When I became pregnant with Cooper I was still in a whirlwind trying to adjust to my new life. Ryan and I had just been married, and I was embarking on my first experience of basketball season as an observer rather than a player. The season was incredibly long as I suffered through never-ending pregnancy nausea and the absence of my husband.
I remember laying in our dark, loft apartment glued to the couch. Ryan had been gone Thursday through Sunday and all I did was watch Netflix. Is this what my life will be? Sitting around weekend after weekend while Ryan traveled for basketball? (Cue drama). The adjustment to being a coaches wife was not what I expected and being pregnant didn’t help with that transition. It’s true when they say you marry the game!
Fast-forward to Cooper’s birth and I realized we were quickly approaching July recruiting season. We had a few days at home as a family before Ryan was back on the road for long weekends. Suddenly, my long binge-watch sessions on the couch had become long cry sessions with a newborn. Ryan hit the road, and I stared at this little life that was entirely in my hands.
His first weekend away I got a bad case of mastitis and ended up caring for a baby while I was fighting a 102 degree fever. Someone really wanted to see how much I was made of… Needless to say those weekends away were another difficult adjustment to our new life together.
As I sit here this summer, Ryan in the throes of travel season, I feel a sense of peace. It’s not as hard as it was last year. Yes, the circumstances aren’t exactly the same, but I can see the growth we’ve made as a married couple and as individuals. We are better equipped to handle these long weekends away from each other now.
Our life together will be made up of these seasons of adjustment. The best way to survive as a coaches wife is to embrace a spirit of adaptability. The nature of his job presents a unique challenge, but when approached with the right attitude it’s kind of fun!
Ryan and I have a lot to learn, but I’m thankful for the ebb and flow we’ve created right here, right now. I’m thankful for the little lessons learned over the past couple years and the constant growth as a couple. I’ll have a life full of lessons as a coaches wife, but I’m finally adapting to my role and leaning into it with joy.
