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This has been a week full of firsts for our family.  Here are some pictures that capture this week:

I have found this whole football experience to be quite fascinating.  Austin just loves it!  He works so hard and is drenched in sweat during every practice and game.  Austin is an X man on his team and he’s the only X man on his team.  I’d like to explain the whole X thing for people like myself who are new to all of this.  All the players are weighed in during this huge session.  This weigh-in is serious business.  Parents and coaches aren’t allowed in the weighing area.  Many players show up in socks and very light weight shorts and t-shirts.  Those players weighing more than 76 pounds are Xed, meaning they aren’t allowed to run with the ball.  I guess it’s a safety issue…they don’t want the bigger players to plow down the little guys…running down the field for a touchdown like a bulldozer with players flying everywhere.

What is fascinating (OK, so I really mean disturbing) is how parents handle the whole X issue.  Many parents go to great lengths to make sure their kid isn’t Xed.  I’ve heard rumor of parents putting their kid on a diet, starving them, etc. to make sure they don’t go over that 76 pound mark.  My Austin is a big kid.  He’s been in the upper 90th percentile since birth.  He’s tall and solid and 83 pounds and…he’s an X man!  I am so proud!  He has had kids on his team tell him that it’s too bad he’s an X man or that it stinks to be an X man.  Shame on their parents!  There is nothing wrong with being who you are, the size you are, and it’s sick to put kids on a diet unless they are obese and it is prescribed by a doctor.

Jumping off my soap box now…Austin plays center…he gets to hike the ball (for those of you who are football illiterate like myself).  He also plays a guard on defense.  He loves it and it’s so exciting to find something that he enjoys that gives him a good butt kicking.

On another note Julia and I also got to meet with her new preschool teacher for the first time.  It was a good meeting, giving Miss Erin the run down on CF.  Julia will be at Morningside this school year…much closer to home.  We are excited for another great school year.  Once again, my kids have been blessed with some pretty amazing teachers.