Clever Chronicles: Way back when 3...baseball edition.

When I was just starting to date Chris in high school, it was during the football season. I don't know if you know this, but our town is NUTS for high school football. Being raised in a basketball family, I didn't really care about football. All I knew is I LOOOVED those powder blue pants....

This is Chris scoring a touchdown..

Oh hello blue pants! Thank you for being invented.

My dad even told me this joke when I was in High School: Girls who like baseball enjoy the strategy of the game, and the skill of hitting a tiny round ball with a round bat. Girls who like football-Oh look at those pants!! <---Totally me 10 years ago.

If I was apathetic about football I REALLY didn't like baseball. I would venture to say I hated it. So it's fitting that I would marry a baseball player, now baseball coach.

For the first six years of our relationship, I was constantly dealing with my arch nemesis: baseball. Baseball took Chris away for 5 out of 6 of my birthdays, every summer, and most weekends in the Spring. I never complained (ok I complained, but minimally) and I went to all of his home games to show my support.

Me and one of my besties not letting a little rain stop us from cheering Chris on.

Baseball officially took over my life. Even my little brother, Andrew, was playing it like crazy:

This kid now TOWERS over me, and is a pretty awesome player himself.

I basically knew NOTHING about baseball, and had to learn it all on the fly. I first learned to love the player-then I learned to love the game they love so much. I then discovered that baseball players are a special breed.

I think since baseball is SUCH an intense thinking sport (I mean, really, if you only hit 3 out of 10 times, you are considered successful...say what?!) when the boys are off the field, they really like to relax. They NEED to relax.

Baseball players MIGHT be the funniest people on the planet. If you get to play a boy's game as a man- you're probably going to be a little goofy. Not to mention all the time spent together in the dugout. You learn to entertain yourself:

This is Chris' college team running a football play before the game, see what I mean?

Secondly I learned to appreciate the baseball tan:

Note the perfect jersey outline. Sexy...kinda!

A baseball tan represents athleticism, dedication and commitment. You play a game that requires you to catch and hit a ball...outside...rain or shine.....during the coldest and hottest months of the year...you gotta have commitment to put up with that crap.

I learned that baseball takes brains and brawn:

Ouchtown, population: Chris

Finally, I learned these guys are fiercely loyal to each other, and you have a friend for life:

Taken circa 2004 and we're still friends with these idiots.

As our months together turned to years, I ultimately transitioned into a GIANT fan of baseball. I had the unique advantage of seeing inside the warped mind of a player, and came to understand this special game and what it represents.

Truthfully, I'm grateful Chris played so much baseball. I credit all those late night phone calls and time away to a lot of our success. We learned to communicate clearly and honestly, together.

I think we both knew to get to this: