The Best and Worst of All Star Game 2006

Brian and I had a great time in Kansas City last week! We got to do a lot of fun things and enjoyed meeting a lot of other players. However, we both would have enjoyed the game itself a lot more if Brian had pitched better. He had a bad game, but that's the way it goes sometimes. We're trying not to dwell on it, trusting that God's plan hasn't been thwarted. There were a lot of activities planned for the players to do within only two days. In an effort to share some of our experiences over the all star break I've come up with two lists, "The Best" and "The Worst" of All Star Game 2006. Here it is:

THE BEST

1.) Going to all the festivites: The All Star Luncheon, the Celebrity Game (played by former famous baseball players), the Home Run Derby, and the post game party at Dave and Busters where I played skee ball all night (my favorite game).

2.) Staying at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in downtown Kansas City where the view from our room was incredible. They also have the most comfortable beds I've ever slept in!

3.) Listening to Brian as he told me what it was like meeting his favorite childhood baseball hero, George Brett. Brian said he was so nervous that when he handed George some baseball cards to sign, his hands were trembling.

4.)Meeting and getting to hang out with players from other teams. Most guys were extremely nice and fun to talk with.

5.) The food was great! We even found time to go eat at one of our favorite restaurants, Stix, that just happened to be across the street from the baseball stadium. Brian absolutely loved the breakfast buffet served at the hotel too. It normally cost $18 per person, but it was free since he was an all star!



THE WORST

1.) Sweating it out every day because it was 103 degrees with high humidity.

2.) Having to watch my husband work so hard and be so excited about the opportunities pitching well in this game could afford him, and yet pitch poorly. Heart wrenching. I wish I could just heap all the pain he experiences on myself so he wouldn't have to go through it. I hurt at the very core of my being when I see Brian so devestated. And as I'm tempted to ask God why, I'm reminded of James 1:2-4 which says, "Consider it pure joy my brothers whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perserverance. Perserverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking in anything." I guess the saying "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger" is biblical!

3.) Mapquest giving me incorrect directions to the hotel (partly due to construction), and therefore aimlessly driving around an extrememly complex system of interstates and highways throughout Kansas City, desprately hoping I'd find the right exit. Obviously, I was a little later getting to the hotel than I had planned.

4.) Sitting beside an 8 year old girl at the All Star luncheon who made me jump a foot out of my seat when she suddenly sneezed all over my left arm. Gross! I literally felt the spray all the way from my shoulder down to my hand. And of course I was sitting at a table with the owner and vice president of the Redhawks so I couldn't be unprofessional and wipe my arm down with sanitizer.

I think I've taken up all the memory with the photos I posted on other entries. So I'll have to email the pictures from the all star break.