Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Super Bowl IX

Way back in January of 1997 the Packers made an appearance in the Super Bowl.  I had no doubt in my mind that they would win.  It had been 29 years since they had earned the right to participate.  The early years for the Packers had been full of opportunities, winning the NFL Championships in 1961, 1962 and 1965 and then the first two Super Bowls in 1967 and 1968.  Some might say success seemed to come easy for the team then and in that season, they were smoking!

I remember like it was yesterday...the excitement and anticipation of returning the Lombardi Trophy to the city whose coach had been memorialized forever in the name.

I was pregnant for the 5th time but we hadn't told anyone yet.  We had suffered through 2 miscarriages the year before, one at 8 weeks and the second, after a heartbeat and 11 weeks.  We were undergoing progesterone treatments to try to increase my levels.  When the conventional methods were proving to be unsuccessful and injections from the doctors office were not frequent enough, we started daily injections at home.


I remember like it was yesterday...the excitement and anticipation of having another baby to hold.  And, simultaneously, the fear that, once again, we might not.

The Packers won the Super Bowl and our pregnancy was successful.  It was a great year.

The next season when the Packers entered the arena once again,  the excitement was dampened by the realization that we might not win.  Back to back victories were rare happening only 3 times in the last 31 years.

That year, after we lost, I formulated an opinion that I still hold today:

It's easier to not make it to the Super Bowl at all, than to make it...and lose.

The disappointment is so much greater.

What are you talking about?

Pregnancy.

Our "glory years" have been followed by a long, disappointing losing streak and, reproductively speaking,  we've made it to the Super Bowl for the 9th time...

...we've done all we can do in preparation, the coin has been tossed, the ball is on the field, the game has begun...

...and I'm afraid to lose.

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