The afternoon weather had a definite chill to it. The wind only made it more apparent that I had failed to prepare properly. It's Texas. How cold can it really get in Texas??
My excitement for the event was enough to compensate for the lack of warm clothing. I left the hotel 3 hours early. I couldn't miss one single moment of this. It was my life-long dream and I was hours away from fulfilling it. I felt like a child on Christmas morning, seeing all the presents and unable to stay away from the tree.
I'm sure I looked like a crazy woman with my perma-grin. I was in heaven. I kept forgetting to take pictures because I was so in awe that I was actually THERE!! How could this be?? I was at Texas Stadium!!! The home of the Dallas Cowboys since 1971!! Roger Staubach, Troy Aikman, Tom Landry, Too Tall Jones, Emmitt Smith and Don Meredith all walked and played in this stadium. The stadium with a hole in the roof so God could watch his team play. I can't even begin to describe the emotions I felt!!!
I bought a sweat-shirt, a t-shirt, a blanket, a baseball cap, a knit cap, and a program. After getting past security, I headed straight to the bathroom. Not to pee but to change into my t-shirt and sweatshirt. Then the decision had to be made...the baseball cap or the knit cap. The "official sideline" baseball cap won out.
Next order of business...FOOD. The corn dog stand smelled fantastic!! I bought one corn dog. It wasn't all that big but it was $6. As it turned out, it wasn't all that good. I was truly disappointed. Another big disappointment was that the stadium was full of Pepsi products!! WTF???....Pepsi??? You gotta be kidding me!! So, I bought a souvenir cup filled with Dr. Pepper. And in honor of my mother, I bought a souvenir bucket of popcorn!! The Dr. Pepper ended up being flat and the popcorn stale. LOL...
As I walked through the portal to my seat, my mouth dropped open. WOW was all I could say. I was in the upper level around the 30 yard line behind the Cowboys. I didn't think I was going to have a good view when I bought the ticket but I didn't care because I was going to BE there. But my seat...WOW. It was awesome. I could see everything!! I could not believe my luck!!
The game didn't end so well. The Cowboys lost to the Ravens 24-33. But I screamed the entire game until my throat started to really hurt. I stayed until the clock said 0:00. How could I leave early and still call myself a fan?? My feet were freezing, my hands were cold, my nose was running but my smile was still in place!!! It was worth every minute!!
After the game, there was a ceremony to say farewell to Texas Stadium. This was the last home game that the Cowboys would play in Texas Stadium. The new stadium will be their home next season. So, it was now or never for me.
I never really thought I'd have the opportunity to go. It was a far-fetched dream and continued to be so until last month. I reconfigured and recalculated my budget so I could make it happen. I'm so glad that I did.
I saw the Cowboys play in Texas Stadium. I was there for the farewell. I got to see some of my old heroes come and say their own farewell. It was an unforgettable evening for me. I have some pictures and some souvenirs but more than that, I have the memories!!
Thank you to my Father in Heaven for opening doors which allowed me the opportunity to see my Boys play in Texas Stadium. The only thing that would have made this experience more perfect would have been to have my brother, Michael, there with me. Except he's a Redskins fan and would have rooted for the Ravens just to irritate me but he appreciates the sport just as much as I do!! Love you Michael!!
Always
Miche
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