Pro Coach versus "Daddy" Coach

Again, I want to thank everyone who has taken the time to read this blog. Its an outlet for me to put down thoughts and ideas that I get from watching my girls (and the teams I'm involved with). Its by no means a comprehensive look, but a snapshot into my world of trying to be a good coach and and a good mentor to all the kids that cross my path.

I watched several games this last weekend and I talked to a lot of people and a couple of themes kept coming up. One of those themes was the concept of playing for a paid coach (one with no personal ties to the team) versus playing for "daddy" coaches...someone whose child or other relative is a member of the team. There are pros and cons for each, and I'd like to take a minute to chat a little about this.

First off, there is a common perception that playing for a paid coach is the best way to go. Yes, this does have some advantages, no worrying about stuck behind someones daughter/son, no "daddy ball", etc, But one thing I've noticed as I've watched multiple teams is that coaches with no personal ties to a team have less of a personal interest in that team. For some, its become a business. Coaching has become a money-making enterprise and they arent invested in the success of each individual child. They are looking for team success...trophies, medals etc that they can show so they can recruit new girls, or add more teams...i.e. more money in the pocket. Again...this is a generalization. There are LOTS and I mean LOTS of great coaches out there who dont have a child on the team. But realize that there is a financial component to this, and coaches are always looking for the next best thing.

DISCLAIMER: I'm a "Daddy Coach"...and I'm damn proud of that!! I love being on the field with my girls, I enjoy watching them succeed in something they love, and being a part of that success. So, this next section has a very personal bias. But, I would venture to guess that an overwhelming majority of coaches (paid or not) began as "Daddy" coaches. Somewhere along the line they wanted to coach their child and that began their coaching career. Some parents stop when their kids get older or stop playing...others continue on. One thing that I see as different between the paid coach and the "daddy" coach is the investment in the "TEAM" concept. When I coach a team, I want my child to be successful. And the best way for that to happen is for the team to be successful. That means I coach every kid to be successful. And you know...what I view as successful is not always what another parent views...and thats ok. Reasonable people disagree on things, especially when children are involved. I'm not going to be the best coach for every child, I understand that. But every time I'm asked to coach/assist with a team, I no longer have 1 or 2 daughters on that team. I now have 12..and I try to treat each one the way I want my daughter treated. As a parent..you should expect nothing less.

Unfortunately, there are some "daddy" coaches that are there for the sole purpose of promoting their daughter. If you're child is a shortstop, and the coaches child is a shortstop, ask lots of questions about how that is going to look. Are they going to rotate?? Ask hard questions, you're paying to have your child play, you should know what the coaches mind-set is. You'd ask a mechaninc what the mind-set is before you hand over a check to fix your car...why not with a coach who you are handling over your most precious asset? Ask around...ask players/parents who play or played on the team what their impression was. DO YOUR HOMEWORK!!!

I watched a game this past weekend where a team lost in the last inning...and this "paid" coach was just furious. He kept the girls on the field for 30 minutes after the game, lecturing, gesturing. I saw a lot of slumped shoulders from a bunch of 13 year olds. All I could think was...wow, these kids are not having much fun out there. Too many coaches lose sight of whats the real reason for them getting into coaching in the first place. Teaching, mentoring young athletes into better people. It should never be about the coach, it should be about the team. Yes...you want to play for a coach that has produced winning teams and quality student athletes, but you ahould also look for a coach that understands why he's there. And it shouldnt matter whether that coach is paid or a "daddy".

Being a coach is not easy, trying to please 12-13 kids AND thier parents is extremely difficult. If I'm successful 90% of the time, i'm doing a pretty good job. As I mentioned in an earlier post...know who your coach is!!! Research their background, ask their philosophies on teaching, are they a "yeller", or are they more laid back. What does your child want in a coach? Do they want to pushed hard, do they want someone who gets in their face, do they NEED someone to push them. There are lots of motivational techniques out there. You should know what motivates your child and find a coach who utilizes that motivation.

It is my sincere hope that reading this blog has given you some insight into the world of youth sports as I see it. Your views may be very different...and thats great!! I love discussing opposing points of views. If you like this blog..please share it among your friends. Post a comment or send me a note if there something you'd like me to write about or you would like more info. I am no expert...far from it. But I like to write and this is a topic I find extremely interesting.

I hope this message finds you well.

