Please know I’ve toggled back and forth with this post for the last six months for many reasons and hope you can see my heart as I share this. I’m posting this today because many of you have followed along with our family football season after football season. Through the years, many of you have messaged me, commented, or e-mailed me to let me know you spotted Tab during a game. Lots of you have sent pictures and shared over the years you felt like you had a “friend” on television during the game because you spotted Tab. I’ve come to think of you as that too, “my friends”, so I’m strongly encouraged to know you feel the same way. Just a few weeks ago a friend I’ve met via the internet messaged to ask me if Tab was working in her college town that particular week so I shared this news and to say I felt her excitement for our family would be the biggest understatement. She was over the moon happy for us and encouraged me so much with her enthusiasm I decided it was time to let my blog family know as well.
If you’ve been reading here long, then you know Tab has been a football official for many years years, dating back to when it was just the two of us and he was working Jr. High games. He has been in the Big 12 since the kids were born and we have always spent most weekends during the season solo. It’s just become such a part of our family I don’t even think about it much. The kids and I have special things we do to make it fun and he has always made it a point to include his family in as much of his seasons as he possibly can.
In January, Tab was fortunate enough to work the Rose Bowl, which was a major dream come true for us all! The kids and I all got to go, we made amazing memories, and it was such a bucket list thing for us I might have cried happy tears.
So, here comes the BIG NEWS…
Back in April, Tab got hired by the National Football League as a football official!!! Once again, I might have cried some happy tears. Such a testament to hard work paying off!
I kept waiting to share thinking I’d be in the crowd cheering him on for his first NFL game, but thanks to COVID, that wasn’t able to happen. Womp! Womp! And realistically, I probably won’t be in the stands this entire season, but I wanted to share in hopes you might see him during a game and once again spot your friend. Just instead of catching him on Saturday, you need to keep your eye out on Sundays.
So THANK YOU! Thank you for being there with us during all those college football seasons! And thanks for letting me share our big news…even if it’s not from the stands this season.
XO
Ahhhhhhhh!!!!! Congratulations to Tab and your whole family!!! This is huge news! I know I’ll be keeping an eye out for him on Sundays! Yay!!!!!!
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Oh my goodness. Such a blessing. Congratulations
Erika, this makes ME want to cry all over again!!! Andrew and I are beaming like proud parents over here!! We have been SO EXCITED for Tab and for your whole family!!!!! THIS IS HUGE!!!!!!!!!
Yayy! How awesome! Congrats, Tab! Does Tab's Dad ref NFL games anymore? How cool would it be for them to ref together! I'm ready for a "normal" football season, Erika, so we can see all of your fun, behind the scenes pictures again.
Super cool!!!!! If you can share friday the game he’s doing that’s be great! NFL is so much “busier” to spot people! Yay for Tab!
This is so cool!!! I'm so excited for you guys!!!
Congratulations and what an honor that is so well deserved. I definitely will be looking for him when our Pittsburgh Steelers play. So very happy for all of you
So excited for your family! I was wondering if he would be back on the field again. Just think all the cool trips the family can take now to support him. Good luck!
So excited for your family! I was wondering if he would be back on the field again. Just think all the cool trips the family can take now to support him. Good luck!
Aww, that is awesome! I was actually looking for him the other day too!!
Congratulations! Great news in this strange year we're living through!
This is awesome! Congratulations to the whole family.
Wow!! Way to go Tab!! So happy for your family. I’m going to have my husband be on the lookout! Congrats!!!
Wow! This is such exciting news! Congratulations! It will be fun to keep an eye out for him. Sure do enjoy reading your blog and following you along on Instagram!
Sooo cool! Congratulations to the entire family!
Hooraaaayyyyyy!!!! So happy for you all!!! Can't wait to tell the hubby so he can be on the lookout on Sundays! So exciting! Congrats!
Congratulations to Tab and the whole family. It's an amazing opportunity. We know of the Paganelli brothers that officiate the NFL. They are all from Grand Rapids, MI. Such a great group of people. What is his uniform number so we can all cheer him on?
So very neat. Congratulations to him and your family. Hard work pays off.
That's awesome, congratulations!!
This is SO EXCITING! What a wonderful opportunity for Tab and a testament to the reputation he has built in that industry! I'm definitely going to keep my eyes out for him during NFL games!
Congratulations!!!!! This is so exciting!!! Now I will have a new favorite ref to spot 😉
That's wonderful news! What a great blessing & opportunities it will provide! I will being looking for Tab on Sundays!
That's so amazing! Congratulations, Slaughter family!
WOW, WOW, WOW!!! How exciting and cool! I am so happy for Tab and for your family and so impressed! Yes, I have been looking for Tab at Big 12 games and haven't seen him and now I know why. I will now start looking for him on the pro games. Will he still be the Umpire? That will make it easier to look for him. Also as mentioned in an earlier post, not sure if you can mention what game he will be officiating, but if you can that would be great! What opportunities for fun times this opens up for you and your family. I'm sure your boys can't wait to go to some games! Mega congratulations Tab! I know you will do an awesome job. Can't wait to see you on the big screen and say that's my "friend's" husband! Such an honor for your hard work and I have to say again, so freaking cool!!!
