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Terry Foster: Time With My Kids Can't Be Replaced

By Terry Foster
The Family Deal

Birmingham – My daughter Celine's mouth ran 100 miles an hour as I drove past Oakland Hills Country Club toward home. She'd just celebrated an emotional 1-0 soccer victory over Birmingham Seaholm with her West Bloomfield High School teammates.

It all but assured her team of its first conference championship in five years and she ran down a list of wonderful things her teammates did in the game.

Celine scored the game-winning goal midway through the first half on a cross from teammate Maya Madi. There was goalie Sydney Jones who made spectacular saves and talked players through the game. There was tough play from a lot of players during a tough and tense afternoon.

And then she stopped talking and there was a moment of silence as she cried briefly before composing herself again.

This was a special daddy-daughter moment because this is the most intense game she's ever played in. It even got some media coverage. And I know there are not many moments left for us as she jets from teenager to an adult. We will soon be packing her off to college to play soccer or just to be a regular student.

She will gather new friends in a new place and our conversations will come via Skype, Face Time or by cell phone.

I won't be able to grab her in a bear hug as I did Tuesday when she bounced off the field after celebrating with teammates. We won't be talking about her big moments next to each other in a moving car.

And I won't be there to hold her hand as the tears flow.

I don't know if I was happier to see Celine score the biggest goal of her high school career and 11th of the season or more thrilled to share the car ride home. There was no mom or younger brother or teammates. It was just us.

We talked later as I rubbed a sore ankle that might cause her to miss a game.

The other day I spoke to high school students about the importance of having someone in your life to guide you through rough stretches or celebrate great times. Many of those kids do not have that. I make sure I provide that for my son Brandon and Celine.

I would not be here if I did not ride the shoulders of others. And I hope to give my kids a boost or a nudge when they need it.

The high school soccer journey for Celine has often been painful. And anytime she wants to talk I sit in her room and allow her to talk. Or we go to the mall and stroll and talk.

In the neighborhood I grew up in I often heard fathers jokingly tell their kids during moments of anger: "I brought you into the world and I will take you out."
But we must be there for every skinned knee, every broken heart and even big soccer victories. We must provide the shoulders for our children to stand on as they become adults.

(Foster can be reached at Terry.Foster@cbsradio.com)

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