champions

What a great weekend it was!

My brother-in-law is the head football coach at a school across town.  He is a good guy who knows how to make winners out of the kids that come to him.  This year's team had an extra hurdle thrown at them when  an ineligible player was discovered late in the season and had to forfeit the four games that he had played in.  Suddenly instead of having one loss for the season, they had five.  Making the state play-offs was no longer a given.

But something happened during that time.  Tears were shed and anger was dealt with.  But the team focused on the task at hand, bonded, and matured.  They set their goal and did what was needed to achieve it.  They won their last two regular season games 63-0 (that anger was channeled) and 56-33, and slid into the play-offs - number 27 in a field of 32.  Then they picked off all the top-rated teams that they played.  They didn't just win; they rolled over the top of the field.... 56-6, 49-7, 41-20 (with the second string in).  I think three of the teams that they beat were undefeated.

The semi-final game was especially sweet.  A rematch with the only team that had beaten them on the field during the season.  Another local team; a rival.  They played at the opponents' home field.  You had to be there hours ahead of time to get a seat.  The opponents sat in stunned silence as they lost 31-0.  They thought they would be playing the same team that they had played earlier in the season.  They were wrong.

All of this paved "the road to the dome".  And since they were going to the dome, it meant a road trip for me and mine!

We left Saturday morning.  That's "the basin" through the car window in the picture above.  It's pretty in the fall morning.

When we got to New Orleans, we met up with my stepson (who had come from San Antonio), his wife, and his two oldest children.  Here they are at the River Walk with "the uncles" - my boys.

We ate lunch, and they threw leftovers to the sea gulls.  It was quite a sight - those birds catching chunks of bread and french fries in mid air.  I didn't get any actual action pictures of that!

After some time at the River Walk, we contemplated our next move.  A trip to New Orleans just isn't complete without this

and this -
(beignets and cafe' au lait)

One of my children has an unusual interest - visiting churches.  

So a visit to St. Louis Cathedral was high on his "to do" list for the day. 

We left dear hubby - for whom walking is difficult - at Cafe du Monde with stepson and family,

and set off across Jackson Square for the Cathedral.  

That's my boys!

They got there a few steps ahead of me and were so disappointed to see that a wedding was about to begin and they were not allowed inside to look around.  :-(  

So we contented ourselves with the small area in the back of the church...

There was a statue....do you think it's the Poor Souls in Purgatory?

I'm reading a book right now called Hungry Souls, so purgatory is on the brain....

Then they bought candles from the gift shop and lit them (for the outcome of the game).

They've done this before...and have never been disappointed.

There are always "sights" in New Orleans.  Saw several of these types of "artists". 

Here's another "sight".
My "initial buddy".  The second oldest of my step-grandkids.
We share the same middle and last names and first initial.  She is quite a character!

We passed it coming and going.  Each time the windows and roof caught my attention.
It just looks a little crooked. 

I have no pictures of the activity in the Dome last night.  I didn't want to mess with my camera. 

It was a great game.  Close.  Exciting.  

The games ran behind schedule.  It was nearly midnight when "our" game ended, and close to 1, by the time we got back to our room.

I took this picture from our window - just because I wanted to take pictures in the dark.

We got up early this morning and made it home in time to go to 10:30 Mass at our own parish.

We were glad we did that.  (And then we all took naps this afternoon.)

The homily was about patience.  Which I need more of.

Oh - I do have this picture of the Dome.

It looks like something from outer space landing behind the buildings.....

And I do have this picture that my niece posted to Facebook..  

So are they winners or champions or both?

Life is good!  A great weekend!  

The team's supporters had T-shirts this weekend...

Teams with Character overcome Adversity.

 What doesn't kill you makes you stronger.

We're Back!

Lessons well-learned.

Congratulations!