Thanks again for reading

Coach Mike

Things I've learned (version 2)

First off, I want to thank everyone who took the time to read my first version and I've received a very positive response. So much so that I'll try to do a monthly version on this topic for those of you that find this interesting. Again, I am by no means an expert on all things travel, but I think I have learned enough that I can offer some perspective on the world of travel/club sports. Its then up to you and your family to decide whats best.

1) Don't join or play travel simply because your friends are there. If you make the decision to take your child to travel club ball, do it because they are ready and they have a goal in mind. Don't do just because everyone else is. I know kids want to play with their friends...but that is what rec ball is for. If you are commiting the financial and time resources to travel ball...it should be to get your child the best training the money can buy. Another issue with playing with friends as it makes very difficult to leave when that moment comes. Also, ask yourself a question. Is playing with these "friends" going to get my child to their goal? The focus should be on the team and the coaching, not who he/she is playing with. They'll just make new friends...which is a good thing.

2) Playing time is crucial but learning the game is also crucial The biggest reason I've heard from parents that leave one team for another is playing time. I completely agree that if you are paying fees to a travel team, then you obviously want to see your child on the field. But another key component to getting the skills and knowledge to reach high school or college goals is learning the game...and sometimes that happens by sitting..and watching. My oldest daughter joined travel probably a year too soon...she had the physical skills, but she needed to "learn" the game. She sat a lot her first year...and I mean A LOT!!. But she learned the game, she learned what was required of her at this level, and when it was time to look for another team, she was ready both physically and mentally.

3) Playing time is crucial I know, I know...I just said that. But there's another side to this. When you are on a travel team...the only way to get better is to play. The only way you find things that you need to work on is to play...and fail. Of course, there are times when you need to sit a game, or rotate out. But if you find yourself on a team that has 7 or 8 kids sitting out at any given time...you're probably on the wrong team. For softball/baseball...if the roster has over 14 kids, there are probably 2 reasons for that. There is a financial reason or the coach just wont tell a child that they arent at the level they need to be at. Now, I'm not advocating leaving a team just beacuse there are more than 14 players...every situation is different, but if there is 16 kids on the roster, and your child is sitting, you should have a frank discussion with the coach. Ask tough questions, why is she sitting, what does she have to do to get more playing time, what are your long term goals for her. Be prepared for difficult answers. You may not hear what you want to hear, but as a coach, I'd rather be honest with a family than to string a child along. I truly believe you should expect that from any coach you entrust your child to.

4) Be realistic This isnt the first time I've mentioned this and it wont be the last. Travel ball is widespread...there are so many teams out there, that pretty much anyone who tries out can probably make a team. That however, does not mean your child is ready for travel ball. When you go to a tryout, assess your child against the other players...not just in ability, but in size and maturity. Are they physically ready for 4-5 hour practices? Can they mentally handle the pressure and stress that goes with playing at this level? There is nothing wrong with playing rec ball another year if your child isnt quite ready. This is primarily for 12 and under as I know there are few options for 14U rec ball. I've seen several kids who went "travel" at 11 or 12 years old and simply werent mentally ready ..and they are no longer playing. Kids can play year round in rec ball also...so travel isnt the only option. Make sure its right for your child...you and only you can make that decision.

5) What is the goal? Again, I'm bringing up the GOAL. What is your childs goal...not YOUR goal, but your CHILDS goal? Is it to play in high school?? College? I bet if you asked every 8-14 age child do you want to play "a sport" in college...they'd say YES. So, really discuss the goal as the kids get older. Is going to college the goal or is playing in college the goal. If playing in college is the goal, simply joining a travel team won't get you to that goal. Yes, coaches look for skill, but they also look for Grades (the most important thing!!!), community service, teamwork, outside activities. Coaches are looking for complete packages, so create a plan to build a "package". That may mean missing a practice or event to do some community service...or study for that crucial test. I would like to think most coaches would understand that...if they dont?? Well...I think you know by now how I feel about that. One more thing on this...does your coach ask to see your kids grades?? If not...they should be!! Without good grades...theres not much point in playing any sport.

Again, this may or may not apply to you and your family. Each family dynamic is different and you know your child better than anyone. Make the decisions based on whats best for your child. As I continue on in my coaching life, I'll try bring up issues and stories that I think may be of interest. If you find this interesting (or not), shoot me a note and let me know, I appreciate any and all feedback.

Thank you again for reading this...

I hope this note finds you and your family well.

