You know how much I love words. This is a great one, don't you think? Fluidity. The action of smooth flow. There is so much in life that is fluid. The other day I was driving and my girl told me I was a smooth driver. What do you mean? I asked. She said she could hardly feel me changing my foot from the brake to the gas pedal. It was a smooth ride she said. I, of course, said thank you. There is so much in life that is fluid. Have you ever been at a house after a funeral? Or at a church gathering that includes a meal? The way people work together and set up, serve a meal and clean up is fluid. Almost second nature. Have you seen a group of women standing around and one is holding a baby? The baby starts to fuss and the mom will rock back and forth from one foot to another to calm the child. Look around at the rest of the ladies in the group. Chances are that you'll see others doing the same thing even though they are not holding a baby. It's natural.
This brings me to another type of fluidity. For the past several weeks Madison, WI, has been adapting to a new situation. You all know the details of the announcement made by Scott Walker to not only decrease benefits of state workers, but to take away their bargaining rights. This will make a difference for my immediate family with both my husband's job and I'm fairly sure mine, too. This is not going to be comfortable for us. But we have a plan and we have faith. We are not as worried as some. And we are part of a community that cares for one another. Over the past few weeks we have made our voices heard by our presence at protests. Scott (my husband) spoke inside the Capitol to the crowds of people. What an honor that was for him. We are proud of his voice and what he said.
The crowds have been amazing. The numbers are in the thousands. Even 100,000 a couple of weekends ago. More amazing has been the general concern for each other. Strangers will bring your child water and a granola bar. A person you have never met before will strike up a conversation with you. In the course of talking you discover different backgrounds. We're from different political parties. But guess what? We all seem to know what unfairness is. We walk together. We talk together. We celebrate our differences. And our similarities. We may never cross paths again. But for that brief time that we spend together we are fluid in the fact that we are for the same cause. It's really a lot simpler than many would want you to believe.
So whether it is the rising and setting of the sun. Or the routines we all find in our regular every day schedules. I wish all of you the ability to find comfort in the fluidity of life this week.
© 2011 Ann M. De Broux
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Wide Open Spaces
Perhaps I should say clear spaces. Nothing makes me happier than a cleared off counter. It soothes me. It gives my eyes a place to rest. How many times have you looked at your desk, counters or dresser top and flipped off the light and walked out of the room? Many times for me. Too many to count. I look at piles and messes and I become instantly overwhelmed. I can't see the trees through the forest. Fill in your own little analogy. I know how much I will enjoy the organization. The tossing and the recycling. And ultimately the cleared off space. I take pride in the end product. But the actual work of getting there? Ugh.
So the other day I had two very significant piles of stuff in the kitchen on the counter. Some was mine, some was his, some was hers. And a lot was ours. I made the separate pile for each member of the family. I made a pile of bills. I actually paid them immediately. I even took the paid bills out to the mailbox. I then recycled a pile of paper at least two inches thick. And I walked that pile right out to our bin in the garage. When Gracie got home from school we went through her pile. I was actually pleasantly surprised at how much she got rid of. She is famous for applying emotions to material items. She's learning and getting rather good at working through this. She said, do I love it? Do I need it? Is it special to me? Nothing more satisfying than knowing your kid is listening. Scott and I did the same with our piles of stuff. Job done. Total satisfaction.
So how did these piles get to this point? You know the story. We had a busy week. We didn't have time to go through the mail. Just life. It catches up with you. It happens to simplifiers, too. So my goal this week? Keep up with the mail and the papers from school. After all, clear counters make for a clear mind. Here's wishing you open and clear spaces to rest your mind in.
P.S. It has been difficult these past few weeks to not write about all that is happening in Madison. Believe me I have things written, but until there is an end in sight, whatever end that may be, I will save those thoughts. I am hoping for a positive outcome. Stay strong!
©2011 Ann M. De Broux
So the other day I had two very significant piles of stuff in the kitchen on the counter. Some was mine, some was his, some was hers. And a lot was ours. I made the separate pile for each member of the family. I made a pile of bills. I actually paid them immediately. I even took the paid bills out to the mailbox. I then recycled a pile of paper at least two inches thick. And I walked that pile right out to our bin in the garage. When Gracie got home from school we went through her pile. I was actually pleasantly surprised at how much she got rid of. She is famous for applying emotions to material items. She's learning and getting rather good at working through this. She said, do I love it? Do I need it? Is it special to me? Nothing more satisfying than knowing your kid is listening. Scott and I did the same with our piles of stuff. Job done. Total satisfaction.
