By Terra Avilla
There I was, tirelessly working on a Tik Tok video on my husband’s phone this past weekend, when whose name appeared on the caller ID, but the one and only, Mitch Lively.
I didn’t dare tell my husband that Mitch was trying to call him, because I knew that my husband would have immediately demanded I give him his phone to talk to Mitch, regardless of the fact that I was in the middle of making a very important video. Important to me that is, sorry Mitch.
How do I know that Mitch Lively calling my husband would put a halt in pretty much anything else? Because my husband ABSOLUTELY loves Mitch Lively. Like, if he wrote this column Mitch would probably be a monthly feature.
And to be fair, Mitch is pretty amazing, so I can see why he and Frankie get along so well.
Now though, I cannot make this week solely about Mitch, for his wife Kirby Lively, really completes this duo, in terms of all-around wonderful power couples.
So, let’s start at the beginning of how these two wonderful people came to be in my life.
Frankie and I were actually on a date in Reno over a decade ago, when I saw two very tall, beautiful looking human beings stroll into the food court of the mall. Frankie waved them down and introduced me to them. At that time, they were engaged and soon to be married, just like Frankie and I were.
I remember thinking how poised and elite Kirby appeared. She was not shy, and seemed to carry her own, in the midst of my husband and my very big personalities. Little did I know, I would soon learn how big and strong a personality that lady has. And I love every bit of it.
Now, most of you know Mitch as a major league baseball player, and let me tell you, he is just as phenomenal off the field. He is an adoring husband, and a very involved father. Watching him with their son melts my heart.
Mitch has a huge soft spot for kids and is always willing to help with whatever youth activity he can, volunteering his time with the many baseball programs and leagues we have in Lassen County.
As you can imagine, it is a very cool experience for our local baseball players to have Mitch come and share his knowledge with them. But, you really would not know what huge deal he is in the baseball world, because he is so incredibly humble.
And Ms. Kirby is perhaps the most fabulous person I know, yet, although she always looks ready to be featured in the middle of a Vogue fashion shoot, she never ever, ever acts entitled or spoiled, happily drinking her wine that she brought me in my red solo cups, because literally all of my wine glasses were covered in dust.
She just gladly kept me company while our husbands talked about pitching velocities in the living room. She has this amazing quality of being so marvelous, but so down to earth.
And her heart is just as huge. She has always been very determined to help with Holiday with a Hero, as well as the Policeman’s Ball. In fact, I remember seeing her happily bidding on objects, so excited she was winning, something I know for a fact she didn’t need, but she just wanted to donate to a good cause.
I am very thankful that our small community has allowed the Lively’s lives to cross paths so frequently with ours.
I really adore them as a couple and I adore them independently, and if you ever get lucky enough to meet one of them or both of them, you will see why they are one of the reasons I (and my husband) love where we live.
