Weddings, Vegas, Seattle, and a water logged phone

It has been a busy summer. I've blogged a bit about the craziness surrounding my job, but in between all of that, I have had a bunch of weddings to go to. A bunch equals 3. But 3 is quite a bit when you're involved in all of them as Jill and I have been. Not to mention that one was north of Seattle and another was in Vegas. Not only has it been the summer of job uncertainity, it has also been the summer of love. Let me begin with wedding #1.

My best friend of 25 years married the woman of his dreams on June 30, 2012. It was such a cute wedding. Karen, the bride, made all of the decorations including cute Jones Soda bottles that featured their cake toppers in different scenes. Those cake toppers, she made too! My best friend, David, has never looked happier. He's a private person so I won't go into much more detail about the wedding other then to say that it filled my heart with so much joy and happiness. I gave a toast that day to the bride and groom, and I was told I knocked it out of the park. Also, June 30th has always been a sad day for me, as it is the day my mother passed. Now June 30th holds a happy and special place for me. Congratualtions David and Karen.

The next wedding we went to was in Las Vegas, for Jill's brother, Brady, and his soon to be wife, Lara. On July 13, 2012, Jill and I were lucky enough to take part in such a beautiful wedding for these very special people. Jill was a bridesmaid and I was a groomsman. My father-in-law and mother-in-law rented a big house in Vegas for the family to stay in. The place had a pool, and Lucy got to swim for the first time. Vegas was very humid during this trip and it even rained a few times, but it cleared up in time for the wedding. Both Brady and Lara looked amazing. Their venue was awesome and it was a perfect setting for these two. It was an honor to be apart of it and I wish nothing but happiness to them.

The last wedding of the summer was for Jillian's best friend, Brook. Along with their friend, Monica, they've been best friends for around 20 years. I met Jill, Monica, and Brook back in 97-98. Back then Brook and I got along better than Jill and I did. In fact, back then Jill didn't care too much for me. But that is another story all together. Anyhow, back to the wedding. Jill was a bridesmaid for this wedding and she looked wonderful. I don't have any pictures of the wedding myself as I sadly didn't make it. Between having to take care of Lucy, who wasn't feeling well, I too wasn't feeling well and I wasn't in the best mood. A few days prior I decided to take Lucy swimming. After a few laps in the pool I realized my wallet, which contains my iphone, was still in my pocket. Epic fail. So Jill and I decided it would be easier for her to help Brook if Lucy wasn't their trying to get to Jill. She's been on a Mama kick. If Mom is around she has to hold her 24/7 or she cries. So I missed the wedding, but Jill has gushed about how cute it was, how handsome Tim looked, and how amazing Brook looked. I send my love and best wishes to the couple and hope for many wonderful years for them.

So there you go. A quick run down of the weddings we went to this summer. They were all amazing in their own ways. I saw my best friend marry. Jill saw hers marry. We also saw a brother marry, and we gained a wonderful sister. It's been a pretty wonderful summer if you ask me. That is, if I don't think about that darn iphone!

Baseball Stadiums

I just got back from a trip to Seattle. I plan on posting a blog about that trip in the future, but as you can tell by my spotty blog writing that it may or may not happen. The intent is there. However, instead of that blog I want to just post a quick one about the baseball stadiums I have been to and which ones I like best. When we were in Seattle I saw a Mariners game and got to visit Safeco Field so it got me thinking about my favorite stadiums. I'm no expert either. I've only been to a handful of places. I'll keep this baseball specific, no stadiums where I've seen NFL games but not baseball. Also minor leagues need not apply. Besides, nothing beats the view from Spring Mobile Ball Park in Salt Lake City!

1 - Citi Field, Queens NY. What can I say? I'm a Mets fan. Unfortunately I never got the chance to visit the Shea Stadium. I've heard both good and bad about the old home of the Mets. I have however, visited Citi Field. Jill and I went to a Mets/Phillies game in 2009, the very first year the stadium was open. Obviously being such a new park in a baseball crazy part of the country it's going to have its perks. The park is beautiful. The food is great. The architecture and amenities really can't be beat. The ease of travel to the stadium via the subway is excellent. The stadium is packed with not only Mets history, but that of the Brooklyn Dodgers and NY Giants too. The only real drawbacks of this park are that the Mets play their (j/k I love those guys) and that it's right next to Laguardia Airport and you can hear the planes take off...a lot. But really I can't say enough good about the place. I loved every minute there!

