This one deserves to stand alone

Man, he hung tough all day. He downed nachos and all the other grub we threw his way, threw the football all over Stankowski Field and was a vocal Tiger fan well into the second quarter.

But then he started to lose his shoes, dropping them under the bleachers. And then he began drifting in and out of the game, alternating between being bored and jumping up and down as the Tigers almost pulled it out late. And then he struggled to walk all the way to Flat Branch for a late dinner.

And when the food finally got to our table – it was 11:30 at this point – the game was up. Not one bite of chicken made it past his lips.

M-I-Z...

Trying to drive from Nashville to Columbia, Mo., on a long Friday night after a long week: Hopeful

Touring Mizzou's campus with old friends on a perfect early fall Saturday: Beautiful

Sitting in field-level bleachers and hearing just how loud a full Faurot Field is: An ear full

Watching your team lose for the first time since 2002: Painful

Taking in your three favorite watering holes in the course of 13 hours: Just plain full

Sharing your alma mater with your babies: Extremely joyful

A house visitor

Sophia is hangin' with Oma and Opa in El Paso, taking in the desert landscape another time, creating lots of art and enjoying the occasional outing to Applebee's. She also went to the wedding of one of Opa's co-workers, where she (of course) danced away most of the night.

He's got the right idea

A recent back and forth at the breakfast table:

“Buddy, just wait until Sophia and I have kids, too. You’ll be a triple uncle.”

“I’m gonna move out.”