We started the indoctrination early with Robbie. The day we brought him home, he walked into a foyer lined with Kentucky posters. His drawers were filled with Kentucky onesies and t-shirts. Robbie wears UK “squeakers” (sneakers that actually squeak). He sports the clothes proudly, even wearing a Kentucky football uniform and pretending to be Randall Cobb during football season. But, that was nothing compared to when he started to learn words.

Early today, I practiced “Go Cats!” with Robbie. It started at the breakfast table. We tried one of my favorites, but Robbie didn’t quite get the spelling. It came out more, “C…C…T…S… Cats! Cats!” He could never get the “A” or the third “Cats!” But we practiced all day. Robbie left voicemail messages for everyone in our family saying, “Go Cats!” earlier this afternoon.

I wasn’t quite sure it stuck until the very end of the game. Justin was, in a shocking turn of events, pacing around the living room. Robbie ran up to the TV and started pacing in front of it, yelling, “Go Cats! Cats! Cats! Go!” One of the proudest moments of my life!