Our $1 Million Mistake

Here's a little history for you. Rob and I both went to Baylor. I grew up a Baptist in Garland so it was only about an hour and a half down 35 for me and a logical place to go since it's a Baptist University. Rob was Catholic and went to high school in Kentucky so it is more of a mystery of how he ended up at this fine conservative Christian establishment! Just kidding. . .he was going to be pre-med. That lasted one semester. Anyways, we sat next to each other during our second semester of our freshman year in Spanish, however, we never spoke a word to each other. Then we both lived in the same apartment complex our sophomore year and that is where our love bloomed (HA!) and we dated for the next 4 years and got married right after graduation.

Our commitment to Baylor up until this point has been this. I think we both have a Baylor shirt. I have a Baylor Alumni license plate holder on my car. We take the occasional drive through campus every couple of years on our way to Austin and talk about MY how things have changed since the good ol' days. We even hosted a Baylor reunion at our house a few years back so we could catch up with some our friends from those fun years. And that is where it stopped.

We met with a financial adviser shortly after having the twins and he informed us how much it was projected to cost for a student at Baylor by the time our kids were 18. I almost choked on my own saliva when he said it would probably cost $250,000 for ONE KID for a four year private school education at Baylor in the year 2021. We quickly decided PUBLIC SCHOOL all the way! Rob is still pushing for Collin County Community College.

So, this is where we have been for the past 16 years or so since we have graduated. We supported our school from an arms length distance. I mean, really, there wasn't much to support. We have never been a power house at any sport and who could have imagined what was to take place this year. Baylor is actually GOOD in multiple sports (football, men's & women's basketball, and maybe another but Rob is not here and I am not up on such things and am too lazy to google).

So, a few months back we started hearing Rob talk about RGIII and we started watching Baylor football games because they actually showed them on TV. And then we REALLY went and did it. We got to be better and better friends with the Lefflers. The Lefflers aren't some fair weather Baylor fans. They are HARDCORE. They go to multiple games a season and probably have for years. They take their kids to homecoming. I think Brad even recruits for Baylor. Before I even knew them I knew their kids were big Baylor fans by the cute Baylor outfits they always wore at school. And then they talked us into going to that Baylor vs. Tech game at Cowboys stadium and we sat in those really good seats and Rob was hooked.

I started hearing rumblings about bowl games and WHY IN THE WORLD would I have booked us a trip to Cabo during Bowl season and how he was going to whatever bowl game Baylor was in no matter where it was and when it was because - WAIT FOR IT WAIT FOR IT - "this is a once in a lifetime experience, Julianne" (same thing every time - Mavericks, Rangers, Stars, Cowboys - always a once in a lifetime experience. . .until the next year rolls around).

I was actually kind of relieved when I heard they would be playing in San Antonio. At least that is within driving distance and the timing was perfect. . .in between Christmas and New Year's and he would be back in plenty of time for our trip to Cabo. And then things started to snowball. Instead of just Rob and Brad going of course it turned into a family affair. All 11 of us would be going and supporting OUR team!

The mad dash for Baylor gear started and we started getting the kids pumped up. They were super excited to be going to the game PLUS their friends would be there so what could be better?

So, two days after Christmas, we headed out. We drove to Austin the first day and spent one night with Rob's parents and then drove on to San Antonio the next day where we would stay for two nights.

We stopped on the Baylor campus and took a few pictures. This picture, in particular, made me flash forward 9 years. I can totally see us dropping them off at their dorm and pulling out this picture and saying, "Remember when. . . ."

It really is such a beautiful campus and I have so many fun memories from our years there.

We bought even more Baylor gear at the bookstore because I mean if you are going to jump on the bandwagon at this point then you better be outfitted head to toe to do it!!

The Lefflers were only a few minutes behind us at this point and it was lunchtime so we all met up for a big family lunch at George's. This really makes me laugh because George's is also known as "Home of the Big 'O". . .as in big o' beer that costs about $2.75. I didn't even know they served food OR allowed children inside, but I guess things are totally different in the daylight hours. We headed on to Austin and the kids played and we called it an early night so we could head out for San Antonio first thing the next morning.

We got on the road mid-morning the next day and tried to figure out where we wanted to eat lunch. Rob is a big fan of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives on the Food Network and he remembered some pizza place northwest of San Antonio so we took a little detour and drove out there for lunch only to discover that it was closed for the holidays and wouldn't re-open until Jan. 4. We were a little discouraged until we discovered that we were right down the road from a Mexican food place called La Fogata that we had always wanted to try. It definitely lived up to the hype!

Our next stop was to check in at our hotel. . .the Sheraton Gunter. We didn't know it when we booked it, but this was the "Baylor Headquarters" hotel. The bookstore had a store in our lobby and there were TONS of Baylor fans everywhere. This added to the excitement for the kids.

We had two adjoining rooms with connecting doors so while Rob and I tried to get luggage situated in our room we heard quite a commotion in the other room. Pillow fight!

