The big date

We decided the best way to celebrate the day we met 10 years ago was to go to a football game. Not just ANY game, but America's game. Since we met at a dance after the Army Navy game we were thrilled to get tickets to go to the game that sparked such a meeting. We made the drive to Philadelphia last Friday and the way up could not have gone more smoothly....seriously. The kids slept, read, ate, and we only stopped once. We didn't even break out the DVD player until the last 90 minutes (it's a little over 6 hours of driving). We had NO traffic which is nothing short of an anniversary date MIRACLE! We were really really excited to go out together. God bless our sweet friends for watching our kids while we went to the game. Emma could have cared less we were even leaving. Andrew cared that we left but had a GREAT time with Pam and David. They took them to the park and played hide and seek, did a NEW Thomas puzzle, watched shows, what's not to love?!

Mike and I assumed our little adventure would go smoothly and it did NOT start out that way. We decided to take the local transit train into the city and then the subway to the stadium to avoid any traffic or having to pay $20 to park. Well, the trains were cancelled and after waiting an hour at 2 different train stations we said "forget it we'll just drive." Well, 3 other people waiting at the train station needed a ride so we carpooled to the stadium with a college girl and another man and his 9 year old son. I was asking the man as we ran to the car what he thought was the quickest way to go and his son said to me "do you have your iphone with you? Cause you can check GPS." I could do nothing but laugh and say "nope, I sure don't have my iphone with me." Well, again we had the BEST luck with traffic and there was NONE. We even got to our seats in time for the parachuters to jump, flyover and all the great pre game stuff. I LOVE the Army Navy game. I love it! Here's a video of some of the parachuters.
The flyover was done by 4 Ospreys and they were SO quiet! We were sad to miss the jets but you know being in a 6 year long war and all....I imagine most military air craft is a little busy right now. During one of the commercial time outs they brought a group of kids (they all looked about 18) onto the field and they were about to swear in and head off to boot camp. They asked for silence in the stadium while they made their oath and the stadium fell absolutely silent save a heckler or two (who had probably partaken of one too many alcoholic drinks). It was an amazing thing to see 70,000 people fall silent.

At another point they also recognized a group of wounded warriors who came from Walter Reed in D.C. for the game and many of them had care takers with them. The crowd erupted with emotional cheers for these men and women wounded in combat. I'm so proud to be an American. I love this country and I'm so grateful to all those who are willing to lose life and limb to defend and protect the future for our children.

As the sun went down we were getting a little cold, missing our kids and our friends. We had a really nice time together but we were ready to celebrate Hanukkah with our friends and have a little gift giving fun. So, we left after half time. Again, no traffic. It was one of the best dates ever!

Oh, and we finished watching the game at home and saw NAVY bring it a win. That's 8 in a row for Navy against Army. Not that we're counting. (we are)

And, for our official "at the game picture."

I look a little oomp loompa-ish....I think it's the hood. But, dang I love the guy standing next to me.