More than a Game

 This past weekend, we had the pleasure of going to San Jose to watch our grandson and his teammates compete for the state championship in ice hockey. Lots of kid are involved in sports and lots of parents and grandparents watch. Nothing new there. However, every once in awhile, something magical happens. The athletes come together, with the leadership of excellent coaching, and they grow and excel and achieve things they never thought possible at the beginning of the season. The team becomes more than a team. They become a family. This is what happened to this team.

 There is lots of time, money and energy spent on travel teams. We put more people in a hotel room than is probably allowed. Some sleep on a makeshift bed on the floor. Thank goodness their bear, Rusty, was there also!

 The siblings have lots of time to bond with the other kid as well. The girls all gravitate to each other and become fast friends. Memories are made for them also. After a weekend like this, many sentences are started with, "Remember when we did...." They store up these memories and will cherish them later more than they will ever know when they are happening. We call them "hockey sisters".

My husband stayed behind this weekend because he had so much work. It killed him not to go. He is at everything for the kids. After we won our two games on Friday, I called him and said, "Please fly up here tomorrow night for the championship game on Sunday." Mind you, this man has not flown in over ten years! He HATES to fly!! He said yes! Thanks to our dear friend, Jason, who helped me book the flight, checked him in remotely, picked him up at the airport and delivered him to the hotel. The plan was for Pa to be sitting there Sunday morning when Jack woke up! When he arrived, Amber, Mark and I were talking quietly in the living room of our hotel room because Jack was asleep. Suddenly, we hear, "Pa! Is that you???" He was so excited to see him! That alone, was worth the price of the ticket. The next morning, before the game, Mark found our "other" hockey grandson and surprised him as well. "Pa, you're here!!" Our goaltender lives in San Jose and has flown down to the OC to play with this team all year. This "away" tournament for us, was his first "home" tournament!! He was beyond happy to have all of us in his home city. There was a crazy amount of family and friends cheering his every move. His performance didn't disappoint. He was a rock star!

We are so lucky that the hockey parents welcome us with open arms. We have come to know and love some of them more than we can say. (You know who you are!) We laugh and cry together, making our own set of memories along with the boys.

 Coffee in hand, my son-in-law walks to the bench before the game. He is a fierce competitor and wants to win, but he never loses sight of the true goal. He takes a skater, wherever they are, and moves them along. He helps them fine tune their abilities, creates a team atmosphere where everyone feels welcome, and never lets them accept less than their best. He doesn't just coach the mechanics of a game he knows so well, he coaches them on life skills that make them better people. He lets them know he truly cares about each and every one of them. He becomes their "hockey dad".

I love this photo. Even though I have no idea what he is saying to them at this moment, I see that all eyes are on him and each of these kids is "all in" at this point. It may sound biased, but they were all so lucky to have him as their coach. Some know it now, some may realize it later.

 Here we all are, basking in the victory and loving the moment with the people we love. So happy for these kids and their coaches, even happier that we get to share some of their sunshine. They make us proud!

 

Setting Goals

Everyone talks about setting goals ~ losing weight, advancing at work, even relaxing more. We often fall short or stop thinking about the goals we set. We disappoint ourselves and fear disappointing others as well. Experts say, when setting goals, the path to success is to set smaller goals within the parameters of your bigger goal. Last year, I got the lofty idea in my head that I would like to run 65 half marathons by the time I reached my 65th birthday. For me, that is a lofty goal. It means absolutely nothing to anybody but me. I think, God willing, with no major injuries or health issues, I just may be able to achieve this goal. We will see. I am on number 32 and counting. It is still a long way off, which brings me to my smaller goal. I told myself that in the month of March, I wanted to run a 5K, a 10K, a 15K and a half marathon. As of yesterday, I am happy to report I achieved this goal!! Crossing that finish line yesterday, I felt such personal pride and was mentally patting myself on the back. Again, it means nothing to anybody but me, but it felt like such an accomplishment. Running has never come easy to me. It still doesn't, but when my body says, "No more!", my mind whispers, "Just a little farther, a few more steps." Step by step, block by block, mile by mile, I see the finish line in sight.
Running, like life, has good days and bad days. The trick is to just keep going forward, no matter what!

