Standing in the Rain...

*sigh*

The weariness has set in... I am trying to mix up the schedule as much as I can: going to tae kwon do lessons to watch my children, enjoying extra long lunch breaks with Mary and Bobbie in the cafe looking at Henry's baby pictures, walking home at night with my friends while Georgette cat-calls from Esther's car as they fly by, or the most recent crazy adventure-- ACE SOCCER CAMP.

So yesterday, Christina stops me after lunch and says "do you want to play soccer?" So, of course, thinking she's either kidding or just means with the kids after classes (which is a daily occurance), I say yes!! Then she explains that we've been challenged.

Um... what?

Yeah. The SAT camp senior girls have challenged the American Teachers (only the girls) to a soccer match on Sunday. I laugh it off, sure sure... they wanted to play US. Have they seen us?? I mean, I love our little group of nerds sitting around the office drinking maxims and eating strange Korean yogurt, but... a soccer match? yikes.
So Christina and I organize, threaten, coerce and drag Mary, Bobbie, and Briana out to play soccer with us at 4:30. I suggest that we play for maybe 30 minutes or so, Christina is worried that maybe we should go for a couple hours.Seriously? I talk this brand new soccer chick into one hour for the first time. And we're going to play on the turf field, so the heat is RADIATING up at us.
Luckily, Henry and Justin both love me & Christina and so they agree to help me teach everyone else how to play. Yeah, I'm the only soccer chick on the field. (I'm sure Grace's Varsity team is chuckling right now thinking about Herm being the star example of Soccer Chick) Henry & Justin helped me teach everyone to dribble, trap, shoot, pass, etc... a little rain coming up just in time to put off the heat stroke. While we're playing everyone keeps coming up to the fence and calling out "Elie! It's raining..." Like I didn't know?! "I know!" I keep playing and just wave. I know it's raining, but we're playing soccer. Who cares? We have a game on Sunday!! Mary keeps laughing as people tell me that it's raining... apparently everyone thinks I'm the ogre keeping those poor girls out in the rain!
At dinner, everyone had that good sweaty, just worked out and kind of proud of it, high going on. It was fun. I haven't just played around in so long! Henry, Justin and I show-boated a little bit; we were very impressed by how natural Bobbie & Christina were! We might not get eaten alive on Sunday!! YAY! Mary & Briana did well too. :) I think we have half a shot. Justin and Henry will be gone this weekend, so we can't pass them off as ugly girls... although that was my back-up plan.
After dinner, Christina sucked us all back onto the field with her enthusiasm... more playing, more drills, wall-sits, traps, etc... so fun!
Then came the storm.
I mean... STORM.
It was a full out big thunderhead, lighening right over our heads thunderstorm. Joy leaned out of the office window on the 3rd floor, "Elie! It's raining!! Are you still playing?!"
Why, yes, it is raining.
And yes, we are still playing... and we played in a DOWNPOUR of a thunderstorm until 8:45PM.

No real injuries to report. Briana got rugburn pretty bad from sliding on the turf, Christina got blisters from playing in her chuck taylors, and Henry knocked the wind out of Pat (and didn't help him up so that he could score).

Standing there on the field, soaking wet, just enjoying fellowship and some laughter is such a refreshing time. It's really such a gift that we can have relationships. God really does put that desire to share feelings and thoughts with each other in us, and also He desires that we share our days with Him, too. It's so wonderful to not have to wait until you're in church to just enjoy God. He has given me so much in this trip to Korea. I really am grateful for a chance to stand in the rain, enjoying the magnitude of His thunder and lightening, the laughter and friendships around me, and get the chance to use all the incredible muscles and abilities He's given me.

So, I hope you get a chance in stand in the rain... to just enjoy a moment... to make a snapshot memory of the people and life that is happening on all sides of you...
-elie