull dozing through piles, falling down and hopping back up. She is sweating. She asks if her sister "won" her game. She keeps track of the score of her game in her mind. The game is over and she gets her snack. She heads off with the boys to play some more on an open field. Good-bye from friends and a thanks to her coaches and all is as it should be in this little girl's world. She takes a sip of her Powerade and races home.

The last girl rides down to the field. She stuffs her face with Teddy Grahams as I try to get everyone situated with their new team--taking pictures to capture the moments. She sits until she has had enough and then she chases the ball in the grass--probably eating random things that she finds as she plays. She does not watch any of the games. She takes turns in mom and dad's arms and all is as it should be in this little girl's world. She gulps down her bottle and rides home.

I imagine most of you could easily pick out which girl was which. Jamie and I have been so blessed with three unique and beautiful girls. It is on days like this that we are reminded how very different our girls are, but how each one brings a special part to our family that we would be incomplete without.