High Five for… Saturday!

Linking up with Lauren Elizabeth for High Five for… Saturday! This week has been even more chaotic than a normal holiday weekend -- so my post is a day late this week. But, when I decided to become an active part of the blogging community, I promised myself that I would commit to at least one post a week. So, here it is (even a day late!)...

1. Basketball season has started -- and, as my first season as an official head coach's wife, I am feeling the commitment! I am working on another post about our little family's commitment to coaching, but so far I am just enjoying getting to know this year's Columbus Wildcats -- they are such a fun group to watch already!

2. My weight-loss journey is back on track -- I am feeing really confident (even through the holidays) and have added an additional challenge for the next month. I signed-up to complete the Skinny Snowman Challenge with Brooke: Not on a Diet. I am so excited to be a part of this group and to have a support system of 'friends'.

3. When I married Kasey I got an awesome group of nieces and nephews -- they are already teenagers, and a blast to hang out with! I also got an awesome group of not-really-nieces that call us Uncle Kasey and Aunt Jen. We had a play-date last Saturday, they helped me make banana muffins and taught me new games (on my own iPad!).

4. I-O-W-A! The Hawks beat the Nebraska Cornhuskers yesterday for the first time in years (maybe decades!). This was especially wonderful for me -- a Hawkeye fan and Cyclone graduate. The saying goes that the one thing both Iowa and Iowa State fans can agree on is that everyone hates Nebraska!

We watched the game at our favorite place to eat, the Vine in Iowa City (the place where Kasey really developed his love of wings!).

5. It has been an unexpectedly busy holiday week, but we still have found many opportunities to spend time with family. Starting on Wednesday night, we had dinner with Kasey's mom and step-dad, then spent Thanksgiving with my extended family on both sides, had lunch with Kasey's sister and dinner with Kasey's brother on Friday. We are looking forward to two more extended family meals this weekend! We are truly blessed with families that take the time to be together.

I hope everyone else is having a wonderful week!

Approval

All coaches (hopefully not just me) have a list of "things perfect coaches say in perfect worlds". One of the many phrases on my list is "you don't need anyone's approval; just knowing you did your best is enough."

Bull.

We all look for approval. And more often then not, we let that approval -- or lack of -- determine our post-performance attitude. It shouldn't be that way, it's true that knowing you did your best should be enough. But life has never been that simple. Babies look to their parents after falling to determine whether or not they should cry. Elementary students show pictures to their teachers to find out if they're "art". Middle schoolers search the crowd for parents' faces after volleyball serves or free-throws. College-bound seniors look to their coaches for permission to celebrate an astonishing win. And, this weekend, I looked to a friend for approval of a job well done.

It should have been enough that my players were among the top four competitors in a difficult tournament. Or that they showed an improvement in their skills and self-confidence. It should have been enough that parents thanked me and other coaches shook my hand. It should have been enough that I left that tournament smiling and proud of my state-qualifying team.

Instead, my feelings were crushed when my fellow-coach's reaction wasn't excitement. No congratulations or enthusiasm. The face staring back at mine was full of disbelief and annoyance. Instantly my mood changed... all my excitement was gone. My great tournament finish was tarnished.