I Made It!

This post is a little late, but hey better late than never right? Dad and I left Missouri on Friday morning around 8:15 or so. Talk about an emotional morning with lots of crying. Thursday night began the really emotional time. Rex threw a going away party for Adam (another GA who left today) and me that all of the athletic trainers were invited to. It was a great time. Of course we left there and decided we needed to make a trip to the Deuce. One last go 'round for me. (Even though we had a going away party there on Tuesday night...haha). My dad went with us anf finally got to see the infamous Deuce. We had so much fun. Around 11:30 Dad and I decided we needed to head to bed, so we left. I had shed many tears by the time we walked out the door. Saying goodbye to all the GAs who have basically been my family the past two years was so hard. And of course it was hard saying goodbye to all of our friends that work at the Deuce...there are so many people there that I will miss. Friday morning I got up early to go to the facilities to tell Tara bye because she had to work soccer camp and couldn't make the festivities the night before. Saying goodbye to Tara & Casey were two of the hardest things to do. Tara and I aren't really sure how we are going to survive living 11 hours apart. Needless to say we have done lots of chatting via phone, text & chat over the past 5 days and I don't see that slowing down at all. We were inseparable while at Mizzou and I know our friendship will last a lifetime. Casey is like a big brother to me. Just ask his mother, we definitely fight like brother and sister. He calls me his 2nd wife. We have been through so much together in the 8 years that I have know him. It started with him living 13 hours from home and then me moving 12 hours from home. I've been through his engagement, been in his wedding and seen him start a family and he has two of the most adorable children I have ever seen. I am so sad to leave him and his family. After saying goodbye to them, I headed back to Carolyn's house (Casey's mom) to catch Neisha dropping off the kids. She had me crying the night before and that morning wasn't any better. She has cooked more meals for me than anyone (well Carolyn may be close or right above her) in Columbia, and I think both of their grocery bills may go down now that I am gone. I think Harper finally caught on to what was going on when she saw both Neisha & me crying. We have been telling her for a few weeks that I was going to go bye-bye for a long time like J. (Harper is super sad that Jmac moved to Philly. Now when you ask her whose girl she is...she answers "J's girl." It is so cute!) When I hugged her bye she didn't want to let go. And just kept snuggling up to me. Of course I lost it at that point again. My last goodbye was Carolyn. You would think at that point I would have been cried out, but not at all. She's my Missouri mom and always will be.

The first part of the drive was awful. I would be ok one minute, then bawling another. Finally after about 4 hours of driving I quit crying near as often, just a few tears every once in a while. I got great news right before I got to Joplin though--Tara was hired as a full time assistant athletic trainer at Mizzou! After a long few months of waiting, wishing, being confused and so many more things, she finally got hired on. I am so proud and excited for her!

After stopping in Amarillo to eat at Rosa's (LOVE that place), we finally got home around 9:30. We could have made it by 9, but chose to eat in at Rosa's after a long day on the road. Sadly the first thing I did when I got home was look up River Road's football schedule and compared it with the Mizzou Football and Soccer schedules. I was so excited to see that RR's open week for football has changed and Mizzou DOES have a game that week. I think Dad, Mom & I are going to try to go to the Furman game that weekend at Mizzou. Then the next month Mizzou plays football at OSU, so I am hoping to be able to drive over to that game on Saturday and then Tara's girls (soccer) plays at OU on Sunday so I will detour through Norman to go see her. She will be in California the weekend of the Furman game, so I won't get to see her then. Hopefully it all works out so that I can see everyone.

Being back in Texas is great as well. I really miss all of my Missouri friends, but catching with my Texas friends has been so nice. Saturday night I went and hung out with Tate, Malisah & Evan. We had such a great time. I graduated with Tate & Evan and we have all remained close since graduation even with all the different directions we have gone & have all ventured back close to home. I have really missed hanging out with them! They were two of my best friends all throughout school and you would never be able to tell that we have spent time apart. Both of their families are basically like another set of parents to me and have put up with me a lot throughout the years. I am so excited to be back close to them. I still have to get together with so many different people. I really need to find time to go see Jenny, Elaine & JJ. Tulia's Picnic Week (it's a BIG deal in Tulia) is July 13-18th and I hope to see tons of friends that weekend. This is when everyone comes back home for the parade & ranch rodeo on Saturday. This is also when all the graduates have their class reunions. Lots and lots of people come back home this weekend so it is always a great weekend to see everyone.

Monday we took the moving truck to Amarillo and unloaded it into my apartment. I have a HUGE living room and the bedroom is a nice size. I definitely need a bigger closet, but I am working on how to make everything fit. I unpacked all the boxes but still have to finish decorating and stuff. I saved that for another day when I am bored in Tulia. I'll take pictures when I am done with everything and post for everyone to see. If you are ever in Amarillo give me a call!

Well that's all for now. I really thought if I waited a few days to write this post it would be easier, but it wasn't. I still teared up in the beginning but ended with smiles thinking about catching up with all my friends that I have known for so many years. I can't wait to see all my family as well when Emily comes in the weekend of the 11th!

ESPY Awards

I copied this post from my sister's blog, but the Campbell family is a family that is very dear to our hearts. Every vote helps!!!

My friend, Jeremy Campbell, that I previously blogged about after he won the gold medal & set the world record in the Pentathlon at the Paralympics has been nominated for an ESPY award! Please help him out by going and voting for him!!