2 - Coors Field, Denver CO. I've seen more baseball games in this park than all the others combined. I guess you could say as far as MLB is concerned, this is my "home" team. Being a short flight away, or a 9 hour car ride, Denver is the closest MLB city to Salt Lake. My Mother-In-Law lives in Colorado, so when we visit her I try to swing by the stadium. Coors is just a good stadium. Great field. Awesome food and shops. Fun game day experiences. Nice fans. Just everything about this place is above average. But my favorite thing about the park is it's location. Built in an area called LoDo (lower downtown), the stadium is right in the city. When you walk around the upper deck mezzanine, you have the best views of the city. I can't wait to go back and see another game!

 

3 - Fenway Park, Boston MA. There is something much different about the East Coast. It seems like people out there take their baseball much more serious. When Jill and I drove from Boston to NY, every car we passed had either a Yankee bumper sticker or a Red Sox one. A few misguided souls had Mets stuff, but it seems everyone made their choice clear. But back to the parks. Fenway isn't a stadium, it's an experience. As the oldest stadium in use, is has tons of charm, and many quirks. The field seats we bought were wooden and a bit narrow for the husky fellow. Random beams holding up the upper deck can obstruct some views. Other than that, the park is amazing. The streets around the stadium shut down and vendors sell their items on the road. The "Green Monster" in left field, along with the other outfield dimensions are so different and weird, it really makes the game played much different than at a traditional field. I can't wait to go back and see them again. Oh, and Jill fell in love with the park, city, and team, and she now claims the Sox as her own.

4 - Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles CA. Growing up my family liked the Dodgers. I remember my Dad telling me they were his favorite team. I don't really remember him watching them, but I did take it upon myself to become a fan. I studied them and loved them. As I grew up I decided I wanted my own favorite team and I followed Mike Piazza's departure to the Big Apple. A couple years ago I went with my Father-In-Law to a couple Mets/Dodgers games in LA. Oh, by the way, my Father-In-Law just might be the biggest Dodger fan alive! The games were so fun, bantering back and forth with him and the rest of the family. The park itself is a bit older, opening in 1962. However, with some renovations here and there, it still holds its own. The Dodger dogs are famous, but might be a tad overrated (sorry Ken). The outfield walls are fairly deep and have similar dimensions, making it known as a "pitchers park". The coolest feature has to be the location. It's built in the side of a hill in LA. If you are sitting in the upper deck, you just park higher up on the hill and walk right into the stadium from there. No need for stairs or elevators. Oh, another plus... LA weather!

5 - Safeco Field, Seattle WA. This stadium is cool, but there was just something about it that made it so I couldn't love it. I'm still not sure exactly what it is either. The field was neat, but no real quirks or weird walls in the outfield. The design of the retractable roof was pretty cool though. We were one day short of watching the perfect game that happened, but we still saw a really cool game. I did enjoy the endless soda deal they run, but outside of that I was never really in awe like I was about the other parks. Maybe it was the record heat wave, the long walk to the park, or the fact it was the Mariners? But, despite the fun I had (which was quite a bit), I didn't really think the stadium was too big of a deal.

6 - The Coliseum, Oakland CA. I'm just going to refer to this place as the Coliseum since it's had about 95 different names over the years. I went here about 4 years ago with my friend, Adam, on a spontaneous trip to San Francisco. The Giants were on the road, so we drove across the Bay Bridge for an A's game. How can I say this nicely? This place is a dump. It's cramped, the mezzanine areas are dark, uneven, and painted a horrible shade of green. The food was so-so. The restrooms were as bad as outhouses, and the urinals were practically tubs that everyone just uses together - ick. The field is boring due to the fact the park is a multipurpose stadium and also is the home of the Raiders. We went during football season and you could see the NFL field still painted on the grass. But even though the place was a dump, something really cool happened there. We happened to go on a fire works night and we got to sit on the actual field to watch the show. Adam I stood on the field and thought about all the legends in MLB and the NFL that have played there. Other than that, nothing is good about this old, boring park.