Coach Mike

Things I've learned

Its been a while since I've ventured onto this page...as most of you know, my three daughters keep me quite busy and I don't get much of a chance to sit down and write very often. But I decided to take a few minutes to jot down a few thoughts about some of the issues that not only affect my girls..but lots of their friends and neighbors. As many of you know, my oldest 2 daughters play travel/club sports. Sarah plays travel softball and Emily plays club soccer. Over the last couple of years, I have witnessed an explosion of teams out looking for players...and players looking for teams. We have been on big-name teams and smaller clubs, and while I am not an expert (not even close), I have seen both the positives and negatives of what the "travel" world has become. While many of you will just disregard this essay, hopefully some will take a second to think about some of the points I'm bringing up...if not that's ok also.

1) Do your homework!!! If its time for you to move on to the travel arena...take the time to research the club/program you are interested in. Who are the coaches, what are their backgrounds. What is the club providing you for your money, what are they offering your child? Go to multiple tryouts, don't accept the first offer. Bigger isn't always better. Maybe a big name club is the best fit for your child, maybe a smaller more personal approach is more what your child needs. But ask questions!! I cannot tell you how much it bothers me when I talk to someone who has just joined a travel team and I ask "Who's the coach?"...and they don't know. You are handing your child over to this person for the next several months...you should damn well know his or her name and what their experiences are.

2) Protect your child!! I don't mean from predators, that's a given. What I mean is listen to your child. If they get hurt, try to resist the pressure to "get back out there". Too many coaches, unfortunately, exert pressure to get back on the field after an injury. Understand that the coaches don't mean your daughter any harm (at least I have never met one), but they do need to have players out on the field. Know the difference between being hurt and being injured, children can play hurt...but they shouldn't be out there if they are injured. And if a coach doesn't understand that...then maybe that isn't the right coach.

3) Be realistic about your child's abilities!! We all want our kids to be the next Jennie Finch...or Alex Morgan. That simply isn't going to happen. I'd love for my girls to all get full 4 year rides to a big time college. The odds of that are extremely small. Maybe a Division II or NAIA school is a better fit for their goals and aspirations. Talk to them...what is their goal? Is it to play in college? Is it to go to a good school where they can get a great education and hopefully play sports also? And then tailor the experience to hopefully reach the goal. Talk to the coach and the "administrator" of the program you are involved in. Where do they see your child? What resources do they have to get your child noticed and hopefully recruited? You are paying a lot of money...you should expect something in return for your investment.

4) Enjoy the Ride!!! You never know when your child has played their last game. Lots of kids decide at some point that they are done with sports, or want to do something else. You don't want their last experience with a team to have been a miserable one. If your child isn't having any fun, or its a struggle to get them to go to practice/work out...then maybe its time to explore other options. Now, I'm absolutely not advocating switching teams just for the sake of switching teams. I'm a strong believer in loyalty and commitment. But its not that difficult to see when your child has lost their passion for something. I also strongly believe that you let the child be part of the decision making process. And as parents, you should have fun also. You should be with other parents who you enjoy spending time with. Whatever endeavor you and your child set out upon...the one thing it should be over anything else, is fun!!

5) Let them be kids!!! Kids need downtime...and I'll fully admit, this is incredibly difficult for me to do. Kids need a break from their primary sport, they need to use other muscle groups, learn other skills, meet new people. And downtime doesn't mean that they lie on the coach playing on their phone all day. I strongly believe in even if you're not playing you're primary sport, you're working out..jogging, biking, cardio etc. When your team takes time off...put the gear bag away for awhile and bring out the Frisbee, the jump rope, the volleyball (if volleyball isn't the sport you're getting away from).

I think that's enough for one day. Hopefully you read this and can take something from it. If you read it and think "This guy is a loon"...that's ok too. Like I said, I am no expert...I'm just a dad, trying to navigate the turbulent waters of having 3 amazing young ladies call him Dad. I hope this message finds you well. As always...peace to you and yours. Mike

Well, well, well. I was cleaning up my Favorites list and I ran into this link. I have all but forgotten that I was a blogger. Well I guess that's not quite correct. I have a blog, I just fail to actually use it. I started reading some of my old posts and I was struck by a harsh realization...my girls may be older, but our lives are the same. Still crazy busy, still way too many activities. But as those of you who know me would attest...I wouldn't have it any other way.

