A Winter Classic Tale.

 Let me start off by saying, I was originally not going to attend the Winter Classic here in DC. I had been fully aware that come New Years Day I would be sitting my butt on the couch, my son next to me cheering our home team much like the rest of the Caps faithful. From the comforts of our home, vowing it would still be incredible to watch.  

But I fully admit I really wanted to be there in person.

Still I was okay with it. I was more interested in getting my husband to the game than I going to it. Because I may be a huge fan, he has been one for twice as long. How could I not make sure he went? I mean really.

But then came the text on New Year’s Eve, hours before the ball was going to be announcing the start of a new year. My sister-in-law was sick, did anyone want to take her place? And yes I may have done a little dance around the living room as Anderson looked at me and said, “Well? Do you want to go?” 

Did I want to go? Was the sky blue? Did he really need to ask?

Yes! 

I immediately felt guilty and extremely bad knowing that I was taking the place for someone who was sick. (Let’s face it no one wants to be sick) So much so I didn’t want to post it all over social media. I mean I was ecstatic to go, but this was her ticket to begin with.  But I gladly said yes while doing the hot dog dance around the living room for the remainder of the evening.

That is how I got to go. Talk about starting the New Year off wonderfully.

I will say this, yes it was cold, yes it was packed, and yes expensive.

And it was totally worth it.

It was worth standing in the cold to watch the fly over during the national anthem. You know, I managed not to complain about the fact I couldn’t exactly feel my feet by the end of the game. Way to go me!  It was worth the $9 dollar soda to be there as the military choir recited our national anthem in perfect harmony. The stadium was amazing and the crowd was unbelievable.Yes it may have just been another game in all reality, this was not the Stanley Cup finals by any means, but  you would never know that it was just another game by looking around. It was the Winter Classic. It meant something, if not for the soul purpose of bragging rights for the next year.And yes maybe I did have to stand and sit every time someone needed to get up, but really? Even that was worth it.

And talk about weather? Yes, even the weather was perfect for the game. It was like it was just meant to be.

 It was even worth having a thousand soft-ish seat cushions rain down on me when Troy Brouwer scored the game-winning goal at the last seconds of the game.

It was worth it and so much more. Truly I will say it was an experience of a lifetime. It was unforgettable. I think I would have been (maybe not as much I admit) happy had we lost, it was just that great of an experience.  Looking back, sure I would have been okay watching it on the couch, and I would have never quite known what I had missed.

But going? Actually being there? Well to quote my son:

“Was totally awesome!”