This past weekend...

This is the knee, the one I'll be sharing about. It was a good knee!

didn't turn out the way we had hoped. Let me start by saying this post is about our Allison and not Ashley. Don't worry...Ash is doing well.

This weekend was filled to the brim with disappointment and hurt and frustration. Watching your kids hurt has to be the most painful feeling in the world.

Allie blew out her knee yesterday. I'm not sure if that means anything to anyone else...but to a kid like Allie its a devastating blow. Simply devastating.

Notice the hot pink cleats? Its so Allie to wear something like that!

She only had the opportunity to play two games Saturday and then during warm ups of yesterdays first game we saw a huddle of players and two men running across the field. We had no idea it was Allie. Then the one of the players came running across the field yelling at one of their dads who is a physician to come over. As we tried to figure out what was going on we recognized the hot pink cleats. At that point we were really calm. Dave walked across the field knowing that Allie is a tough kid. She's usually able to take a hit and keep on going. She can play through some really hard injuries...but...this one is different. It really is. I think I realized it as I watched two men having to pick her up off the ground and carry her. She couldn't even get up on her own.

Allie spent the next two games on the bench sporting a brace. We did everything...she did everything possible in hopes of playing last night...but it wasn't possible. Her knee is in bad shape. We have no idea how severe it is or how long she will be out, but this morning the swelling and the color and the shape of it doesn't look promising.

Lots of tears. Lots. Disappointed doesn't even begin to describe how we feel for her. She is so worried about everything she is supposed to be doing. Volleyball teams are being announced this week right before the season opener on Thursday. I don't imagine she will be in that game. She's afraid she won't be given her position on the team if she can't play. I think she's right. Their first tournament is this weekend. I honestly can't see her being ready to play by then either. She is locked into a year long contract with her soccer team. There is no getting out, rehabbing, and then picking up with another team. She's in a bad place. Not playing is absolutely the worst thing that could be happening in her world. She will more than likely lose her starting spot on that team as well. She's supposed to cheer this week too. Her first game of the year. So heart breaking. She is so, so sad. There is nothing I can do to make her feel better about any of this. This is her world. Its what she does. It has broken her heart.

I guess I'm sharing in hopes that you guys would pray for her this week. We are scheduling an MRI to get a look at the damage. It appears that a ligament has been torn. We are hoping that it has not. If it is torn shes out for a long time. If its just damaged or strained then there is hope of seeing her play again. She and I are really hoping for this to go away in just a few days, but its looking like it will not.

In all honesty my heart hurts so bad for her. She is the most active, most athletic, most amazing 13 year old I know. Sitting out yesterday was so hurtful. She desperately feels as though she let her team down knowing they needed her out on that field and yet she absolutely could not get out there.

Sometimes parenting is painful. This weekend proved it to me once again. When your kids hurt, you hurt.