Character

I think my dad was in heaven helping Jackson this afternoon. I am sure it brought back memories for him....and I'm sure he is happy he may actually have a kid to cheer on at the rink instead of watching strangers play. He misses my brother terribly.



I think this was the point at which he said "I'm gonna punch some faces!"
Whoa there, tough guy! I reminded him that there is no hitting on the ice until you are a big man and you are taught how to fight...and even then it is a dumb thing to do. Seriously.




"Mom, do I look like Uncle Travis?!"




"Okay, now do I?"



Getting a bit better....




This coach was wonderful and I was grateful for his help and attitude with Jackson.



He was exhausted after the hour. Look at those yummy red cheeks!




Supportive Liz and Kate...who have decided they love this hockey thing because they get to wear their cute coats and scarves (rare for SoCal) and hit-up the snack bar.



I have been moved to tears with pride for Jackson a few times before. I remember watching him in speech therapy when he was younger and knowing he was trying so hard to mimic the therapist no matter how difficult it was for him to find words. Last January he was very sick and hospitalized six days. He handled it so well and I was proud of him as he endured the pokes and pain.This afternoon, though, I felt a different kind of pride that I struggle to find words to describe. Tears I have.

Today Jax started a four week program geared towards kids under 8 who have never had hockey lessons before. He has been looking forward to hockey for months and today couldn't come fast enough for him. Travis called from the road (he's with the Winnepeg Jets right now) and spoke to Jack-which made him even more excited- and then talked with me-which freaked me out more than I already was as he asked me about gear and how to put it on. My dad and brother both recall how Travis asked to try out for the ice hockey team without any knowledge of how to put on the gear. Trav literally copied what he saw the other boys doing in the locker room that first day. Luckily my dad has had hundreds of times spent on his knees as he laced skates and suited-up Trav. I was so happy to have his help today(I also learned how dumb it is to wear flip-flops to the ice rink)!

My son, my amazing son, fell and got back up for an hour straight. It killed me as a mom to watch him fall and struggle to get back on his feet time and time again. My instinct was to run onto the ice to help him. (For family and friends who were at the beach house...Jackson's falling was equivalent to Trav's attempts at Paddleboarding in Oceanside. You all know how painful that was to watch! Don't kill me Trav, it is the best picture I can give of how difficult a time Jack was having : ) And for the record, to those who weren't there, Mr. Hockey did finally catch a wave on the paddlebaord!) Skating in full-gear on hockey skates is much different than skating for fun. A few times his eyes caught mine and he had such a look of defeat that it took everything not to pull him off the ice and head home.
Not once did he say he was finished. Not once did he give up or ask to go home or say he couldn't do it. Not once during that hour of dozens and dozens and dozens of falls.
My dad leaned over at one point and said "this is character building stuff!" He is right and man, did Jackson show us he has character. Will he be the best or grow up and go Pro like Travis? Probably not, and that doesn't matter. I just want him to do what he loves and he is passionate about, whatever that turns out to be.

I will remember today for the rest of my life. Years from now I won't recall what color jersey Jax wore today or how many kids were out on the ice with him. I may not even be able to picture how he looked the times he did skate or move the puck. What I will remember is how he never gave up no matter how much he struggled. I will remember the character he showed and how proud I felt.