Road Trip...

We're headed out of town in the morning! Sunday we'll be in Destin for a friend's wedding and from there we're headed to Tallahassee for a college visit Monday at Florida State. Zack will have a full day that includes a tour of the campus AND a Marching Chiefs rehearsal. Tuesday we'll be at University of Central Florida in the morning, Full Sail in the afternoon, and then back to UCF for a Marching Knights rehearsal that evening. We'll be busy, busy, busy and I'm sure pretty tired by the time we return too!

Please pray for safety in our travels and wisdom in the decisions Zack will be making for his future college choice. Hopefully, I will take lots of pictures and will post a full report when we return.

An Emotional Week...

My heart has been so heavy lately and my mind has been so pre-occupied that I've not even considered sitting down and blogging. I was telling hubby that sometimes I feel like I need to "de-frag" my hard drive to make room for more info. because my processor is running slow! (A little techie humor at no extra charge!)

Let me back up since my last post and update you on what I've been up to. I've found it very unnerving that as I sat typing my last post at almost 4:30 in the morning, worrying over such trivial things, a mere 24 hours later, the world was going to change for one of our dear students.

Last Thursday, a little after 3:00 a.m., one of our sophomores awoke to what he thought was his alarm clock. It turned out to be the smoke alarm. His room was filled with black smoke as he quickly made his way down the hall to his mother's room where a locked door awaited him. He pounded on the door, screaming, trying to get to his mom. Finally he broke through the door, only to be pushed back by the heat and smoke. He made his way back down the hall and out the door where he banged on neighbors doors and screamed for help. No one would answer, so he stood in his front yard, throwing things through his mother's window and screaming. Finally, a neighbor came out to help him, but it was too late. His mother was found, along with their dog, in her bathroom.

Preliminary reports show it was an electrical fire that started between the wall of her bedroom and the living room. This child lost everything. His mom, his clothes, their house. His father is not in the picture and from what I understand, never has been. He has a sister who is a freshman at Univ. of Alabama and an older brother.

The first person he called, even before his grandparents, was our football coach. What struck me is that we haven't won alot of games this year, but this coach has won the hearts of our football players. He is a great example to them, and a father figure to some of them too. Isn't that the type of winning that matters most in life?

Our coach was going to forfeit this past Friday's game, but Jordan wanted to play. One day after his mom lost her life, he was on the football field, running over 230 yards with 29 carries, scoring several touchdowns, one being the winning touchdown of the game. Jordan dedicated the game to his mom. Coach said, "we had 12 players on the field that night. She was definitely looking after him."

Read more of the story (and see photos) by clicking here

You can also click this web site and watch a video with Jordan and our coach. It's about halfway down the page in the video box and you have to watch a few minutes of the sports report before they get to Jordan's interview.

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I've also been thinking so much about my Dad. We're approaching the one year anniversary of his death (October 31st). In some ways, I can't believe a year has passed and in other ways, it seems like it's been a lifetime since I saw him last. Those sad feelings keep trying to creep their way to the surface, but I'm staying busy and forcing those thoughts and emotions into the corners of my mind for another time. I can't allow myself to go there. Not right now.

Mom is having flowers in memory of Dad this Sunday at her church. I know it's awful to say this, but I'm glad we're going to be out of town on college visits with Zack. I haven't been back to Mom's church since the funeral, and just don't think I could handle it right now. If you think about it, please say an extra prayer for my mom and all of our family during this difficult time.

I wanted to post this picture my mom found. I was being a little "ham" and I love the look on my Dad's face!

Also, please continue to remember Jordan and his siblings in your prayers. And if the Lord lays it on your heart to donate to the trust fund, you can email me and I can give you instructions on how to do that.

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Thank you, sweet Kat, for my BFF award. The feelings are mutual and you picked the same chickies I would have picked! Thank you again, for the awards I've received in the last few weeks.

