What a wonderful post!!! I am continually amazed at how truly wonderful parenthood is. My offspring is only 11, so it is so good for me to hear that this joy and wonder continues after they become adults.

I've always said that what I want for #2 and #3 is for them to love hockey in 20 years as much as they do now, and are still playing it- even if it's just getting on the ice with their children for a game of pond hockey.

YOU are the reason that Matt is still playing hockey, and loving the game. YOU steered him through the years of competition and competitive players and parents and coaches and seasons of games and practices and bad ref-ing. YOU made sure he knew it was a game, a sport, and not the meaning of life. (Although the hockey gods might strike me down for saying that!)

You deserved the afterglow. :-) You rock, both of you!