It's that time of year when we all think about the things we are thankful for. Though I am not committing myself to blogging something I'm thankful for every day this month, I'm starting this month by expressing something I am thankful for. I'm thankful that Max's football season is over. Don't get me wrong, it was an exciting season. Lots of parental politics. Lots of coaching politics. It was fun watching Max make a couple of touchdowns. I learned that he is a pretty good player.
BUT football season isn't over. We still have one more month of Utah football. The big game is this Thursday, Utah vs TCU. (can you believe I even know that?) Anyway, I thought I'd share one of my most favorite blog entries by my friend Misty. Actually her husband, Mike, wrote the entry. LOVED IT!!!! This is dedicated to all those wives and children who have been baptized by the football-addict in their lives....
Having "The Talk" with Haley
By Special Guest-Blogger Mike
Its been one year now since I sat down with my oldest daughter, Haley, for our first official talk about the facts of life…or as we call it at our house…“The Talk.” I remember how awkward I felt in the days leading up to "The Talk." Those were nerve-wracking times.
Would I be able to tell her what she needed to know?
Would she understand the importance of what I had to say?
Would I gross her out?
But despite my feelings of inadequacy, I knew I had to have this conversation with her. Sure, she was only six at the time...but it wouldn’t be long before she would be a young woman. Already she was being exposed to things and ideas at school over which I had no control. She needed to hear straight talk...and as her father, it was my job to do it.
So I pulled her aside one Saturday morning. I chose a quiet place in our home, where we could be alone and where we wouldn't be interrupted. I looked at her gently and told her the truth about life's most important things.
"Sweetheart," I said. "You are a Ute fan."
Haley smiled eagerly and nodded her head with understanding.
"And not just a Ute fan," I continued, emboldened by her response. "Because you are a Mayfield, it means that you are a hard-core Ute fan. And that means two things."
"First, it means that you will be disappointed in life...a lot."
"Second, it means that no matter how bad a game is, no matter who we are playing, no matter what the score is, and no matter how bad the weather...Mayfields never leave a game early. We don’t leave Church before the closing prayer and we don’t leave games before the final gun---got it?"
Haley wrapped her little arms around my neck. "Dad...I already know all of this stuff. I'm ready."
A rush of relief flooded my body. I had done it. I had raised my little girl to be a runnin' Ute fan right smack in the middle of cougar country. I looked proudly at Haley and said, "Then I will take you with me to the football game today."
Haley quickly dressed for the game: Waterproof coat and pants. Boots. Rain poncho. It was a little overkill, but she was a rookie. I didn’t want to curb her enthusiasm.
We went to the game against Utah State University and sat down in the cool September evening. Before long, the air got cooler. I even started to shiver a little bit in my thin jacket and t-shirt. But, I was a veteran. I had sat through much worse.
Then it began to rain and then snow. Haley sat happily in her seat, totally dry, sipping on a jumbo cup of hot chocolate. I, on the other hand, began to shake as the wet snow seeped through my t-shirt and the wind ripped through my ironically named wind-breaker. Quite simply...I was freezing. And yet, I could not leave. Not after the Talk. Not after explaining the facts of life to my little girl.
At half-time, all the players ran off the field and the fans poured out of their seats to get shelter by the concession stands. Haley looked up to me and said "Is the game over, Dad?"
And that is when I saw...an opportunity.
I looked at my lovely, trusting daughter and said, "Haley, I love you. And I could never lie to you.....Yes, the game is over! Let's get the heck out of here!"
Sure I felt like a failure as a father, but the nice thing about life is you often get a chance to repent, to be better, to make amends.
My redemption came last Saturday. I took Haley to the Utah vs. CSU game...the whole game. And my undefeated Utes won 49-16 on a beautiful, fall afternoon.
It was Haley's second full game...as far as she knows.
Life is good.
Its been one year now since I sat down with my oldest daughter, Haley, for our first official talk about the facts of life…or as we call it at our house…“The Talk.” I remember how awkward I felt in the days leading up to "The Talk." Those were nerve-wracking times.
Would I be able to tell her what she needed to know?
Would she understand the importance of what I had to say?
Would I gross her out?
But despite my feelings of inadequacy, I knew I had to have this conversation with her. Sure, she was only six at the time...but it wouldn’t be long before she would be a young woman. Already she was being exposed to things and ideas at school over which I had no control. She needed to hear straight talk...and as her father, it was my job to do it.
So I pulled her aside one Saturday morning. I chose a quiet place in our home, where we could be alone and where we wouldn't be interrupted. I looked at her gently and told her the truth about life's most important things.
"Sweetheart," I said. "You are a Ute fan."
Haley smiled eagerly and nodded her head with understanding.
"And not just a Ute fan," I continued, emboldened by her response. "Because you are a Mayfield, it means that you are a hard-core Ute fan. And that means two things."
"First, it means that you will be disappointed in life...a lot."
"Second, it means that no matter how bad a game is, no matter who we are playing, no matter what the score is, and no matter how bad the weather...Mayfields never leave a game early. We don’t leave Church before the closing prayer and we don’t leave games before the final gun---got it?"
Haley wrapped her little arms around my neck. "Dad...I already know all of this stuff. I'm ready."
A rush of relief flooded my body. I had done it. I had raised my little girl to be a runnin' Ute fan right smack in the middle of cougar country. I looked proudly at Haley and said, "Then I will take you with me to the football game today."
Haley quickly dressed for the game: Waterproof coat and pants. Boots. Rain poncho. It was a little overkill, but she was a rookie. I didn’t want to curb her enthusiasm.
We went to the game against Utah State University and sat down in the cool September evening. Before long, the air got cooler. I even started to shiver a little bit in my thin jacket and t-shirt. But, I was a veteran. I had sat through much worse.
Then it began to rain and then snow. Haley sat happily in her seat, totally dry, sipping on a jumbo cup of hot chocolate. I, on the other hand, began to shake as the wet snow seeped through my t-shirt and the wind ripped through my ironically named wind-breaker. Quite simply...I was freezing. And yet, I could not leave. Not after the Talk. Not after explaining the facts of life to my little girl.
At half-time, all the players ran off the field and the fans poured out of their seats to get shelter by the concession stands. Haley looked up to me and said "Is the game over, Dad?"
And that is when I saw...an opportunity.
I looked at my lovely, trusting daughter and said, "Haley, I love you. And I could never lie to you.....Yes, the game is over! Let's get the heck out of here!"
Sure I felt like a failure as a father, but the nice thing about life is you often get a chance to repent, to be better, to make amends.
My redemption came last Saturday. I took Haley to the Utah vs. CSU game...the whole game. And my undefeated Utes won 49-16 on a beautiful, fall afternoon.
It was Haley's second full game...as far as she knows.
Life is good.
2 comments:
Danny has to read this post!!!!! I don't know if I could handle having my own kids football games on top of the UTES! I guess we are lucky we have girls! :)
btw...NEVER leave early from a game...even if the kids have snowcone juice (red of course) from head to toe...and the baby is having a melt down...maybe we should have this talk with Sophie! :)
p.s. When are we going to the park with Annemarie!? email me!
As a fellow Ute fan living in Cougar country (Provo), I love it! My son has a nice U of U bedroom and is always being taunted by his friends. He's fifteen and loves it. By the way, I'm Mariana Harper's cousin and she recommended we check out your blog.
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