So how did these piles get to this point? You know the story. We had a busy week. We didn't have time to go through the mail. Just life. It catches up with you. It happens to simplifiers, too. So my goal this week? Keep up with the mail and the papers from school. After all, clear counters make for a clear mind. Here's wishing you open and clear spaces to rest your mind in.
P.S. It has been difficult these past few weeks to not write about all that is happening in Madison. Believe me I have things written, but until there is an end in sight, whatever end that may be, I will save those thoughts. I am hoping for a positive outcome. Stay strong!
©2011 Ann M. De Broux
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Tidbits
Every once in a while my brain is just full of ideas that don't necessarily have much to do with each other. Today I'll call them tidbits. In the past I've referred to these thoughts or ideas as mishmash. Same same. And because these ideas aren't important enough to devote an entire blog to, I don't. I'll just invite you into my random thoughts.
Thought No. 1
Teach your children to eat fruit whole. Doesn't sound earth shattering does it? It is amazing though. As a mom and as a person who works around lots of kids, I can tell you this is important. I have witnessed more than one child look at a whole piece of fruit and not know what to do with it. If it isn't sliced, diced and peeled, they have no clue. Teach them how to peel a banana. Chomp on an apple. Eat a strawberry by holding the stem. This all sounds so easy. But if this hasn't been taught to them it's not. And then the frustration sets in for kids. Then the really sad thing happens. Instead of trying to eat, the fruit gets tossed. Same goes for veggies. It all stems back to the basics.
Thought No. 2
Right turns. I gave Gracie a lesson on right turns the other day. We were running errands and it was rush hour. She asked why I passed one of our stops. I told her that we would stop at that business on the way back from another stop. Why? I told her about this fantastic study that UPS did on time wasted by waiting to turn left. That most of their drivers have routes that keep them turning right unless it is absolutely necessary for them to turn left. It saves time and gas. So I told Gracie we are following the advice of UPS. We will stop at that destination on our way home when we can turn right into their driveway. Saves time and money and I'm all for it. I also told her that a student in driver's ed class, a girl I believe, is the one who came up with the idea that it is safe to turn right on a red light. Every once in a while I amaze my daughter.
Thought No. 3
I'm training for a marathon. Ok, a half-marathon. And I'm not running. I'm walking. My daughter said to me the other day that she's pretty sure she could walk 13 and some miles without training. I said, I'm pretty sure I can, too, but this is my excuse to get moving. And I have until September. I'm doing this with a group of friends. It's more about being friends and committing to something than it really is about the exercise. The benefits of the "training" though will hopefully be great. I'll keep you posted.
Thought No. 4
I've worn shoes twice since Christmas. Sounds crazy, right? Well, with all this snow I put on my boots every day to go about my business. And when I come home I take off my boots and slide on my slippers. Twice people. Two times. It bears repeating. I may be sick of snow. I'm trying not to be. I actually like snow. But it's been so cold! I haven't been able to enjoy it as much as I have in the past. So I'm looking forward to clogs, tennis shoes and sandal weather.
I'll leave you with my final thought. With all of this cold weather and all of the germs out there, I've been doing a lot of hand washing. And in my job there is a ton of hand washing, but not always a lot of time to apply lotion. So I get these tiny little splits in my skin at the tips of my fingers. Thankfully not too often. A couple of weeks ago I had a particularly bad cut/split. It would not heal. Lotion, gloves, more creams and even super glue didn't heal it. I complained about it often and to many. I'm not usually much of a complainer, but this was serious. And I had a mantra that went along with my complaint every time. You can ask anyone in my family. It went like this, "do you know that this tiny little cut at the tip of my finger hurts more than my c-section did?" And believe me after a few days they all would answer when I asked, "do you know how much this tiny cut hurts?---Yes, we know, more than your c-section." Now all I have to do is hold up that finger. No, not THAT finger. And they all reply on cue--c-section. Sorry. I'm not usually one for being overly dramatic, but it seemed appropriate.!
©2011 Ann M. De Broux
Thought No. 1
Teach your children to eat fruit whole. Doesn't sound earth shattering does it? It is amazing though. As a mom and as a person who works around lots of kids, I can tell you this is important. I have witnessed more than one child look at a whole piece of fruit and not know what to do with it. If it isn't sliced, diced and peeled, they have no clue. Teach them how to peel a banana. Chomp on an apple. Eat a strawberry by holding the stem. This all sounds so easy. But if this hasn't been taught to them it's not. And then the frustration sets in for kids. Then the really sad thing happens. Instead of trying to eat, the fruit gets tossed. Same goes for veggies. It all stems back to the basics.
