I was 15 years old in 1994 when I overheard a phone call that would change my life. My mom asked about a place for rent for her and two kids.
Confused, I asked who the place was for. She said “us.”
Knowing your parents are splitting is a nightmare for many kids. And, yes, it hurt. But I also knew at a young age that it was time.
I was happy for my mom and told her that.
I also knew that my dad was going to struggle and that I couldn’t leave him alone.
I broke my mother’s heart when I told her I wasn’t going with her.
So I stayed, living without my mom for the first time. Her new place was only four blocks away but it was still a tough transition. I saw her way less than I ever had before. I missed her.
As the months went on, my dad and I learned to live the bachelor life: sharing a dinner of eggs and frijoles (beans) on a daily basis. It’s what he knew how to cook.
My dad and I were close, but I definitely took advantage of my new freedom. Yet I was also a mama’s boy, so there was constant conflict within me. I felt guilty about not being with her.
Our new bond
Many of my early memories were of my dad, siblings and me sitting in the bleachers at County Stadium watching the Milwaukee Brewers. We even watched a Packer game there on a day so cold that all we could do was drink hot chocolate and try not to freeze.
But we didn’t watch many football games at home together.
It makes sense. Honestly, the Packers weren’t much to watch for most of my childhood and were usually terrible. Sad to admit, but I was even a Chicago Bears fan during one confusing time in my young life (I’m still haunted by this). Terrible and all, I still watched the Pack, until suddenly, they were fun to watch. They were winning!
By 1994, they were an up-and-coming team with a young brash quarterback named Brett Favre and a new superstar from Philadelphia nicknamed the “Minister of Defense.” His name was Reggie White.
I loved the Packers, and my mom knew that. So as a way to spend more time together, she asked me if I wanted to come over on a Sunday and watch the game with her.
My mom didn’t know much about football. I explained what I could about penalties and other whatnots, but the excitement of watching them play usually spoke for itself.
So did the fun we had spending time together. We made it a weekly thing.
The food she cooked and football we watched were icing on the cake. Most important was that we had time together to look forward to each Sunday.
The Packers not only helped us get through that tough time in life but created a bond between us that has grown through the next generation of our family – our children and her grandchildren.
My son’s favorite place to watch a Packer game is grandma’s house. We’ve watched so many games together as a family through the years I couldn’t even count them.
A new season and new memories
Since 1994 we’ve seen the good and bad. Super Bowl wins in 1996 and 2010 and heartbreaking losses every other year. We get mad (REAL MAD) but never lose hope that the next game will bring us victory and next season will bring us another Lombardi Trophy.
The new season kicks off Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings. Like all others, it will bring touchdowns and field goals, cheers and jeers, and my mother and me together.
But it’s not just our bond anymore. It’s a family bond.
And it started with me, my mom and the Green Bay Packers. And I wouldn’t change a thing. Except maybe more Super Bowl wins.
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