So this is what it feels like

Let me just start this by saying, that while I was raised in Southern California (not born however, that was in Sacramento), I was also raised to love all things about San Francisco. My dad grew up there, and my grandma still lived in the bay area, so we spent many a holiday and summer vacations in the city by the bay. I grew to love that city. There is just something magical about it. I had completely planned on attending San Francisco State University, but Heavenly Father guided me to BYU instead, which was a huge blessing. But not before spending fall semester of 2001 in San Mateo, with my sister Julie and her husband Aaron, a city 20 miles south of San Francisco. In May of 2002 I would move back to San Mateo to spend the summer with my sister and her new baby girl, Mia. In May of 2002 I would also attend my first San Francisco Giants game. May 18, 2002 to be exact. I still have the ticket stub. It was also the game where I met Adam.

My dad was a die hard 49er football fan, so I grew up watching football and learned to really enjoy it. Baseball however never really caught on in my house, but if I had to choose a team to follow, by default it would be the Giants, due to my dad’s influence.

So in 2002, I can’t say I was a huge Giants baseball fan by any means, just a San Francisco lover who wanted to see the stadium and enjoy a night out with friends. I had no idea how my life would change that night. Not only did I meet my best friend and eternal companion, but I would fall in love with baseball too. Adam and I went to four games together in the summer of 2002, before I would head back to Utah for school. So in the fall of that year I watched intensely as the Giants reached the World Series and I thought it was destiny that they would win. I had fallen in love in their stadium, both with Adam and with their team. They couldn’t fail me now…. Seven games later they did exactly that. They lost, and to the Angels of all teams. Heartbreaking, I must say. But life goes on as we know it and the Giants looked like the team to beat in 2003. But somehow the Marlins ran away with everything that year and the Giants would not make another playoff appearance for seven years. In that seven years however I attended more Giants games, got a hat, a jersey, and a husband who is a die hard life long Giants baseball fan. (Not to mention his entire family who I love dearly as well!)
The Giants had never won a World Series in the city of San Francisco, and the last time they did as a Franchise was the year my Dad was born, 1954, when they were the New York Giants. They would move to San Francisco in 1958 and continue to produce great baseball players, in fact they have more hall of fame players than any other franchise in the league. And say what you will about Barry Bonds, but he’s the main reason the team even stayed in San Francisco. In 1992, they were ready to move the team to Florida, then they signed Barry and decided to keep the team in SF.
All this to say, that on November 1st when the Giants beat the Texas Rangers 3 – 1, there was pure joy in my home. Adam had said to me at points in our relationship that he didn’t think he’d live to see the Giants win the World Series. They just never seemed to pull it all together. This year was no different. They were having a mediocre season and the San Diego Padres seemed to have everything going for them. But things changed and the pitching and heart of the team led the Giants to their first post season play in seven long years. The series against the Braves and the Phillies were tough, torturous even. My stress level was through the roof. But the Giants pulled through. It felt too good to be true to be saying that the Giants were going to the World Series. Then all of the sudden November first rolls and around and Adam and I jumping up and down cheering as the Giants had just won the World Series in just 5 games against the Texas Rangers. Today, I had a text message from him that said – “Its been a lot of heartache for a lot of years. I woke up this morning and thought "the giants won the world series". That doesn't happen everyday.”


Celebrating the World Series Win!

This win was such a huge relief. I saw a happiness in my sweet husband that he doesn’t emote very often, and I love that. We cheered and toasted with some sparkling drink and just took it all in. It was a good night and the Giants helped me fall even more in love with my husband and how passionate he is and how dedicated he can be, even if it is to a sports team, it reflects a lot about his personality in general. I am a lucky girl. And happy to be a Giants fan!