The Summer of Soccer

Did everyone love the World Cup as much as I did? The games were fun to watch, pretty exciting, and everyone was showing a little national pride. I love the World Cup!

After the World Cup, I was able to get a little taste of international soccer a little more up close and personal. The International Champions Cup was a little competition with European soccer teams playing some matches in the US. I was able to be a part of the largest crowd watching soccer in the US on August 2 in Ann Arbor, MI.

Panoramic view of the Big House

Manchester United played (and defeated) Real Madrid at the Big House. The match was exciting, fast paced, and everyone was so into it. Maybe this will help launch soccer as the next big spectator sport in the US. Although I haven't been to a Chicago Fire game, I have enjoyed many FC Dallas and DC United games.

Soccer will probably always be my first love. :)

Trying to decide who to root for.

The whole soccer watching gang

Just another manic Monday

[Mom, I'm fine. The ambulance wasn't for me.]

Today was a crazy day! I'm pretty sure I ran through every emotion possible: stress, disappointment, excitement, happy, reverence, gratitude, sad, scared, worried etc., etc.

I was planning to go to Arlington National Cemetery today because my ward planned on laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. However, as I walked out of work, it started to rain. I wasn't prepared to stand outside in the rain for an hour, so I decided to bag it and just go home.

Luckily a portion of my commute is over the Potomac River and I can see what the weather is like outside, and the sky was breaking and it looked like the ran had subsided, so I decided to get off at the Pentagon, and circle back to Arlington National Cemetery. I'm so glad I did.

I got to see the changing of the guard and the wreath laying, which I hadn't seen since I was 13. It was a pretty somber experience. And this time, 4 members of the military from our ward were able to lay the wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown soldier. I didn't even know that we had 4 people in our ward in the military.

Carrying the Colonial 2nd Ward Wreath

Members of the Colonial 2nd Ward 

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

 After putting my hand on my heart and listening to "Taps," I just felt very proud and very grateful for the men and women who serve our country. I definitely have an appreciation for Arlington National Cemetery.


Although this was a very exciting experience, this was not the end of my day.

Tonight was my last spring soccer game. Our team is mediocre, but I have a good time. The other team scored in the first minute. (Luckily I scored a few minutes after that). I actually had my best performance of the season by scoring two goals (a scrappy one and a "bend it like Beckham" one. Unfortunately, the game ended on a sour note.

A huge collision at about the 40 yard line and the "knee snap heard round the field" ended the match a few minutes early. A player on the other team dislocated his knee pretty badly. It was gruesome looking and sounding.

I have to say that this is not the first time I've been somewhere when we had to call 911, but at least this time it wasn't life threatening. (If you want to know about the other time, just ask me about jumping out of the window of a burning building).

I hope the other player is able to recover quickly. It did not look good. But suffice it to say, I've had an intense Monday.

The slowest arriving ambulance I've ever seen