But for the 1 or 2 people who'll read this that don't know all that much about me, let me give you a brief update. My oldest daughter Sarah, is a vibrant 13 year old who is fortunately or unfortunately...depending on how you view it, exactly like me. And that leads to a lot of head-butting. But she is an amazing young lady. Great student, terrific athlete, great (most of the time) big sister...and just one of the nicest kids you'll ever want to meet. She has had her share of adventures in the past couple of years. Lots of traveling with her softball teams, including enduring a F5 tornado in a hotel bathroom. She's had her share of heartbreaks in her athletic endeavors, but each time she's fought through the heartache, and came out stronger than ever before. She could have easily given up, or given in to what others have said or done, but she is one of the most resilient kids I've ever met (And yes, I am proudly biased).

Emily is 11 and in her 1st year of middle school. She is also quite athletic as she is becoming quite proficient as a goalie. She still has a lot to learn, but she loves to learn and gets better every time out. This kid will be the death of me however. Stubborn to a fault, but also a great student and sister. She also has had her share of adventures with her soccer and softball teams. And if you haven't seen her lately, be prepared to look UP. She has grown 4 inches in the past few months and now sees eye to eye with Lisa. We just bought school clothes a month ago and now have to go back and get NEW clothes as she has outgrown the ones we just bought. Oh well, more clothes for Aly.

Speaking of Aly...she is developing into quite the athlete/dancer. I guess watching several hundred softball and soccer games will do that to you. She's the first child that's wanted to be a pitcher, she's definitely the most athletic kid at this age, and she just simply loves to dance. Anytime music is playing...she's dancing. She'd take dance classes every night if we'd let her. But we don't...softball and soccer get in the way of that.

As for me, I've morphed into a chauffeur/coach/tutor. Every night, I'm either driving someone to practice, picking someone else up..its quite the interesting life. Heck, I have to come to work to get some rest. On any given week, we have at least 7 to 8 practices. Then weekends...oh good lord!! If we have less than 3 games, its like a vacation. There have been weekends where we have had 8-10 games between the 3 girls. But they love what they do...so we keep doing it. I thank god every day for having good friends that help with the driving, the shuttling, the watching over my kids til we get there...it truly takes a village.

So that's an update...our fall will be very busy as we have lots of sporting activities to deal with, as well as some very challenging school activities (My God, did we have this much homework when we were this age??). So if you don't see me much, I expect that you'll understand.

I am really going to try and update this page just a little bit more, call it my on-line diary. I'm hopeful that someone cares enough to read this stuff, and hopefully the next rambling will have something interesting (if this one didn't)..and until then...take care of yourself.

Mike

Dang, I forgot about this blog...its been over a year since I posted anything and no one even mentioned it to me. Maybe no one bothered to read it. And here I thought I was the next Tom Clancy (guess not).

Well, since I have so much time to update this fascinating blog, I'll just add a few details to my life and fill in the rest soon. The 3 girls are now 11, 9 and 6. And their schedule rival those crazy Jamaican work-a-holics that was on In Living Color (90's reference). Sarah practices Wed-Fri for softball, Emily practices Mon-Wed for softball, Tues-Thurs for soccer, and Aly does Tues-Thurs for soccer and Friday for Dance. Emily and Aly go to CCD on Tues and Sarah goes on Thursday. And they all have games on Saturday and Sunday. I think my next day off from a practice or a game is Thanksgiving.

I am now entering the most dangerous time of my life, pre-teen and puberty. The mood swings, the irritability, the blank stares...and thats just me!! You should see what I'm getting from the girls. I'll be spending the next few years hiding in the garage with the puppy. All I need in there is cable, a small fridge and I'm set. I'll venture in the house to use the bathroom...during the 2 hours a day that it isnt occupied.

Well thats enough for today...I'll be updating this as life goes on. Maybe not as often as I like, but I'll try to regale the 1 or 2 of you that actually have a faint interest in the life of a man who is trying to navigate the 3 daughter waters (hey that rhymed!!)

I hope this missive finds you well my friend (since I'm guessing only 1 of you is reading this) and
pray for this DODO.

