This past weekend, I had my first experience going to Church. But this church wasn’t on Sunday morning, and there were no pews or prayers. Instead, it was big-stage, loud-music, lights-flashing, people-screaming kind of Church. It was actually Dad’s birthday present, but it kind of turned into a full-family adventure. We traveled 200 miles to see Eric Church, live from the Fiserv Forum stage, and it was epic!

But let’s back up a little bit because the fun actually started at PinSeekers, a hybrid-golf entertainment facility, where Dad and I hit golf balls like pros, and Genesee and mom kicked some grass at the soccer simulator.

Then we perused the Nike Clearance store at the Johnson Creek Outlet mall before mom gave us a tour of her old stomping grounds: the Brookfield Square Mall. Apparently, it used to be fun to hang out there? Well, just like our mall in La Crosse, this indoor shopping center now had major “ghost town” vibes. Mom felt equal parts nostalgia and depression walking through the empty mall, wondering if places like that will survive much longer. But since she also thinks we’re heading toward an apocalypse, thanks to Trump-era chaos, I assured her that zombies will probably need somewhere to shop.

After that, we went to The Melting Pot for dinner, where we enjoyed an interactive dining experience. It was the first time Genesee and I had tried fondue, and we learned that life is a whole lot better when you can dip everything in cheese or chocolate!

Finally, it was 7:00 p.m. and time for my first-ever concert! (I mean, Dad’s birthday present.) But before settling into our seats, we walked a few laps around the stadium, while the opening act played. Unfortunately, we had to watch the clock strike 9:10 p.m. before we were dazzled by the vocal chords of Eric Church, but it was totally worth the wait. Poor Genesee was tired by then, so she missed a few songs, but Mr. Church sang nonstop until 11:40 p.m., so my sleepyhead sister still caught most of the show, including Springsteen, which she didn’t want to miss.

We had so much fun! We stood almost the whole time and sang all the lyrics at the top of our lungs. Dad said it was the best concert he’s ever been to!

We lived like rock stars that day. By the time we got back to the hotel, it was past midnight, and I didn’t fall asleep until 1:00 a.m. — probably later than most actual rockstars, maybe even Eric Church himself. But our tour ended early, because we had a 7:00 a.m. wake-up call for my sister’s soccer game.

We went from concert crowds to corner kicks in less than twelve hours. But hey… juice boxes on the sidelines is a vibe, too.

It was an amazing adventure — celebrating my favorite dad with golf balls, ghost malls, cheese pots, and country rock. And moments like that stick with you. Now, everytime I hear a Church song, I will think of that day with my family. “Funny how a melody feels like a memory.”