Thought No. 2
Right turns. I gave Gracie a lesson on right turns the other day. We were running errands and it was rush hour. She asked why I passed one of our stops. I told her that we would stop at that business on the way back from another stop. Why? I told her about this fantastic study that UPS did on time wasted by waiting to turn left. That most of their drivers have routes that keep them turning right unless it is absolutely necessary for them to turn left. It saves time and gas. So I told Gracie we are following the advice of UPS. We will stop at that destination on our way home when we can turn right into their driveway. Saves time and money and I'm all for it. I also told her that a student in driver's ed class, a girl I believe, is the one who came up with the idea that it is safe to turn right on a red light. Every once in a while I amaze my daughter.
Thought No. 3
I'm training for a marathon. Ok, a half-marathon. And I'm not running. I'm walking. My daughter said to me the other day that she's pretty sure she could walk 13 and some miles without training. I said, I'm pretty sure I can, too, but this is my excuse to get moving. And I have until September. I'm doing this with a group of friends. It's more about being friends and committing to something than it really is about the exercise. The benefits of the "training" though will hopefully be great. I'll keep you posted.
Thought No. 4
I've worn shoes twice since Christmas. Sounds crazy, right? Well, with all this snow I put on my boots every day to go about my business. And when I come home I take off my boots and slide on my slippers. Twice people. Two times. It bears repeating. I may be sick of snow. I'm trying not to be. I actually like snow. But it's been so cold! I haven't been able to enjoy it as much as I have in the past. So I'm looking forward to clogs, tennis shoes and sandal weather.
I'll leave you with my final thought. With all of this cold weather and all of the germs out there, I've been doing a lot of hand washing. And in my job there is a ton of hand washing, but not always a lot of time to apply lotion. So I get these tiny little splits in my skin at the tips of my fingers. Thankfully not too often. A couple of weeks ago I had a particularly bad cut/split. It would not heal. Lotion, gloves, more creams and even super glue didn't heal it. I complained about it often and to many. I'm not usually much of a complainer, but this was serious. And I had a mantra that went along with my complaint every time. You can ask anyone in my family. It went like this, "do you know that this tiny little cut at the tip of my finger hurts more than my c-section did?" And believe me after a few days they all would answer when I asked, "do you know how much this tiny cut hurts?---Yes, we know, more than your c-section." Now all I have to do is hold up that finger. No, not THAT finger. And they all reply on cue--c-section. Sorry. I'm not usually one for being overly dramatic, but it seemed appropriate.!
©2011 Ann M. De Broux
Sunday, February 13, 2011
I Hear You
About five years ago I asked my husband to have his hearing checked. We joked about it a little. But he did it. For me. He came home with the conclusion that he had "selective" hearing. Maybe the kind of hearing loss that would rear its ugly head when I needed him to do something for me. Or honey-do hearing loss. Fast forward to a few months ago. I used his car to run an errand. I started it up and practically got blasted out of the vehicle by the volume of the radio. I again suggested a check by a doctor. This time different results.
He now wears two hearing aids. He has asked us to be patient with his acclimation period. It will take a while. He hasn't heard well for years. With all of his military time and work as a cop, damage has been done to his hearing. Permanent damage. Ear protection wasn't really something that was thought of when he was in the military. And the same thing until recently with firearms training in police work. And I am going to just say this once. I'm pretty sure he played his music too loud in high school. I'm just saying.
So for many years I had frustrating times of repeating myself and raising my voice. At times I will admit I was annoyed. For this I am sorry. I mistook his not responding as inattentiveness. Not as a disability. Now I know the difference. I can't say that I have perfect hearing, but I know I hear well. I take this for granted. Or I should say, I took this for granted and don't anymore. To hear is a gift. We need to take care of our ears. And lots of other things, too.
The other day, Scott asked Gracie and me to be patient with his adjustment to his hearing aids. They are functioning at 90 percent right now. To put them at 100 percent would be too much of a shock to his system. He asked that we look at him when speaking. This helps with lip reading. It really hit me after that conversation that this is a forever thing for him. Of course I will do whatever he needs to hear and be part of conversation. I told him so. I listened and heard. And for the first time in a long time Scott was hearing, too. It was simply a beautiful day. Happy Valentine's Day everyone!
