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That's my girl!

Okay, so I have this killer headache and the thought of pounding away on my keyboard is not too thrilling (and believe me, it sounds like I'm typing on the old Royal typewriter Julie's Mom gave me). If you read my last post, you know that I'm not too inspired. Really, Malchus? That's the best you could come up with to describe the CF Walk this year?

Still, I had to tell this story. Tonight, as I was snuggling Sophie at bedtime, I was biting my tongue, literally counting the minutes because of the throbbing in my head. I hate to admit it, but it's true. We talked about her day, like we usually do at bedtime. This is her last week of school, for the year and it's basically a week of playing (games, etc). I can barely remember wasting away those last few days of elementary school before the summer began. Anyway, Sophie begins to tell me that there was a baseball game today. I could hear some disappointment in her voice. I knew she wishes she could have played. Let me tell you, Sophie can smack the ball. I have the bruises in my groin to prove it. My friends, I am scared shitless when I have to pitch to this girl because I know the ball is either going to nail me in the face, chest or the balls. And of course, when I am hit in the privates, Julie is generally close by and laughing out loud.

I digress. Sophie begins talking about the baseball game. Seems it was between the teachers and the 6th graders. "That doesn't seem fair,” I said. "Well, that's the way it was." Sophie replied. "I bet you could have hit the ball a lot better than some of those 6th graders, Soph", I told her, truly believing this. Then, she said the best thing any father could ask for. Sophie began her next sentence with such exasperation, I was proud of her:

"Dad, there was a girl that swung at a pitch that was totally a ball. I mean, it was way on the other side. She could have gotten a walk! What was she thinking?"

In the dark of her room, as Olivia Newton John played on her Barbie radio, I was beaming. Sophie's dad had the biggest damn smile on his face, it made that headache go away and taught me the lesson that I should always treasure these quiet, alone times with Sophie. She always surprises me with the greatest observations and smarts.

Aloha

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