Til next time...
Mike

A traveling DODO

Good MLK day to everyone. I promised in my last message I would regale you with our travel adventures to Colorado. As you may remember, we all took a trip to Colorado the first week of January to see my relatives. Of course, after the attempted terror attack on a flight on Xmas day, we were a little nervous about how the Airport security would be. So, on the day of our flight to Denver, we decided to leave a bit early for the airport. Our flight was at 8pm so we packed up the car with the luggage (more on that in a bit) and headed to the airport around 3:30pm. And wouldn't you know it, no traffic, no lines at baggage, no lines at check-in and NO LINES AT SECURITY. In fact, I may have not ever got thru security faster...even traveling by myself. Of course, it took us a half an hour to re-dress ourselves after we had to take off 5 jackets, 5 belts, 5 pair of shoes, assorted watches, phones, sunglasses etc. But we got to our gate at before 5. While that may seem terrific...we now had to wait 3 hours before we could board the plane. I don't know how many of you have traveled through Terminal 2 at Lindberg field, but it pretty much shuts down at 5pm. The only thing open was the hot dog place and the bar. EVEN STARBUCKS CLOSED. And for those of you that know me...that was catastrophic :-). Thank god for wi-fi and the girls DS's.

Oh, about the luggage. Maybe its because we have never traveled to a cold weather area, but we I couldn't believe how much stuff we were taking. Of course, when you need to "layer", the clothing sure adds up. We had the required clothing, hats, scarves, gloves, jackets, sweaters, and shoes. OH my god the shoes. We had to bring an extra bag for the shoes...how could 3 little girls need soooooooo much stuff. And now that the airlines are gouging their customers at $20 a bag...it sure adds up. We were able to stuff...and i mean STUFF all of our garb into 3 large luggage and several carry-ons. One nice thing about traveling with the girls is that we get 5 carry-ons and we took advantage of that.

Another nice thing about traveling with the girls is that we get to pre-board because we are traveling with a child under 5. Its kind of funny watching all the people look at us with that 'Why do THEY get to go first" since Aly is barely under 5, but we weren't going to apologize. We only have 8 months to utilize Aly this way. Unless their is a 2nd Immaculate Conception, I guess we will be in the masses trying to get on the plane on our future travels.

OK...back to the story. We get to Denver about 11pm their time. We find our way thru Denver airport ( a long walk, then a long shuttle, then another long walk), to find our luggage...then another long walk to the rental car shuttles. Which, did I mention are outside...in 15 DEGREE weather. So after waiting about 15 minutes in the cold, the shuttle finally shows up. We make it to the rental car and thankfully, there is no line there. But as soon as we get off the bus, Aly sees the snow...its the first time for her and she just goes nuts. Of course, she has no idea that the snow there is just ice and is VERY COLD. She just starts playing and laughing, ...slipping and sliding, But she is just having a blast, and she doesn't want to leave the rental car area. Oh and speaking of gouging...nice of Hertz to charge $65 freaking dollars to rent a car seat. With all the other crap they "add-on" my pre-paid rental car cost my almost $130 bucks!!!!

Ok...we have our rental car, not is off to find the hotel. Did i mention that the airport is in Nebraska? Damn, it was a long drive to Denver. So after a few wrong turns (there are a LOT of one-way streets in Downtown Denver) we find the hotel, check in, lug the bags in and get the girls ready for sleep. Oh yeah, did I mention how much Sarah and Emily HATE to sleep in the same bed? For sisters, you wouldn't believe how much this bothers them. We always have to place a pillow between them so they each have their "sides"

I already described our trip to Boulder on Saturday, so the next adventure was Sunday. My family let us borrow a sled so we headed off to the mountains in search of a hill. We headed off towards Winter Park Colorado. The weather report said there was a chance of snow where we headed. What I didn't know was that in Colorado, a chance of snow means a blizzard is coming. And being a San Diego native, I bet you can guess how many times I have driven in the snow? Well, after sliding a bit and going REALLY, REALLY slowly thru the mountain (man, I must have pissed some Coloradoans off), we found a hill. After about an hour, we decided to head into town and get some lunch and warm up. Did I mention it was 12 degrees?. Well in Winter Park, we found a public park that is a sledding area. They have sleds for public use, and active fire pits for the parents to keep warm. If you have seen my Facebook pictures, you can see how much fun we all had there. The girls had such a great time. Another couple of hours it was time to head back to Denver.

Ummmm...another thing no one bothered to mention to me was that LOTS of people head Back to Denver from the mountain ski resorts on a Sunday afternoon. The freeway was just gridlocked. Good thing the girls were so tired that they slept the whole time we were stuck in traffic. We finally got to Denver, found a Chili's and went to Denver. One of the best memories was we got there about the middle of the 3rd quarter of the Broncos/Chiefs game where the Broncos HAD to win...and they were getting blown out. I have never seen a sports bar SO QUIET!!! Funny as hell.

