Coming to terms with Monday night.

Monday night was incredible.

I don't really know how to describe the scene, as it still seems a bit surreal that we were in Lucas Oil Stadium watching the Butler Bulldogs play the Duke Blue Devils for a national championship.    Sara and I were both so nervous throughout the entire game that we hardly spoke a word to each other.  I think I may have even stopped breathing for about the last 33 seconds of the game. 

As we were walking out of the stadium in disbelief of what we almost witnessed, the silence lingered.  We were amongst a very large group of people patiently waiting to climb aboard an escalator to leave the building when I said to Sara, "He almost hit that shot.", referring to Gordon Hayward's last second half-courter.

She was quiet for a moment and looked at me and said, "I don't think I am ready to talk about it yet."

It's still not a hot topic of conversation in this household.  Sara is sitting by me right now as I type this and has yet to come to terms with it.  She hasn't seen a replay of the shot, she hasn't made her daily visit to Indystar.com, she just isn't ready yet. 

I can't imagine ever being at a better game, ever being at a game that means so much to me, ever being at a game that means so much to Sara.  I lived and died with every possession.  My hands shook from the moment the ref through up the ball for the opening tipoff. 

I was at the 2002 national championship game in Atlanta when the Hoosiers played and it was nothing compared to this.  I walked out of that game and hardly gave it another thought.  I can't say the same about Monday night. 

It was incredible.

Thank you to the Brad Stevens and his Butler Bulldogs.  Thank you to Gordon Hayward.  That kid is a stud.  Speaking of Gordon, I think my buddy JB may have said it best in a text he sent minutes after Gordon almost made the shot every kid dreams of making:

"Hope that kid realizes he just took a couple million people on the ride of their lives."

Count me in as one of those couple million people.

Thanks for the ride fellas.  Because of you, what would have otherwise been a pretty tough March was quickly turned into the most memorable March of our lives.  We owe you one.

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Another aspect of Monday's events was that we were able to meet up with some great friends.  It was really cool to get to see some folks that we don't often get to hang with. 

Here is Sara with her friends, and fellow Butler alums, Sara and Kate.  Not only are Sara and Kate great friends when Butler is in the Final Four, but they have also been such strong supporters of Sara and I during our difficult wait for Baby Sister.  Thank you ladies.  We feel very fortunate to have friends like you.  Now if we all could only live a bit closer together. 

JB, Brian and I enjoying a couple pregame libations before heading over to see if Duke can make a game of it.

Sara and I were able to set aside our nervousness at halftime just long enough to pose for a quick picture. 

One last thing, we need to send a very special shout out and thank you to Grammy, who graciously obliged when I asked if she could watch the boys for the evening while Sara and I supported the Dawgs. 

Thank you Mom.