Is this what's happened to me with hockey?
For almost four months, our lives have been controlled by AJ's hockey schedule. Work hours have been juggled, playdates cancelled and birthday parties delayed, all to make sure AJ doesn't miss a game or practice.
And yet, when the e-mail arrived a few days ago, alerting us that the annual Moms versus Mites hockey game, which traditionally ends the season, is being moved up to this week because the ice conditions have become so hard to maintain this mild winter... I felt a sense of loss.
What? The hockey season is almost over? But... but... but what will we do now?
In a weird way, the hectic schedule makes it easy to be a parent. (Here comes the defending part.) There's no questioning of what we'll be doing on any given night – the schedule is set. No arguments about watching too much TV – who has time for that? Minimal guilt for resorting to low-prep meals – that's the best we can do if we want to eat before 8 p.m.
And enhancing it all is the fact that AJ loves playing hockey. Absolutely loves it. Lives it. Thinks of little else. Forget the presidency or a military career. That was so last year. His new goal is to be an NHL player.
Sydney, meanwhile, has found her own community of friends among the siblings of AJ's teammates. Eleanor, Nathan, Reagan, Caden: she looks forward to seeing them almost as much as she dreams of treats from the snack shack. If she decides to play hockey next year, I think she'll miss the free play time.
Despite the looming end of outdoor ice, AJ's season isn't completely over. There's a tournament this weekend and a chance for another one in early March, plus we've signed him up to play in a three-on-three league that runs in April and May.
That ought to give us enough time to ease into some semblance of life outside hockey. Until it starts again next fall. I wonder if there's counseling for this?
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