AND jumping on the bed? Who taught these kids their manners? And before I could even say it. . .wait for it. . . .5,4,3,2,1. . ..

Someone ALWAYS gets hurt. ALWAYS. Do I even need to speak the words???

We had a few hours to kill in San Antonio so what is the logical thing to do? Well, visit the Alamo, of course! We weren't the only ones who had this idea. It was packed.

I think the majority of the history was lost on the kids (the girls don't officially study Texas History until 4th grade) but they had a fun scavenger hunt that we made them do and they thought they might get something if they actually finished it so they were pretty game. And then they got nothing and they were mad.

We were trying to kill some time before the Baylor Pep Rally began and we were trying to bribe them to keep walking rather than pay for a taxi so we got ice cream for everyone!

With my new found subscription to the Baylor Bear Network e-mails, I was notified that there would be a pep rally at the Tower of the Americas. We were relatively close by and thought the kids would like it so we headed that way.

SCORE! We got all kinds of FREE Baylor stuff. . .towels!

Pom poms!

RGIII posters and tattoos!

And then the fun really began. We were a few minutes early so we were able to secure a pretty good vantage point. But the kids couldn't see a thing so they weaseled their way in between legs and random people and made their way to the front and took a seat. I pushed my way up a little bit with the excuse that I need to be able to see my kids. It worked, but Rob was stuck at the back.

The cheerleaders started performing and my kids were enthralled! I was starting to notice that everyone around me was approaching this nice lady with the green fuzzy jacket and congratulating her and talking to her and asking her for pictures? Hmmmm, my radar perked up. She then turned to the side and I saw her RGIII button. I realized I was standing with all of the player's parents and they were all wearing a button of their kid so this was obviously RGIII's mom. Now, I know that means nothing to most people, but you have to remember that I am what you might call - a celebrity stalker. And I don't care if it's an A lister or a Z lister or an up and coming sports star's mom. I wasn't sure what to do with this information. I tried to signal Rob. He could care less. And then Maddie came to ask me a question and I whispered it to her and it was like a switch was flipped. And then someone on the front row realized that Mrs. Griffin was standing so they offered her their seat. It was about this time that the players started filing in and RGIII waved to his mom and it really all clicked for ol' Madds. She looked at RGIII. She looked at his mom. She looked at her poster. She asked me for a pen. I didn't even have to ask why. THAT IS MY GIRL!

We got to listen to former Coach Grant Teaff speak.

Of course, RGIII got to pump up the crowd. The kids kept chanting "BEAT. THE HUSKIES. GONNA BEAT THE HUSKIES!" If I heard that once, I heard it ONE MILLION TIMES that weekend.

And here she goes. . .she is inching her way in. First she wanted her picture with RGIII's mom and sister in the background, but then I think she figured out that that was not good enough.

Ally just wanted a picture with the cheerleaders and she decided that she HAD TO have a Baylor cheerleader uniform for her birthday. We are getting deeper and deeper into this, folks. BY THE MINUTE.

And then all of a sudden I turned and there she was. Beaming from ear to ear! She asked for a picture and they obliged.

And then I turned and OH MY GOSH it was Ken Starr, who I recognized from his involvement in investigating former President Clinton years ago but who I also knew (from my recent research on all things Baylor) was Baylor's current president. I just blurted out that my kids would love a picture with him because OF COURSE they absolutely knew who he was. Yeah right. It was more like they were asking me, "WHY WERE YOU SHOVING US NEAR THAT STRANGER WITH THE BIG HAT, MOMMY?" I have high hopes that they will thank me one day. Maybe he will still be Baylor's president in 9 years? Or will be investigating another U.S. President?

So, overall, it was a really fun pep rally. Especially for Maddie. And, OK, me.

We headed back to the hotel and wreaked some havoc in the lounge on our floor that offered free snacks and drinks from 5-8 p.m. The Lefflers joined us for some fun after a long day at Sea World.

The free cookies and cheese & crackers can only get you so far so we headed downstairs to the hotel's restaurant for dinner for lack of a better idea. They were BEGGING us to leave by the end of dinner because we were upsetting the peace and quiet in the rest of the lobby. I hate to point out the obvious, but that is what you get when your restaurant is literally IN THE LOBBY and you have a kid's menu.

Calgon, take us away!

Baylor shirts, Baylor hats

After a rough start to our morning the next day (let's just say we had some BEHAVIOR problems in a MAJOR way because everyone was overtired from the previous few days), we had an unexpected act of kindness bestowed on us as we left the hotel. Maybe they could see the weariness in my face and Rob's as we tried to corral 4 kids on the street? Maybe they were in the next hotel room and heard the disciplining going on in our room and wanted to make sure our kids were OK? Who knows, but it really turned around our attitudes. Will was wearing his Baylor t-shirt and this man asked him if he liked RGIII and was excited to see him at the game? "Yes!" Will replied. "Do you have an RGIII jersey, son?" the man asked. Will looked confused so I told him, "Not yet!" (not willing to admit that we were not about to pay $40+ for a jersey for our 4 year old). The man tossed one to Will and said "Here you go! Wear it with pride. I bought it for my son at the bookstore in Waco and they won't let us exchange it here and we needed a different size so we just bought him a new one" We just kind of stood there with our mouths open and they walked off. We thanked them over and over and I guess we should have offered to pay for it, but we were too stunned. Will immediately put it on and then wore it for the next 3 days straight.

