An Encouraging Morning

Two of our granddaughters are playing soccer this fall.
One is six years old and the other is five years old.
The six-year-old plays on a local field.
We went to see her last weekend.

The five-year-old lives a little less than an hour away.
We went to see her this past weekend.
We got to the field with our chairs.
We saw our son and daughter-in-love on the sidelines.

Our granddaughter was out on the field with other boys and girls her age.
It is not so much playing soccer as it is learning skills and what to do with the ball.
She saw us and gave us a wave and a big smile.
Her sister was with her mommy and daddy and soon sat on one of our laps for the duration.

The young coach is a college student who brings her soccer enthusiasm to the children.
They learned how to work together and how to help each other get the ball to the net.
It was in the last ten minutes that a “scrimmage’ began.
Some pinnies were put on half the group; they got to practice what they had been taught.

It is fun to watch little children play sports.
Parents cheer for every child.
The grass was a bit wet, so there was some slipping, which they considered fun.
My daughter-in-love praised our granddaughter for helping her friend get the ball in the net.

There is no score keeping at this age.
All the things they learned, about controlling the ball, were put into practice.
They were having fun and they were learning to work together.
Much too soon, the practice was over; our granddaughters were ready to play at the park.

Pop-Pop and their daddy followed them into the elaborate playground.
My daughter-in-love and I talked on a bench as we watched them.
We walked through a covered bridge to stop at the little free library.
A woman was filling it with more books; the sign read: Take a book. Leave a book.

It was such a wonderful morning followed by a delicious brunch.
We had hours together but then it was time for us to go home.
They had plans for some fall activities as well later that afternoon.
Let’s drive home the scenic route, my husband said.

I can easily fall asleep when I am the passenger in a car.
The sound of the engine makes a perfect soothing hum.
My eyes were closed for a bit when I noticed we had stopped.
I opened my eyes to see my husband had pulled over to the side of the road.

I saw children.
The children were waving pink balloons.
Everything OK? I asked.
It’s fine. We’re stopping to buy some lemonade, my husband said.

The little entrepreneurs were four Amish children.
Their mother was with them as well.
There was a cooler that had a spout hanging over the edge of the table.
Plastic glasses, much larger than your typical lemonade stand size, were stacked neatly.

We would like some of your…, my husband started to say.
Apple cider, the older girl answered.
Apple cider would be wonderful, I said and meant it.
Do you make your own cider? I asked.

The mother spoke up to answer my question.
Yes, the apples are from my brother’s orchard, she said proudly.
The children poured the fresh cider into the large glasses with a spouted lid.
That will be two dollars, they said; reading the sign, it was the price per glass.

There were homemade molasses cookies as well, but we passed on them.
The cider was cool and fresh and absolutely delicious.
A barn was being built on the property.
The Amish woman admitted to being afraid when the men climb on the roof.

I asked the children their ages and discovered they were two sets of siblings and a cousin.
One little Amish boy, sitting in a chair nearby, told me he was two and a half.
The girls were all in the same style dress, but different colors.
All the children were barefoot.

The mother wore a black dress with an apron and a white cap on her head.
The little boys wore black pants with suspenders.
I would have stayed there if I could.
I would have had another glass of cider and listened to whatever stories they wanted to tell.

We had to get back in the car and drive home.
The trees had tinges of autumn color.
The cornfields were waiting to be harvested.
The barn will probably be finished in a week’s time.

I was content as I sipped my cider on the drive home.