The Soccer Ball

This is a story of a little girl. . . a little girl who had eyes for her Daddy. She's the first one to scream, "Daddy, Daddy," when he walks through the door. She always wants to cuddle up close to him. She thinks he is the funniest man in the world. And, I think, she thinks everything he does is as close to perfect as perfect comes. When she has a choice of who to ride home with . . . Mama or Daddy. . . she chooses her Daddy!

This little girl is the prissy of prisses, but decided this year to trade in her ballet shoes for some soccer cleats. Everything is always a little harum scarum in her house, so for the first soccer practice she used her older sister's soccer ball. She didn't care. At practice, however, she learned she needed a different size ball.

When she and her Daddy pull up in the driveway, she runs out to the woods and pulls out this rag-tag soccer ball that is almost as old as she is . . . "Daddy, I've got a soccer ball." Her Daddy replied to her, "You don't have to use that ball. We will get you a new one."

"That's okay Daddy. This one is good."

Bless her sweet little heart. The ball is half dilapidated, has some sort of fungus growing on it, and wouldn't hold air even if a tornado blew all its wind and gusto into it.

She didn't care. She was so happy to be playing soccer and to have a ball. . . it didn't matter what ball. She just had her very own soccer ball.

The next morning while her Daddy was at work she goes outside to get this ball. She gets some soap, wets a washcloth, and starts washing off her ball . . . making it as shiny and pretty as she could.


Mama tells Daddy. Daddy tears up.

That night after church this little girl, of course, wants to ride home with her Daddy. He makes a pit stop by the sports store and buys her her ball of choice. . . the pinkest of all soccer balls.

This little girl is my sweet little Hanna. Precious, precious girl!

203. For a Daddy's girl heart.
204. For not having high expectations.
205. For being content.
206. For making something as pretty as it can possibly be.
207. For a wonderful husband who is a sweet, sweet Daddy.