A Defining Moment

I don't even think I could believe my eyes as it was happening . . Avery scored her team's first goal in their game this afternoon, the first of what will surely be a long and illustrious career! I was so proud of her I thought my heart was going to explode out of my chest, so it was everything I could do to refrain from running out on the field and giving her a huge hug. As a Dad I can't remember many times when I've been more proud of one of my kids, but I knew that it was an even bigger moment for her and that she deserved to celebrate with her team.

Soccer's been the only team sport Ave's ever shown any interest in, so it's really meant a lot to me to be involved in coaching this season. Somehow I never stumbled upon any defining moments while taxiing her back and forth to dance lessons. I remember having some really conflicting feelings about Josh, her biological dad, having the opportunity to coach her team when she was 5. I've always been happy that she has a good relationship with him, but as the provider and the potty trainer it was hard to watch from the sidelines as he spent "play time" with her. That's not to say that I wanted to coach this year to quell any old feelings of jealousy . . I am way beyond that now. But now I have the best of both worlds, and it's really fulfilling. That goal this afternoon was really a defining moment for both of us, I think.