We headed out to do another traditional San Antonio thing. . .take a ride on a riverboat. I just have to say that the riverwalk is much cleaner and nicer than I remembered. They have added a lot and the kids really enjoyed it.

After our tour of the river and a nice lunch, we headed back to rest for a few minutes and then FINALLY. FINALLY. FFFIIIIIIINNNNNNNAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLYYYYYY. It was game time! The kids were excited to take a taxi over to the stadium.

We met up with the Lefflers in the Fan Zone and the kids had fun playing games and winning prizes.

If Mia could have a mural painted on her wall, I think she would pick this. She is OBSESSED with Dr. Pepper!

The Leffler family

Let's go, Baylor!

Will was mesmerized by everything about the game. This was his first time in a big stadium for a football game and let me just tell you. . . .he was impressed!

They even had the real live Lee Greenwood there to sing God Bless the USA! Very moving!

All of a sudden, we noticed some commotion on the field right in front of us. Of course I had to check it out. Maybe it was a famous person or something really good was going on? Everyone was taking pictures of something and I just could not get a good look at what it was. And then we realized it was RGIII's Heisman trophy. So, like any good celebrity stalker, I handed my camera to some nice looking girl on the sideline and asked her to walk over and take a close up picture of it. While she was gone the police swarmed all of the people that had come down to get a closer look and tried to shoo us back to our seats. I had a mild panic attack that I would not get my camera back, but eventually my new friend emerged with some great pictures for me.

Baylor warmed up right in front of us.

The kids were all Baylored out - tatoos on their faces, necklaces, shirts, pom-poms, towels. We are TRUE fans!

And then look at that! First quarter. . . see the blue jacket on the bottom with the big white polka dots and she is waving and her eyes are big. That would be Ally on the big screen! She was SO excited. I could see the guy filming on the sideline and saw him pointing it at her so as soon as the red light went on I snapped a pic. Because I am observant like that!

And then a few seconds later. . . who could that be? Why that is Mia and Maddie wildly waving their towels and being LOUD and PROUD! What a way to start the game!!

ALL night long she chanted "BEAT! THE HUSKIES! GONNA BEAT THE HUSKIES!" I am sure the Washington fans behind us LOVED that.

The game was SO back and forth. We would score. They would score. We would score. They would score. There was NO defense. It was emotionally exhausting.

Just ask Josh!

For awhile there in the 3rd quarter, I thought we might have to put Rob and Brad on suicide watch. They were so dejected. And then the tides turned. . .

And we WON! WE REALLY REALLY WON! A REAL BOWL GAME! I felt better about the money we spent on these tickets since we won.

All of the kids ate their way through this game. I have never bought so much pizza, popcorn, pretzels, hot dogs, chips, Pepsi, and water IN MY LIFE. But it did keep them occupied and they watched the whole game!

These two formed a funny little friendship during the game.

I show this picture so that you can see who is standing and take note of the people around us. . .

Because it happened again! THIRD time on the big screen! That is Mia in the middle waving her pom pom like a crazy woman.

Final score. Too bad so sad for those Washington fans behind us who were mouthing the WHOLE.ENTIRE.GAME and then lo and behold they left early.

Champions!

Trophy presentation!

Happy Baylor Bear fans! It was the LONGEST game ever. It was almost midnight when it ended and we ended up walking back to the hotel because the traffic to get out of there was crazy and there were thousands of fans walking through the streets and screaming Sic 'Em Bears!

The River Walk was still lit up from Christmas and it was so pretty as we walked home.

OK - so obviously they are fake sleeping, but they were exhausted and could have fallen asleep immediately!

Except for this one who drank probably a liter of Pepsi (can you believe they only sold Pepsi at a BAYLOR game?). She was ready to PAR-TAY at 1:02 a.m.

A little midnight game of hotel football, anyone?

We finally got everyone to bed and then we collapsed as well after an emotionally and physically exhausting few days. I was starting to feel a little sick, but was trying my usual mind over matter technique that I WOULD NOT GO DOWN! We had a great time in San Antonio enjoying this once in a lifetime experience of witnessing a Heisman Trophy winner from Baylor WIN in a big bowl game. Our kids think Baylor is the greatest thing they have ever heard of and there isn't a question in their mind of where they want to go to college. So, now you can see why this is entitled our $1 million mistake. . . .$250,000 x 4 = YIKES! We are praying for scholarships.