If Only

What a wonderful weekend we had in Happy Valley. The sunshine and 80-degree weather put an abrupt end to what was a cold spring. Unfortunately, it is still just the two of us living here in Paternoville.

If our child had been born by now it would have had such a great time. This weekend was Blue and White Weekend, Penn State's spring version of homecoming. State College was bustling with alumni and visitors from all over to take part in the festivities.

If our child had been born by now it would have been able to have its first taste of Clem's BBQ. A regionally renowned pork-puller, Clem sets up a tent by the carnival rides for all PSU-related events. We stood in line 20 deep waiting for our pork BBQ while being serenaded by the PSU rap contest. We're hoping that Junior heard DJ Kake, the eventual champion, win over the crowd with his chorus line, "Joe Paterno will come soon / He's been to more bowls than a cereal spoon."

If our child had been born by now it would have been able to help us make fun of the overzealous Nittany Lion fans that paid $5 for three attempts at hitting the target and sending a PSU football player into the dunk tank. Chad begged for $5 when his IM basketball teammate, tight end Mickey Shuler, got up on the platform (and when every other player got up there).

If our child had been born by now it would have been able to play its first games of beer pong, quarter bouncing, dizzy ball, and fris-beer at the tailgate Saturday afternoon. Instead, we are going to have to resort to breast milk pong, formula quarter bouncing, pacifier ball, and fris-teether on Saturday afternoon's in the fall between diaper changings.

If our child had been born by now it would have been able to go watch the intra-squad football scrimmage in Beaver Stadium on Saturday. Our child would have made the attendance 76,001 ... at a scrimmage! (Michigan had their spring game at Saline High School last year - no big deal). Our child would have heard Chad and JT drooling over the abilities of freshman quarterback Kevin Newsome. Our child would have heard Kathi and Erin discussing anything but football. Our child would have noticed that we were sitting right in front of quarterback Daryll Clark's family, and it would have seen Chad eavesdropping in on their conversation, laughing and nodding in their direction whenever they said something funny.

If our child had been born by now we would not have been able to take Kathi's 38-week picture with over 70,000 of our friends. Can you see any of them in the picture, or did she block them all? All we know is that she sat next to Chad and he didn't get any sun.

Our child may not be born yet, but we are eagerly awaiting its arrival. We know that there will come a point in time when it gets sick of its daddy talking about PSU sports all the time.