A Moment 71 (or maybe 108?) Years in the Making...

My brother recently said it best: “It’s not just sports… it’s family.”  And for the Anderson family, no truer words have been spoken.

Those who know me well know that I am a Cub fan.  Those who know me really well know that I’ve been a Cub fan for all of my life. 

Anyone who is even a part-time, fair-weather baseball fan knows at least a little about the long-suffering plight of the Chicago Cub fan.  And I’m not talking about the Bartman incident.  Or even about the Curse of the Billy Goat.  I’m talking about 108 years of disappointment and “wait ‘til next year.” Getting really close, or getting nowhere near. Being excited about the prospect of a new season each year, only to be disappointed and know that it’s over by the All-Star Break.   Say what you will about Cub fans, but we are loyal to our team through it all.  What’s not to love about that?!?

How did this all begin? With my father.  And his father before him.  And a letter that my father helped me write to Harry Caray (Holy Cow!), followed by the autographed picture he sent me that I still treasure to this day. And now, a new fourth generation of Cub fans in the Anderson family (my and my brother’s children) have an opportunity to witness something that our previous three generations, including my 90-year-old grandfather, have been waiting our entire lives to see: The potential for a World Series victory.  (I hate to even write those words.  You see, being a Cub fan has helped shape me into the eternal pessimist that I tend to be.  Nevertheless, this year, it is an ever-present possibility!)

I tend to follow many sports, some closely and some from a distance, including our Bears football team (speaking of eternal pessimism…), but my favorite sport to follow has always been Cubs baseball.  Why?? Maybe it’s the fact that it’s a spring/summer sport.  (We all know how this girl despises cold weather.)  Nope, that’s not quite it.  Maybe it’s the 162+ chances to watch our team play a game every season.  (Seriously.  Who wants to play that many games??) Nope, that’s not it either.

Why Cubs baseball?  That’s easy – it’s the memories.  Ask any Cubs fan.  They’ll be able to tell you all about their first Cubs game:  Where they sat.  Who they were with. What the weather was like.  Whether they won or lost.  And I guarantee they recall those times to you with a smile on their face, and maybe even a tear in their eye.

My memories are simple.  My first game was in 2008.  I was 29 years old.  I remember exactly where our seats were.  I remember the three-piece brass band that stopped to play right in front of us between innings.  I remember arranging to have the Anderson name displayed on the scoreboard in the fifth inning.  And I remember the Singing Beer Man.  But most of all, I remember who I was with: My father, my brother, and my then 82-year-old grandfather who had flown in from Colorado.  Three generations of Cub fans who met from different ends of the country to watch a game in the Friendly Confines together.  Words can’t describe how fun that was, and how wonderful of a memory it is to this day.  Since that time, I’ve had the opportunity to attend at least one game every year, each with very important people in my life, and each with a brand new set of happy memories.  After all, isn’t that what life is all about?? 

But what do I love most about Cubs baseball? Without a doubt, it has to be this moment.  A moment that in my, my brother’s, and my father’s lifetime, we have never seen. THE CUBS ARE IN THE WORLD SERIES. (Somebody pinch me because I must be dreaming...)  And the potential of a moment 108 years in the making, a moment that my grandfather has waited his whole life to see (that’s 90 years, folks!), is something that I truly never believed would happen.

So, on the eve of the day that this next chapter in Cubs history begins, I look back at the memories that being a Cub fan has given me, and I smile.  I know that through it all, I could never follow any other baseball team. And I revel in the moments that are yet to come… win or lose.  I will be watching these games along with some of the most important men in my life.   In more than one way, Harry will be watching with me as well … Eamus Catuli!!  Go Cubs Go!! 

Nostalgia and a Tragic Event...

Last night, I decided it past time for me to post another blog entry. I had a really good idea exactly what I was going to write about. However, as the phone rang a little before 7:00 this morning, all of that changed. Sort of. Rather, it made me want to take a bit of a different approach.

Two years ago at this moment. I can tell you exactly where I was. Sitting at home with Mike and Tyler, debating whether or not it was time to grab my bag and go to the hospital. I had been having contractions since I woke up on St. Patrick's Day morning. By the evening time, they were close enough together that I was beginning to think, "This is it." My little Nathan, at this point two years ago, was only about 13 hours from meeting him Mommy and Daddy for the very first time. Excited? Yes. Scared? A little. But I had been through these motions with Tyler only 17 months earlier, so I knew a bit about what to expect. So by 11:30p.m. on St. Patrick's Day, we were off to the hospital, and 12 hours later, close to noon on the 18th, little Nathan was born. Words can not describe how much he means to me. And to all of us. But, as with every year on each of my kids' birthdays, I tend to get a bit nostalgic and retrospective. With his second birthday coming up tomorrow, this year is no exception.

I had a horrible night's sleep last night. I had the hardest time getting to sleep. As I recall, it was close to 1:30 a.m. by the time I finally drifted off. And of course there was the neighbors' dog barking, which woke me up somewhere before 6 a.m.

