Gig'em?!

When Kyle and I moved back to Texas 3.5 years ago I don't think I quite realized the extent to which the Aggies had taken over Austin - my hometown. They are everywhere. We run into people Kyle went to school with at about a 50 to 1 ratio to people I went to school with or grew up with. It's something I've come to accept. And being around all these Aggies has made me sympathetic to their cause (world domination). 

And as we come out of the "funk" that has been the last few years of craziness with itty-bitties...and we regain some interest in normal life things (hobbies, books, etc.)...college football is actually (SHOCK!) on the list! (My mom actually told us a few months ago that "we needed to care about a team"!) So...

We made our first trip to College Station for an Aggie football game since being back in TX. Actually, this was my first game since going w/ some friends in high school, and Kyle's first trip to CS since med school graduation (2003) and first football game since probably '98 or '99 (I think he only missed 1 home game in his 4.5 years in undergrad). 

Okay, enough introduction - here is the famed Reveille entering the stadium.

And a bunch of shots of the Fightin' Texas Aggie Band.

Sea of marroon in the student section.

Mel and I. (You can hardly see it in the photo - but not only am I sporting my very own Aggie t-shirt which I actually bought myself, but I have an ATM painted on my cheek - thanks to the face painter at Nathan's birthday party that morning). Go big or go home.

Kyle and I in front of the Century Tree - you walk under it w/ the person you're going to marry or no one - so tread lightly! (When we were on campus for his med school graduation I was on that sidewalk and he awkwardly pulled me aside and had us all go another way because we "couldn't" walk under it.)

We had a great day. The game was so-so because they played Sam Houston State - we had to look up where they were from (Nacadoches? No, Huntsville) and made jokes that they were a 5A highschool team. Mean, I know. We got to walk around campus a bunch and even ran into a couple that Kyle knew (the guy was really good friends with Laura back in the day) - so yes, it is that small of a world. And yes, there are so many traditions and special spots that I honestly can't keep up with it. It takes 4 (or 5!) years to graduation because of schoolwork...but also so they can complete the full indoctrination!

Seriously, I'm actually having a lot of fun having a "local" team to root for. And its extra fun because now that they're in the SEC (and making a name for themself - whoop!! - can I say that?) they're playing all the teams that beat up on us when I was at Vandy. So, I can honestly say things like - Oooh, I hate Bama. I'll say gig'em until the Ags play Vandy on October 26th of next year - ANCHOR DOWN! GO DORES! :) (We are sooooooo going to that game!)