Ethan meets Tobin....and Mommy breaks down....

It's been almost a month ago, but I've got to tell the story. :)

When the USWNT was in town for their game against Canada, Greg invited us to the field one afternoon shortly after they arrived to have Ethan meet some of the players. Tobin Heath is probably Ethan's favorite player on the WNT due to her "sick skills" (as he says) (and they are). So, we're standing on the railing at the stadium waiting for practice to end when all the sudden from across the field I hear a chant:

"ETHAN - ETHAN - ETHAN".

I look up to see, none other than, Tobin Heath chanting Ethan's name and walking toward him. I thought the kid would need to be resuscitated. He started jumping up and down, grinning from ear to ear, and saying "It's Tobin!" "It's Tobin!". Meanwhile she's saying right back, "I know who YOU are!" "I know who YOU are!" (talk about a moment that made a mother break down!) She came right over, starting chatting with him about the soccer camp he'd been attending, asking about his goals, etc. Ethan could barely speak, but managed to eek out the answers. He had her sign his ball and then, as she left, she said, "Are you coming to the game?" To which Ethan replied "Yes, ma'am" (to which she giggled - she's all of 20-something) and then she said, "Great - I'll see you there!" (I'm coming back to this story in a minute (and why it made me break down!!)... hang tight).

Fast forward two days, it's the night before the big game (see previous post) and Greg asked me to meet him at the team's hotel. I walk into the training room set up at the hotel and he said, "Guess what we've got for Ethan?" as he pulls out one of Tobin's game jerseys. I nearly fainted. I took it home to Ethan, who also nearly fainted, and promptly wore the jersey for two days straight. The night of the big game, he was wearing the jersey and had Tobin sign it after the game (see video - the signing and then the "I'll-just-stand-off-to-the-side-and-hero-worship-bit"). The whole thing was just such a precious moment for him... and for us.

Now, back to the first part - the being recognized part. There is something in all of us that longs to be noticed, recognized...seen. It's not a matter of wanting notoriety or to draw attention to oneself, but just a matter of being 'known' or 'seen'. I think that's why that whole scene with Tobin touched me so much. It was how I saw her making the effort to "see" Ethan, in the way the Jesus takes the time to "see" us. Stepping aside from what she was doing and taking time to notice. Tobin loves Jesus, it's obvious. And, it's one of the things that endears her to us. But I couldn't help, in that moment, as I was seeing the joy of being "known" all over the face of my 8 year old, seeing us along the parade route of Heaven, cheering out our champion's name: "Jesus - Jesus - Jesus!",along with millions of others, and then Him stopping the parade, looking us in the eye and saying, "I know who YOU are! I see you." What an intimate, precious Saviour. He is "El Roi" - The God who sees and knows. Thank you, Tobin for not only being my son's soccer hero, but for showing Jesus to my little family and reminding us that everyday we are KNOWN by our King.

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