Don't Wake Me From This Dream- Scratch that Wake Me up.. This is REAL LIFE!

Two weeks ago exactly today I lay in my bed sick as dog. I mean I did not move from that bed the entire day. Two days later I gathered myself enough energy to bid farewell to my sweet husband who had barely recovered from the same bug days before. He was off to the largest bass fishing event of the year. With our energy not up to par and so many other things happening at the moment, I didn't have time to build it up in my head like I had done in years past. But this was a world different from years past. LL is on the map, not just locally but nationally. There wasn't just a small 10X10 tent set up to sell as many baits as 2 people could physically manage. Not only was there a display that I pictured in my dreams, but clothing and gear and pro's and famous industry reps. And to just take it over the top, 3 guys who represent LL would be fishing in this epic tourney. Which for LL, that was all new. As I watched my husband drive away with tears in my eyes selfishly thinking I would be on my own for the next 5 days, I remember him clearly saying, "Pray that one of our guys makes the top 3 of the championship. That's all we need is the top 3." Ok I thought, what really are the chances of this happening. But I prayed anyway, not only because my husband asked, but because "we" NEEDED this win for 100's of reasons (we meaning everyone involved with LL). Well after my work week began to slow and things on the home front were winding down, I decided to do a little research of my own. It seems it was all very possible with these 3 guys competing, but I strongly believe in the sport of fishing anything is possible. The days passed and I would get a little report from my husband. I like to know the vibe and energy of these events since I'm not physically there. The last day, only 1 of the pros associated with LL made it to the end. It happens to be hands down my favorite guy, Randy Howell. Just a genuine, God fearing amazing character who stands next to a lady who radiates this pure light, together a powerhouse. After meeting them last year in Vegas, I began following Mrs. Howell on FB. So I decided to check out her page to see if I could gather any info on how her husband was doing out there. Something someone posted on her page, literally took me away from my breakfast table to get my iPad to try and get more info. Something magical had happened, all I could find out was that Howell had some sort of history making morning and had gone from 11th place to 1st place "unofficially". I was wired. Texting and checking. I found some link where you could follow the activity of all the fishermen. It was updated every 5 minutes. I began to get more info from my hubs, the energy coming from him just thru text messages made me want to be next to him more than anything in the world. This win would make it to the top of my husbands list of best times in his ENTIRE life. It would mean that something he created inside of his head and brought to market would be validated through this sweet man winning the world championship. It would mean all those years of sacrifice, work and perseverance would be worth it. All of the non believers who gave up, who thought it was a crazy pipe dream would be proved wrong as Randy stood there with Livingston smack dab center of his chest. I watched shaking, praying, pacing, until the very end. I did not realize how long it would actually take for the results so I ran to the grocery store. I turned it on my phone plugged in my headphones and watched him win the 2014 Bassmaster Classic as I paid the cashier at the grocery store, tears running down my face. He took the whole thing. First place, a champion. This stand up man and his beautiful family stood there on that huge platform and gave it all to God. It was pure magic, devine magic. There was no such thing called luck involved, that was God smiling down on us saying I have heard your prayers for all these years, and now is the time. I can't speak for the Howell family, only mine and this dream we feel like we are living in thru his win has changed our lives. We did not win a trophy or any amount of money, we did not train and fish and compete in this tournament. We did not win the title of world champion. Randy Howell did. And he happen to do it throwing Livingston Lures. You know when you hear that cliche phrase "we are living a dream", well who would of thought this South Texas girl and her inventrepreneur husband would see the day.


"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." Galations 6:9

"All of our Dreams come true if we have the courage to pursue them" -Walt Disney