Last week my friend Hedy texted me asking if I wanted to go to the Bears game with Jack. She bought four tickets and was planning on attending with her daughter who is Jack’s age.

You may remember Hedy as the friend who invited me to my First Blackhawk Game. Now she was once again opening my eyes to the world of Chicago sports by inviting me to see inside Soldier Field for the first time ever. Jack too.

Not what I expected from this eight year friendship that started in pregnancy yoga.

I jumped at the chance. So did Jack, following me around the house shaking his head yes wildly as I worked out the logistics.

Are these good seats or what?

I remembered Adam’s trick for sporting events, keep the kids happy with lots of concession stand treats and you might even get to watch the game.

I didn’t see that much of it and I must admit following a game on TV is much easier when the camera tells you where the ball is at all the time.

Jack’s cotton candy tie.

But even as the cameras make it easier to follow the game, they give you the stats and lots more information, there is something that TV can’t replicate.

It’s the feeling you get when you these sorts of things. The enclosed hallways that open, suddenly, almost shockingly, to a grand, lush field. The excitement you feel when you go to a large event. An event so large that you start off as one person in a big city and slowly, as you get closer, you become part of something bigger than yourself. A sea of matching clothes. You can feel the camaraderie. The smell of sports. Or maybe it’s just you getting a whiff of hot dogs and beer. The testosterone. So much testosterone! There are probably 20 guys to 1 girl but there is still a line a mile long out the woman’s restroom and no line for all those men. Seriously, why is that? The noise, the vendors up and down the stairs, all of you packed together like sardines. All of you, all 60,000 of you, facing the same field hoping these 11 men can outplay those other 11 men.

It was awesome. And I could tell Jack was very happy to be there. I couldn’t stop smiling at him, happy that we were sharing this special moment together. Thank you so much Hedy for making it all possible!