Sports

As we settle into our life in the states, we can’t help but compare things to how we knew them in Germany. Many things here in the states seem to have passed us by but none more so than sports! Everything seems much more full on and specialized than we remember. The kids have gamely stepped into every day sports practice. We sort of shuffle through the week with late dinners and staggered sports pickups. Then the first weekend rolled around and we realized we had practices and games and races on Saturday and Sunday too! But it’s fun. The kids are happy and meeting other kids. The weather is great and we are definitely learning our way around New Jersey! At least to the sports venues!

Tori tried out for the high school tennis team on our second day in country. We google mapped the tennis courts, drove there and dropped her off. She ran laps and started to play. It all went well and Tori made the team but we felt for her, out there playing in such a new environment. The twins and I watched carefully at who she talked to and when she smiled. We noticed her talking a lot to one girl, who eventually became her tennis doubles partner. Tori told us this girl grew up in Singapore and spent one year in Munich at our old school! We were not there at the same time and Tori is one year younger, but the girls know many of the same kids in Munich. The world is a small small place and we like it that way.

Royce has found her groove with a local cross country team and with horse riding lessons at a county run stable. Both are activities she did in Munich but on a much smaller scale. At her first cross country race, we stood mouths open at a couple hundred 11 -12 year olds lining up for the race! Previous races might have been 20-30 kids. Same with horse riding. Our beloved Sara in Munich had five horses. Here the stable has 80 horses and Royce gets to try a new horse every week. Which means every week Royce has a new favorite horse.

And of course, Adam has embraced American football. On-line from Germany, he signed himself up for a local football league. He started playing five days a week in August. He loves the gear, the practice, and especially the fifteen minutes before practice when he throws the ball with the boys. In his league, he is too big to carry the ball and thus has to make do with a little pre-practice offense. He plays four times per week now and watches Sunday and Monday night football when he can. The boys went to a pre-season Giants/Jets game as both teams practice very near our new house. A few professional players live in our town and have showed up at Adam’s practices. He is still a big Packers fan but Aaron Rodgers better start answering his fan mail!