Sister Time

I was so excited to see my sister it felt like forever since i'd last seen her.  That has to be the worst part about them living 3 hours away.  Some days I'd love to just be able to grab lunch together.  It's also difficult because I know how busy they are when they get to come home and as much as I'd love to kidnap her and make her spend the whole weekend with me I just can't.  When we realized the NCAA National Championships for gymnastics were in Birmingham we knew we had to fit it in if possible.  Alabama was competing in the evening session of Friday so we decided we would go.  I was so excited because we got to go together and cheer on our school.  Plus we both love gymnastics.

We sprung the 4 extra dollars for the lower level seats.  We were right behind the media tables and beam.  It was a little bit of sensory overload trying to watch 4 events at once.   UCLA was on beam first rotation and I thought one of the team managers looked familiar.  I figured out it was Jordyn Wieber from the 2012 Olympic team.  So that exciting.   Alabama tied Florida and advanced to the finals on Saturday night.  We weren't able to go though because of family obligations.  (They came in fourth).
After we left the gymnastics meet we went to the see light tunnel in Birmingham.  Pretty cool.
We decided to have a slumber party at mom and dad's because the second part of sister time included running a 5K race in Gardendale Saturday morning.   It was supporting two local charities and we knew several people running it.  We were excited. 

Here we are before we left.

I had not really trained for this.  Like at all.  I'd been running a little for some cardio but not 3 miles.  I knew it was going to be tough.  I only had two goals.  1.) Not finish last.  2.) Finish under 40 minutes.  I realize that 40 minutes is a really slow 5K but I knew that was going to be pushing myself but still obtainable. 

I'm happy to report I met both goals.  When we rounded the corner I say 36.xx on the clock and realized we were faster than I thought. I realized I could finish in under 38 minutes I kicked it up a notch. 

 I love these next two pictures that were taken at the finish.

My sister is way more fun than I am.  She was posing and smiling.

Then she says I jumped in front of her right at the finish to beat her.  I know she doesn't believe me but that was not the case at all.  I really wanted to finish under 38 minutes and they clock read like 37.57 so I was trying to finish. They also told us to stay in line so one of us had to be first. I really did feel bad because she could have finished a lot faster.  I probably wouldn't have finished if it hadn't been for her.

Our sweet friend Anna.  She finished way faster than us and was cheering us on at the finish.  That was one good thing about finishing later, there were a lot more people to cheer you on. 

I went to pick this crazy haired boy up at my parents house then headed home to get ready for the start of our Easter festivities.
I was so excited to get to spend so much time with my sister.  I'm hoping to get to Atlanta more this summer to visit her.  She has been a huge encouragement to me lately and I try not to take for granted all the fun ways we have to communicate.  We talk often but nothing beats face to face laughter and a hug.   Easter post coming up.

Tuscloosa Love

I love Tuscaloosa.  Like really love it.  Which is kind of funny to me because by December 2007, I could not wait to get out of that city.  I'd been there for 4.5 years and I missed home.  It wasn't until I actually got home that I realized how much "home" had changed.  My sweet little 13 year old brother had turned into a 17 year old high school senior that was counting the days until he headed to Tuscaloosa.  My pesky sister was not there anymore she'd firmly planted herself in Tuscaloosa.  My older brother was three children richer (or poorer depending on how you look at it. ha!) with one more on the way.  My parents were still crazy as ever but had already started adjusting to an empty nest (and didn't appear to be the least bit sad about it).  Finally, I was finishing up planning the wedding of my dreams and decorating our first home together.  It was hardly the "home" from August 2003 when I first flew the coop.  Not that it was a bad thing it was just different.  I knew all those things were happening but when I thought of home I only imagined how it used to be.  I quickly realized all the things I was so anxious to get back to were no longer there and they'd never be back.  These are all things that I didn't realize right away but over the course of that first year I was back.  It really hit me during football season when I was back in Tuscaloosa that I realized that it wasn't so bad that I'd actually {gasp} missed the place.  It was then that I rekindled my love for Tuscaloosa.  It was like an old relationship where all you can remember are the good times.  All you think about are the flowers and perfect dates, you don't remember the fights and tears.  All I thought about were the tailgates and springtime on the quad.  I, for the life of me, couldn't recall walking to class in the rain (and the way Tuscaloosa floods when it even sprinkles) or the parking ticket for my bumper hanging over the sidewalk at my house.  I remembered how I loved my morning runs around the neighborhood on the sidewalks, something I will always regret not taking full advantage of. 
This is all nothing new.  I talk about it each fall when I head down for the first game of the season and my mind is flooded with all the great memories of my favorite time of year in Tuscaloosa. 
I was reminded again last night when I took my sweet niece Ava for the gymnastics meet.  We made it a Girls Night Out: Aunts/Nieces style with Kristen and Kaley.  Elizabeth came along for the fun too.  We had a blast!  We had dinner at Mugshots and then drove right through the heart of campus on the way to Coleman Coliseum.  We went by Bryant-Denny Stadium, the Quad, the Presidents Mansion, and the newly renovated Foster's Auditorium.  Ava had been to this part of campus during football season but Kaley hadn't seen it.  It was fun to share that with the girls.  Some things look completely different and some things will always look exactly the same. 
We finally got parked and started the long walk.  All the lights at Coleman were pink in honor of Breast Cancer.  It was beautiful.  We go to our seats to catch the very end of warm ups.  The cheerleaders and Big Al came out to get the crowd pumped.   They recognized the alumni (I got to see Ashley Miles one of my favorites from when I was there) and the 1991 National Championship team who were celebrating their 20 year anniversary.  We loved seeing the footage from the '91 season.  The hair was amazing and Sarah Patterson's dress was over the top.  Finally, it was time for the team introductions and the competition to start. 

Lit up all pink. 

Kristen, Kaley, Me and Ava. 

Me, Sister and Ava. 

The girls as we were leaving Mugshots.

Kaley and Kristen waiting on the meet to start.

The 91' team.  I should have taken my better lens in I'm mad at myself for not.

Cheerleaders and Big Al.  I loved the pink poms. 

The team coming out.  This is my favorite part.

The girls sitting outside.

We had so much fun.  The tide won which is always exciting.  Kaley fell asleep and she was really out.  She had to be carried to the car.  We couldn't wake her up enough for her to walk.  We dropped Elizabeth off and headed back home.  Home to my house.  I feel like I have so many "homes".  I still call my parents house "home" and my house.  The girls slept the whole way.  Ally was so excited to see Ava when we finally got home.  We put on our pjs and hit the sack.  But not before a little cuddle time with our favorite poodle.

As much as I love Tuscaloosa.  I love home too.  I still love "home" at my parents even with all the emptiness.  I love my own "home" more than I ever thought was possible that first year.  I thought I'd never adjust.  I thought I'd never appreciate home for what it is not what it was.  I do appreciate it now.  It makes the past that much sweeter and my home that much homier.