Annette (so happy for your first moment!!) had him sign the sheet music for The Dance and a t-shirt that Colleen and Raymond had signed along with Stillwater. When she told him to sign near his Mom's signature, he teared up. (oh boy) Someone in the crowd asked when his new country album was coming out and he said he really couldn't say at the time. He said, "with the 3 labels having merged, it would depend on whatever "*%$hole" was at the wheel; you know how that goes".

Then someone gave him something to sign and Annette went to the car to get her poem for him and someone asked about the DC concert in April. He said he was only going to do 2 songs and it's a concert for gay rights and the rights of black people that he sees as Human Rights. It was great that people were asking such good questions and that he really enjoyed chatting with everyone. I thanked him for wearing the shirt I gave him in NY(the grey fleece one) and that I didn't get to see him in it only in photos. He said, "oh, you gave that to me...yeah, I wore it to an interview also" and he thanked me. I also thanked him for bringing us all together through his music and how we'd become really good friends. He repeated what I had said, almost in amazement and I don't remember what else he said because at that point, I was close to tears. (have I ever said how much I love this man!!!!????)

Then Val asked if she could throw a couple of balls over the fence for him to sign. He said sure and neither of the balls we tossed made it over at first. I said, "we throw like girls", hoping to lighten the mood and hoping he'd chuckle, but he didn't. Val then told him something very personal and he got right up to the fence and kissed her on the lips. Man that was it!! She got out of the crowd and began to ball. I was so overwhelmed for her; she told him something she'd wanted to say to him if she ever met him, for a very long time and the reaction she got was beautiful!!!!! Half the trip to the Saloon, she cried and we stopped to change clothes. We got to the Saloon and was told that Maryann would be at the door shortly with our tickets. Low and behold she and Virginia had held booth seats for us close to the stage...THANK YOU Maryann, you're a sweetheart!!! The opening band, The Bottom Dollar Band was great and Chris was amazing!! Clay, the lead singer told how the hair on his legs stood on end when he met Garth at the ballfield. We really hoped Garth would make a surprise appearance but that was not to be. By the time we left, we were drunk with emotions.

Saturday's game against the Dodgers was great...our seats were behind homeplate. Being dubbed the sports photographer, I rarely sat in my seat and instead Annette, Cathy and I sought out photo vantages. When Garth came to bat, we went down to the net and got shots from there. We were also interviewed by a reporter from the Palm Beach Interactive website. Mary Lou happened by and we hugged and thanked her for helping us and being so nice to us.(she felt she hadn't done anything mind you!) She told us how the organization ran her ragged doing a little bit of everything and chauffering players to and from the airports between Miami and West Palm but she really loved the job...lucky her!! She also said that if Garth does spring training with another team next year, she'll get a job there. I don't know if Joe will go along with that, but she's definitely a Garthnutt now!LOL

Right after the game ended we returned to the net to watch Garth and the guys do their cool-down runs and I held up the sign I'd made that said PlanetGarth.com Loves Garth, Chris Gaines and Touch 'Em All...that was one goodbye we dreaded to say. It was not easy saying goodbye to Cathy and Annette either...but we will cherish our time together and God willing we will meet again. Sue, Summer, Val, Sandy and I then departed ;we dropped Sue and Summer off at their motel room as they weren't leaving until the next day and Val Sandy and I headed for the airport; it was a rather tearful journey home.

As good as it was seeing and talking to Garth again and how he took care of the kids, especially the ones from the Make a Wish foundation, it was even better getting to meet some really great people; people who truly helped others to accomplish what they went there for. The love for Garth that brought about our friendships will carry on through our love for each other.

It really DOESN'T get any better than this!

Congrats to all who have made the journey and to those who have yet to have your moment, you gotta believe!!