My celebrity obsession

I have to give a little bit of background on this one. Back in 1997 my sister Bethany won two tickets to a Tim McGraw/Dixie Chicks concert. This was the first time we had ever seen Tim McGraw and we were immediately hooked.

Fast forward 6 years - I got a phone call from Bethany informing me that she had won tickets to a Tim McGraw concert yet again (this girl is seriously lucky with radio concerts). Ben and I were in Utah, had just found out I was pregnant with James and was feeling sicker than anything, but that didn't stop me from booking the first flight back to Portland. Thus the tradition began.

Since then we have gone to his concert every year. We've seen him once on his own, once with Kenny Chesney and twice with Faith Hill. Every year we told ourselves that we had to have floor seats for the next concert and it was our goal to get as close to the stage as possible but it hadn't worked out, yet.

I got an email in March from ticketmaster saying that tickets for Tim's upcoming concert would be on sale the next morning. Bethany and I both had plans that morning so by the time either one of us could get online to look at tickets there were slim pickings. We decided to wait a bit and check craigslist closer to the concert and try and get good tickets that way. Meanwhile Bethany once again won some concert tickets, but this time it was to Kenny Chesney and LeAnn Rhimes. Kenny happened to be playing at the same venue that Tim would be playing at two weeks later.

Before we left for the concert Bethany and I were checking out craigslist for tickets and found some that were on row U. We decided we would try and get on the floor level and at least look where these seats might be. When we got to our seats in the 200 level we found out that my set was broken so we got upgraded to the 100 level, about 12 rows from the front! While we were watching LeAnn we saw lots of people by the stage and asked the bouncer how we could get up there. He told us that only the first 5 rows were allowed up there. I told Bethany that was no way we would find tickets that close in the next two weeks. After LeAnn finished we walked up to the stage just for fun. We were standing there when Bethany handed me an envelope and said "Happy Birthday!" Inside were two tickets to the Tim McGraw concert in two weeks and the seats were on the SECOND ROW!! She had found them the week before and between my parents and her, bought them for my birthday. I was completely floored.

The concert was the greatest ever. The venue was smaller than the Rose Garden and we were able to get right up to the stage. Bethany was prepared to go into full mother bear mode to protect my very pregnant belly but there wasn't a need. We weren't crowded, in fact we had lots of room. Since the stage was smaller he walked by us numerous times, getting so close that Bethany and I stopped breathing at points. We each got to touch his hand three times, he signed Bethany's hat, and at one point made eye contact with both of us while he sang.

We are now, officially, spoiled. We will not be able to go to another concert of his without having awesome seats again. We hope he keeps touring for years because as soon as our girls are old enough they are coming with us. It was so fun being able to act like silly, giddy teenagers for a night too! It was on the best birthday presents EVER!