Favorite (Five Minute Friday)

Welcome to Five Minute Friday where I write on the wrong day of the week about the prompt provided by Kate - and then link with all the folks who wrote on time to share our thoughts. Five minutes, raw and unedited.

This week the word is FAVORITE. And while I will still pour my heart out for a few, I might not stop at 5 minutes this time. Because I want to tell you about my favorite baseball player.

Lots of my friends love baseball. Lots of people love baseball. Some have favorite players and some don't. And reasons people pick their favorite are as varied as the people who walk the face of the earth. Some like players who hit, or ones who throw untouchable fast balls. Some like players with personality, pizzazz, or ones who choose particular walk up music. There are folks who like players for their good looks or for where they played college ball, or just because they're on a particular team.

My favorite player is liked for a lot of reasons by many people. For me, it's his heart. Ian Desmond, shortstop for the Washington Nationals has the biggest heart of any baseball player I know. Last year Ian led a campaign to raise money for the Children's Tumor Foundation. (I wrote about that here. And in that post are links to all the back story of Ian's friendship with Ethan and how everything got started. Hop over and have a read).

It could have stopped there. The campaign raised over $30,000 and that is amazing. But Ian did it because he cares about the cause. Because Ethan is his friend, and like a little brother. I've become friends with Ethan and his family as well, and this whole year I've seen posts about the time Ian makes to check in and see how things are. To make sure Ethan has what he needs - to offer advice about girls, and to offer advice about friendships, and to offer wise counsel about where to study in Scripture.

And it could stop there. But it doesn't. Last week I organized an outing to a Nationals-Braves game in Atlanta. We did it through the Georgia chapter of the Children's Tumor Foundation. The Braves were gracious hosts and made sure we could get our seats in the shade, with wheelchair access if needed. We had a group of 17 people come to the game. A few of us flew down from DC. Some drove in from South Carolina and Alabama. And a few were Atlanta locals.

I reached out to Ian and let him know we were trying to get a group together. And Ian, with the Nationals, hosted us at batting practice before the game. Every single person in our group was able to get down on the field to watch BP. Ethan and his family joined us, too. 21 people in the BP crowd. But it doesn't even stop there.

Ian came out onto the field well before the Nationals were even due out to warm up. He came over to our group. He took photos with us, signed balls and programs, for way more people than he should have had to. But more than photos and signing, he took time with us. He stopped to visit with all the folks in our group. He engaged the kids and talked with them. Not cursory hellos, but thoughtful conversation. "What's happening. What's your name. (and then he used their names for the rest of the conversations). How are you. Do you have NF1 or NF2. Tell me your story.  Tell me about your family." And on and on.

Great to see this group from @ChildrensTumor, guests of Ian Desmond, rocking Curly W's here in Atlanta! #Nats #EndNF pic.twitter.com/vFNBNYmwlE

— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) June 30, 2015

The time Ian devotes to people - to investing in them. To making them feel special and important and welcome. To understanding what they are facing and making them feel included. THIS is what I love about Ian and this is why he is my favorite baseball player. We are lucky to have a role model on this team who puts his faith and his heart into action, and who shares that willingly and openly with the community. Because of how Ian speaks of Ethan and his heart to EndNF with the guys on the team, others on the team, including Bryce Harper and Dan Uggla, came over to say hello and visit as well.

Thank you, Ian, for making our group feel loved. For using your name to give a voice to a cause that needs more spokespeople, and for sharing your heart to #EndNF in Washington. (and Atlanta). (and across the world).

On behalf of all the folks who came out to the game last week: from the bottom of our hearts, thank you.



a few pictures from the evening are below.

 

Dream (Five Minute Friday)

This post is a part of Five Minute Friday, hosted by Kate. Where we get the word, write for 5 minutes, and then link here with lots of other writers - all sharing hearts and encouraging each other.

DREAM
Do you have a bucket list? I do. It's a hodge podge of things I want to do or places I want to go and such. Includes watching a sunset in Hawaii, visiting Australia, taking my kids to Paris, seeing Mount Rushmore, hiking in the Grand Canyon, seeing the Alps....
and until last week it included going to the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska.

