Whole (Five Minute Friday)

Welcome to another edition of Five Minute Friday: the online blogging community where we get a prompt, write for 5 minutes flat (no edits / no backtracking) and then link up together and encourage the others who write alongside us.

Join  us here at Kate's place.

This week, the prompt is WHOLE.

We have been waiting the whole offseason for this: the return of baseball to our town. The Nationals opened Monday on the road in Atlanta and Thursday afternoon at home here in DC. The countdown has been on since the season ended.

We had the perfect storm of everything on Thursday tryin to derail our game plans. This mama and my 2 girls would have none of that. We were GOING to get to this game. We had to leave later than we planned because A had her school performance that day. They do 2 shows during the school day (she did both) and one for parents at night (I went to the afternoon show and we skipped the night one. Her dad was away and I videoed it and it did not count for her grade in the evening). So on we go to baseball .

First adventure: TRAFFIC.  We were stopped awhile so I got this lovely shot of the Washington monument. We drive by it on the way to nearly every game. usually traffic is moving so we only see it. But this day we got to park. And photograph while we waited. 

We normally arrive WELL BEFORE the game, so we can see the opening day festivities. there was a flyover (we saw it standing in line at the gates to get in). There was a big flag on the field (friends got lovely photos). The Clydesdales were there (the kids don't even know this, because I didn't want the whining that they missed it). BUT: we made it to our seats before first pitch. I will count that as a WIN.

the view as we waited for the teams to take the field

 We had 1 1/2 innings of crazy. Marlins jumped out to 3-0 lead. Nats tied it up in bottom of the first (thank you Daniel Murphy). Then after 1 1/2 innings the skies opened up. Downpour. Hail. So fun. (not really. except we made it that way). We scrambled for cover ... the girls chose the landing zone. The bathroom. Of course. There was space ... and we were not *in a stall* - there is room to hang out. Of course we had just gotten our dinner, so yes, we ate pizza in the bathroom. It was dry, we were safe, the pizza was delicious and some friends came to hang with us in the bathroom. (Of course the ladies room, so some other friends were disappointed that they could not join us. I will plan better next time. Of course, we would rather not have a rain delay, but anyway...)

Then we came out and hung out under an overhang with some more friends and then the skies behind the park started to clear. And we were treated to a beautiful rainbow. A loved it so much she would not even turn around to smile for the photo. She had a point...

The grounds crew cleared the tarp and got the field ready to resume the game. And the skies cleared and the runs resumed, and the night grew cold. The Marlins were ahead 6-3 and then Bryce Harper hit a HR and it was 6-4. Somewhere in there we got ice cream, even though it was about 25 degrees colder than when the game had started (because when you have waited since October for ice cream at the ball park and you are a kid ... you get the ice cream anyway) 

after the storm

being silly (AKA how we roll all the time)

then it drizzled some more. and was windy. and the kids were TIRED

 The game went on, later than planned (thanks rain) and the kids grew tired. A (the little one) started begging to go home. S said "mama, we stay the WHOLE game. And she's right ... 95% of the time we stay for the whole game. But little sister was exhausted from her day, and it was well past bedtime at the end of the 7th inning ... and look at this face.  So we left, much to S's chagrin.

But, just before we headed out, an old friend from my Vanderbilt band days stopped by ... 20 years later we are still repping our school with pride, and enjoying our newly shared love of the Nats as well.

While we didn't make the whole game, we had a whole day's worth of fun packed into the time we had. And we will be back Saturday ... and many days after that. Because the season is new and we have a whole summer of fun ahead of us.

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

An Open Letter to Vandy Nation

Dear Vandy Nation:

I'm embarrassed and disappointed in the way some of you have acted over the last 2 weeks.

I'm a proud Vanderbilt alumna, and I fly our flag and proclaim my blood of black and gold far and wide. I graduated in 1998 so I'm part of the class that saw 3 football coaches within my 4 years as a student.

I believe in our school and our team. I've cheered through many a lean year and many a 2 win season, and I've been delighted in the huge strides our team has made under Coach Franklin. I believe in following through on commitments, but I also know that sometimes choices and opportunities present themselves, and then plans change. Life happens.

What should NOT change is one's character.  Integrity? Honor? Yes, these should remain even in the face of hard choices.

I can't speak to Coach Franklin's choice to leave us for PSU other than to say he believes it is right for his family. I can't speak to our recruiting class members' choices. Some may stay with us. They believe in Vanderbilt and what we can offer. To those recruits, I'm thankful you've decided to stay. I've not regretted for one second the choice I made to pursue my education at Vanderbilt. Some recruits may choose to follow Coach Franklin to PSU, or to choose another school altogether. To you, I wish you the best with your choice. It's one of the biggest decisions you will ever make - I hope it is the right one for you.

But to you, Vandy Nation.... The alumni and fans who make us what we are, take heed. Before you throw Coach Franklin's words "men of honor" back in his face, consider how you do that. Consider how you interact with our recruits. Consider how you interact with the media. Consider how you interact with the nation.

When you tweet flaming words of anger and hatred, are YOU acting like the "man of honor" you are so blatantly accusing those others of not being? I'm not sure you are. There are lots of ways to express your displeasure without being rude. There are lots of ways to wear the chip on your shoulder without being hateful.

I've got that chip, too. I believe in our school and this program. I believe in Vandy Nation. But I also believe in showing grace, in treating people first like human beings. Respecting their feelings  and their choices. Recognizing that while they may not show their honor by staying where they made a commitment, that doesn't mean I should ever lay mine aside. Even if it is to tell them just that.

Man Up. And Anchor Down.

Jen Kamin Underwood
Class of 1998