(On a side note, I never have believed in these kind of things. However, the significance of these two times is a bit eerie. And I've had a few of these kind of "coincidences" over the last few years to allow me to perhaps rethink my position on that. Maybe. Ulitmately, that's another discussion for another time.)

So I was lying in bed awake a little before 7 a.m., when the phone rang. Who calls me this early? Nobody - at least if they know what's good for them. I check the caller ID - it's my parents. In my family, if someone calls before the sun comes up, the news is never good. I immediately get a horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach, pick up the phone, and sit down. After "Hello?" I believe my first words were "What's going on?" I won't even begin to describe all of the thoughts that flew through my head from the moment I answered the phone, to the moment I heard my dad, choked up on the line, say, "I've got bad news," to the moment he actually told me why he called. And yet, somehow, the news didn't seem any less devastating than if it had happened to someone in my own family.

The news of precious little Braden. Leaving this earth WELL before his time, at the age of 2 1/2. I can't even put in to words the amount of pain I feel for his mom and dad, grandma and grandpa, aunt, and his entire family, including the new little brother or sister that he didn't get the chance to meet. I feel very sad that I had not yet met this very special boy, who had been through so much in his short life, and had shown all of us how strong he really was. Through those close to me though, I felt as if I knew him well. And through his mom and dad's own words, as I closely followed Braden's progress over the last 2 1/2 years, amazed at how this precious little boy had fought so hard and WON, I feel as if in some small way, I have followed right alongside his family in Braden's journey through life. Which is why the news of his passing affects me so much today. If you believe in Heaven, know that there is another angel watching over us all tonight. And his name is Braden.

Which brings me back to my little Nathan. Turning two tomorrow. And my "big guy" Tyler, who is now 3 1/2. I recognize how blessed we all are to have these two, in my eyes, perfect little boys in our lives. It's times like these that I reminded even more. Life is short. We all know this. I love my two little boys more than I ever could have imagined before they were born. The thought of anything of this magnitude happening to them is too much for me to handle. I am reminded today to cherish every moment I have with them.

So tomorrow, I will grieve with Braden's family and friends, just as I did today. But tomorrow I will also celebrate. Celebrate the life of my little Nathan on his second birthday. And celebrate the fact that my two precious boys are here with me now, taking full advantage of every moment I have with them. And while I always get nostalgic on each of my boys' birthdays, this one is a very special one for me.

My thoughts are with the Petskas tonight. Please know that Braden had an impact on so many people, more than you know. We love you, and I know that Braden is looking down on you now, smiling that million-dollar smile! :)

It has to be a miracle

I really have no words for what it feels like to see this picture. Amazed. Thrilled. Overjoyed. There are so many more, but that's about all I can come up with right now.

What a difference one week makes. Congratulations Heidi and Dennis. He's beautiful.

Do we REALLY need a little Christmas now??

Okay. Don't get me wrong. I LOVE Christmas. The time between Thanksgiving and Christmas is one of my favorite times of year. (It's what gets me through the first one-third of the winter. Without that month, I probably would be in a deeper depression than I am usually in during that time. But, I digress...) I love Christmas decorations, the Christmas smells, the Christmas sounds, AND Christmas music. I'm happy to start playing it as soon as the day after Thanksgiving. And, for as long as I've been living downstate, so too have two of Grand Rapids' radio stations. Seven years ago, when I first moved down here permanently, these two radio stations, who will remain nameless other than to say they are Grand Rapids' two light rock stations, would begin playing Christmas music 24 hours a day on "Black Friday." Great! It helps get me into the Christmas mood.

I did notice one surprising thing last year. It was somewhere around the second week of November 2007, when in flipping through the stations one day, I came across Christmas music on one of these two stations. The second week of November?? Hmmm... a little early, I must say. But alright. I guess I'm okay with that.

Alright. It was yesterday. October 31st. Halloween. I jumped into the car to run a few errands before the trick-or-treating festivities began, and didn't like what was on the current radio station. So I began my station scan. I couldn't believe my ears when I suddenly hear "...Silver Bells..." WHAT??? Christmas music???? Has anyone checked the calendar lately?? It's HALLOWEEN for crying out loud!! It's 65 degrees! I'm getting ready to turn on my inflatable yard pumpkin and dress my kids up for trick-or-treating! And you're playing CHRISTMAS MUSIC?? So I flipped over to the other light rock station, only to find that THEY are playing Christmas music too! SERIOUSLY?? Again, don't get me wrong, I love Christmas music and the Christmas season just as much as the next person, and I can deal with walking in to the Hallmark store on Halloween (as I did yesterday) and seeing the Christmas cards and ornaments already on display, but COME ON!!!

So, I guess, as the song goes, we need a little Christmas. But do we REALLY need it on October 31st?? Maybe next year they'll start playing it on the day after Labor Day...