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My mom drove to Birmingham for the Hoover Marching Invitational that our band attended this past Saturday. You can go here to read all about it! Here's a picture of me, mom and Zack after they performed and were back at the bus ready to change!

Well, I think that about catches up on what I've been doing the past week. Hopefully, I will post a report and pictures when we return from Zack's college visits.

Various and Sundry Things

You know it's bad when you wake up at 3:30 in the morning thinking of all the things you need to do! I tossed and turned, adding more things to my "to do" list and finally just decided to get up.

I emailed a few clients, got my newspaper ad in before the noon deadline today, and typed the bus list for our away game Friday and competition in Hoover on Saturday.

Just a few more weeks of this and things will start to slow down...but for now, it's high gear and full speed ahead!

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First, I want to thank my friends for the thoughtful awards that have been passed on to me in the past couple of weeks. I promise one day soon I will get to posting on them. Right now the thought of doing all the linky-loos and passing on the awards is overwhelming---problem is, I let it go too long and I've got lots of catching up to do!

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We have a trip planned at the end of this month, which also marks the one year anniversary of my Dad's passing (October 31st). In some ways, it will be good to be "busy" and try not to think too much about it---but I'm also wishing I could be there for my mom. She's having flowers placed in the church in memory of Dad on Sunday, the 28th, and hopefully my brother and sister will be with her that day.

We are headed to Destin on the 28th for an afternoon wedding at Sandestin and then leaving from there to go on down to Tallahassee for a college visit at Florida State University on Monday, the 29th. We'll get to tour the campus and then we've arranged for Zack to attend a Marching Chiefs rehearsal from 4:00 - 6:00 that evening.

After leaving FSU, we're headed down to Orlando for a college visit on Tuesday, the 30th at University of Central Florida in the morning, Full Sail in the afternoon and then back to UCF for a Marching Knights rehearsal from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m.

Whew! We're packing alot in during those two days...but figured we would get them all checked off the list while we were in the area. Pass the tissue please! Mama's gonna need it!

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Saturday we're headed to the Hoover Met for the Hoover Invitational Marching Competition. It's Zack's last competition. Again, pass the tissue! My mom's going to drive over from Atlanta with a friend of hers and spend the day. I know Zack's glad his nana is coming!

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Lastly, it was great meeting new friends that de-lurked in the previous post. I've stopped by and welcomed you to our bloggy circle, but there was one that I couldn't contact---so just know I tried and thanks for stopping by!

Hope you all have a wonderful rest of the week!

De-Lurking! Come on out of the closet!!!

I have seen this recently on a few blogs (Kat & Tonja) and I have to say, I'm with Tonja and not sure if I missed the day---but nonetheless, I thought I would post about it too!

I have made the sweetest friends by "delurking"! Last year, I delurked on Kat's blog and have developed a great friendship and even went to visit her. I have met so many wonderful people thru this bloggy little world and if you happen to stop by here on occasion for a looky-loo, then I would love to meet ya!

Go ahead...leave a comment! Just click that little button below and get to commentin' (that's how we say it here in the South). Come on---share the comment love!

Teaching an old 'dawg' new tricks!

This past Saturday, Zack and I went to the Auburn game with some good friends (she's also the Guidance Counselor that I work with at the school). I wasn't sure I wanted to go, cause, you know, it's Auburn and all, plus I would be missing the Georgia vs. Tennessee game. But that didn't turn out to be much of a game after all.

I digress.

So when we get there, they inform me that my orange shirt was more of a "Tennessee" orange than an "Auburn" orange. Are you kidding me people? It was the only orange shirt I had in my closet! Be glad I wore it! I could have worn one of my many Georgia shirts to remind all you Auburn fans how Georgia put the smack-down on you last year!!!

And plus, I'm not thrilled about wearing an orange t-shirt. People might mistake me for the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown! Ahhh, just in time for halloween! How fitting.

Anyway, we had a really great time. It was so much fun to be in that environment that I even caught myself screaming along with the thousands of fans, "Waaaaaaaaaar Eagle! Hey!"

