I think I’ve told you that I’m from Houston….so needless to say I have been an Astros fan for my entire life. I remember going to games when Jose Cruz was the star outfielder for the Astros. They would announce his name and drag out the Cruz as long as they could….”Jose CRUZZZZZZZZZZZZ”!
Last year, when the Astros were in the playoffs, I was very excited. We had been to the World Series only once in franchise history when we were completely shut out. I remember sitting at one of our favorite restaurants (Luna Rosa) in Lake Las Vegas watching one of the games with the New York Yankees. A New York fan and his wife were sitting behind us as I was rooting on the Astros. He let me know that the Astros would not be winning this part of the playoffs because they “always choke”. I told him to put his money where his mouth was and to agree to buy us dinner when the Astros beat the Yankees to move on in the playoffs. He declined….smart decision on his part.
When the Astros beat the Yankees in game seven and took their first American League pennant to move towards the World Series, my husband and I were sitting in yet another restaurant in Lake Las Vegas. We hadn’t moved into our house yet and were making frequent trips out there as we were getting close to the move int date. As soon as the final inning was over, my phone rang. My son was on the other end and was very excited….”Mom! I just bought 2 tickets to Game 5 of the World Series with the Astros at home in Houston on October 29th”. Without a second thought, the next words out of my mouth were, “I’ll be there.”
Well here’s the catch….that is the same weekend we are moving into our new house. So my husband is looking at me a little cross eyed and slightly annoyed. “You know we are moving that weekend!” But here I am the eternal optimist…the one who always believes where there is a will there is way. So it worked out!
The movers came the Friday before that fateful Sunday game and packed up our apartment. They dropped off that load on Saturday and I furiously unpacked and organized everything I could knowing they would be back on Monday morning with the load from storage. Sunday morning, I got on a plane to Houston, my son picked me up, and we had a nice lunch with my parents, my daughter, and granddaughters. Next we checked into a hotel downtown. Then we headed over to the game with Uber. It was the most amazing game. If you don’t believe me, look it up. It was the highest scoring game in World Series history and the Astros won 13-12 in the 10th. BEST NIGHT EVER. The only thing that would’ve been better is if they had swept the LA Dodgers and that would’ve been the World Series winning game.
Of course, a ten inning game ends late and with that huge win we hung out down by the park after the game for quite awhile and enjoyed adult beverages with all of our fan friends. We got to the hotel at 3 a.m. (what was the point?), slept until 4, and he took me to the airport. I was home in Las Vegas by 7:30 a.m. and beat the movers with the second load by several hours.
I was a sleep deprived zombie that day but I will never regret that quick trip. My husband finally got over being perturbed by it too.
This past week when we were in Houston for my aunt’s funeral, we did steal away for a little bit and go to a game with the kids. It was so amazing to take a picture with the World Series trophy. We had such a great time watching the Astros win yet another game.
Their motto this year is “Never Settle”. That totally resonates with me. See I’ve never settled in life. I’ve been asked to and I have passed. Thank goodness I never did. My life has been very blessed because I have personally lived with that motto. Don’t settle in life. Don’t assume there is not a way to do something that you really want to do. Always find a way….you’ll be happy that you did!