Wonderfull Weekend

First of all let me say one word: WOW!!! That is what I have to say for all the wonderful people who have stopped by my blog from Bring The Rain. Like I said on my last post...who would have thought by me leaving a comment would have brought so many people to my little ole blog. Welcome to my new readers.

Warning this might be a long one, I will be talking about the weekend!

I had wonderful weekend!!! It was so great to go back "home" and see all of my friends and my football family. It was great! My parents and I arrived in town on Friday at about 2:30. We went over to my old job and I was able to say "hi" to a few friends and co-workers. Then we went to the stadium to say hi to the team and the coaches. I was so excited to actually get to see two of the coaches that I have kept in touch with since leaving. One is the 22 year old student assistant who was like Shawn's little brother and was with him the morning that he died, the other person I was very excited to see is the other Coach that Shawn and I were close with, I've talked about him before on my blog.

Anywho, I got there and was very excited when walking into the football offices. My first stop was at the "coaches" office. I went into his office and he looked at me for a second and then just said "Damn girl" Apparently since leaving I look a little different. I guess loosing almost 30 pounds, a new haircut and color will do that to a girl! Granted I did spiff myself up a little, after all I looked like complete crap when I left, I couldn't let all my friends see me looking like that again. But anyways he got up from his desk and came over and gave me the biggest hug ever. It was wonderful to finally see him again. We talk almost everyday, but it was so much better seeing him in person. We talked for a while then I walked down the hall to go and see some of the other coaches. Alright, now I'm getting ready to walk past Shawn's office. I could feel myself start to get that lump in the back of my throat, then I could feel my eyes start to well up. I quick thought to myself...girl pull it together, you look good right now, and ya don't want mascara streaming down your face. A little vain yes, but it worked. I walked past his office and into the video room remembering the good times in there with Shawn. In the video room were some of the other coaches, all of them got up and about ran over to me and was given a huge hug by them all. It was so great to be back to the office where Shawn and I spent so much time. When your husband is a college football coach you really learn a lot about the staff and it was great to be back with them. After talking to the guys for a while longer we left and headed over to my friends house, we were staying with her for the night.

I had a wonderful time at her house. She made us the best dinner! I haven't eaten that amount of food in weeks, but boy was it great. My other friend Jennie and her kids, and another friend Teressa came over too. We sat and talked and played or shall I say rough housed with the kids most of the night and had a great time. We all laughed and laughed. Jennie left with her kids around 9:00, bedtime and they were getting tired. The rest of the night Lora, myself, Teressa, and my mom just sat and talked. Lora and I sat up until 2:00 in the morning just talking. It was so nice to talk with my friends again. We talk almost every day on the phone but it is so different in person. The next morning I got up and got ready for the game.

Saturday afternoon the coaches wives had planned lunch for me. I arrived at the house and was surrounded by all of the coaches wives, again it was so nice to see them. Every Saturday before a game we would rotate houses to eat lunch at. It felt so good to be back into the rhythm of college football. For the first time in 2 months (it was exactly 2 months on Sat at 11:00) I felt "normal". Yes, college football is a very normal thing for me, I loved being able to feel that way again. Once again everyone told me I looked great and didn't look like somebody who has been through what I have been through. (I save that look for my family that I'm living with.) I wanted and needed to look and feel good this weekend. Vain yes, but again it worked and all of the complements were very nice.

After a great lunch and visit we were off to the football game. Once again it was so nice to be there. I sat in the same seats I sat in the last 2 years and watched and enjoyed the game. I looked up in the press box where Shawn used to sit and just smiled, and remembered him sitting up there coaching away. No tears, just smiles. Lora, and Teressa also came to the game with me as well as my Dad (Mom got sick and was in the hotel) Lora and I laughed and laughed so much, it was great to laugh like that again. We weren't really laughing at anything in particular, but we both had tears running down our face. It was nice. Even though YSU lost I had a great time. Again it was so nice to finally be able to do something that was "normal" to me.

After the game, a few of the coach's, myself, and my Dad went to the restaurant where we all used to eat at once a week. It was wonderful food once again. Mexican...yummy!!! After that I spent the night with "the guys" we went back to one of their houses and just talked and watched football all night, again something normal for us. It was great to hang out with the guys again. They are awesome and have been so great to me.

On Sunday before leaving we met Jennie, Lora and all of the kids at McDonald's for lunch and for our "see ya laters" we don't say good bye. It was fun watching the kids all play in the extremely gross McDonald's play land. After a while we said our see ya laters and left. Jennie and Lora made me this beautiful scrap book. It is made up of letters and encouraging words from all of the many people and friends that I worked with in Youngstown. The only time I cried all weekend is on my way back to Michigan when I read what they had wrote. Dam those girls!! After MacDonald's we stopped into the stadium one more time to say more see ya laters to the coaching staff. Most of them were in meeting, but again I got great hugs.

On the 5 hour trip back to Michigan I was extremely sad I had some tears on and off most of the ride back. I realized it is nice to be at home with my family, but I have no friends here and my life is so not "normal" for me here. Nice but not "normal" I was only in the car for a few hours but I already missed my friends and football family so much. I'm already looking forward to my next trip...19 days and counting. This time I'm going for whole week and I can't wait. I'm going the week after my 31st birthday and the week before what would have been Shawn's 32nd birthday and taking Puppy Bo with me. Who knows maybe in the next few months I will look into moving back there. I don't know, still just taking it one day at a time, and I know I still need my family too. Dam it too bad we all couldn't move just a bit closer. Anyways getting excited for my next visit.

Ok everyone I think that about sums up my weekend. Sorry it was soo long, but figured you would maybe want to hear all about it. Then again, maybe not so sorry. Once I can get pictures from the weekend I will share with you all.

Once again thank you all for reading and for posting. I love reading them all and getting to know your blogs as well. That is what I do now...professional blogger!!! Wait, is there a way I can make actual money reading/writing blogs!