Numb Feet Equals a Happy Heart

To be outside at the end of January is equivalent to me voluntarily jumping into a frozen lake, it's just not a smart move. Despite all logic or form of reason I committed myself to endure the arctic chill of Dallas, Texas for 5 hours to watch a soccer game. I obviously wouldn't sacrifice my toes for any soccer game, so naturally this was a US Women's National Team game. I know, I also have chills thinking about it...and I literally had chills while watching the game-pun intended!

The USWNT were playing New Zealand. The Ferns against the Red, White and Blue.

Naturally I arrived 2 hours before the match because I thought that was the most logical thing to do. So naturally my feet were numb before the players even got out on the field to warm-up. But alas, I didn't care because this is the first time since 2006 that the USWNT would be in Texas, I had front row seats, so all in all, I felt very blessed and excited to be there!

Them getting off the bus

Me being the extreme, maybe even at times, obsessed fan that I am, I made sure I was there when the bus arrived so I could watch all of the players get off of the bus. It was a very exciting event and I was rather shocked at how small they all were as opposed to what they look like on TV.
I recorded the whole event on my ph
one and I confess I watch it every now and again. It was just so cool to finally see athletes that I've been following for years up close and personal!
Now speaking of up close and personal, having first row seats are awesome! For a fan that has been following this team for about 7 years, there literally was no bad seat in the house but because I could yell someone's name and the chance that they heard me was highly probable, it was totally worth it.

Kelly O'Hara totally heard me.

The stadium was sold out for this event so I could literally feel the vibrations below my numb feet of 20,000 people yelling U-S-A! The game was intense. We scored in the first half, holding them off till they scored to tie in the late second half. We dominated throughout the entire match on offense but one mistake caused a hole in the defense where the opposing forward took advantage and scored.
By this point, the chance of loosing hadn't even crossed my mind but all of the sudden my palms started sweating which, if you think about it, was nearly impossible because I was as frozen as an ice cube.

Players watching the game. I clearly wasn't the only one cold...

The game was nearly over, my voice was nearly gone, everyone was on their feet, and we won in the last 20 seconds with a header from Abby Wambach! Talk about an exciting game to attend! Let me tell you, I could barely go to sleep that night because I was still buzzing from excitement.

My point to telling you this story is to give you an insight into a young girls mind. Young people in general tend to obsess or be very passionate about many things. For example: Justin Bieber, One Direction, Liam Hemsworth, video games, How I Met Your Mother...etc. I respect other peoples passions but for me, and I may be biased, but being passionate about women's soccer is a wonderful and healthy thing. To look up to women who work hard, train hard, pursue their dreams and travel the world is a great thing to model my life after. This is why I'm such a big fan, this is why I sacrifice the feeling in my feet and this is why I love supporting the USWNT.

Oh, and I also love to win. That might be a part of it...

The players thanking their extremely devoted fans (aka me) for coming out in the cold!