"Year 12 in the books. While it certainly wasn't something we could have expected, and was pretty much a perfect storm from all directions... it ended on a positive note and that's all we could have hoped for! I'm proud of @jeffpetry26, always & forever, but especially after the hardest year; both mentally and physically.
His resilience, dedication and efforts to his own progress and to his team, despite all the noise, continue to inspire me.
A year filled with so much adversity like this leaves us with many more tools than we had; lessons were learned, perspective was gained, growth was gained, and strength was reaffirmed.
As I close this chapter, a little disappointed that things didn't go as planned; but in the end, I have a grateful heart for all the growth and positive things that have happened along the way.
I wish I could foster the new and old friendships that come with a hockey season more than this one allowed; whether it be within the organization we love, or the city we've called home for the past 7 years, or even just the new community we've recently moved to and started connecting with through schools and various activities.
But in the end, I know we had to do what was right for our growing family at the time and it was all part of this crazy, unexpected hockey life story that is still being written!
A wise friend kept preaching to me all season, "you have to play the cards you're dealt, not the ones you were hoping for"...and that's exactly what we did, as best we could!" - Julie Petry
