Okay ladies, put on your black, stop the clocks, and get out your tissues. Today was the mark of a very sad and hard time in many of our lives... opening day of football. For many of us wives this was a bitter sweet day. On one hand I love football. I enjoy getting up on Sundays, putting on my blue and silver and yelling at the TV... for one game. On the other hand, I loose my husband to fantasy football, hours and hours of Fox Sports Northwest on top of hours of games, and in some very sad cases face paint. Yes today was a day to pout and be sad.

The brakes went out on my husbands car and he started to fix it yesterday. He realized that he needed a part that he didn't have after the parts place had closed. I assumed he would be right on it right after work today. I was wrong. When I asked him why he was half naked sitting next to a pile of laundry that needed to be folded, he got a big smile on his face and responded with "today is the best day of the year" and pointed at the TV. "There will always be tomorrow to fix the car, today there is football."

Five years ago I realized that this football obsession was here to stay and that I could embrace it, get divorced, or live with being a football widow for 4 to 5 months out of the year. The second two sounded like a lot of work and sadness (I'm too lazy for either). So I put on my brave panties and decided to embrace it. Now, when I go for something it's all the way, and this situation was no different. I joined 2 fantasy football leagues that year. One was a random one that I found on a sports website. I joined that one because I didn't know anyone on it and it was a good place for me to really try things out and learn for myself how to play. The other league was made up of the groomsmen from our wedding and a few other guys that my husband has been playing with for years... and oh, did I mention that my husband was also on the league? I don't know if he was happy, maybe a little turned on, or utterly scared that I was a team owner on his league, but I will never forget his face when I told him. It was a cross between ready to puke and surprise.

I took first place in his league that year... and the crowd stands to do the wave. He didn't think that me beating him was cool (probably his worst fear come true) but he told me that I had never done anything that had meant more to him. I was a little offended since by this point I had planned a wedding, had 2 kids with him, and given up my career to play into his June Cleaver fantasies. He explained that the fact that I had taken so much interest in something that was that important to him was an act of my love for him. I still think he was being a little mellow dramatic, but it was true.

I gave up doing things on Sundays (sometimes even church) to wear my Seahawk colors, drink beer, and eat chips. I gave up talking to my husband about preschools and play dates for looooong conversations about about the importance of running backs and a good QB-WR combo for fantasy teams. What did I get out of all of this crazy town football loving maham? A better marriage. A better friend. Great communication.

So, today may have been a sad day for you or a friend of yours. But, hope is not lost. I encourage all of you that have football fanatics under your roof to do what I did and embrace it. It actually is a fun game to watch and you won't believe how cool guys think you are when you know what a flea flicker is. Embracing a passion for something like football also encourages us moms to take a brake, smell the roses (or chicken wings and beer in this case), and enjoy our men. After all, "there will always be tomorrow to fix the car, today there is football."

Dear Jasper,

I'm sorry. I sorry that you inherited my agility and gracefulness. I'm sorry that I chose to take you camping the three days prior to your 1st day of 1st grade. I'm really sorry that you fell off that mossy log and hit your head on a rock leaving a large red egg shaped bump in the middle of your forehead. I'm even more sorry that I then took you to the beach where there were lots of aggressive bees and the meanest one found your ear. Most of all I'm sorry that you fell down face first onto a cement patio putting your teeth through your lip and scraping up your chin. You have every right to be mad at me.

You have every right to be mad at me except that if you think about this carefully you will realize that I am the coolest mom ever. You're welcome. You're welcome, that instead of early bed times and strict routines leading up to your first day of school, you got ghost stories and late nights by the campfire. You're even more welcome that when you fell off that mossy log, I didn't yell at you for not listening to me about horse play on slippery objects for the ten minutes leading up to the fall. You are welcome for me taking you to the ocean to throw rocks and dig in the sand. Finally, you are welcome for the fun you were having while I wasn't watching you because I was feeding the baby, when you tripped over the dog and planted your face in the cement... chicks dig scars... you'll thank me later. I love you buddy and I really did have the best of intentions. I'm really sorry you got hurt but really glad you had fun.

Love you always and forever,
Mom

Tomorrow marks a big day in my little boy's life. It's his first day of 1st grade. He was so excited tonight that he went to bed without any challenges and is now sweetly sleeping with a smile on his face.

I'm feeling butterflies for him. Will the teacher see the brilliant inquisitive loving boy that I know? Will the other kids be as excited to see him as he is to see them? Will my little by hold it against me that I couldn't give him everything he wanted for the first day of school? I'm hoping that it will all be okay.

For the start of kindergarten we took Jasper shopping. He got a new backpack, clothes, and shoes. This year our budget has changed and there were some rather tight restrictions on what we could afford. First, we decided that he didn't need a new backpack, last years was in good shape and he still loves it. That left us with a budget of $30 for new clothes and shoes, and after a busy summer of growth spurts he desperately needed both. So I packed up my pride and headed for the secondhand stores.

Thrift stores opened up a whole new world of possibilities. I found name brand clothes with department store tags still on them, and I even found a pair of designer jeans for myself for $9.99 (focus! focus! we're not here for me!!). So, at the thrift store we found 4 shirts and a sweatshirt for $7.50. We can also feel environmentally savvy for buying clothes that others couldn't use. Next stop was hitting the sales, where we found 2 cool pairs of jeans for $16. Last was trying to find a pair of shoes for $6.50... that he would want to wear. That's when grandma surprised us in a huge way. She generously sent Jasper new shoes, shirts, and pants (Thanks Grandma!). All of a sudden Jasper has a very cool environmentally friendly wardrobe to start school with. I have $6.50 to put towards a cute pair of jeans that I have my eye on.

I'm sad that I wasn't able to buy my big guy the new Seahawks sweatshirt that he wants, but I'm super excited that I was able to make a little into a lot, and in the process be a good example for him. Tomorrow he will start going to school all day long, and I will miss him. It will be hard to drop him off, but the good news is that I know he'll be well dressed, I'll still be on budget, and most importantly we've both grown up a little. I can't wait to pick him up, and see that same sweet smile.