S is for.....

S is for.....Scout.

I have two daughters, Quinn and Scout. Quinn was the inspiration for my Q post the other day, which means today has to be Scout's day. It was hard to choose just one picture, but this one just feels like Scout.

When Meg and I found out we were having a girl, it didn't take long for us to decide on a name. We both love To Kill a Mockingbird, and when I suggested Scout, Meg was game. It's funny, Scout is very much like her namesake: adventurous, smart, inquisitive, kind, wise. Scout may be an unusual name, but it fits her perfectly.

Scout is a voracious reader. The kid reads so much, sometimes I'm surprised there are still books she hasn't read. Seriously. We go to the library at least once a week, and Scout always checks out a huge stack of books. For Christmas this year all Scout wanted was Borders and Barnes and Noble gift cards so she could buy new books. I love coming across Scout in one of her many reading spots in the house. Years from now, certain places in our house will remind me of her.  

Scout is a kid with inner strength, more than she even knows. Life is quickly providing opportunities for Scout to figure out how strong she really is. One opportunity came on the soccer field this past season. Scout took a nasty fall in a game. I coached the team, so once I was sure she was physically OK, I asked her if she wanted to stay in. She said she did, so I kept her in the game. Later in the same quarter, one of her teammates blasted a ball that hit Scout square in the face. I could see the impact knock the wind out of her. As I ran out to make sure she was OK, I figured she'd have to come out of the game. Once she calmed down though, she wanted to stay in. I was reluctant, but I let her keep playing. I thought Scout might be tentative, but she was her usual aggressive self. Scout scored two goals in a span of ten minutes, and I simply could not have been more proud.

Another opportunity came at an Irish dancing competition. Scout fell during one of her dances. She popped right back up, and without missing a beat, kept right on going. She had to stay on stage for two more dances, and I was worried she might be too rattled to do her best. She kept her composure and danced them both beautifully. I was incredibly impressed, but hey, I'm the Dad. Apparently the judge saw what I saw. Despite the fall, Scout won that first dance, and she took first and second in the other two. 

That's what comes to mind when I think of Scout. A kid who falls down, picks herself up, dusts herself off, and keeps going. A kid finding her inner strength and learning she can do whatever she sets her mind to do. I can't wait to see where she sets her sights.