"They're not my soccer friends...they're my soccer family."

Anyone who knows Rowan knows how much he loves soccer.  We are a big soccer family.  Brian has played and coached for many many years, Ian plays club soccer, and this past year we let Rowan give it a try too.  Last season he was on the Laser Sharks, and this season he plays for the Mean Green Dragons.

 

 

and he LOVES every minute of it...

(Thank you Randi Reed for those awesome action shots of Rowan.)

When Rowan's team found out he was in the hospital this past week, they did something so special.  At practice, they made him get well cards, the coach took Go-Pro video footage of them sending Rowan their best, and at their game Saturday they asked the referee if they could please wear their "Rally for Rowan" wristbands.  The coach told the ref that they wanted to "carry him with them" during the game.  I have never been so touched by an act of support for our son, as I was by these photographs taken by one of the boys parents (thank you Randi Reed) and the video footage taken by the coach (thank you Luke Conder)...

 

This morning, they took it a step further and came to visit Rowan in the hospital ...

Rowan only had 2-3 hours of sleep last night because he kept spiking fevers, but boy did he perk up when they got here this morning...

and he was so excited that they were wearing his wristbands...

They played with glow-sticks...

 They watched the video footage together...

And they played legos together for hours...

 

 

 

They even took Go-Pro footage of their lego creations when they were finished...

They had so much fun.  Rowan didn't want them to leave.

Coach Conder, NBYSA Mean Green Dragons players, and all of your families, from the bottom of our hearts: Thank you.  Thank you for having Rowan on your team, thank you for making him cards and the video, thank you for wearing his wristbands, thank you for visiting, thank you for your prayers and support, and thank you for giving him a much needed pick-me-up today.  You all went above and beyond, and you made this little boy really, really happy after what has been a very difficult 6 days in the hospital so far.

Hopefully, it won't be long before #3 is back on the field with you. 

Until then, keep wearing those wristbands!

Because as Rowan said after you left today, "They're not just my soccer friends...they're my soccer family."

Mean Green Dragons-on three!