Bucket List...and some other stuff!

April and I put the older boys to bed the other night and had a movie date. Based on the title and photo, you'll never guess what we watched?!?! Give up? OK, it was 'The Bucket List' with Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman. From someone who, admittedly and obviously, has seen too many movies, I've gotta say, this was one of the best! It got me to thinking, ...what is my bucket list? ...what is April's bucket list? ...what are my boys bucket lists? ...what is your bucket list? I know I am young, too young some would say for a list of this type. I say "nay!!" Look what it did for Jack Nicholson's character in the movie. So, I now have a bLoG and a bucket list! Mybucket list goes something like this...

Take April to Paris (or a location to be named later) for an extended vacation.

Skydive (I know that seems like complete plagiarism from the movie and song, but....)

Fly in a fighter jet (Talk to me Goose!!!)

Visit a working aircraft carrier (Talk to me Goose!!!)

Enjoy the NASCAR experience (...now I know how Richard Petty feels!)

Catch a Red Sox game at Fenway with my sons.

This list is in no way complete. Before I shamelessly ask you for your bucket lists (if you wish) I thought about a few of the things that I have gotten to do in my 33.9 years that would be on alot of people's bucket lists and just how fortunate and blessed I have been. I don't know a good title for this list so...

...NOW THAT'S SOMETHING THAT JUST DON'T HAPPEN TWICE!!!
Went to a Kenny Chesney concert in Biloxi, MS and stood next to the stage holding the most devout KC fan in my arms just hoping for a good view. KC came around one time and I swore he made eye contact with me and looked at Davis and smiled. I told Davis to hold his arm out next time he came by and MAYBE, just MAYBE he would get a high five from Kenny. Sure enough, the next time he headed our way, I held little Davis up and just knew that he would get to touch his musical idol. KC worked his way toward us and when he got to Davis, much to my surprise, he grabbed my son out of my arms and pulled him up onto the stage, squatted down, sang "...now that's something that just DON'T HAPPEN TWICE", and raised his arm up and gave Davis the loudest 'high-five" I have ever heard. April and I looked at each other through the tears and somehow April gained the sense to snap a few pictures. 20,000 people saw our son on stage with Kenny Chesney that night. Over the next few days, we kept running into people that were there and would overhear people talking about it and were able to say, "That was my son!!" The irony of the moment and the lyric has not been wasted on us ever since!

RAMMER JAMMER, YELLOW HAMMER!!!

April and I went to the Alabama-Auburn game at Legion Field in 1996. We met up with a coach friend of ours prior to the game and he asked us if we wanted to go down on the field. Those of you that know me know, I was all over that! I thought we would get to stand on the sidelines, maybe accidentally step between the lines. We went down and the guard opened the gate and we walked in. We looked around for a minute. WOW! Some 80,000 people filling the Old Gray Lady on Graymont, both teams warming up, there must have been 200 players on the field. I grabbed April's arm and we took off. When we reached midfield, I grabbed my cell phone and called my dad and said, "Hoss,...you ain't gonna believe this!" I told him we were on the 50 yard line. He said, "Man, ya'll got good seats!" I said, "No! We are ON THE 50 YARD LINE!!!" We stood and turned in circles for a few minutes, just soaking it all in. Just as we reached the sidelines, some unidentified player spotted me, I held up my arms and he threw me a pass and I tapped my toes right on the sidelines and tossed the ball back. As if that weren't enough, Freddie Kitchens hit Dennis Riddle with a little screen pass in the last minute for a 24-23 victory. April and I ran around the stadium in order to get back on the field, maybe, just maybe...After a brief wait, I walked up the tunnel passing Mike DuBose (hold your laughter please!!), and several other assistant coaches. When I reached the locker room... SILENCE! I could not believe it! I grew up celebrating Bama wins and I was louder by myself than the entire locker room. We just beat Auburn for crying out loud!! One of the first players I saw was John Causey, a classmate of mine. He was crying his eyes out. I walked up to him and shook his hand and he told me that Coach Stallings had just informed the team that he was retiring! I walked past Coach Stallings, Mal Moore, and a few others sharing a special moment. After standing around for a few minutes, I saw all of them head out of the locker room. I couldn't resist. I had to be near that moment! I followed as closely as I could. I stood near the small doorway leading to the media room and watched Coach Stallings deliver his retirement announcement to the world! Being a HUGE BAMA fan, I will never forget that moment. Quiet a day, I would say!

STATE CHAMPIONS!!!

On May 9, 2007, I fulfilled a lifelong dream of many young men but especially of mine. I had come close in my playing career several times but never won 'the big one'. I was fortunate enough to coach baseball at my high school alma mater, Coosa Valley Academy, for two glorious seasons.

During our first season at CVA we went into the Final Four as a huge underdog. We made it to the Championship game but fell short 2-0. That night, we vowed not to settle for second place the next season. What transpired during that magical season cannot be explained in a few sentences. 17 young men, and 1 coach formed a bond of togetherness that can only be explained as 'awesome!' We beat the #1 ranked team in the state, Tuscaloosa Academy, at their own tournament. We played in an elite Border Wars tournament pitting the top teams from Georgia against the top teams from Alabama and lost 2-1 to the eventual state champion from Georgia, Southland Academy. But, the season culminated in a matchup between us and our cross county rival, Shelby Academy, for the State Championship. In two games we played almost perfect baseball and won the first baseball state championship in the history of CVA. And, as evidenced in the photograph, I got to kiss the wife of a STATE CHAMPION!!! and put together something that noone can ever take away from us...friendships and memories that will last a lifetime!!!

So, I could go on forever with too many more great things for this bLoG but...enough of mine. Please send or post your bucket list and/or some moments that you have experienced that would be on others bucket lists. Who knows?!?! It might change your life or someone else's.

Kevin