That is incredible news Erika. Congrats to Tab and your entire family. I am sure the kids are so excited about seeing their Dad in the big leagues!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I was wondering when you were going to share it here!!! We are so excited for y’all!!!! 🎉🎉🎉😘😘😘
Hey Hey Erika – first time commenter from Kodiak Island! I read your blog every day during my lunch and I am so impressed with your little family. Just wanted to recognize your husband on his major accomplishment. You and the kids have supported him by being happy and well adjusted. Such a big deal – I’m sure he has worked hard for it. I feel like we are “friends” and so I just want to say how very proud I am of you all. Cheers!
THIS IS SO EXCITING!!! What a fantastic dream come true! I LOVE to see good news come out of 2020! Congrats, friend!
This is awesome! What a cool thing for your family. Congratulations to all of you!
WOW!!! Congrats to Tab and to your whole family for all the sacrifices you've made together!! I've been reading your blog for years and years so thank you for sharing. Can't wait to spot him on the field!
How exciting for your family! You must be so proud! Congratulations to Tab!
I always look for him whenever there is a college game. I actually had a thought this last weekend wondering if he ever would move up to the NFL! That is very exciting, I will be watching for him for sure!
Super big news! And super awesome congrats!!!!
Congratulations!!! That is such exciting news! I'll be sure to keep an eye out for him while my husband watches the games 🙂
Congrats to Tab!!! How cool is this?!?
So excited for y’all! But we’ll miss him in the Big 12!
That is awesome, congratulations to Tab! I’m an SEC girl so I never saw him on saturdays, but I’ll definitely look for him on sundays now. I bet your kids, especially the boys, are freaking out!
Wow this is so exciting!!! Good for him for all his hard work and you for supporting him. Will this become his full time job?
That is so cool. Congrats to him.
Oh my gosh!!! How exciting for all of you!! Congrats!
How exciting! Congratulations! Will be looking for him on the screen.
That’s so awesome!!!’ Congratulations ��! I hope to see him officiate some games that the Saints play!
That is great! Congratulations to Tab!!!!
Oh my gosh, I thought I saw him!!!!! So awesome and many congratulations!!!! Glad
Your site is back up 🙂
Such exciting news! Congratulations!!
Such exciting news for your family!! Sooo happy for you!!
Erica, this is amazing, I am so glad you shared with us!!!! I love watching for Tab at football games and I’m even more excited to watch for him in the NFL now! Congratulations to Tab and all of your family, too!
Blessings!
So so exciting!!! Congratulations Tab!
I LOVE this post. And I love all of these wonderfully encouraging comments!!!!!!!! So proud of Tab AND YOU! This has been such a commitment from both of you. Love you friend and GO TAB!!!
Oh, congratulations!!! What amazing news!
My 15 yr. old son watches NFL and now I can point your husband out to him.
I'm so happy for you all!
Such exciting news! Congratulations on this amazing opportunity!
So exciting! I cannot wait to look for him this Sunday!
Congratulations! 🙂 So happy for you guys!
This is such exciting news!! Congratulations on such a monumental achievement!!!
WOO HOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SO AWESOME & SO EXCITING!!! Can't wait to watch him!!!!
CONGRATS TAB!!!!!
Congratulations!! So excited for you all and so glad to have good news to celebrate these days!
Thank YOU for sharing your sweet news with your 'friends'! I am so happy for ALL of you. What a testament to Tab's hard work and his family's support all of these years. What a blessing this will be for your family!
Congratulations! What wonderful news!
That is so exciting! Congratulations!!!
Wow, that’s awesome news! So exciting for your family! Sorry ya’ll can’t go this first season, OY Covid strikes again!
I read you blog religiously. I am a silent reader. I rarely ever comment. This is amazing!! Many congrats to your husband! This is such a testament to hard work!
Oh…my…goodness!!!! Congratulations Tab, what a huge honor. So happy you shared with us. I will be watching for your sweet husband!
Sweet blessings for a sweet family! Thank you for sharing your good news!
WOW that’s incredible!!! Such an accomplishment for him. Congratulations to him!!! How awesome for you and your family!!
This is AMAZING!!!! I want to shout it from the rooftops for you!! You, Tab and your whole family have so much to be proud of! He's worked so hard. What an amazing accomplishment. I so desperately want things to return to normal in the sports world, and this just another reason why. Can't wait to see the memories you'll make with your family. I can't tell you how many times while watching a college game I've said to my husband "hey!! there's Tab!! I know him!!" and my husband has to remind me that no, I don't. LOL! But I sure feel like I do!! Thank you for sharing the news with us!!
Omg! This is HUGE news! Congratulations to ALL of you! How fun and exciting and I will keep my eye out for him! Congratulations to all of you! So exciting!!!
Oh my goodness, this is the most exciting news! Congratulations!🎊🎉