Best Night Ever!!

I know it's super late but I just had to blog about tonight. What a CRAZY night! To begin, 3 of my baseball-loving education friends Jess, Jess, and Amy (AKA "Back Row Gang") and I went to the Reds v. Phillies game tonight at Great American Ballpark. We bought cheap tickets in the upper deck, of course, and sat down with our $1 hot dogs and popcorn. After about one inning or so we got some delicious UDF softserve ice cream with sprinkles and continued enjoying the lovely evening.

Around the 5th inning we decided to go find some seats downstairs, closer to the action since there weren't a whole lot of fans at the game. We ended up 9 rows from the Phillies dougout, and get this: as soon as we sat down, the Phillies bat boy was eyeing us. I don't know how he picked us out of the crowd, but he did and he kept smiling at us. hehehe soooo funny! and kinda weird. Then, during the seventh inning stretch, we move even closer. Now we were only 3 rows from the dugout, and the bat boy was looking at us and mouthing, "You moved closer? Weren't you up there before?" He was observing what team we were rooting for, and he continued looking and smiling. Of course, we were doing it right back, and we sneakily snapped a few pictures of him just for the record. Like all good fans, the goal was to get a ball from him. Oh, and with being so close, we were on the big screen every time a right handed batter was at the plate, and I'm pretty sure we were on ESPN. No big deal! =)

At the end of the game (Phillies pulled a W: 3-2. boohoo :/ ), we went as right up to the back of the dugout and asked the bat boy if we could have a ball. He disappeared for a bit then shoved two balls on top of the dugout right to us. One kid reached over and took one, so now we only had one. It get's better, though...he then shoves a bat our way, right to Amy! A bat! A real wooden bat used by one of the Phillie's players! It even still had the sticky tar stuff on it! (Not that I care that much about the Phillies but getting a ball and bat was pretty incredible, not to mention how excited my Philly-fan-friend Jess was!) We were ecstatic! One of the security guys on the field was watching the whole thing and just grinning, like he was so excited for us, too! While we are screaming and in awe of what just happened, we snapped a billion pictures of us with the bat and ball. Some of the fans said, "Where are those girls? The bat boy is looking for them." Jess went down to see what was up, and apparently he was going to give us a Phillies hat, too! Right before he was able to, the security guys were sternly telling us to go home. :( We were so close to getting a third souvenir. We wondered if he was going to give something to each of us. O well. Jess is going back on Wednesday and may try to get the hat.

I had such a blast with these girls tonight! I don't know what it is about senior year, but the things that I've done with my friends (i.e. this past weekend of events and tonight) have been over-the-top fun! I mean, you can go to events and have "fun," but I can truly say I had a blast! It has been some of the best days I've had in a loooong time! I am so thankful for the awesome friends God has put into my life and that we are able to have so much fun together and enjoy the last semester I have with them! Woohoo!

Okay, now off to bed I go for a few hours until I have to wake up for a workout and class. Goodnight and sweet dreams! :) :) :)
P.S. Pictures to come later...I didn't have my camera with me, so gotta get pictures from the friends!