This Reminds Me

So here I had just been blogging about what great friends I have – and my buddy (and fellow mom to a Russian-born daughter) Ellie surprises me with a last-minute offer to attend Spurs Night at the San Antonio Rampage (hockey) game, including a behind-the-scenes tour of the facility and an autograph session with Tony Parker.  And the Rampage was playing our favorite team of bygone days – the Houston Aeros.  Oh.  My.  Gosh.  We.  Had.  SO MUCH FUN!

Keith and I love hockey.  The last game we saw was being played by a youth team in Red Square.  We could hardly tear Julia away from it, so, we were pretty sure she’d enjoy it tonight.

Rachel, Lois and Hannah with the Houston Aeros mascot “Chilly” in 1999.  We (me) used to embarass our children at hockey games regularly when we lived in Houston.  Keith would defend me by saying, “Well, we’re not at a chess match.”

Tonight was only my second time at AT&T Center – kind of funny since I was moved here in 2000 to do sports and events, like I did in Houston.  Keith and the girls have attended umpteen games, performances, etc. but they have way better social lives than do I.  We ran to Wal-Mart to get the girls each a Spurs shirt, plus six items for Tony Parker to autograph (one per guest.)  Keith and I wore our ancient Aeros jerseys, much to the chagrin of the Rampage fans.   I noticed my jersey had….ummm…shrunk a bit since I last sported it about seven years ago.

We joined a handful of other Beautiful People below AT&T Center in the Spurs team area.  We started in the weight room, where Keith tested the limits of his 1999 decompressive laminectomy.

In the Spurs medical clinic – “Just a litle tape on the mouth, Dad.”

Hannah reported the whirlpool tub to be “freezing.”  Julia’s comment?  “They get to watch TV while they take a bath, no fair!”

Finally – a shower built for a 6’5″ man.

And right next door – as I explained to Julia – were the Spurs “little showers.”  So to speak.

What does the sweaty Spur need after the big game?  Degree deodorant, apparently.

In the locker room!  We’re getting close….

And there he is – Tony Parker, #9 for the four-time world champion Spurs. Julia knew who he was and picked him out of a group photo as we were waiting in line.  She’s watched too many games with her daddy.  Or perhaps too many episodes of “Desperate Housewives” with her cousin Sarah.

Hannah brought a jersey to have signed.  The rest of us were cap people.

And now off to the Rampage/Aeros hockey game!  Pre-game practice means a chance to pound the glass and smooze a player out of a puck.

So pucker up. boys - they did it.  Charm-r-them.  You can barely see the puck Lois snagged, and which Julia promptly claimed as her own.

Dance for the camera!  The girls made it on screen twice.  Rachel encouraged me to release the twins in an effort to attract the camera but I thought my Aeros jersey was more enticing eye candy.

Eagle-eyed Rachel spotted two friends in the San Antonio Christian School Lion Pride Band.   Plus church friends Candace and Ashley waved to us from a box.

I wish I had children this beautiful and thoughtful.

Spur Matt Bonner stopped by for an on-ice promotion.  Yes, we were that close.

How much joy can one seven-year-old contain?  Through the evening, we heard repeated cries of ”Go hockey, go!”  (Sorry about that whole whack to the face thing, Rach.)

When mascot T-Bone came to our section, Julia crawled over us and the facially-pierced couple on the end to get to him.  I held my breath, hoping she wasn’t pulling a nose nail or cheek stud with her.

The Aeros won 3 – 1 with nary a scuffle (darn it!)   I love to go to a fight and watch a hockey game break out.

Thank you, Ellie, for one of the mostest wonderfulest family evenings we’ve ever had.  Hugs to you, too, friend!