Football FANS

I have never been one to love football!  In fact, one of the worst fights my husband and I have ever had was over football.

Once we were married we both worked extra hard to survive financially.  Simon worked detailing automobiles and I worked at the UofU as a secretary.  After a long days work I would be so excited to come home to spend time with my new husband and he would be so excited to come home and watch football!

One Saturday I had, had enough!  I went outside our little duplex, found the entry of the cable cord to our house and I cut it in half.  I was thinking that would get him to focus his attention on me for a change.  Well, I got his attention all right.  He freaked out!  Couldn't believe I would be so CRAZY as to cut the cable!  He stomped around, yelled a lot and the next thing I know he was packing his bags.  Yep, he left me for his mom's house that night.  I was devastated!  It took him 3 days to come back and of course by then the cable cord was restored.

During the first 7 years of our married life, Simon watched a lot of sports by himself.  We were lucky enough to have 2 girls first so they occupied my time and I really didn't care about the cable anymore.  Then the 2 boys were born and almost immediately he had football and basketballs in their hands.  It didn't take the boys long to be sitting on the couch watching sports with their dad.

Things changed for me when the boys started playing little league football.  I immediately found interest in something I can truly say- I hated before.  Football became my hobby.  I wanted to know what my boys were doing, why whistles were blowing, what the referees were doing waving their arms around and WHY all these parents were freaking out on the sidelines!   I found this pure joy in watching my little boys play football.  The elation when they ran the ball in for a touchdown or when they tackled someone or sacked the quarterback.  And What about the fear I felt when they were tackled so hard that coaches ran onto the field?  Or the excitement that I got when my boys put on their jerseys at the beginning of the season so I could take their pictures.  I loved the teaching moments I have had when my boys wanted to cry on the field when they made a mistake or worse when they lost a big game.  I was the one who said, "Cry in the car if you have to.  But never ever let the other team or your teammates see you cry!"  Begin team "Mom" was a fun job title- one I even have a trophy in my kitchen window for.

Little league is over.  This year my boys play high school football.  This is a whole new level of intensity for me.  More worry, more excitement and more joy!  Friday, my boys will play in the state championship game at the UofU's Rice Eccels Stadium on the turf!  I want to scream out loud- Can you believe it?  MY boys are playing ball in a college stadium!!!

Ask me if I am nervous?  My answer is, "No WAY!"   I'm not nervous- I am so dang proud!  I am sitting here typing with tears running down my cheeks.  What a monumental event for me as a Momma!  I get the opportunity to sit in the stands and cheer on my boys playing a sport that they love! I'll be the one you can hear yelling COMMMMON FEHOKOS!  I'll also be bundled up in blue and orange- their school colors!  I know their futures will be filled with many events like this, but these are the moments I want to freeze in time!

Don't tell Simon that I really don't love FOOTBALL!  I think, he thinks that he's converted me!  But who am I kidding?  I reaalllllly only CARE when I get to watch my BOYS and my nephew #52 at the U!! Other than that- you'll never catch me rushing to watch a game anywhere else!!