Well Worth the Wait

Us after game with the UT Tower lit orange over our shoulders

Saturday evening I was able to attend my first UT football game since I graduated in 2001. I was suppose to attend a game 2 years ago but I was pregnant and having early contractions with Titus and thought it best not to go. This year my mom and dad were very generous and let us have their tickets for the game. I remember when we were students and we only had to pay $65 each for the year to receive student 'all-pass' tickets to all of the sporting events. This of course did not include the UT vs. OU football game or any play-off games, but we could attend all other games for free. My mom and dad helped us pre-park our car early in the afternoon so that we would not have to park more than a couple of miles away from the stadium. (Pretty sure they just didn't want me to go into early labor from all of the walking.) :) Then, my dad dropped us off on 15th street an hour before the game. We almost didn't get into the game though. As we were entering I had to open my bag for them to check. Well, on my way out of the house I just grabbed our camera bag and throw my phone and money into it. The staff lady saw my video camera in it and told me she could not let me into the game. I was more than upset. I had no idea that was a rule, am 8 months pregnant, 15 minutes away from the start of my first UT game in 7 years, and told that I would have to lose my video camera or walk 25 minutes back to my car and 25 minutes return to the stadium if I wanted to get in. I broke down. Another UT staff gentleman came over and asked what was going on. I told him. He looked at me and said, "I didn't see anything" and signaled me to go on in. He was so generous and caring and a life saver for me at the moment. We found our way to our seats which were on the very top row in the new section. We looked right through the field goal post on the north end of the field. We could look back over our shoulders and see the UT band coming up to enter the stadium and also see directly to the UT tower. The weather was perfect that night. I indulged myself and actually ate at the stadium. I never do that because it costs too much, but I might not be back for another 7 years, so I thought it would be a nice treat. We watched UT play and absolutely amazing game and I jumped and yelled more than I have in years. The hardest part of the whole night was getting onto the interstate to get home. It wouldn't have been hard at all if anyone would have just obeyed the signal lights downtown and therefore not have blocked us out from crossing over intersections. But, despite that one flaw, the long wait to attend a UT football game was definitely well worth it!