©2011 Ann M. De Broux
He now wears two hearing aids. He has asked us to be patient with his acclimation period. It will take a while. He hasn't heard well for years. With all of his military time and work as a cop, damage has been done to his hearing. Permanent damage. Ear protection wasn't really something that was thought of when he was in the military. And the same thing until recently with firearms training in police work. And I am going to just say this once. I'm pretty sure he played his music too loud in high school. I'm just saying.
So for many years I had frustrating times of repeating myself and raising my voice. At times I will admit I was annoyed. For this I am sorry. I mistook his not responding as inattentiveness. Not as a disability. Now I know the difference. I can't say that I have perfect hearing, but I know I hear well. I take this for granted. Or I should say, I took this for granted and don't anymore. To hear is a gift. We need to take care of our ears. And lots of other things, too.
The other day, Scott asked Gracie and me to be patient with his adjustment to his hearing aids. They are functioning at 90 percent right now. To put them at 100 percent would be too much of a shock to his system. He asked that we look at him when speaking. This helps with lip reading. It really hit me after that conversation that this is a forever thing for him. Of course I will do whatever he needs to hear and be part of conversation. I told him so. I listened and heard. And for the first time in a long time Scott was hearing, too. It was simply a beautiful day. Happy Valentine's Day everyone!
©2011 Ann M. De Broux
Monday, February 7, 2011
What Can I Say...
I woke up yesterday with more anticipation than I usually have on game day. We went to church and I am embarrassed to admit that I wasn't as attentive as I should have been. I may even feel a little guilty about the fact that I added a few things to my grocery list during the sermon. It was important. If you don't remember the ice and pickles it can ruin your party!
After church we headed to the grocery store to pick up our food and drink. I had called a week ago to order the hot beef and said I would pick it up at 1:00. We'll, I'm impatient. It was 11:45. I know I'm early. Is it ready I asked? Sure thing was my answer. Thank goodness. I could see people admiring our cart as we flew through the store. I got more than one comment of--- party? And what's your address? Ha Ha. I already have plenty of folks coming over. Old friends, new friends, friends from work and a neighbor, too.
We got home and unloaded our goods just in time for the first wave of company to arrive. Dip was made. Fruits and veggies cut up and chips set out. Some hot beef, buns, pickles and olives. Sweets, too. We ate all day long. Life is good on game day. Especially Super Bowl Sunday! That feeling of not being able to wait started. Noon passed. Then that 3:30 game time passed and I started to feel like a kid that is being told to wait and open her birthday gifts later. Ugh. I am thankful for great friends. Because of them the time passed rather quickly.
Then our team took the field. And the crowd went wild. At the stadium, but at my house, too. Twenty of us finding our spot to watch history be made. And was it ever. The game was FANTASTIC! Besides a botched anthem and some bad ads, it was a great time. Our dance party at half time was awesome. Lots of kids and adults jumping around in the living room. We have pictures. The game was AMAZING. I know overuse of caps here, but this win warrants it. I'm so proud of the Packers. On and off the field. They really deserved this win. We as fans deserved it, too. It's been so nice to have a pleasant distraction from life these past few weeks. This hope for a win has really united people. Yesterday was a great day to be a Green Bay Packer Fan. What more can I say?
©2011 Ann M. De Broux
After church we headed to the grocery store to pick up our food and drink. I had called a week ago to order the hot beef and said I would pick it up at 1:00. We'll, I'm impatient. It was 11:45. I know I'm early. Is it ready I asked? Sure thing was my answer. Thank goodness. I could see people admiring our cart as we flew through the store. I got more than one comment of--- party? And what's your address? Ha Ha. I already have plenty of folks coming over. Old friends, new friends, friends from work and a neighbor, too.
We got home and unloaded our goods just in time for the first wave of company to arrive. Dip was made. Fruits and veggies cut up and chips set out. Some hot beef, buns, pickles and olives. Sweets, too. We ate all day long. Life is good on game day. Especially Super Bowl Sunday! That feeling of not being able to wait started. Noon passed. Then that 3:30 game time passed and I started to feel like a kid that is being told to wait and open her birthday gifts later. Ugh. I am thankful for great friends. Because of them the time passed rather quickly.
