Half Of A Great Weekend… So Far
Emotionally, this could not be any more of a diverse weekend for me. 2014 is continuing how 2013 ended, dealing with strong emotions of a contentious divorce process, while trying to protect my children’s best interests. Conclusion of this process still seems a long way off yet.
In the meantime, yesterday I got to experience one of my proudest moments yet as a father. My oldest daughter got to sing with her elementary school chorus at the beginning of a professional hockey game. I have experienced a lot of opportunities to sing in some great places, the Washington DC Shrine, Annapolis, and others. But I never got the chance to sing in a professional sports arena or for a pro sport game.
I told Madison how proud I was of her before we left the home. She responded, “but Daddy, I haven’t even sung yet.” I was too busy videotaping the song and snapping photographs, I really could not enjoy the performance until reviewing it on camera. But there it was, Madison was in the front row of the chorus singing her little lungs out. And just like the many pro-athletes before her, in any sports contest, her attention was not directed on the task at hand, but rather at the Jumobotron television screen where she realized the cameras were pointed right at her. I asked her how it felt to see herself broadcasted on such a huge screen like that, she said, “weird. This is just hopefully one of the many bright and fun memories she will experience in her lifetime and I am glad that in this current atmosphere in our home, I have been able to allow her to still be a child.
There was a hockey game, and this was the first time that my daughters had ever seen one live. And do you know what? They loved it. I do not know what custody arrangements will be determined, but I now have something else that we will be able to share with each other when the times come to spend with each other.
Now, all I need is the other half of the weekend to work out. I need a Seahawk victory in the Super Bowl over the Denver Broncos.
Paul's Heart 