Once upon a time, say five years ago, my ritual on the night before any given Saturday of college football season (at least one with an ND home game) would have been something like this: Go out with friends to Corby’s, have a bunch of drinks, talk football and law nerdery and miscellaneous nonsense, then head to The Backer, have a bunch more drinks, dance (in standard awkward-white-guy fashion) to bad ’80s music, have a blast, sing God Bless the U.S.A., sing the Victory March, go home, get to sleep shortly before 4am. In the morning, perhaps at 10am, wake up to the sounds of Chris’s computer blasting the Victory March. Sing along, then counter with Fight On (assuming USC also had a game that day), then play some more ND music, or possibly something from the “Rudy” soundtrack. Eventually, head out, tailgate, drink some more, go to the game. (Apropos of which, note my new masthead.)
My ritual tonight & tomorrow? Shortly before Loyette’s bedtime, sing the Victory March and Fight On, repeatedly, to both daughters, while holding Loyacita on my lap and bouncing Loyette on my knee, sitting on the couch. (I say “repeatedly” because, at the end of the songs, Loyette kept saying “ageeee!,” which means “again.”) Shortly thereafter, head upstairs to put Loyette to bed. At the tail end of her bedtime routine, sing her two lullabyes: All Hail and Notre Dame Our Mother. Go to bed myself around 10pm. Wake up at 6:30am (or whenever Loyette starts chirping), dress her in her USC Song Girl outfit, and go to the zoo with both girls (and Becky and some friends). Be back home in time for Loyette’s afternoon nap, and the games.
I think this is what Becky means when she talks about the “seasons of life.” 🙂
P.S. My Domer readers will be happy to know that the girls, particularly Loyacita, seem to prefer the Victory March to Fight On.
Welcome to fatherhood…