A few weeks ago, we were blessed with four free tickets to the local baseball team. Not only were we blessed, but my sister was too, allowing us to sit up close and personal with some of our favorite people. I'm not sure why, we live so close and our kiddos really get along, and she is my sister....but we just don't see each other as often as we would like. Work, school, activities, volunteer, parties, basically...life gets in the way. Well, not that day!
Our seats were amazing. Third base line, beautiful sunny day, surrounded by loved ones. Within a few minutes seconds of sitting in our assigned seats the complaints about heat, boredom and how much longer began.
I tried to ignore it. I really did. I tried to distract. I tried to reason. Nothing was working. More complaints. Then, something amazing happened. Music started playing, people were dancing, and my little complainers were up out of their seat, mesmerized by the energy and excitement all around them.
The cotton candy vendor came, which my sister graciously shared with my kiddos, and just like that.... the heat no longer seemed to matter, though it was still in the mid 90's. The bright sunlight no longer seemed to beat down on us, but merely made us appreciate the blue sky, and the home-run fireworks. Somewhere in that few minute window, our perspective and attitude changed. All was right in the world.
We snacked on goodies and taught our two year old the joy and skill to crack a shelled peanut and throw the shell on the ground. We sipped on sugary fruit drinks I had packed and used licorice to kiss like the Lady and the Tramp movie. We danced in our seats to different songs and even jumped up and down trying to win a free t-shirt (if you don't know me well...I will do a lot of goofy things for a free t-shirt).
After a few innings and a few too many fireworks (Maya didn't care for them) we toured the stadium.
We met some unusually tall people. :)
We snacked on more than our fair share of ice cubes.
And we ran the bases and took in some batting practice.
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| Batter Up! |
We even got to meet the mascot! Well, almost.
All in all, it was a wonderful evening. I can't really tell you what the score was, or even who won that day. I can tell you that we experienced happiness and joy in just being together. In trying new things, in being "uncomfortable" (in the heat, sun, overall unfamiliarity of it) and making ourselves comfortable in spite of it. With each new experience we grow and learn....even a local baseball game!