Last week I got to put a big check on my bucket list. My alma mater, Vanderbilt University has a fabulous baseball team. They won the CWS last year - national champions! I wanted to go last year, but timing, end of school, and exorbitant airfare prevented me from making it happen.

welcome sign at the airport in Omaha

So, when Vandy made it back to the CWS (8 teams go), my friend and colleague who lives in Omaha messaged me. "Are you coming?" I was admittedly on the fence. How would the logistics work? Could the girls stay with their dad and stepmom for a few days outside of our normal schedule? Could I get a flight?

And so I decided I would try. Step 1: ask about kiddo coverage. Their dad graciously agreed to have a few extra days. YAY! next: check airfare. I found an amazing deal - bought those tickets in a hurry.  Step 3: figure out work stuff.  I am a telecommuter - my friend has everything I need since she's a telecommuter for the same company, plus she has an extra room at her place and set me up like a regular office.

I decided to go even if Vandy didn't make the finals. I might never have the opportunity again. My friend bought tickets to Monday and Tuesday's games. I had a return flight Wednesday night because I needed to get the kids Thursday.

and then -- VANDY MADE IT TO THE FINALS!! JACKPOT!

and so - off to Omaha I went. LATE flight Sunday night. And we arrived later than we were supposed to. I will spare you the airport drama in Chicago. I am still trying to forget it.

My friend picked me up in the wee hours. Monday afternoon we headed over to the stadium. I saw all the great photo spots.

only Vanderbilt and University of Virginia flags left standing tall. The other 6 teams had already been eliminated. 

Road to Omaha statue

Got my T-shirt. Went to the pep rally picnic. Went in and found our seats. Met up with a friend (he drove in from Dallas) who I had not seen since graduation.  (17 years ago... ). And then we watched the game. Cheered until we were hoarse.  End of game 1: Vandy wins!! One win away from the championship.

Tuesday, we went to dinner at an "Omaha pizza dive".  It was DELICIOUS! And I discovered fried ravioli.  I also found some CWS postcards to send home - to the girls and to my folks and to some UVA friends...   Tuesday night UVA won. I was hoarse and I was sad. If Vandy was going to win, they would do it without me there. OR WOULD THEY?

My friend said "can you stay?" And so I called Southwest on the way back to her house from the game. "Can I swap to the Thursday AM flight?"  and yes, I could.  No change fees. Small airfare difference.  WHOA! OK, I am in!!  And then another friend, who had driven in from Denver with her kids, asked if I wanted to go with her.  So I said yes. We got tickets Wednesday morning in the lottery drawing and were 8 rows behind the enemy dugout that night. We cheered loud and proud all night long. Our team fought hard and played their hearts out, but at the end of the day, Virginia prevailed. 4-2.

We cried. We cheered. Virginia was the better team that night, but I am still so proud of our guys. Returning to the national title game after winning the year before is no easy feat. And there's a pile of statistics running around somewhere about how evenly matched Vandy and UVA are, so we are all pulling for a rubber match next year.


After the game, we walked out of the stadium and waited for the team to board the bus. They finally came out after the press conference, tears in their eyes. But holding their heads high. The fans cheered and said thank you. The team stopped, the guys took photos with us and signed balls for kids and were classy all the way.

with Rhett Wiseman, who was drafted by the Washington Nationals

With Dansby Swanson, who was drafted first overall by the Arizona Diamondbacks

Several of them have played their last game in the Vandy pinstripes. They're headed off to the pros and I will cheer for each of them on their journey. Several will be back, and we have another banner recruiting class.  So maybe we WILL get that rematch next year. And maybe, just maybe, I can add "see my team win the national championship in person" to the things I've checked on my bucket list.

Even with the loss, college baseball in Omaha was better than I dreamed it could be. It truly is the "greatest show on dirt" and I would do it all again in a heartbeat, even knowing the outcome.

#AnchorDown #VandyBoys

I also got to meet David Price, former VandyBoy and now pitcher for the Detroit Tigers