I have slowly been transformed into this huge LSU Tigers fan.
My husband absolutely LOVES the team, wholeheartedly. He would have his LSU flag waving in the wind everyday if I would allow it.
In the early days of our marriage I tried to fight this love for a Louisiana team and assumed he would get over it all and convert to the biggest Red Raider fan…. since our city bleeds Red and Black and all things Texas Tech. Nope. Ladies I am here to tell you, it can’t be done.
7+ years later Ricky loves LSU more than he did then and now our whole family represents the purple and yellow… even in this Red and Black town.
In 2011 we joined a company called AdvoCare. (keep reading I’m not pitching you on anything)
In 2012 Ricky quit the job he was at and came home to work AdvoCare with me. We have been at it ever since. SO thankful for the company and everything it has given us these last 5+ years.
So, last Thursday at 1pm I am in the middle of a appointment and my phone starts blowing up. I pick it up to read… “AdvoCare just sent us sideline passes and suite passes for the whole family, we’re going to New Orleans”
Y’all.
You can imagine the panic in my heart as I’m sitting in this appointment and my dear husband basically says, we are leaving in less than 24hrs to take all FOUR kids (one being 8mths) to New Orleans (insert 13 hour drive face here) The “I have SO much to-do list” began to add up in my head. The kids will miss picture day, I have to take care of my other business I run, who will watch the dog, how am I going to pack everyone between now and then, I have a womens event tonight, laundry is the size of a mountain, our house needs to be show ready (it’s on the market)… I mean the list of to-dos felt miles long.
In that exact same moment though I could see my husbands face. My kids faces, who have become these die hard Tiger fans, on the sidelines experiencing something special on a level they would most likely not experience if it were not for AdvoCare.
So that next morning we hit the road. 13 hours straight. Of course a few Chic-Fil-A stops here and there. We made it to New Orleans around 3am. Surprisingly all four kiddos did amazing on the 13hr drive!
That next day we got up to hit the city. It dawned on me I did not have a “stadium approved” bag with me! I mean when you pack 6 people in a hour you’re bound to forget something! So the mission before the game was to find a clear bag that would fit all the needs for four kids, one who needs diapers, wipes, formula, etc. We found all the nearest malls and NOTHING!
We ended up in a Louis Vuttion in a Saks out of all places…. I promise I did not go in there looking for a clear stadium bag! We were just browsing through, with four kids and all. No biggy.
I see a woman with a clear backpack and after searching all morning I was hopeful she must have found it somewhere near. So, I approach her and ask where she got the bag and if it was near. Sadly it was no where near and she had had the bag for awhile. So we said “thanks” and continued on our way.
Not a minute or so later this amazing, God sent woman came and found us. She tapped me on the shoulder and gave me the backpack off her back! She refused to let me pay her or reject the gift! Her son is #51 on the LSU Football team and all she asked was we cheer for him. After the week I had had over some silly things God used this woman to remind me how amazing His people are. There are kind and generous people out there. He moves in and through them. He blesses each of us with them. I had to contain all my emotion. This poor gal had no idea the week I had experienced and I didn’t want to scare her off with my handful of emotion but, she truly blessed me. Beyond that day! We hugged. I teared up but managed to keep my composure. We thanked her, blessed her and we cheered her son on throughout the game! 
So God used this amazing woman to SAVE the day and somewhat redeem my outlook on His people. Ha! Kidding, I LOVE people! Always have, always will.
We got all the kiddos ready for the game! Get to the Superdome early and guess what?
They try to take my bag away because it’s too big.
Y’all. (there’s that y’all again)
I love Jesus. But I got ghetto. The enemy was NOT about to rob me of that blessing. So after trying to remain calm at the Superdome entryway in front of hundreds of people a security guy FINALLY let me take the bag in as a “medical bag” I was like ummm…. “Do you see the FOUR kids I have en route? I can’t fit this life in a cute clutch dude” I had one lady batting for me but, all the rest had their metal detector wands pointed in my face ready to say ” She Gone!” We finally got in though, bag and all, PRAISE JESUS. He always wins!
We enjoyed the game as a family, experiencing it on a level we could have never imagined, thank you AdvoCare!
The best part was seeing my husbands joy, like a kid in the candy shop. I swear he had a “fan girl” moment seeing Mike the Tiger up close… the mascot and the real deal. We were on the sidelines watching the players warm up. Preslee watching and dreaming as the cheerleaders took the field. Blain pouted most of the time because he wanted to be back in the suite eating M&Ms. Kanon had a blast tossing a football around with another boy, little Rushy fell asleep on my chest in the midst of the crazy! And sweet Ricky! Oh getting to see that joy on his face and a dream lived out are moments and memories I will die cherishing. Their the moments you live for. I am so grateful! Beyond grateful! AdvoCare has allowed us to not only experience dreams and new things but to experience them on a level we most likely never would have! It’s amazing!
So the trip was fast and furious but oh it was so well worth all the crazy! On the way home we drove through Baton Rouge and stopped to see the real Mike the Tiger. He was tucked away sleeping but, the guy lives like a king! We got to see the LSU stadium which in itself was amazing. There is nothing like the SEC. It’s just on a whole other level. The trip was amazing. I fell in love with the team I married into even more. Ricky is praying and believing we are raising future tigers. I can’t lie I wouldn’t be one bit upset if they all went to LSU one day! My closet is slowly filling with more purple and yellow. I may even own a jersey. I am beyond grateful for the experience and the memories I will never forget! What a trip! Life is all about the crazy! With our family of six I have a feeling there’s much more to come!
Don’t worry Red Raiders, I still love you! But my heart does bleed Purple & Yellow now too 🙂
Sincerly,
Your married into it LSU fan.
