Our Sports Family

My husband taught and coached football and basketball for his Alma Mater for 11 years. When we got engaged, it was announced over the loudspeaker at the State Playoff game that year, when we got married, the entire football team showed up at the church (I knew what I was "signing up" for, so our wedding, during football season, was strategically planned for a Sunday, the day after a State playoff game, and during a bye week, he was back to practice the next afternoon, and yes, I scouted along with my new husband during my honeymoon!!), and the following year, the booster club, coaches, players and their families threw us a baby shower...since I was very pregnant at the State Final game that year (She waited until three days later to arrive!! She learned early to plan around sports!!). They were our extended family. When we moved from our first house to where we live now, we were an hour and some minutes away. It was quite the haul to bring the kids to the games, only to have them last for maybe a quarter, if I was lucky. We slowly made less trips to see Daddy's games. After four years of the commute, and six state championships later, Daddy was ready for a change and a challenge. We would miss our sports family...
Last year he began teaching and coaching at our hometown high school...just eight minutes away!! Our new sports family has welcomed us with open arms. We make mostly every game now, and my daughter sports her cheerleading uniform and cheers with the high school cheerleaders the second half of each game. My son proudly sports his "jersey" (which I made since the 'real' ones were so big, and so expensive!!) that says Coach's Son...he's #00... and attends the teams practice and dinner every night before a game. He looks forward to this all. week. long!!! As soon as we pull in the parking lot, he rips his carseat straps off and yells "Gotta go Mom...I got practice now!!" My husband says he sits through the game film that night and doesn't make a sound. My three year old??!! This is his thing. Last week he was in his glory. His daddy brought him on the sidelines the last few minutes of the game (granted we were winning 40-0, so all were in a joyous mood), but the boys were coming off the field and he was high-five'ing his "teammates", as he calls them.

We took a leap of faith, and it worked out. We've planted our roots, and made our home. My husband summed it up with one phrase... "I feel like I've been there 10 years, they've accepted us so warmly." (And you coach's wives out there know how much that means!!!)
Our sports family...they are truly a Finer Thing.