Then our team took the field. And the crowd went wild. At the stadium, but at my house, too. Twenty of us finding our spot to watch history be made. And was it ever. The game was FANTASTIC! Besides a botched anthem and some bad ads, it was a great time. Our dance party at half time was awesome. Lots of kids and adults jumping around in the living room. We have pictures. The game was AMAZING. I know overuse of caps here, but this win warrants it. I'm so proud of the Packers. On and off the field. They really deserved this win. We as fans deserved it, too. It's been so nice to have a pleasant distraction from life these past few weeks. This hope for a win has really united people. Yesterday was a great day to be a Green Bay Packer Fan. What more can I say?
©2011 Ann M. De Broux
Monday, January 31, 2011
Forever Friends
You've heard all of the terms these days. Like BFF, or soul sister, my girls, my peeps. Well, I'm 44 and these don't really sound like something I would say. But I do have to tell you that I have a bunch of these ladies in my life. This past week has been full of them. Twice I got an unexpected call from my forever friends. One was in the morning and one was at night. Both surprised the living daylights out of me. Maybe that's why they were so special. We talked about our kids, our husbands and our jobs. Most importantly we talked about each other. We can say anything to each other and not be afraid of how the one listening will react. There is no judgement. Only support. And it's like this EVERY time we talk. Even if months have separated our visits. We pick up right where we left off without missing a beat. We laugh and sometimes we cry. For sure, we bleed the valve of every day stresses. And when we hang up the phone our hearts are full. I guess I shouldn't speak for them, but I know that my heart is full.
And then there was this weekend. This week had been a long and busy one for me. I was looking forward to the weekend, though. I drove up to Appleton to pick up three of my forever friends and head up to my cottage. Man, did we all need this. We had 24 hours of only feeding ourselves. Only dressing ourselves and playing games we wanted to play and eating at leisure. We went out for dinner and actually could sit at the bar and enjoy a drink without running kids to the bathroom. Or digging in our purses for crayons or a pen and paper to keep some little people busy. And then the funniest thing happened. The restaurant seated us smack dab in the middle of the dining room. We were conversing, making jokes and laughing. It dawned on me that we may be a little bit loud. And sure enough, as I gazed around the room, I could see many a table engrossed in our conversation. We should probably take our act on the road. I'm thinking we could earn good money. Husbands and wives were listening, Young and old alike. We kept it clean. Well, most of the time. Remember, we didn't have our kids with us.
So my forever friends and I headed back to the cottage. Played another game and watched all the t.v. that we wanted in our pajamas. There were intermittent discussions about a wide variety of issues. Some political. Some not. Lots about family. The young ones (our kids) and the older ones (our parents). And we just leaned on each other. With lots of laughter injected into the conversation. Just like old times. Nothing has changed. And that's the way I like it. Oh and wait until I tell you what they talked me into...That's a blog for another day!
©2011 Ann M. De Broux
And then there was this weekend. This week had been a long and busy one for me. I was looking forward to the weekend, though. I drove up to Appleton to pick up three of my forever friends and head up to my cottage. Man, did we all need this. We had 24 hours of only feeding ourselves. Only dressing ourselves and playing games we wanted to play and eating at leisure. We went out for dinner and actually could sit at the bar and enjoy a drink without running kids to the bathroom. Or digging in our purses for crayons or a pen and paper to keep some little people busy. And then the funniest thing happened. The restaurant seated us smack dab in the middle of the dining room. We were conversing, making jokes and laughing. It dawned on me that we may be a little bit loud. And sure enough, as I gazed around the room, I could see many a table engrossed in our conversation. We should probably take our act on the road. I'm thinking we could earn good money. Husbands and wives were listening, Young and old alike. We kept it clean. Well, most of the time. Remember, we didn't have our kids with us.
So my forever friends and I headed back to the cottage. Played another game and watched all the t.v. that we wanted in our pajamas. There were intermittent discussions about a wide variety of issues. Some political. Some not. Lots about family. The young ones (our kids) and the older ones (our parents). And we just leaned on each other. With lots of laughter injected into the conversation. Just like old times. Nothing has changed. And that's the way I like it. Oh and wait until I tell you what they talked me into...That's a blog for another day!
©2011 Ann M. De Broux
Sunday, January 23, 2011
The Packers
I'll admit that when I was in college and people in Iowa asked me if I was a Packer fan, I wasn't nearly excited about it as I am today. Yes, I grew up 25 miles from Lambeau. Yes, I've been to a game. These are the replies that I would offer when asked. But with not a lot of notable enthusiasm.
Fast forward to 1992. I married my husband. He was a Packer fan. For Pete's sake. The family has had season tickets in their possession for at least three decades. Yes, we went to occasional games. And yes, they were fun. For me the crowd watching was the best. The bands, the costumes, the cheeseheads! Who would have thought. And to see so much green and gold. Holy cow. There were even cars and campers painted team colors. Outrageous.