Why Run?

After a LONG hiatus, I have decided to start up my blog again. I fell silent for a while because I just didn't think I had anything to say. For those that know me well, that seems impossible!
Today, I ran the FroYo 10K in Irvine. This race was my 8th 10K and my 75th race overall! Seventy five races seems like a lot, especially when you consider I didn't start running until I was 55! I am as slow as a turtle running through peanut butter, but I am running. I am out there and I finish. I spent more on races last year than clothes! Many don't understand. Why run? Why pay money and run a race? If you like to run, just run. I am not even sure what to reply to this. At times, I wonder myself why I run. When I am driving in my car and I see a runner, I think, "Gee, I wish I was running." I usually run by myself, even in races. I watch others in groups, laughing and chatting before the start and I stand silently by myself. There is rarely anyone waiting for me at the finish line, no high fives from family or friends. Running does not come easy for me. It never has. With each passing year, I get slower. It's a bitter pill to swallow. I keep records of all my races, times, placement in my age group, etc. Silly, meaningless data that only matters to me.
So, again, it bears the question, "Why run?" I think I can sum it up in one word ~ satisfaction. Even when I'm slow, even when it's hard, even when my body hurts, at the end, I feel an intense sense of satisfaction. I did this! I accomplished this! I am still plugging along in this life.
This feeling of satisfaction is enough to spur me on to run some more, sign up for another race, keep going.
And today, they gave me a cute spoon medal and frozen yogurt at the finish line. Winner!

Poor Knees

When you are two miles from your house and fall on your run, what do you do? You keep going! Darn those uneven sidewalks!! My poor knees are so scarred up. Vitamin E cream, you are my best friend! Gotta be ready for Saturday's half marathon, scabs and all!

So True!

Simple truth!!

Denver

My BFF and I take a trip every year. We try and tie it to a race for me and find a great quilt shop for her. This year it took us to Denver. We stayed downtown and walked much of the city. We ate good food, saw a movie and shopped and shopped. We used uber, which I had never done before, and it was an adventure.

We always joke that in our old age, we will be each other's wife. When we saw this darling sign in a antique shop, we had to get a photo!

The Denver Botanic Garden was a peaceful and beautiful place right within the city. Surrounded by high rise buildings, you find this lush, green oasis. We had a light breakfast and walked the grounds.

When we caught a glimpse of these two, in their muumuus and socks and sandals we decided that would be us in 10 or 20 years!! YIKES!!

Pot is legal in CO which explains the smell that grabs you every so often as you are walking down the street! We had to go inside a "dispensary" and check it out. They were really nice to two uncool, old ladies! We even got a sticker from them! StarBUDS...get it??

We crammed a lot into four days (we always do!) One of my favorite memories is sitting in the hotel room laughing far into the night. The memories we create on these trips are always with me. They are a sweet reminder of how important friendship is and how lucky I am to have such a beautiful friend!

 





 

 







Life Interrupted

Eleven years ago today, our lives were changed in a big way! Princess Madeline made her appearance. Oh, I know it sounds corny and trite to say that grandkids are the best thing to ever happen to you, but, frankly, they are!! Where you'd be considered a crazy mom if you walked around telling everyone how beautiful, perfect and amazing your children are, it is perfectly acceptable to say these things about your grandchildren. People listen, smile and nod. They thinks it's sweet that you are so enchanted by them. They say how lucky the kids are to have you close and involved. Little do they know who the lucky ones really are...us!!
Maddy has become this tall, willowy blond who still doesn't know how beautiful she is. She loves her crazy, mismatched socks and beanie caps with any outfit she decides to put them with on any given day. She has a masters degree in the eye roll and often wonders how we all got so dumb when she is so smart! Then, in the next moment, she will sit down on Pa's lap and act like a little girl again. She can be infuriating and charming at a moments notice. Her world is getting larger and more interesting every day. Conversations with her are lively and often mature. Her math homework gives me a headache! I pray every week I can keep up with her.
#1 granddaughter, we love you to the moon and back! To us, you are, and always will be, perfect and beautiful!  We can't wait to see what the future holds for you.