From JuJu with Love

There are people who show up for the big moments.

And then there are people like me…

who show up for the big moments — eventually — after going to the completely wrong school first.

A few years ago, I set out to watch my nephew play a college baseball game.

Simple plan. Easy drive.

Except somehow… I mixed up Albion and Adrian.

Not the wrong field.

Not the wrong entrance.

The wrong college.

I pulled in, bundled up, ready to cheer — and almost immediately something felt off.

The uniforms didn’t look right.

The field didn’t look familiar.

And most importantly… my nephew was nowhere to be found.

So I called my sister.

“Where are you?” I asked, trying to sound calm.

“In the stands at Albion,” she said.

And that’s when it hit me.

I was in Adrian.

Not even close.

Fortunately, the two schools were only about 45 minutes to an hour apart, so I got back in the car, re-routed (this time very carefully), and drove to the actual game.

And the best part? I documented the entire thing in real time on Facebook —

starting confident…

followed quickly by “oops”…

and ending with “I made it.”

I made it just in time — bottom of the second inning, maybe top of the third — in time to see him at bat.

Not exactly the graceful arrival I had envisioned… but I made it.

And apparently, that’s the part everyone remembers.

When this memory popped up, Ben said,

“Still so impressed you went to Albion even after the detour.”

Katie added, “That was a crazy day.”

Ben chimed in again:

“And I played like shit.”

And Katie said,

“Only you remember that.”

And Katie’s right.

I don’t remember who won.

I don’t remember how he played.

Apparently Ben does. In great detail.

I can’t remember what I ate for breakfast…

and he remembers how he played four years ago.

From Juju with love 💙⚾️