So 15 years ago Rob asked me to marry him at the LP Zoo lights on 12/27/2006. I have said it many times, it was the greatest single moment of my life. It was all I had anticipated and there couldn't have been a happier person on the planet. So yesterday we went to see the lights and Santa at the zoo with the kids. We've been to the zoo w/ them a ton but never to see the lights. I couldn't help but to be sentimental. As we were walking around, I had to do the math and realized it's our 15 year engagement anniversary. That's pretty wild. It really is. I kept thinking that there was some couple there last night who might be getting engaged and they couldn't possibly know what's ahead of them. 3 kids! A full life....Wow.. Plus, being in Lincoln Park always makes me way sappy b/c it's the place of our courtship. A place that truly represents a time in my life that I thought about ONE thing......us. Nothing else - not problems or work or money or any responsibility at all. I must admit, I WISH I could that back once a while. At least the ability to just care about 1 thing but now our lives are so full of responsibility and challenges that "us" takes a big back seat.
ANYWAY - we have watched hundreds of basketball games together. We LOVE the tournament. I might even love the tournament more than Rob. We have fantasies about, when the kids are older, taking off work and flying out to the cities that host the games we want to see and then doing it again the next week. In retirement, this could be our annual vacation.....chasing the tournament.
Last night KU beat OSU who is ranked #2. As much as we both love this stuff, we handle it WAY differently. Rob was silently monitoring it on his phone. Not a word. And I wasn't about to say a word b/c talking about it is not RN's style. His expectations are low. Well he says they are low but I bet secretly they're a little higher that even he would want. Anyway, he finally turns the phone towards me to see the score. WHAT? This is crazy...they are about to win.....HOLY SHIT. He is mellow. I am not. He was probably afraid to even tell me. We are happy with the victory and head into see Santa at the zoo. Rob is now monitoring the IU game. Now my expectations are honestly low. IU is certainly making a come back but they are in NO position to beat the #1 team in a the country. A team I despise. A team that, back in the day, were each other's greatest rivals. Not only are my expectations low, I can't bear to watch or know the score. So it's a perfect set up w/ Rob monitoring - if it's bad, he says nothing and I don't need to know the damage and if it's okay, he will quietly let me know. Through the evening he lets me know - 14-12. 30-22. We are winning. Holy shit. But they can't keep this up. I can't bear to know any more. So we see Santa and Peter was sweet as could be asking Santa if he would rather have tacos instead of cookie on Christmas Eve. Santa says that's a great idea but easy on the beans. So we see some more lights and head to RJ Grunts. It's packed and an hour wait. I look up at the TVs at the bar - they ware WINNING. 12 minutes left. Holy shit. I can't bear to watch b/c now I WANT them to win. I know it's possible. Can't take the heart break. We leave to find a place to eat....John Barleycorns. We get a great parking spot, walk in and get a table. I look up - 2 minutes left and we are winning. I have a huge flat screen 5 feet in front of me and a big group of rowdy Hoosiers at the bar. I'm in heaven. THIS is heaven to me. I am a mix of giddy and scared. I say to myself (and to Rob) that it doesn't matter. Even if they loose, they made it close which is more than I expected. Then we are down by 1. Then we loose the ball. OMG I can't watch this. UK has 2 free throws and are already up by 1. There are only 5.6 seconds left. God Dammit...I was trying not to care. I am barely watching. One eye open. The guy misses one free throw. OMG. He makes the other but only 5.6 seconds left. They are down by 2 and my group of rowdy Hoosier guys are bursting at the seams. I am slightly out of body when those seconds slip away and my stomach is in agony when Christian Watford goes to shoot and 3 pointer. It goes in. WHAT???? I jumped up and am yelling "Oh my God, that didn't happen?!!". The rowdy Hoosiers are insane, I am in complete disbelief. Every Hoosier at Assembly Hall is running on the floor. I am in heaven. This is unbelievable. I said is at least 30 times. Unbelievable. To get a perfect parking spot, to make it there in time, to be surrounded by other IU fans. The only bummer is Lily wouldn't talk the rest of the night b/c I embarrassed her w/ jumping and yelling. I hope, for her sake, she loves something enough in her life that she jumps and yells. I can barely focus....bliss....heaven. I smiled all night. Who couldn't? Good beat evil. Twice in a night. Our teams just beat the #1 and #2 teams in the country. And our kid just asked Santa if he'd like tacos. Seriously people, I'm living the dream.
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