5 - Stillwater

Write About a Place You've Been That You're Grateful For

When I hear the word Stillwater, I think of small town cuteness, "America's brightest orange," my Dad's loyalty to OSU, and "pistols firing."  I had the great privilege of attending the final Bedlam game yesterday with Kristin and Frankie, and I gotta say I'm pretty thrilled about this picture!

Yay, sports! lol  For as many football games as I've attended, it's a bit stunning how little I know or care about the actual football game... but we had the very best time!  As you might expect with this rivalry, the crowd was AMPED - the Student Section is right in front of our seats, and they were super entertaining!  We got there in plenty of time to eat well, then still get outside to see the planes fly over (a first for me).  I loved that both bands played America the Beautiful together at halftime in "a show of solidarity," and I very much enjoyed the fan intensity of that game atmosphere!! ❤

I'm also happy that Kristin and I cheered for opposite sides but both spent 80% of the game laughing at the crazy student fans and being a bit confused about what was actually happening on the field, neither of us caring too deeply if our team won or lost.  In the end, OSU won this game, so the crowd rushed the field and it was a huge celebration and fun ending in that stadium!!

I thrive and have the most fun in places that feel familiar but a little new and different each time.  So I am super grateful for all these fun memories and for Dad's generosity in bringing me to games and/or gifting me his tickets -- he didn't want to be there for Bedlam in case of an OSU loss, and I was quick to claim those tickets! #noragrets  ❤

Friends in Low Places = my favorite moment at the start of the 4th Quarter in every OSU game!

For the past 20+ years, I have loads of great memories from my times in Stillwater with Dad, Charlene, Kristin and Frankie, Triston, Jace, Kyndal, Georgia and Alan, Laura, Tiffany, and Joshua Michael!  

There is nothing quite like the crowd atmosphere of college game days... so today I'm grateful for Stillwater:  For the memorable rainy games, bright sunny days, crazy cold weather games, cute rickshaw bike rides, hurried walks to Boone Pickens Stadium, the Kurt Russell speech, the players jumping to hit the "Believe" sign as they walk out, the marching band halftime show, swaying with the Whitakers and most of the crowd while singing Friends in Low Places, yelling for Dad and Charlene from the escalator, free candy and ice cream bars, "Simba Cam" cuteness, leaving early to beat the traffic, the smell from the cookouts at the tailgating tents, laughing and people-watching with Charlene, free brunches and lunches and dinners, exploring the suite rooms with Triston, admiring the Homecoming floats, the infamous clear purse policy, shopping at Chris' University Spirit, eating at Eskimo Joes, brunches at Granny's Kitchen, meeting Anthony Hill from Grey's, the entertaining hardcore Student Section fans, good conversations on the road trips there and back, the gifs and fun pics on the big screen, being secretly thankful for a flat tire the day I went with JMM, cheering passionately without being entirely sure what just happened, and knowing all their silly chants and songs!

While most people may be there for the football, I am there for everything surrounding it, fully embracing the crowd's fun energy without internalizing the competitive stress and disappointment so many fans feel!!  So thanks to my Dad for being the benefactor of these fantastic memories. =) Family, friends, and free food at Fall football games = FUN!  How's that for random alliteration? lol

 Happy Sunday, friends and fam!

❤