The Best Present
Now that I am done feeling sorry for myself, I should probably cover some of the good things that come up this holiday season. One in particular caught me completely by surprise, and to date now would be what I would call my best present ever. It came in a slim little envelope, and I was pretty sure I knew what it was before I had even opened it. A ticket to a New Jersey Devils hockey game. Something I enjoy going to several times a year, and especially now that they have moved to the new Prudential Center which is much closer and easier to get to than the old Brendan Byrne Arena…er… I mean…Continental Airlines Arena…whoops check that now it is the Izod Center. (Did I mention how much I hate this corporate name sponsorship stuff?)
Anyway, unless I happen to be going to a game with my sister and brother-in-law this is a trek I usually make alone. But when I opened my gift, I found 2 tickets. It turns out that LatteGirl has decided that she wants to go to a hockey game with dear old dad. Now it may sound silly to some, but you can’t imagine how happy this made me. I love hockey, and always imagined I would be able to share my passion for the sport with her. As the picture to the right (circa 2001) shows, I had been grooming her for this from the very beginning.
However, as she grew older, things changed. My little fan, who I was feeding at 1 am when the Devils beat the Dallas Stars in 2000, and cheered with me for every goal, and consoled me when the Devils lost to the Avalanche in 2001, was no longer interested in sports. She was a girly-girl more interested in dolls and princesses. The Red and White Devil’s jersey was no longer fashionable enough for her (hmmm… I wonder if they have a Devil’s Jersey in pink), and she would rather watch Raven or Zach and Cody or Hannah Montana than to even think about watching a hockey game any longer. It was not as if I was heartbroken or anything. I am not one of those fans that use “we” when talking about a team I am a fan of, as if I was actually part of it. But, I was sad that I wouldn’t have this to share with her.
So, knowing that, you can imagine what a warm feeling (understatement) it was when, as I had a confused look on my face when I found two tickets, she jumped up and declared that the other ticket was for her and that she was going to the game with me.
So tonight we will eat overpriced greasy junk food, snap some pictures (so that I have proof that this isn’t all just a dream), survey the landscape for tomorrow’s outing to find out where the MileyWorld bus will be set up before the concert (hey I gotta make some concessions here), and cheer on the Devils as they take on the Buffalo Sabres.
Regardless of the outcome of the game, tonight, at least for a night, I am the winner.
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And you know who is going to win, don’t you? :koff, koff:
I remember every time they’d play the “charge” music, Kasia (in utero) would start kicking up a storm. She was our hockey nut and watched with Daddy all the time (but has never been to a live game).
One of us will be rubbing it in tomorrow.
Ooooh! Have fun! One of the best times I ever had was back in 98, going to a Blues game!
Sweet! Luckily, our little girl has always been a big hockey fan. One of the saddest parts of my husband’s deployment this year was that he didn’t get to coach the kids’ hockey teams. In fact, we decided to wait a year to start hockey so he could coach them next year.
If she’s any thing like my girly girl she’ll love the theatrics of the game…the music and lights and all. Have fun!!!
yay for you taking the girl to a game. I like live events and loath the ones on tv - maybe your daughter just feels like that.