by coachdubs » Tue Nov 28, 2023 3:09 pm
Christmas Day
Dawson Residence, Laramie, Wyoming
Christmas morning dawned in Laramie. Marcus had arrived home early in the morning on Christmas after the loss to Mississippi at the JAG Holiday Tournament. The team stayed one more night, but Marcus wanted to surprise Sarah and the kids for Christmas, giving them the best gift he could imagine. Marcus had only slept three hours when Jake and Lily jumped into bed waking Marcus and Sarah up.
"Dad! You're home!" Shouted Lily and Jake in unison.
"Yeah, and I'm not a figment of your imagination either!"
Sarah looked at Marcus, "What time did you get home, I didn't even realize you got home until I got up at 5:30 to let the dog out."
"It was around 2:30 when I finally got to bed, so I'm running on a few hours of sleep, but it's very well worth it to be here with my family for Christmas."
As Sarah, Lily, and Jake gathered around the Christmas tree after all the gifts were opened, the conversation eventually shifted toward basketball. Lily was curious and asked her father why the Cowboys had lost the game; this was normal for her whenever his teams lost- which was rare, but she always wanted to understand why.
Marcus smiled at his daughter and explained, "Lily, as I always tell you, losing is an essential part of life, and it's no different in basketball. But the why in this game was turnovers and a really good player on the other team that we struggled to stop."
Jake playfully chimed in, "But Dad, you're still the best coach in the world, right?" Marcus laughed, patting Jake's head and ruffling his hair. "Thanks, buddy. But we have to keep working hard and learning from our mistakes. That's how we get better.
Sarah also chimed in, saying it was a blessing to have her husband home for Christmas, and the family could now enjoy the holiday together.
"You're right," Marcus added. "It's great to be home with family, celebrating the joy of the season, and the real reason we celebrate. While the loss to Mississippi is disappointing, it's not the end of the world. It actually allowed me to get home to you guys."