A Texas Homecoming

Greetings, Vocal readers and subscribers! Recently, I had the opportunity to visit a familiar place that I haven't been to in almost 15 years. I've expressed my love for my hometown of Arlington, Texas in numerous stories on Vocal. Fow two days, it was my time to do some sight-seeing and nothing more. This long overdue vacation was solely about me, not about visiting family, as I've been estranged from them since 2011. I'll share a collage of pictures from my two-day stay in Arlington throughout this story. Just for reference, I took over 200 photos, so not every one of them will be featured.

Day One

For the first day in Arlington, I got to do some sight-seeing. Things had definitely changed since I was last there in 2011. You can see in the collage a selfie I took in front of AT&T Stadium, the home of the Dallas Cowboys and which they've played in since it first opened in 2009. I have yet to attend a game in person, but it's on my bucket list. It was a warm and windy day, but I was amazed by everything about my amazing hometown.

Day Two

The second and final day in Arlington was more memorable. That morning, I took part in a premium tour of Globe Life Field, the current home of the Texas Rangers. I've seen the outside of GLF the day prior to prepare myself for the tour. I arrived at Globe Life Field around 10am and joining me on the tour were two married couples. One of them was from Maine and they had two young sons. The husband was a Rangers fan and wore a grey Rangers jersey. The premium tour lasted for an hour and a half and we were shown a plethora of items and areas, such as the press box, seeing Rangers announcer Chuck Morgan's office from the outside, and displays from the 2023 Postseason and 2023 World Series. Oh, and we each got a chance to wear the Rangers World Series ring. Well, a replica one that the team gave away to fans as part of their promotional schedule in 2024. We didn't get to see the Rangers locker room, because according to our tour guide, it's the player's private time for their families. You must be wondering if we had a chance to see the Rangers World Series trophy and the answer to that question, unfortunately, was no. No reason was given for that, but we weren't completely disappointed. Finally, we were led down the field. This was the very first time I've stepped foot onto an MLB field, so that was one bucket list item I crossed off. The last few minutes of the tour had children playing catch with one other. Everything about the field was breathtaking and the tour guide was kind enough to take a picture of me on the field.

The tour ended at the Grand Slam Team Store, the Rangers team shop. As you can see in these pictures, they had great stuff, such as shirts, jerseys, hats, and more. It's right inside GLF, so if you're planning on taking part in a stadium tour or attending a game, please be sure to stop by there. I ended up purchasing three items to take back to Arkansas. Many of the items are a bit pricey, but it's still a great place to check out, whether you're a Rangers fan or not.

After the tour concluded, I took some more pictures outside of Globe Life Field. I would definitely come back home again soon, but this time, for a Rangers game. The last time I've been to a Rangers game was nearly 25 years ago when they were playing at The Ballpark in Arlington. I was 13 at the time and also, it was the very first game I've attended. Fast forward to 2026, I have yet to attend my first Rangers game as an adult at GLF, but I'm determined to make that a reality in the coming months. That's one of my bucket list items that I'm eager to cross off.

This trip to Arlington was long overdue, because that time off benefited me mentally. As I've stated in the beginning of this story, this vacation was solely about me and me alone. Being part of family drama wasn't not part of my plans. Peace and solitude were the two things I enjoyed on my vacation. Eevryone, be sure to take a vacation and take a break every once in a while, because self-care is NEVER selfish.