A Quick Trip Down a Familiar Route

The great man is he who does not lose his child's-heart.

Mencius, Book IV

Beginning in the late 1980's, my kids and I spent four weeks every summer with my parents in Green Bay, Wisconsin. In mid-July I'd arrive with my entourage of three boys, to escape the Texas summer heat and enjoy a Midwestern summer.

Some days we'd pick raspberries, cherries and strawberries followed by my cooking up cases of jelly for the coming year. Sometimes we hung out at the local library for the movies and story times or drove to Door County to swim in Lake Michigan or Green Bay or attend a drive-in movie. But many mornings, we'd drive the few short miles to Lambeau Field, home of the Green Bay Packers, to watch the summer training camp.

My young sons walked beside the giant players as they came off the practice field for the long walk to the stadium locker rooms. Local kids offered their bicycles to the players. Quite a site - a 250 pound behemoth of men riding tiny bicycles while a thrilled child ran beside carrying their helmet. (FYI - they still do this every summer.)

The players, famous and not so famous, walked among those children, signing autographs and accepting the good wishes of the loyal fans. My kids were right in there, gathering signatures from the likes of James Lofton, Sterling Sharpe, Reggie White and more.

One year, my middle son, then 5 years old, stomped his foot in frustration after Ty Detmer handed back his signed football.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"They all write in cursive," he said.

While others yelled out at the players "Sharpe, Favre, Schroeder!", my oldest son, a new master in the art of Southern manners, said "Excuse me, sir. May I get your autograph?" Many a player reached over the crowds to add his name to the collection on the Wheaties box he held up.

Much to my surprise, that boy became an ardent Dallas Cowboy fan. During the Cowboy summer practices we visited, the likes of Troy Aikman, Emmet Smith, and Deion Sanders didn't even proffer a glance at the young kids calling their names from the stands.

Knowing no opportunity presented itself before or after the practice for an autograph, he still adopted this team as his. Has remained loyal and, of course, predicts their victory in the Super Bowl this year.

(I have never really been certain if he truly loves the Cowboys or if it was just a way to separate him from his other brothers. Entirely possible.)

However, that oldest boy and I spent last week in Green Bay visiting my parents. We both took the opportunity to spend time with my folks before our work ventures take up our time here in Texas. He taunted his brothers that he would wear his Dallas Cowboy shirt if he visited Lambeau Field.

We did visit the stadium. I did take pictures, Please notice there is nothing Dallas Cowboy about the shirt he's wearing. I think in his heart, he's still a Packer fan more than he'd ever admit.

My last post did include pictures of Alaska. A trip my husband and I took last year for our 30th wedding anniverary. Hope you enjoyed the glacier.