Showing up for our children is a win-win
Last fall, I shared the story of a memorable high school football game with our youngest grandson. When Connor was born in Coeur d’Alene 18 years ago, he wasn’t an Idahoan for long. At one month old, he and his parents moved to northeast Montana where he’s lived ever since. We’ve almost forgiven our daughter for that decision.
The distance of several hundred miles has made it impossible for us to cheer him on through all of his high school sports. Basketball and football season take place in fall and winter and it’s a 16-hour drive for us to Medicine Lake. We were thrilled to be in the stands when he played in his last football game of high school and the Redhawks won the Montana State 6-Man Football championship. The Redhawks are a consolidated team from Medicine Lake (pop. 244) and Froid (pop. 195).
Fast forward to basketball season. Connor and his team had an undefeated regular season, then took the Divisional Championship to earn a spot in the state tournament which took place in Great Falls this past week, a relatively shorter six-hour trip.
So on Saturday we were in the bleachers at Four Seasons Arena wearing black and red, again basking in the hospitality and the camaraderie of the Redhawks family and fans who know our grandson well. On Wednesday and Thursday the Redhawks won their first two games at State and played Saturday evening for the championship. For the school it was a first ... they’d never made it to the championship game; for Connor it was his last high school basketball game. For us it was our first and only time to be watching him play basketball in person, although we’d been watching online through the season.
But alas, winning state championships in both football and basketball in his senior year was not to be. The Redhawks took second place out of 82 teams who play in Montana’s C Division of high school basketball.
After the game, I took Connor aside and told him I knew it was disappointing, but thanked him for the joy of getting to see him work hard to achieve such a high goal and make a 3-point shot in the championship game. It was pretty awesome. I’ll replay that in my Grandma Highlight Reel forever!
So here’s to the parents of all kids everywhere who participate in all variety of activities — not just athletics ... who support them, lift them up, drive them to practice, to games, feed them, sit in the stands, the theater or on the sidelines and cheer them on. It matters. Trophies and awards are nice, but I’m thinking our children and grandchildren will remember most and longest that their families showed up.
•••
My love of parades is well-documented; it was exciting for Coeur d’Alene’s St. Patrick’s Day parade to make a triumphant and enthusiastic return after two years, under uncommonly sunny skies to boot! The downside is that I was out of town all weekend and missed it. I’ll make up for it during this summer’s parade season, I’m sure.
As almost-Irish, I would like to remind people that the shortening of St. Patrick’s Day is St. Paddy’s Day, not St. Patty’s Day. Patty is short for Patricia, Paddy is short for Padraig, the Irish spelling of Patrick. Slainte!
•••
Happy 36 years and one day anniversary to my trophy husband Bert! XOXO
•••
Happy birthday today to Colleen English, John Bujosa, Cindy Marcella, Cathy Riorden, Kelly Moore, Ken Kress, LauraLee Johnson, Laurel Rollins, Daniel Schelske and Dottie Pichard. Tomorrow William Shannon Reynolds, Pat Castelian, Cody Peugh, Keith Hutcheson, Patty Conkle, Trish Ortega, Carrie Nicholson, Mike Gump and Nichelle Price are combining a little luck o’the Irish with their birthday celebration. On Friday my Birthday Club buddy Jack Pierce along with Chris Englebrecht, Dawn Johnston, Lisa Jirkins, Julie Bjornson and Bret Merry put on their party hats. On Saturday Lance Bridges, Taryn Nichols, Kris Storey, Megan Merry, Troy Jones, Judey Brown, Patsy Andres, Janet Batchelder and Taryn Moliter celebrate. On Sunday Pam Houser (60!), Kristi Granier, Aaron Sadler, John Blanchette, Tad Thompson, Julie Clark, Carolyn Anderson and Matt Hansen celebrate first day of spring birthdays. Brandie Chapman (50!), Trey Bartoo, Luke Paul, Michelle Lewis, Marla Lopez, Trudie Chamberlan, Julie Billetz, Steve Hanson, Jacque Kress, Derek Teal and Jack Crawford celebrate on Monday. Jessica Bonar, Beverly Larsen, Rich Anstine, Greg Cook, Jack Budvarson, Julie Perry, Katie Vaughan, Pam Adams, Boston Pierce, Cole Jaworski and Rob Carpenter will mark their special day on March 22.
• • •
Kerri Rankin Thoreson is a member of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists and the former publisher of the Post Falls Tribune. Main Street appears every Wednesday in The Press and Kerri can be contacted on Facebook or via email [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @kerrithoreson.