Blog Title: From Rain to a Walk-Off

Blog Title: From Rain to a Walk-Off

The morning started with rain gently falling as we packed up the car and loaded everything in. No rush—just a peaceful start to the day as we began our drive toward Springfield, Missouri. We made a few gas stops along the way, talking, laughing, and watching the clouds shift as the miles passed.

We had planned to stop at Pop 66, but the turn came and went, and before we knew it, we decided to just keep going. Lambert’s—Home of the Throwed Rolls—was our next destination, and it was worth it. The energy was high, the food was great, and the rolls flew through the air just like they were supposed to. It wasn’t just about the food—it was about that feeling of being together and making memories, even in the smallest things.

We arrived at the hotel in the afternoon. It was a beautiful, clean place—quiet and just what we needed after the road. Everyone settled in for a little bit of rest. Barbi set up the laptop and started watching the Women’s U.S. Open on Bowl TV, and on the hotel TV, we turned on the College World Series. Two different screens, two kinds of intensity.

Later in the evening, Bella and I went down to the weight room for a solid workout. We moved, we breathed, we stayed sharp. Then we came back up, grabbed a snack, and caught the end of the game between Louisville and Oregon State.

Louisville had been down 3–1 in the top of the ninth. A triple got past the outfielder, a couple of wild plays followed, and just like that—they tied it 3–3. But in the bottom of the ninth, Oregon State delivered the walk-off. Game over. You could feel the sting in the Louisville fans, and the eruption from the Beavers. It was one of those endings that reminds you why sports matter—not just for who wins, but for what it makes you feel.

Now, as the day closes, Barbi’s still watching the U.S. Open on the laptop. Bella’s finishing an edit. I’m winding down, heart full from a day that started in the rain and ended with celebration.

We didn’t do anything wildly special. But we were present. Together. In motion.

And that made it a good day.