I have been terribly remiss in telling you all about the activities that Lana (she’s all the way to the left) & Nuno get to participate in. It is probably because of all these sporting activities that I don’t have the time to write about them.

Even though sports keep us pretty busy, the kids involvement in them has been fantastic. At least from my perspective. However, until yesterday, Lana would have vehemently disagreed.

First, she had been “strongly encouraged” by her father to participate in Little A’s (kid’s track and field), then there was Nippers (kid’s surf lifesaving). Both started very painfully. At the start of both there were tears and complaining. Sport was not something she enjoyed AND there was the fact that she didn’t know anyone (save one girl in Little A’s) who was participating. Two strikes!

So at the start of term 2, when her father said she had to play a sport, I said I would not be taking place in forcing that happen. After going back in forth we all agreed she had to pick an ACTIVity. She tried to convince us that shopping was a sport. Sounded good to me, but her father did not buy it. After two weeks out of commission with pneumonia (another story) she did some “shopping” around and finally chose tennis.

As soon as we arrived at the tennis courts, she told me that she did not want to play. “Here we go again,” I thought. I didn’t want a battle, but I did insist she try. The truth is that even though Nippers and Little A’s were forced on her, and started out pretty rough, she did end the seasons by loving them both. So off onto the courts she went. None of the girls were from her school. Yet, two of them immediately ran over, unprompted, and asked her to join them in the line. I couldn’t have asked for a better scenario.

I’m not saying that she’s the next Venus Williams, but she was pretty good. You know, for a 7 year old who reads alot and doesn’t run willingly or kick a ball around much.

When the lesson was over she ran off the court begging me to let her come back. She proclaimed that she, “Loved it!” Honestly, I couldn’t have been more thrilled.

On our way home we drove by the train station and picked her dad up. She had him convinced that she hated the lesson, the teacher stunk and the girls in her class were mean. He bought it, hook, line and sinker. It was the story he was prepared for. Not until she giggled and waved her new racket (the one she fell asleep with) did he realize that she was fooling him. I still don’t think either of us believe it.