It's that time of year...

"Thanksgiving dinners take eighteen hours to prepare. They are consumed in twelve minutes. Half-times take twelve minutes. This is not coincidence." - Erma Bombeck

Welcome to the Kelly household from September through February. I have always enjoyed football, in fact, my first word was "tu-down!" while watching a Denver Broncos game with my father. Watching the game with the family around, cheering and yelling at the television screen (the only time I ever heard my mother have a filthy mouth was when her precious Miami Dolphins weren't doing their best) was always good wholesome fun. Did I think that the game was the most intelligent past time? Good Lord no. Did I understand why it was so difficult sometimes for my favorite team (shout out to the Pack Attack!!) to "just take the damn ball from one side of the field to the other??!" Nope. Not a clue. But I enjoyed, what I believed was a brain numbing and unintelligent past time with the family yelling at the television.

Then I went from Scottie Ann Jensen, to Mrs. Scottie Ann Kelly, and the world of football changed as I knew it. My husband doesn't just enjoy his Sunday game. He lives for it. Aj is from Texas, enough said right? Football is less of a past time and more of a ritual there. But, Aj isn't one of those annoying fans that screams and yells ignorance at the television in a neanderthal manner (well, at least not the ignorant part). He was yelling about the secondary not making the proper zone coverage and how they are being stupid using that particular formation with the field position they are in. And why the HELL would stupid @** Jason Garrett make that call? (Ok, that last one doesn't sound as intelligent, but he's yelled it a lot). I was baffled, and so I asked, "Uh, what?"

In the past few months I have learned so much about football and discovered that it is like a real life game of Wizards Chess (that's right, I just combined football and Harry Potter, I'm that good). It's a very technical game and now I am more in love with it then ever. 

Game Update: Aj deployed in June. He's gone. I'm here. One of the most difficult things about deployment is feeling like you are living separate lives, and no longer having anything that makes you a couple besides the title. After about a month or two, phone conversations with your best friend and love of your life turn into the elevator conversations you have with people who you've met three times and don't want to sit in awkward silence with. Weather and how much you hate Mondays, except you tell each other you love and miss each other. You don't know the same people, go to the same places, or have anything to experience together. It's a terrible feeling.. At least, I'm sure it is.. I hear people talk about how horrible it is and how hard it is on your relationship.. But honestly, I couldn't tell you.. Thank-you football.

Aj and I have this awesome thing that keeps us connected. Don't scoff or roll your eyes, it's what we have and we love it. We have not only football, but we each have created our own Fantasy Football Teams. We can spend an hour just discussing the players that failed us, the sneaky new comers that we want to trade for, where we are in our league, and who to sit out this weekend and who to play. Aj will call me and say, "Babe, I want to ask you your opinion on my team, do you think Favre can still do it or should I sit him out and play McNabb?" We'll discuss strategy and game plans. Cheer each other on and say 'I told you so' when necessary. As much as possible, we chat together online while watching the same game in order to talk about it while it goes on (which of course doesn't happen as much as we'd like, thanks to crappy internet and Aj's ridiculous work schedule). A memorable moment was when I wrote to Aj during a particular game, "Wow, someone really screwed up that zone coverage." And Aj responded, "Yep. Wow babe. You are so hot right now. I love you so much." Hilarious, maybe. Endearing, kinda. But bonding, damn straight.

We are a football family. Aj grew up in Texas. My first word was touchdown. We named our dog Blitz. The idea that we were going to be apart during football season was, at first, terrible. Now, I'm so glad because it's what we have together. We celebrate, collaborate, compete, empathize, and bond thousands of miles away. How many other people can say that? Which leaves me to ask, "Are you ready for some football?"