Fall 2024 - Better Late Than Never!

 My Dearest Avery,

I know this is a bit late for a Q4 post - I do try to do them at the beginning of each quarter but the time has slipped away quickly! You've been so very busy with school, soccer, riding, trips and connecting with friends online (yes, that's a thing now) that it's really been hard to keep up! 

So since the last post, you went to the San Diego Wave soccer camp with friends from soccer (Eva and Gabi) and did some fun family vacation activities with them while there. You continued speed training and training with Coach Akbar and then we took one more quick trip out to LA to see Arsenal play! That was really cool to see - Martinelli showed us some of his famous footwork! 

Once school started, it was heavy into soccer and riding. You've started jumping in riding, which was Dad's main reason for you learning to ride (the empowerment that comes with jumping a large horse is incomparable). You are also a starting winger on your team - and you're a key player in all corner kicks for your team. We had you try out for the Arizona Olympic Development Program, mainly so you could get some additional objective coaching and you could see the real talent/competition out there. It was also intended for you to learn about NOT getting something you want.....well, you surprised us and not only made the training pool but you also made the White team (team 2) of the 2013/2014 team! You will get to play against other states the first weekend in January - and lucky for us, the tournament is right up the road in Phoenix!

We did a Phoenix respite for Labor Day Weekend and you did a baking camp for fall break. Over Thanksgiving, we stayed in Tucson but then you and Dad took a quick trip out to Roswell to take Grandma Gail to a western Christmas show she used to go to with Grandpa John. Grandma loved her time with you and you got to see Santa too! 

In your normal day-to-day life, you're wearing crop tops and shorts when it's too cold, occasionally rolling your eyes at us, doing well in school although it can be stressful, learning what you do and don't like in friends, and all smiles. You love music (on your radio or headphones all the time) and you like playing some very specific Roblox games (you're mostly on lockdown there). 

Here's your life in pictures right now....

Wave camp! How do you look so old?!

Beach time with friends!

Eva, you and Gabi with a Wave player!

Legoland!

Padres game!

Arsenal game!

Gotta admit, the Arsenal game was really cool!

Riding!

You are #5 this year!

You won the first tournament of the year!

Ms Kim is such a good riding instructor for you!

Working those corner kicks! You're also great at passing - and you're doing crosses in the air now!

Daisy is your new riding horse - she is a reigning horse with lots of personality but you manage her well (Kim says she makes many kids cry - not you....yet)

You were a devil for Halloween and your friend Emily Mae was an angel!

You helped Evan learn how to tie shoes

First day of school!

Halloween scrimmage!

ODP tryouts.....like a boss!

Early morning ride!

Speed training did not mess around!

Night swimming with Dad at the Phoenix Biltmore! We had a smaller private pool to ourselves each night!

See what I mean about crop tops?! :)

Moved your locker to the bottom so you could reach it! You're one of the shortest in your grade - the oldest grade in the primary school! (fifth grade)

Angels game!

First day of school!

Evan's birthday party! You like to climb but you don't like to go that high

Baking camp!

Grandma came for a visit in September - she got to see some of your games!

You won the kindness award at your first trimester assembly! You did so great!

Coach Gabby instructing you at ODP training

Santa at the show in Ruidoso

Watching Evan play hockey....it's cold in there!

Your school picture this year - you're not happy because you just got a test back that you could've done better on but I think you still look stunning!

When you don't have team practice, Dad takes you out to the park and practices with you. I also take you on runs with me :)

We took Dad to a character breakfast for his birthday while in LA!

Your winter performance - you did great with the choreography - and you got to do an Imagine Dragons song!

I can still get you guys to come with me sometimes!

Dave and Busters with your teammates - you and Piper are getting along well!

Smores and outdoor movies in our backyard! Never a dull moment here!

Breakfast at a fancy restaurant after an ODP training one morning. All of those trainings were in Phoenix.

We got free tickets to a Wildcats football game!

I taught you and Evan how to ride two-wheeled bikes over the summer. Honestly, it was super easy. You learned in less than 5 minutes and Evan learned in less than 20 minutes.

Phoenix games meant some weekends spending the night up there - we met up with some of the team families for dinner and fun!

Oh Avery, you have so much going on in your life right now. We are looking for your next school (a middle school) and think we've found it - we'll find out early in the new year if they accept you. You're starting to have to deal with acne from the sweat when you workout so we're working through that. Up next, you have your first international trip, ODP games, tournament games with your club team, and you're signed up for the next Wave camp too! 

You're growing up so fast but I do still get to hold you on my lap some mornings when you wake up. That will never get old. I also still say goodnight by asking you about your favorite part of the day, if anything made you sad/scared/angry and who you helped that day.

I just ooze love for you, my dear.

All my Love,

Mom