¡Gooooooool!

The 2010 World Cup is in full swing and has burst into the Garcia home with undeniable force. South America and Europe have taken the spotlight, as expected, and provided brutal match ups set to take center stage.

After wrapping up my three weeks of work in June, I am finally able to give my undivided attention to soccer's masterpiece. I have caught the tournament at the right time, with the group stage over and the knockout round underway. I watched with intent as Germany derailed England, Ghana became America's new public enemy #1, and David Villa powered Spain past neighboring Portugal. After a day off from the action, I am more than ready for the quarterfinals beginning tomorrow morning with powerhouse Brazil battling the Dutch. All of the matches in the quarters look promising and I plan to stay on the edge of my seat, ready to leap for my teams at any given moment.

Aside from the excitement of the World Cup, I am fortunate to have my cousins visiting, as well. We have had a great deal of fun, and countless hours have been spent outside. It's always nice to have them around because there's never a dull moment. Together we have shared our love for Spongebob, torn up the dance floor with the Wii, and ripped through the backyard like a whirlwind. In the spirit of the World Cup, we have even had our own match. Today, we took all that we have learned from watching the pros in the past weeks onto a Germantown field with our brand new soccer ball. Goals were scored, saves were made, passes sent the ball soaring from end to end, and I even attempted the ever-so-tempting knee slide that is demonstrated here by David Villa; I didn't get as far, but be sure that it looked as awesome as it felt. Tomorrow promises to be another exciting day before our cousins make the journey back to Maryland. On the itinerary? World Cup, noon premiere (no midnight showings unfortunately for my eager family members) of The Last Airbender, and a night at Autozone Park for a Redbird's game. For now, however, sleep awaits.