The Female Fanwear Revolution

I can still remember attending my first football game as an Ohio State Parent.  I spent the week trying on clothes to see what would best go with the  Ohio State jersey I would be wearing.  I settled on a pair of cropped pants and putting a “Block O” face art transfer on my cheek.  When I got to the stadium, I saw so many young women with cute outfits but they were not appropriate for moms to wear.  Some had on attractive midriff tops, shorts (very short) with rhinestone embellishments and other clothing that was a bit too revealing for a mom to wear to a game.

That was 10 years ago and I am happy to report that Meesh and Mia (meeshandmia.com) has finally come up with a line of clothing for woman.  They have started what is being called “the Female Fanwear Revolution.  Their goal is for women to show their collegiate loyalty without giving up their style.  It is team spirit with an edge and it makes you feel good wearing it!

The clothing lives up to the company goal.  They are stylish, incredibly comfortable and can be worn at a game, in the office or out on the town.  I attended an Ohio State cocktail party and was the only woman there with a cocktail dress that was embellished with Ohio State in rhinestones on the hem. It was flirty and really cute. I have one in black and red.  All the clothing is available with or without the logo so you can really get a lot of use from them. 

Check out their complete line of clothing at meeshandmia.com.  If you see something you like, use coupon code: FOFMMDJ20 and get 20% off!  This offer expires on April 30, 2013.

Check out the line and let me know what you think.  Enjoy!/DJ

Life Lessons From Mom - Oops!

The past few weeks have been challenging, at best. I lost two dear friends and had a serious bout with food poisoning. It has been seven months since my mom passed away and I can still hear her voice in my head.  My mom was such a wise lady and had an amazing sense of humor.  She would tell us a story and before she could finish it, she would make herself laugh.  

Today was one of those days when her sayings were rolling around in my head.  I was in bible study and we were studying the stories of Abraham and Ishmael and of Isaac and Esau.  Our bible study leader asked why we thought people repeated the same mistakes over and over. Before I could stop myself, I blurted out "It's because they don't believe that fat meat is greasy!" The entire group began to laugh and I had to laugh myself.  That was one of my mom's sayings whenever we did something that she told us not to do and then reaped the consequences of our actions.

Why do we make the same mistakes that our parents have made, especially when we know what the outcome is going to be? We can tell our children stories of our own childhood mistakes and they still won't learn until they try it and fail on their own. My bible study leader said it best "That is the human condition in a nutshell!"  

I talked to a mom today who was so sad that her child made a serious mistake that the mom worked so hard to help the child avoid.  I could feel her pain as she told the story.  She told me, in detail, all the efforts she made to explain to her child how to avoid making this mistake.  That was still not enough to keep her child from this situation.  I told her that sometimes our best efforts cannot keep our children from themselves. Sometimes, all we can do is pray for our children and make every effort not to wear them out by telling them "I told you so!"  There is nothing stopping you from whispering "You didn't believe fat meat was greasy, did you?" Of course, I wouldn't recommend this for serious situations.  

I never cease thanking the Lord for a mom who taught me so much about life and living. I pray you have a great week and take some time to laugh. It will make even the worse situations bearable.  

DJ

Helping Hand

This morning I had the joy of walking with two friends who I used to walk with years ago.  We ran into each other yesterday morning and they told me that they were still walking 5 days a week.  They invited to join them this morning.  We were walking a path that was not familiar to me so a few times they had to tell  me which way to turn. Twice I stumbled on the path and they held out a hand to  make sure I didn't  fall.  Just as we got to an icy patch, my friend, Sandy, warned me and I was able to step over it.

I began thinking about how important it is to connect with others when you are starting down a new path. You may have GPS but it won't be able tell you where the cracks in the path are or which icy patches to avoid.  This is especially critical for sports parents.  There are so many twists and turns along the way and it is important to come alongside people who have walked the path and can tell you have to successfully navigate it.

Sports Parents want their children to have the best chance to participate and excel in the sport that they choose.  If you have a child who is navigating the world of sports, make sure you connect with others who have been down that path and can help you avoid the bumps in the road and those who can tell you the best roads to take.  You will find they have a wealth of information to share.  Don't rely solely on a coach or one person to help you.  The more information you can gather, the better outcomes you will have.

Take time to connect with others and enjoy the journey!

DJ

A Sports Mom Remembered

On Sunday morning I got a call from my sister that our friend, Emily Lighty, had gone home to be with the Lord.  My heart was heavy from  the loss of a dear friend and fellow sports mom.

I had the pleasure of meeting Emily two years ago.  She and my sister are dear friends.  I am always excited to meet a sports mom but I didn't realize what a treat I was in for when I met Emily. We met at Legacy Village at Brio Restaurant in Cleveland. We were both Ohio State sports moms and shared a love for the Lord and our Buckeyes.  Emily was bubbling over with excitement about getting approval to have the team come to her church to enjoy a meal while they were in Cleveland for a big game.  She and her mom, Nellie cooked an incredible meal and wanted to make sure that the team could have some private time with family just to exhale and bond.  Her eyes lit up with love and  excitement as she talked about watching David progress as a player and the joy she had in cheering the team on.  She continued to stay close to the Buckeyes even after David graduated.

