The Next Shot Caller

We all know Maya is a superstar, and it's true, but don't take your eye off of this one. Mina is my next baller, shot caller. This one displays a bit more natural talent and sheer tenacity than Maya, and that gives me goosebumps. She doesn't necessarily have the work-hard gene that Maya has -- yet -- but when it all comes together, can you imagine this bad-ass sister team?

In basketball, Mina has picked up nuances of the game that takes some kids years to figure out, sometimes forever. She can see passing lanes and she can cut those off defensively already. She can fast break and is smart enough to pass to an open person if she's guarded too heavily. Her dribbling skills are really impressive at seven.

In Taekwondo -- though everything is still all fun and games -- she has a natural sparring ability that surpasses Maya's at that age. Sometimes during home fights when they clown around rigorously, Mina gets this look in her eye that genuinely causes Maya to back up. But if things get too out of hand, Maya will push kick Mina across a room. Believe that. But that kind of thing only makes Mina tougher.

I love this picture. This was from her first tournament and I love that she's staring this guy down and that he looks nervous. She's ice, man!

She's medalist too!

Portrait of a Seven Year Old Athlete:

P.S. I had the raddest Photobooth Friday with the funniest picture of Mina, but GODDAMNIT I cannot find it. It is temporarily lost in the sea of school papers --how many more tree-killing PTA flyers can they send me for christ's sake -- and all the other overflowing crap that I can't seem to toss or tidy fast enough. Or I tossed and tidied so much that I lost some good stuff along the way too. Damn me.