Because Kern wasn't going with us to Houston, last week Dad promised to take her to see the boys off at the airport as they were leaving town. They snuck into a private building at the airport and actually went through security with the boys to get a few autographs and pictures before their big weekend.
Kerny loves these boys so much.
She kept telling them, "Just do your best, we'll be proud of y'all win or lose."
She's such a Kern.
Dad was so anxious to have these printed that when the printer at Costco was broken, he had them blown up to poster size... Can you say ants in your pants?
I had off on Friday and Dad had planned to be on business in Boston by Monday so I convinced him to come up early and spend the weekend with me before heading to B-town...
But that was before VCU was in the Final Four. Once we officially knew (literally within seconds of beating Kansas) we purchased flights from NYC to Houston. Dad arrived here at 7:30AM and we had all day together in the city before boarding our 5PM flight to Texas. Along with visiting the midtown Apple store and saying hi to Yari at work (right next door), we squeezed in a little Shake Shack before the kids got out of school...
Come our layover in Charlotte, we were ITCHING to be in TX and for it to be game day already. To kill the last flight, we watched "The Switch" (SURPRISE. not.) with our matching over-the-ear headphones. (Not really matching, his are crazy expensive BOSE headphones and mine are skull candy - also great. Also free and gotten backstage at Jay-Z. So, boom. Roasted.) I hope we looked so cutie sharing a tray table, labtop, and movie because it felt cutie. It's the little things...
Mike was on our flight. So was Rozzell's daddy. Go #32!
It was SUPER late when we got into Houston so everything and everyone was dead, but the next day, was VCU - MANIA! We hitched a ride with some crazy Kentucky fans who took this picture of us outside of the arena, Reliant Stadium, which is an indoor football stadium that seats 78,000 (keep in mind, our boys are used to playing in a venue that seats 7,500 max).
Because we parked where the Kentucky fans were, we had to walk 3,000 miles and almost missed the VCU preparty (for the donors), but we made it in time to hear the announcement that Coach Smart is staying!!! And to run into a few familiar faces... look!
We were some of the first people in the door to watch the boys warm up. Here is a picture taken from our seats, about 33 rows off court... Not too shabby, Dad! Thanks, you're the best!
Taken courtside.
(It looks like this hat is about a million times too small for me, when really I just didn't want to flatten my hair. Vanity fail.)
Dad and HL.
I decided to go to the little girls room before game time so that nothing could distract me from it once it started, and on my way back I stepped right in front of this guy (true NYer - cutting people off because I'm in much more of a hurry than them!) and heard KAAARRRRRIIIEEEEE! Look who it was...
My plan had been to meet up and say hello to Andrew and Harrison who were crazy enough to drive up, but didnt know where they'd be since they left VA without officially having tickets to the game... I said crazy didnt I? Anyway I spotted them hanging out about 5 rows back of me, before heading up to their seats for game-time, but I was afraid of cutting it too close to go over the now crowded arena to say Hello. So I managed a wave, a wink, blew them a kiss, and snapped their picture... Hopefully that said all I needed to anyway.
Brad was sitting in my same row...
And reppin' Mike's Jersey of course! I LOVED that!
Guys, we lost. And it was super sad. In a conversation with myself I had decided that if we lost, I would be the crazy girl in the crowd, that the cameras cut to because she is bawling her eyes out. Then I told myself, there's no crying in basketball... Unless you're the Kern.
Because my live feed on FB was noticed by these previous Richmonders and fellow dental folk, we got to meet up and say hello after our sad, sad loss to Butler. SO great and crazy to see them!
I decided to eat my feelings after our loss so Dad and I met up with the Anderson's at a sports bar close to our hotel...
Look who mosey'd on in as we were on our way out! (Mat married one of my longtime, best, and most favoritist friends and freshman year college roommate, Cindy-Lou-Who. He is also sweet Jude's Dad).
And look who decided to be my twin for the evening... even down to the shoes.
(Dopplegangers)
Meanwhile, back at home...
Kerny, Me-Maw, and my Auntie Joan were watching... with familiar faces...
and getting crazy with sparkling cider...
and Diet Pepsi (trying to make Dad jealous?).
As a secret, I had made a small poster of the Kern to take to the game and hold up if ever the cameras were to be on our section, but I was devastated when I arrived at the arena and realized I'd left it in the hotel room some 15miles back. We kept her around and flew separately back to NY (into and out of separate airports) and had sushi and a movie with her at my place...
Love you Kerny!!! Love you, boys - again, your best season yet! And love you Dad! Thanks for a GREAT weekend, even though we didn't win. Next year! Go Rams Go!
~Kare*
