Take Me Out to the Ballgame....or NOT!

Courtney's school choir was invited to sing the National Anthem at a Portland Beaver's baseball game. There was a lot of coordinating that went into planning when/how the kids would go. A date was finally decided on and it just happened to fall on my birthday. Early on, Courtney didn't want to go as she didn't want me to spend my birthday that way, but I insisted that it was fine and we could celebrate me turning 37 another day. How many times would a group she was with be invited to sing the National Anthem at a ball game? It is a neat opportunity and not one that many of these kids would get to do again. Well, the 22nd of April arrived with rain, wind and hail. However the teacher checked with the Beavers and they said that the game wouldn't be called until right close to game time because their field could absorb a lot of water. She was assured the group would sing anyway and if the game had to be delayed or cancelled once the first pitch was thrown, at least the group would get to sing. So off we headed to Portland with Grandma & Grandpa that afternoon. The whole way there was showers and we had all taken long underwear, blankets, gloves, etc for the mid 30's night we were going to endure. Tom was meeting us there since he worked close by. We got there, paid for parking, etc only to arrive to the box office with a less than energetic response from the girl working in it. A sign on the window said the game had been called. Are you kidding me, after all this and after we drove over an hour to get there! The bus was just pulling up too to learn the news. What a disappointment for all the kids and parents that had come to take part. Although, frankly, none of us were totally surprised since the rain really had not let up. Grandpa suggested we not waste the trip into town and go out to Olive Garden in Lake Oswego for dinner, so we met up with Tom and had a great birthday dinner (Grandma & Grandpa's treat!). Details are still being worked out on when/if the school will be able to coordinate a game with the Beaver's to do it again, but hopefully if they do it will be a sunny day and at least 60 degrees!