But, I told them I had to draw the line when the band played the tune "Glory, Glory to Old Georgia" replacing it with "A-U-B-U-R-N"

... oh no, you dih-ent!

This was taken from our seats. We were so close to the field! And yes, it was very, VERY hot and humid! It does wonders for my hair! I promise one day I'll post a picture when I'm having a good hair day---except it's been so long since I've had a good hair day! Maybe I should go to Miss Daisy's groomer!!!

(See videos from Saturday posted below)

Gonna need a bucket for all these tears...

I have felt in control most of my life. Well, except in the area of eating right and my weight, which is a whole other topic for another day.

Or another decade.

But what I am facing is beyond anything that I can control. My sweet, little, blue-eyed baby boy is entering into a new chapter in his life and is ready to spread his wings and fly. But this mama is not ready for him to leave the nest.

From the time he was a baby, until he was 9 years old it was just the two of us. My ex had an affair and left when Zack was 18 months old (that's a whole other story for another day too!)---so needless to say, Zack and I have been very close the entire time he was growing up.

My life has revolved around raising a sweet son to eventually turn into a fine young man and now I'm feeling a little apprehensive about letting him fly. Each day that passes is one day closer to him flying the coop!

Y'all, I cried the first day I took him to Kindergarten and I cried as I watched him drive out of the driveway the first day of this, his Senior year. Everything this year has been a "last time" and although I could not be more proud of him, I'm feeling so sad because it seems like he's grown up so fast. When I say I blinked and he was grown, that is exactly how it feels. Cherish each moment, you young mothers.

He has received several college acceptance letters (University of Alabama, Troy University, etc.), but his top three choices are Florida State, University of Central Florida and then Auburn.

When I got home yesterday evening, there was a letter from Auburn. The first line read "Congratulations" and the last line said "War Eagle". Everything in the middle was a blur due to the buckets of tears I was crying. Somehow, at that moment, it just seemed more real to me than ever before and I could not. stop. crying.

When he got home from practice, I had the letter sitting at his place at the table. He was happy, but informed me that his first choices are still in Florida.......which was quickly followed by a "Good grief! You need to get a grip, mom!"

...and for a brief moment, I thought I might give him a little 'ole nudge right outta the "nest"!

It's Monday...can I rest now?

What a weekend! As I mentioned in my previous post, Zack had a band competition in Gadsden on Saturday (Mid-South Marching Competition). For you newbies, he's the Drum Major for our school's 85+ member marching band. 2nd year in a row. Yeah, I'm a proud mama!

Anyway, we left on Saturday morning for the day-long event...performed at 6:00 p.m., awards ceremony was supposed to start at 9:00 p.m., but actually was more like 9:45 p.m. and we left Gadsden at 11:15 p.m. By the way, the band won an all SUPERIOR rating!

It seems our bus drivers, or should I say the lead bus driver, decided he didn't want to go the way we came (up 65 to 459 and so on), he decided he would take a "short cut" home. Coming, it took us 2 and a half hours. Going home, it took us almost 4 hours. Yep. You heard right. We pulled in the school parking lot at 3:15 a.m.!!! Parents that left the stadium and went home the way we came, got back to Montgomery around 1:30 a.m.

When Gary called the bus company this morning to "complain"...the gentleman said he found that hard to believe because said bus driver was the VP of the company and had been there 40+ years and has a "great sense of direction".

If you're a moron.

Hey VP--stick to navigating your way around the office!

And for your viewing pleasure...I'll leave you with a picture of me and the son. Yes, I was working like a dog all day and was hot and sweaty...he's the cute one on the left! For more pics, go to the Band Blog from the linky to the right...but don't comment there...I want to remain "anonymous" on this WORLD WIDE WEB!!! ha ha!

(Okay, I have to add that when I first posted this, I posted it on the WRONG blog!!! I posted it on the band blog!!! TOO FUNNY! So much for anonymity!)