Sometimes, Just Take it at Face Value

I freely admit I'm a cynic. I will look for the 'angle' as to why someone might be doing something that, on the surface, might seem altruistic. So when Gracie had a note in her backpack saying that she was the 'most improved student' and that if we brought her to a specific Lakewood Blue Claws game she would receive an award on the field before the game, my cynicalarm went off. Then, when Livie came home with the same note, I got in trouble with the whole household because of my smirk and attitude about these 'awards'. No way, EVERY kid must have gotten one of these notes, this is a sales gimmick for the team to drum up sales.

I made Linda write notes to their teachers to ask them if this was true. Turns out, they ARE both the most improved students in their respective classes. Gracie's behavior has improved markedly over the past few months and Livie's signing and receptive language has exploded over the same time period. So I happily eat my own words. Yea Yea...there are only 6 kids in each of their classes and yea, the Blue Claws are going to sell 5 tickets to the rest of us. But i can't wait to be out on the field with the two of them while the echo of the announcer mispronouncing my last name reverberates through the stadium. I guess they won't let me take the mic and say that I am truly the 'luckiest man on the face of the earth' to have two girls who are doing so well.