I was so elated after meeting Emily and looked forward to the day when we could come together as sports moms to collaborate on events to help sports moms help their children.  She had been on my mind for months so I was delighted to see her name displayed on my ringing cell phone two weeks ago.  When I answered, it wasn't Emily, but her mom, Nellie, to let me know she was not doing well and that her cancer had spread.  I cannot tell you just how sad I felt at that moment.  Two weeks later, I got the call from my sister, letting me know that Emily was with the Lord.

My heart goes out to David, Nellie and the rest of the family and friends who loved Emily.  She may be gone but the memories she leaves behind will warm the lives she touched for years to come. I am committed to continuing the journey of sports moms supporting other sports moms and their children in her honor.

Rest in peace Emily!

DJ

Let's Talk Sports!

Today begins the roll out of the National Alliance of Youth Sports' Let's Talk Sports video. I had the joy of filming this video last month and hope to see it in every elementary and high school in America before too long.

The goal of Let's Talk Sports is to provide an opportunity for parents and their children to discuss the valuable life lessons that are learned when children participate in sports. At the end of the day, we want parents to not only ask their child "who won?" but "what did you learn today about determination? Or, "How are you demonstrating leadership on the team?"
In a world where we are competing with video games and cell phones when trying to connect with our children, this activity is designed for us to unplug and talk about lessons that will last them a lifetime.

The video is free and can be viewed at letstalksports.nays.org.

Take a  moment and view the video.  It requires that you sign up so that you can stop and start without losing your data. Please share it with every parent, coach, sports volunteer and any one who cares about children and values.  Let me know what you think.

Let's begin the conversation!

DJ

Remembering

This has been a week of so many emotions. On last Thursday I had just gotten my house decorated for Christmas.  My middle son, Joshua Alexander had just finished his last paper signifying his completion of all requirements to graduate from the University of Kansas and I was finally getting into the holiday spirit.  Then, I turned on the television Friday evening to discover that 20 children and 6 adults had been murdered in a horrific incident in Newtown, Connecticut.  

There are no words to describe a feeling a mom has when any child dies.  But it really leaves you numb when  such a senseless thing occurs.  So many emotions washed over me and now I am left with a profound sadness for those who are left to deal with this madness.  

I am always touched by the love and concern that surround communities when tragedy occurs.  Each day there have been reports of what people are doing to make sure the memory of the 26 who perish lives on. 

It is my prayer that something good comes out of all of this.  I am can only imagine how difficult it to have conversations with your small children.  Please take a moment to review this post at Sideline Pass that helps address the questions that you may be confronted with: http://www.sidelinepass.com/eight-tips-for-answering-questions-about-sandy-hook-elementary-school/

At this moment I am praying for the families in Newtown and hugging my boys just a little tighter as I am reminded just how fragile life is.  

Christmas is Coming! Choose a Day to Celebrate!

It is 26 days until Christmas.  This is a magical time for kids as well as grown ups.  Black Friday is behind us and we are looking forward to celebrating the birth of Christ.  The tree in Rockefeller Plaza was lit last night and people all over the world are contemplating upcoming family gatherings.

You would think this would be one the happiest times of the year. Sadly, so much conversation is about how to split the time with both sides of the family.  I have friends who's children are newly married and they worry  if they will get to see them now that they are forming new family rituals. Some families are blended or divorced and the holiday negotiations have already begun to see who will get to have the children on Christmas morning. It is a source of much stress and can really affect how you view the holidays if you don't have a plan.

After my divorce, I dealt with some major tug-o-wars on who would get the boys on Christmas Day.  The first couple of years were not pretty. My Ex would negotiate for time on Christmas Day and then, would not show up.  So often, we would spend way too much time arguing about who turn it was or, in my case, how it would ruin my big family gathering not to have my boys there with me. Then, one day it hit me.  Why am I getting so caught up on a particular day when I can just designate a day to celebrate Christmas with my family and friends and not get frustrated at a time that was meant to enjoy your family.

I call my system "The holiday in lieu of day."  When I worked in Human Resources, we had 24 hour/7 day operations like the hospitals and some people had to work on Christmas. For those people, they got to designate a day, in lieu of Christmas, that became their holiday.  So many people would celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve or even the week before.  What those people found was that they didn't have to fuss with ex-spouses or be sad that their grown children had chosen to spend Christmas Day with the in-laws or friends.  It was a win-win.

The way for this to really work is that you have to decide that the day you choose is really the holiday.  You don't spend December 25th still being sad that your family is not there for the "real" day.  It takes some work to get it going but after a few years, it really works.  The goal is to be able to spend time with your family during the holidays with the least about of stress and as much joy as you can handle.

The reality is that you want your children to associate this time with joy and not stress.  You don't want to make your grown children feel guilty at this time so that they no longer look forward to the holidays. For my family, we work to make the holidays at time of being thankful to God for all of his gifts--especially the gift of eternal life through Jesus. Our boys are all grown and not married yet so we are really enjoying this period of having them all home again.

I know this period won't last and I am already thinking of ways to make future holidays work for everyone involved.  We are a huge sports family and look forward to watching bowl games and basketball as we gather together. All the boys can cook so there is healthy competition in the kitchen and everyone gets to make something for the meal. We need to incorporate a family workout session before and after so we can enjoy all the food that we make with no guilt!

Every day with family is precious! Take the time now to ensure that you have a special ritual and day during this season to really enjoy your family.  When your children are much older, they won't remember how much money you spent on a gift. Their memories will shaped by how they felt when you were all doing things together.  Enjoy making the memories!

Peace!

DJ