When the stadium was going to be renovated we were offered the opportunity to take over the family tickets. This meant we would have two tickets to the "GREEN" package of games. This includes one preseason game and six regular season games.
The price wasn't prohibitive, so we said yes. Oh wait. Remember this is the year of renovation. We were also charged a seat tax. In the thousands. Man, this was an investment. Did we really want to do this? The answer was of course. And so the check was written.
Now, each year we have the opportunity to see the Packers play in person seven times. Absolutely amazing. We can't always go as a couple, so we invite friends and family. And speaking of family, the other season ticket holders around us have sort of become that. You get to know each other. It's a nice feeling. I took Gracie to a game when she was six. Scott was deer hunting. Just us girls. There happened to be a couple of fans for the opposing team next to us. Some vulgarities were spoken in reference to a call in the Packer's favor. One of the fellow season ticket holders said rather gruffly, "can't you idiots see there is a goll darn kid sitting right here!" The fans respected the fact that Gracie was within earshot for the rest of the game. It really warmed my heart.
Some other things that make me so proud of my team is their community outreach. Love that Aaron Rodgers. Did you know that he anonymously funded and attended a fun day of bowling, pizza and shopping for kids from the Boys and Girls Club in Green Bay one Christmas. He and several of his teammates made the holiday a bright one for these kids. That kind of gift giving is so wonderful. And I believe that I read he asked that there be no reporters and hoopla at the event. It was about the kids. The story was told by someone who admired the situation months after it happened.
Yes, the football. I do have a much bigger appreciation for the game now. We are teaching Gracie the fundamentals and it's so rewarding to see her get it. And Clay Matthews, Donald Driver, Greg Jennings, B.J. Raji---need I say more. And there are so many more that make the Green Bay Packers such a respected team.
So for many years I have been a fan and I dare say that I will be until I die. I love sitting eight rows up from the field---on the Packers side. I do bleed green and gold. And yes, I'm having a Super Bowl party in two weeks.
©2011 Ann M. De Broux
Fast forward to 1992. I married my husband. He was a Packer fan. For Pete's sake. The family has had season tickets in their possession for at least three decades. Yes, we went to occasional games. And yes, they were fun. For me the crowd watching was the best. The bands, the costumes, the cheeseheads! Who would have thought. And to see so much green and gold. Holy cow. There were even cars and campers painted team colors. Outrageous.
When the stadium was going to be renovated we were offered the opportunity to take over the family tickets. This meant we would have two tickets to the "GREEN" package of games. This includes one preseason game and six regular season games.
The price wasn't prohibitive, so we said yes. Oh wait. Remember this is the year of renovation. We were also charged a seat tax. In the thousands. Man, this was an investment. Did we really want to do this? The answer was of course. And so the check was written.
Now, each year we have the opportunity to see the Packers play in person seven times. Absolutely amazing. We can't always go as a couple, so we invite friends and family. And speaking of family, the other season ticket holders around us have sort of become that. You get to know each other. It's a nice feeling. I took Gracie to a game when she was six. Scott was deer hunting. Just us girls. There happened to be a couple of fans for the opposing team next to us. Some vulgarities were spoken in reference to a call in the Packer's favor. One of the fellow season ticket holders said rather gruffly, "can't you idiots see there is a goll darn kid sitting right here!" The fans respected the fact that Gracie was within earshot for the rest of the game. It really warmed my heart.
Some other things that make me so proud of my team is their community outreach. Love that Aaron Rodgers. Did you know that he anonymously funded and attended a fun day of bowling, pizza and shopping for kids from the Boys and Girls Club in Green Bay one Christmas. He and several of his teammates made the holiday a bright one for these kids. That kind of gift giving is so wonderful. And I believe that I read he asked that there be no reporters and hoopla at the event. It was about the kids. The story was told by someone who admired the situation months after it happened.
Yes, the football. I do have a much bigger appreciation for the game now. We are teaching Gracie the fundamentals and it's so rewarding to see her get it. And Clay Matthews, Donald Driver, Greg Jennings, B.J. Raji---need I say more. And there are so many more that make the Green Bay Packers such a respected team.
So for many years I have been a fan and I dare say that I will be until I die. I love sitting eight rows up from the field---on the Packers side. I do bleed green and gold. And yes, I'm having a Super Bowl party in two weeks.
©2011 Ann M. De Broux
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)