So that's that. Like I said, I haven't been to very many. I've seen many games in minor league parks, and I've even been to some of the Spring Training parks in Phoenix. Jill and I would like to travel the country when we are retired to hit up all the stadiums we can. Until that happens, I hope to keep adding a new stadium or two here every year. 

Date days with Lucy

When Jill was pregnant, people would always ask me if I wanted a boy or a girl. I honestly had no preference, but Jill and I always had a feeling we'd have a girl. I'd always had dreams about our child being female and we even had a name picked out for her way before we were pregnant. For those who don't know, I was named after my Grandma on my mothers side. Her maiden name was Lucille Matthews. I, obviously, was given the family name as my own, and I had always wanted to name a daughter Lucille, after my wonderful Grandma too. 

After Lucy was born, people would still ask if I was ok with having a girl, or if I really wanted a boy. They'd ask if I was a little sad that I didn't have a little boy to play sports with, or whatever it is little boys do. I'm always taken back by this question. Why would anyone be sad to have one gender over another? Children are children. Sure boys and girls are different, and I'm sure when Lucy starts to become a woman I'll be clueless and terrified for my safety. That said, I have never wished Lucy wasn't a little girl. I am head over heels for her.

My love for Lucille Joy Mabey can not be accurately described in words so I won't try to break it down. What I can say is that I love her more than life. She is so wonderful and always makes me smile. Right now as I type she's watching SpongeBob and laughing out loud and it's cracking me up. Everyday she says something new, or she surprises me by giving me random hugs and unexpected kisses. It brings this fat kid to tears more often than I'd like to admit.

One thing I want to do for Lucy, no matter how many children Jill and I have, is that I always want to make time to take her on Daddy/Daughter dates. Just a little one on one time so she'll always know that she is important to me. Right now one of our favorite activities is to go to Tracy Aviary at Liberty Park. Lucy loves birds. She runs around and waves at all the birds and makes sure to say"hi" to them. I've been taking her there since she's been able to leave the house and each time is a new experience. As much as Lucy loves going, I know I love it even more because I get to watch her and her interactions with the birds and with the other people at the park. She is so smart.

Usually after the park Lu and I go grab some lunch together. Sometimes we go to the Jasmine Bistro by the lot formerly known as Cottonwood Mall. Watching Lu discover new food and tastes is so cute too. It's funny to watch her chow down on California rolls, tempura, and other Asian dishes. We have so much fun and it warms my heart.

So no, I don't have a little boy, and it doesn't bother me. There is no way having a boy is better than this. It might be just as good, but defiantly not better. I think there is a special bond between a father and his girl, and it's a wonderful thing. Any father with a little girl knows what I mean. 

Lucy, this is a promise to you. Your Daddy will always make time for you. We will continue to do these forever. No matter where my job takes me, no matter how many kids your Mom and I have, no matter what, I will always make time for just you. You are so special to me and I want you to always know it. 

My Light

Uncertainty has been the theme of my life as of late. Wavering between jobs. Wondering if the money I walked away from in my management position was worth giving up. Fears over how good of a job I am doing with Lucy. I've been sleeping very hard and deep lately, which isn't normal for me. But because of this I seem to remember my dreams better than ever, and I wish I didn't. My dreams are full of these uncertainties and I often wake up unrested and even more stressed.

I don't know what I am suppose to do or how I am really suppose to be. I try to be a good friend to those around me, but more importantly I try to be a better husband and father. What truly matters to me is Lucy and Jill. Am I making the right choices for them, or am I being selfish and looking out for me? Of course I want to be around them more and I want to do work that makes me happy, but was cutting out the money the right choice? I guess the jury is still out on that one.

What I do know is that through all of this craziness I have had the unwavering support of my beautiful wife. She's dealt with my highs and my lows. She's laughed with me. She's listened to my rants. She's consoled me when I've been down. Whatever I needed her be, she was, by my side. I've been a mess and she's been right there beside me to dust me off and set me right again.

Though my life seems to be a whirlwind of confusion, she has been my guiding light in the darkness. My foundation to keep me stable. Without her I'd be lost. I know I talk about Lucy a lot, like any proud papa would, but Jill is my world. Without her there is no Lucy. Without her, there probably is no Matt. Her love and support keeps me going and I hope she knows how much I care. Any ounce of true happiness I have left is from what she gives me. I hope I give her just as much in return.

"And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make" - Paul McCartney