(For you Tulians, Jeremy is the son of Gregg Campbell - Kay Sturgess' brother & Nancy Hamilton's son)

Go to:

http://www.espys.tv/

Click "Vote Now"

Click "Register".

Create an account. (you have to do this to vote...it's free)

Once created, click "vote now" again.

Scroll down to "Best Male Athlete with a Disability" and click on his picture. (the first one) Then click "Vote"

You can vote for all the other categories too!

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day to the greatest Daddy in the world! You have been my hero since the day I was born. I could not imagine having a better Father than you. Thanks for everything you have ever done for and taught me!

Emotions

The emotional rollercoaster is in full effect. Like I said previously I am so excited to move back to Texas. I have what I expect to be a GREAT job and I am so excited for my new adventures there. I really like all the coaches I have met so far (so what if it's only 3 of them, but still). My parents will only be about 50 minutes away, so I can get my family fix then (and my dad will actually get to come to my basketball games now!). Jenny & JJ will be about an hour away, Elaine about 3 and half hours away, Katie 2 hours, and on and on...so much better than the at least 12 hours they are now. My extended family will also only be about 5 or so hours away. So many things to be excited for.

However, as I get down to packing the last parts of my house, I find myself becoming upset and the whole reality of leaving Columbia hits me really hard. I have developed so many great friendships here. Tara and I have become inseperable over the past 2 years and have kept each other sane. Neither of us are going to know what to do without the other one. She has a plan to team up with my sister to get me back up to the MidWest (and I haven't even left). Tara grew up in Illinois right outside of St. Louis. Her parents live about 20 minutes from Emily & Kyle so we have carpooled there several different times. Her family has taken me in and treated me like a 4th daugther. It was so nice to have another "family" to spend time with. Also I could not have asked for a better group of GAs to work with. It's pretty amazing that we work together, hang out together and half of them live together, yet we never really seem to get too tired of each other. Sure we have had our differences, but in the end we are all GREAT friends and if you mess with one of us you mess with us all. Some of my volleyball girls have become my good friends also. They have definitely kept me on my toes the past couple of years and honestly nothing surprises me anymore. Through volleyball I met Lindsey aka Hunter who I have become close to as well. She got me through volleyball season this year more than she realized. I am sad that I only got to spend a year with her. I am forever indebted to Casey, Neisha & their families. Neisha has fed me countless times and is always there when I need her the most. If it wasn't for Casey I would have never moved to Missouri. Their two children have been a true blessing in my life. (see the post below). Carolyn has also fed me countless times, especially at lunch when my cabinets have been bare. Neisha's family also treats me like I am part of them. I have met so many other great people through the athletic department, the Barnes, the Catons, the Scoggins, the Sharps, and on and on (I know I have left so many people out).

Moving to Missouri has truly been a great experience for me. I am so glad I stepped out of my comfort zone and tried a new experience. I have learned so much about life, work, and friendships. I've already started looking at my calendar for next school year to see when I can get back up to visit everyone. Saying goodbye is always so hard, as I have done it so many different times between me moving and others moving. However, I must do it and just writing this post I have tears in my eyes.

Now I gotta go pack some more boxes so that everything is ready when my dad gets here next week. Then it's headed to the pool with Tara and then dinner with some very special girls tonight!

A Mizzou Photoshoot

Emily came to visit me on Sunday and Monday, one last time before I move. I have really been wanting to get pictures around the Mizzou campus before I move back to Texas. Luckily Emily read my mind and brought her awesome camera with her and we ventured out on Monday after eating lunch at Booche's to get pictures. I think it was about 99.99% humidity at that point and Emily completely agrees. That type of weather really makes me ready to move back to my dry west Texas air.

This is the main entrance to campus. The Columns are very well known at Mizzou. They were part of the original academic hall that burned in 1892 and all that remained were these columns. For more background information about the columns click here. Behind the Columns is Jesse Hall -- MU's main Administration Building.

There's a rumor that two of the columns aren't equally spaced for the architect's own humor. I really have no idea if this is true or not.

Emily did a great job :)

Thomas Jefferson & me. Want more info click here!

Emily & TJ...she was being funny and waited until NO ONE was walking by to take this picture. She isn't going to be very happy with me posting it.

At the Tiger Fountain in Tiger Plaza.

Close up of the tiger & me.

Memorial Union

After walking all over campus, Emily & I agreed we needed to cool off with Cold Stone.

Emily LOVES Cold Stone. We had to capture this photo before leaving.

Football Stadium

Couldn't resist pictures in the helmet cart.

Makes you wonder how they see while driving around the field.

Press box

South end score board...the stadium is getting a new one on the North end

The Tigers' Locker Room

Football Field and the Rock M

Moving

I am very excited about moving back to Texas at the end of the month. It will be so nice to be back closer to all of my family (with the excpetion of Emily & Kyle) and all of my childhood friends. I AM sad to leave all the wonderful people I have become so close to while in Columbia though. Yesterday afternoon Kara, our softball trainer, got married at the Les Bourgeois Winery. Before the wedding I got a picture with one of the reasons I am sad to leave CoMo.

How couldn't you love these two cuties?!?! I have had so much fun playing with and watching Harper grow up over the past two years. She absolutely loves her Auntie Brooke and I have truly cherished my time with her. She can always bring the biggest smile to my face even when I am having the worst of days. Now she has a precious little brother Reid that I wish I was going to get to witness all of his firsts. He has already changed so much over the past 10 weeks. Neisha---you are going to have to be the picture posting queen on your blog or facebook!!!

Alrighty, I gotta get back to packing boxes. The joys of moving!