Deep in the Heart of Texas: October 2006

The Cast of Characters

Soooo...if I sit here long enough, they'll just BRING me candy?

I got yer "great pumpkin" right here.

No, no. Go on. I'll stay here. Yeah, I'm good. I'll just...suck on...my...hand. Ugh.

Our little pum...er...du...um...girls!

I got some caaaan-dy! I got some caaan-dy!

Buy your kid a superball...see what happens.

Bravo...

Congratulations to Scott, Greg, Steve, and all the other Cardinal fans in my life.

I would be lying if I said it doesn't hurt that much more that we lost to you guys.

Or that we played like a jayvee high school team.

But, credit where credit is due. For every errant throw or inexplicable slip in the outfield, your Redbirds got a timely hit or threw a key strike out.

I can only hope our time is yet to come.

So enjoy it. It yours. Certainly no need to rub it in.

We saw the whole sorry thing.

Smashing? No, Sleeping Pumpkins.

The Fam

Hangin' out with Aunt Jana

A bunch of turkeys!

Mom and Dad...alone???

Who's having more fun?

Pretty ladies!

A pumpkin expedition

(Pumpkin) Seeeeeeeeeeeds!

Pay attention Aunt Jana, the camera is over there.

You can't see me...I'm in my pumpkin camoflauge.

Hee, hee! I wonder...

...how big a splat this will make.

CIVIL WAR!

It's on! We're goin' old school, baby! Families will be divided. Brother against brother-in-law. Faculty member against faculty member. College roommate against college roommate. The only way this could make my life any more stressful is if it was Tigers-Brewers. God forbid that ever happen, for the girls' sake.

Luke Arthur, follow your heart. You can always come live with us. (Or Uncle Kurt.)

Detroit Tigers Season Highlights


A Season to Savor...Love my Tigs!

Friday Night Fashions

Even Dr. Doolittle had limits...

Asleep at the wheel (we lasted one half of the infield)

Yo. What up.

Yee-Haa!

Just 'cause I got in here, doesn't mean I know how to get out!!!

Monkey see...

Geez I'm funny...

Oh-WHEE-Oh...

...MAGGLIO!

The Olde English D stands proud once again!
Go Tigers!

Bless You Boys...

No, no. Don't touch me.

Don't pinch. Don't shake me. Don't let me wake up.

Please. Please tell me Grandpa is having this same exact dream.

Please tell me that Dad, and Ben, and Kurt are too.

Tell me this so that I know how real it is.

Go ahead. Scold me for being too emotionally attached to a sports franchise.

Scoff at me for waiting since kindergarten for this moment.

But at least allow me to soak it in. Let me enjoy the feeling of champange stinging the eyes from thousands of miles away.

Those that know me best understand this isn't a bandwagon moment. My heart has been trampled on every summer for the last nineteen years. And still, every April, I kept coming back. Because that's what you do. That's how I was raised. We may not have been good, but it was still OUR team.

So forgive them for embracing the moment.

Forgive them for realizing that an entire city had agonized with them and deserved a bubbly shower.

Forgive them for acting like school children even though they didn't recieve a trophy.

Forgive them for not earning more than the gross national income of a third world country.

Forgive them for hoisting their leader on their shoulders out of respect, because he showed them respect in leading them.

It has been quite a journey boys. And while I will continue to cheer with passion, teach my daughter to say "Go Tigers! Rahr!", no matter what happens the rest of the way, I have to thank you boys. Thank you for this moment. Thank you for sharing with us.

Bless You Boys!