I don't know how many of you have ever lived knowing today could be your child's last. Heck, it could be your last as well. My wife and have have lived the past two and half years knowing we may never see our sweet daughter's smile again till the Savior comes. We made the clear decision that rather than worry about how much time we might have with her, we would fill every moment we could with light. So we made a "bucket list" and add to it whenever we can. Our girl helps us pick the items for the list. Since she was born, she has always watched BYU Football on TV with daddy and gets excited whenever the Cougars play. This last season she indicated that she wanted to attend a game in person at the stadium.

So we decided that the Spring Game was the perfect opportunity. Over the past weeks we made a list of things to do and experiences that she wanted during the game. For mom and dad it would also serve as a "test drive" to see if we could maybe ever go to an actual season game. Now you have to understand, our little Cougarette has some very critical medical complications. These complications mean she can never leave the house without about 50 pounds of medical equipment. She needs oxygen for her to breathe through her breathing tube, feeding pumps and supplies, monitors, extra oxygen, and emergency seizure meds. A long trip to Provo from Salt Lake needs even more.

At any rate, she made a list of things she wanted to do:
1) "Eat" a Cougartail and Hot Dog
2) Meet the players
3) Watch the game

We made every effort to get to the stadium on time for the kids' clinic so she could meet the players (she apparently has a Taysom Hill crush....) But as luck would be, even though we left at 3:30 traffic was so bad that it took nearly two hours to reach the Stadium. We missed any chance at meeting the players - but, holy crap, we had made it! After finding the disabled seating I set off to find a Cougartail and hot dog for her to complete the gametime experience.

Now let me say, I understand the logistics and what-not of BYU Concessions, but they need to get it together. I waited an hour in line only to be told that they had no more Cougartails or hot dogs. I don't know how I felt, but I was on the verge of tears when they told me that. Sadly, I trudged slowly back to our seats fighting with tears. In the back of my mind I was fighting the terrible fear that she might not be around for the season and thus never get to taste that Cougartail she had been so excited about. When I came back and had to tell her they didn't have any of the two things she had wanted so badly, the look on her face was a dagger to my heart. She was so confused that her daddy who could do anything hadn't been able to get her the treat she had wanted so badly. I know she won't remember it, and in fact I'm pretty sure she had soon forgotten all about it, but it hurt so bad that the tears started coming to the corners of my eyes. Even now, writing this, I get misty.

Shortly after, my wife told me that the battery on our suction catheter was nearly dead and that unless we found a charger we would have to leave or else we had no way of clearing our daughter's lungs. I hadn't even seen a play! Suddenly, just then, one of the Orange Shirts - the supervisor if i'm not mistaken - was coming by. This man heard our need and then went and found an extension cord and ran it through the stadium and up the ramps to our seat so we could stay and watch the game. He had truly snaked the cord through half the west concourse just so we could charge the battery on one stupid piece of medical equipment! This guy bent over backwards to accommodate us! I pretty much forgot about the stupid Cougartail, all because of this one man's honest and simple kindness. To top it off, he told us he would do it during an actual game if we could get tickets on that side (I have no idea how.) I just want to say a very public, "Thank you" to this man. He made all the difference.

The point is though, life is to be enjoyed - not endured. We know we increase the risk to our sweet angel by doing things like this, but there is more to be said of a life well lived than a life spent in safety pilling up empty yesterdays. Take every opportunity and follow it. We may not have completed the first two items on our list - and we might never have the opportunity for her to ever meet the players or taste a Cougartail and have a hot dog during a game - but heck, we sure ended up having fun. Besides, I think this picture tells it all:



BYU is a school like no other, and is to be commended.