My Field of Dreams

We were on our way.  We had travelled many miles and planned months in advance for this day.  This was THE day.

Full Speed and T.Puzzle were going to their first Cubs game.

In the weeks leading up to this momentous event, I tried to convey to them how special this was to me.  So much of my childhood and memories of my mom were wrapped up in Cubs’ fandom.  I had met Mad Dog because of the Cubs.  Our first date was in the left field bleachers.  I fell in love with Mad Dog at Wrigley.

Wrigley Field is my mecca.

Obviously, I was feeling a bit emotional but mostly excited.  We decided to walk part of the way from our rented, summer apartment and grab a cab closer to the field.

Then, I felt the first raindrop.  Then, another.  Soon, I wasn’t sure if I was feeling rain wet my face or anxious tears.

How could it threaten to rain on this of all days?  The most holiest day of my young children’s lives?

Inwardly (ok, outwardly, too) I started to freak out.  Full Speed could tell I was losing it and quickly grabbed my hand.

“It’s okay, Mom.  It’s only raining a little. It’s going to be okay.”

And, then, almost instantly it was okay.

Here’s why:  I stopped focusing on all the things that could go wrong (possible rain, thunder, game cancellation) and started to look at all that was wonderful.

First of all, I had this incredibly handsome and caring young man holding my hand.  Wow, Full Speed is going to make one heck of a husband when he grows up.  Which brought me to my own husband.  He worked so hard and planned so carefully for our little family to have this awesome Cubs experience for two reasons.  First, he is a Cubs fan, but secondly, because he does all he can to make me happy.  Seeing him up ahead leading our little family and watching him stay positive that no rain would slow us down, made my heart full.

I decided in that moment that I wasn’t going to let the threat of bad weather ruin this awesome day.  However it unfolded was going to be perfect.  I was with my favorite guys and all I felt was gratitude.

Sure enough, soon after we arrived in the park it rained and rained and rained.

What did we do?   We got some ponchos and soldiered on.

With much anticipation and thankfully no thunder, the game started on time.  Within moments, the Diamondbacks had a runner on and their clean-up hitter launched a line drive home run to right-center.  It was the kind of homer you instantly knew it was gone.  The way it cracked off the bat was soul-crushing.

And, it still rained on us.  A lot.

Somehow the Cubs made a comeback, honestly if you’ve been watching their season at all, this is hardly surprising.  Offensively they are a juggernaut.  They managed to get the lead back by the fourth inning and maintain it until the end.  This only got sweeter when my favorite player, Anthony Rizzo, clocked a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth inning.  I screamed so loud I nearly lost my voice.  You can actually see us on the MLB recap as we were behind home plate as Rizzo completes his trek around the bases.  We are easy to spot because I am jumping for joy.  To this day, Full Speed does a dead-on impersonation of me jumping around like a crazy person for Anthony’s home run.

It was a magical, magical day.

Thank you, Wrigley Field.

You did not let me down.