The rest of the trip was seeing family, doing some shopping, some more sightseeing etc. Then the Tuesday night weather report. "3-5 feet of snow expected on Wednesday" Well, guess when we were supposed to leave Denver...WEDNESDAY. Our flight was at 9am, and the snow was supposed to start around 10am. We planned on waking up around 5am...I don't think Lisa or I slept at all, because neither of us wanted to miss the alarm. After all, we had to drive back to Nebraska. Well, we made it to the airport in time, got thru security with ease and made it to the gate with about 40 minutes to spare...and then got to pre-board (heehee).

All in all...no nightmares, no disasters, and in actuality, travel was a breeze. I hope all of our trips are this east...but I know this was an aberration :-)

Well, if you have made it this far without being bored out of your skull, I thank you. I hope you enjoy reading my musings as much as I like writing them. For all my fellow San Diego'ans...keep dry. I am saving room on the Ark for you :-). For everyone else, enjoy your week and until next time...

Peace and always...pray for this DODO.

Take Care
Mike

What a week

I hope everyone had an outstanding New Year. This post is going to be a little different than many of the others. Usually I tell you about my travails as a Dad of 3 daughters. Well, this post is a bit more about me and my family's trip to Colorado this week to find MY family.

Many of you know this story, so pardon me if this is a bit redundant. But for those of you who find the time to read this ( and I appreciate your willingness to do so), may not realize that I have never met my 1st cousins. My dad and my uncle became estranged several years ago with very little contact between the 2. Because of this estrangement, it became extremely difficult for me and my sister to contact them. In fact, I hadn't seen my Uncle since I was 6, and I couldn't remember ever seeing my aunt (she said she met me when I was 6). I have 4 cousins (3 boys, 1 Girl). that I had never met. Since my mom was an only child, and my uncle is my Dad's only sibling...me and my sister grew up with essentially NO extended family. To make things even more sad...both my maternal grandparents passed away before I was born, and I never met my paternal grandfather and only can recall meeting my paternal grandmother once or twice when I was very young. I have always been very jealous of those of you that had large families...there is something really special about being able to call a close uncle, or cousin and just talk, or hang out, and I never had that.

Anyway, through the magic of Facebook, I was able to connect with not only my aunt and uncle, but also all 4 of my cousins. It took some time and some coordination, but last week, we were able to fly to Denver and meet 3 of my cousins (one lives in the Bay Area and wasn't able to make it to Colorado), and reconnect with my aunt and uncle.

So...on Saturday, we are doing a little shopping in Denver and my phone rings. It is my aunt. I have to admit that my heart skipped a bit. I was actually nervous to answer the phone. Well, there was a very sweet voice on the other end who was just as excited to hear my voice as I was to hear hers. We made plans to drive up to Boulder a little later in the afternoon to meet, talk and have dinner. The drive from Denver to Boulder is about 25 minutes...I was pacing the hotel room like a caged tiger 2 hours before. I hadn't been this nervous in a longgggggg time. As we were driving, i was actually sweating (good think I was wearing a black shirt). All the time we were driving, I was thinking, "will they like me, will we have anything to talk about, will we sustain this new relationship" etc, etc, etc. Well, my worries were definitely unfounded. We drove up to the house and saw 2 of my cousins shoveling the walk (you don't see THAT very often in San Diego)...I got out of the car and gave my cousins a big hug and it was like we had known each other forever. Walking into the house was just incredible....seeing my uncle for the first time in 40 years was just a surreal experience. I remembered him as a brown haired young man...and here was this gray, long-bearded, distinguished Rabbi who just grabbed me and hugged me. To be honest, I was a little unsure of what to call him. I mean, he is my Dad's brother, but "Uncle" sounded a little weird. But when he hugged me, I knew that all was how it should be. I had my family back.

We spent the next several hours talking, laughing, eating, drinking and just doing what families are supposed to be doing. My cousins are terrific young people and I couldn't be prouder to be related to them. They are bright, confident, dynamic individuals who have amazing things in store for them...and I hope I can be a small inspiration to them. We went back to spend the day with them on Monday. Enjoying lunch, having coffee, taking silly pictures...doing what families do, It was an amazing trip.

Well, that's enough for this evening, I will fill in more details about the traveling in the newly high-securitized airport with 3 children, our trips to the snow and the rest of the vacation.

Thanks for taking the time to read about my little excursion. Have a great week and I will be back soon.

As always, pray for this DODO...and Peace.

Mike