Friday, April 22, 2011

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.  

18 comments:

  1. This is just as awesome as the one you did for your other child!!!

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  2. I remember the soccer story from an earlier post. It was worth repeating here. To Kill a Mockingbird is a sublime piece of work. The fact that you chose Scout as a name for your daughter says a lot about you and your family (a lot of great things).

    okay, GO. (gushing over).

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  3. Love the name and love the character of both Scouts!

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  4. Wow, your daughters have the coolest names!

    I love a strong girl who gets back up ready to fight. Go Scout!

    What a proud dad. :)

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  5. Thanks for sharing a lil bit of your life with us. I tend to think that most girls are "voracious readers". In my travels on the blogosphere, that adjective has been used a lot to describe girls and women but really not any boys or men that I can think of. I wonder why that is...

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  6. Munk: Yeah, I can't help myself with that soccer story. I tell it all the time. Luckily, people are nice enough to humor me. By the way Munk, your comment on the regret post was brilliant-better than the actual post.

    Squilla: She's got that Warden blood you know.

    LG: Thanks LG. I'm a lucky guy.

    Michael: It is interesting. I teach 8th grade, and I do see some boys who are voracious readers, but nearly as many as girls. I would consider myself a voracious reader, but I don't think I was as a boy-I grew into it. I think there's a stereotype that boys aren't interested in reading, and it's easy to let boys off the hook when they balk at reading.

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  7. I've always loved the name Scout for a girl! TKAM is one of my favorite books too.

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  8. Both of your daughters sound like treasures. Our children truly are our biggest gifts in life.

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  9. Great name, and by the sounds of it, a great kid!!! : )

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  10. My dad took me to the library too when I was a kid and I have loved reading ever since. Scout of To Kill a Mockingbird is one of my favorite characters and what a great name for your very special child. Now I have to go and read about Quinn too since I missed that post.

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  11. Your daughters are great girls. They are lovely and strong. You are a lucky parent.

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  12. She sounds like a cool kid. It is cool that she has so much in common with Scout from the book too. Being able to get back up after falling is an important skill in life.

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  13. Way to raise a reader and an athlete in one package.

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  14. I love the name! My daughter's a reader like yours. Fortunately, there are always books to keep them reading. :)

    Happy Easter!

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  15. If her given name is Scout, is her nickname Jean Louise? :) I adore her red hair. None of mine have my red hair. You posted a very pretty picture.

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  16. Scout is an adorable girl and I love her name. You can tell just from her picture how much it suits her!

    I love that she is such a tough girl, good for her. Of course, it's wonderful she is such a reader too, obviously a smart kid!

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  17. What a great tribute to your daughter! The part about certain parts of your home reminding you of her in years to come was so touching and so true.

    Great read!

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