Pop Pop's Princess Does Soccer With Passion And Intensity

I wish I had a video clip of Ann running. These pictures are so cute of her in her uniform and running near the ball. She has no fear. It really is fun to see her play like that, even in still photography, but I still wish I had a short clip.

Anna takes anything she does very seriously. The intensity in her eyes is fun for me to see, but it's no surprise.

When we were in Minnesota, she would play with Tommy and Jack doing light saber fighting.

She would swing her weapon as hard as she could, and occasionally, one of the boys would "whack" her on the fingers or hand. She cry for just a moment, and seconds later, she's running with them again.

And when she started fighting, her eyes went from beautiful brown to black. In the best Yoda voice I could muster, I would say, "There is much anger in you little one."

Playing with passion is what you do, regardless whether it's light sabers or ballet or soccer, and Anna does all of that.

I love seeing it in pictures.

I'm wondering, if history will repeat itself--Anna getting red-carded out of playoff play as a result of her kicking, biting, and cursing opponents.

If it happens, I hope I'm there to see it.

"Just like Pop Pop," I'll whisper to myself, and I'll blissfully remember how many personal fouls I received my senior year for doing what Lydia did too.

I never bit anyone, but Dick Butkus, my ultimate football hero did, while playing with the bears. In a pile after a tackle, he bit a referee.

Now, I find that funny, but it's just my particular sense of humor that finds something like that humorous.

For the record, I wish I had some of those moments of Lydia on tape, which is probably why she never told Ann and me where or when she played.

And when she had a match, not only did she not tell us that, but she told us the wrong day, time and site. It's funny now, but at the time, I had a different reaction.