Something's different...

All across the state, football teams are starting their 2-a-day practices. Normally, I'm watching my husband leave early in the morning to go break in a new team. I've usually listened to his side of phone conversations about what the team will look like, who is coming back, what kind of offense they will run, etc. But this year is very different. For the first time in 5 years, I'm not a football coach's wife. John is switching to girls' sports and is mainly concentrating on basketball. It feels weird. I miss it already, in a way. I loved being a football coach's wife (most of the time). I loved sitting in the stands, cheering for the team, being a part of the excitement and knowing that it was my husband who was a part of turning those boys into a cohesive team. I would get a sense of pride when I heard a parent compliment my husband, or quietly get frustrated when someone would criticize a play choice that didn't turn out as planned. I loved watching my husband be so animated on the sidelines that he wasn't even aware of what was behind him. I loved watching him look for me (and then me and Grace) before the game started and seeing the look of recognition and happiness when he finally saw us. I know I'll feel some of that in any sport he coaches, but high school football is my absolute favorite sport. It has been even before I met John. I'm not a fan of football on tv, but put me in the stands and I go crazy. I LOVE it. I won't miss the crazy long hours, watching game film relentlessly, and being a "football widow." I'll get to go to games WITH John now. We'll go cheer on our new school. He'll be able to help with the girls, instead of me trying to wrangle them both. It'll be a nice change. But it still feels different, like something is missing...