HONORARY ASSISTANT COACH TESS.

My sister is coaching Makayla's basketball team this year so Thursday I showed up to help her with practice.  With 20 third and fourth grade girls (and being EIGHT months pregnant) she certainly has her hands full!  I was more than willing to help with practice but in all honesty, I HAD A BLAST!  I was so excited to put on my basketball shoes and shoot some hoops!  I loved how, as Laura ran practice, the game of basketball came flooding back to me (as, amazingly, did my self-proclaimed fabulous jump shot)!  Working with the girls was hilarious (as they are still in that delightful phase where their dribbles reach as high as their ears) but at the same time it was truly rewarding to be witness to the very beginnings of grace.  Maybe, just maybe, at least one of those girls will become passionate about and skilled at the game of basketball.  Perhaps there she will find that which is ever so elusive for girls these days--true confidence.  One of my favorite moments of the evening was the time I spent working with Makayla on HER soon-to-be fabulous jump shot!  I can only HOPE that one girl who develops my love for the game is my beautiful niece!  So far it is looking pretty promising!  I'll be attending practice again next week but not in the capacity of honorary assistant coach (isn't that a cool title?).  Next week I will be acting as the OFFICIAL TEAM PHOTOGRAPHER (which will likely be one of my most challenging shoots yet).  But by now you know, I am always up for an adventure!

THE TINY LADY RAMBLERS

COACH--COMPLETE WITH BASKETBALL-SIZED BELLY!

COACHING BASKETBALL IS TRULY A FAMILY AFFAIR FOR THE PIERCES!

DANNY IS THE OFFICIAL ASSISTANT COACH AND . . .

GARRETT IS THE BALL BOY!

HE IS IN CHARGE OF BLOWING THE WHISTLE AT PRACTICE TOO!

SATURDAY MORNING I GOT TO SEE MAKAYLA'S FIRST HOME GAME TOO!

GO #8!

CLAIRE AND I IN MAKAYLA'S CHEERING SECTION!

MY FAMILY IS FULL OF SUPER SUPPORTIVE SPORTS FANS.

ALL OF MAKAYLAS PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS, A GREAT GRANDPA, AN AUNT, AN UNCLE AND A GREAT-AUNT WERE ALL IN ATTENDANCE FOR MAKAYLA'S GAME!

PRETTY AMAZING TURN-OUT FOR SUCH A LITTLE GIRL'S GAME!

CLAIRE AND HER BOYFRIEND GRANT

THESE TWO, SHARING A BAG OF POPCORN, WERE JUST TOO IRRESISTIBLE!