Searching for a Gift Giver

Layne received a gift in the mail when we got back from New Orleans. It's the National Best Seller "Born To Run- A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen" by Christopher McDougall. We have no clue who it is from. The book seems really interesting, I want to read it myself... and we want to know who to say thank you to!

Tuesday Tidbits...

Another fun day with Reece filled with more laughter...

8:30am
Mitzi: Reece, do you know who is coming to our house tonight?
Reece: Aunt Mitzi, I don't want to talk right now.
(Who do you think she gets that from??)

10am
Reece: Can I have skittles today?
Mitzi: Sure Reece. If we go somewhere and then have skittles, we can get some.
1pm: We pulled into the gas station.
Reece: Should I unbuckle Aunt Mitzi?
Mitzi: No Reece, I just need to pump gas. Keep your seat belt on.
Reece: But you said we could get skittles today...
(She doesn't forget A THING!)

11am, We were watching the Leap Frog Letter Factory Movie
Reece: When Elly grows up, Addie and I are going to give her the Letter Factory so she can learn her ABC's and sounds like a big girl too.
Mitzi: Reece! That's such a sweet thing to say. I bet that would make Jessica very happy.
Reece: Let's call and tell her then. It's good to make people smile.
(And so we called Ben and Jess. Reece was thrilled.)

Reece and I were looking at blogs today. We were looking and pictures of Elly, Braden, and Vivian.
Reece: Is Vivian a little baby?
Mitzi: Yeah Reece, she's 3 months old now.
Reece: She sure does have a lot of hair for a little baby.
(How observant is that! Thought it would make you laugh Monica!)

I'm enjoying our arts and crafts, watching movies, wrapping Christmas gifts, and running errands together. Tonight, Mrs. Carmen and Mr. Wayne are getting in town. They are staying with Layne and I for the week, we'll have Reece and Addie tomorrow. We're going to go see The Princess and The Frog, and make Christmas cookies with NaNa. Can't wait!

Hope everyone is having a wonderful Holiday week!

Monday Funday!

Since I'm back in Dallas and off of work, I get to spend some quality time with my favorite 5 year old, Reece. She may be one of the only people who I look forward to getting out of bed at 7:30am for. We started our day off with arts and crafts, and then we watched Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. We were getting hungry at that point. Reece asked for lasagna or ravioli, which is way out of my range, and the pantry is bare. So off to Chick-fila we went.

We passed by the pet store, and Reece asked if we could stop to get Kelly Dog a Christmas present. Kelly is Mrs. Carmen and Mr. Wayne's dog, that Reece absolutely adores. How could I deny that? So we picked Kelly up a pack of toy bones, and checked out the dogs, cats, rats, mice, lizards, snakes, birds, and fish. I didn't like it one bit, but my niece loves animals. She loves them all, and she wanted to take home one of each. Sorry if I contributed Chrissy and Chad...

Since Reece ate all her chicken nuggets, she was able to convince Aunt Mitzi to take her to get some vanilla ice cream. WRAPPED. AROUND. HER. FINGER. And she knows it. How am I supposed to tell the girl no? I tried not to be a complete push over. I refused to buy Reece a book at our pit stop at Barnes and Nobles, but we did get a Christmas gift for Addison there. After taking this picture Reece said, "Could you hold my purse please? I've got some shopping to do." I almost busted out laughing in her face. It's a good thing Brina called me this morning and warned me about Reece's shopping problem. I can't wait to see what it blossoms into as she grows older.

We came home, wrapped Christmas presents, made a card for Paw Paw because "he is a special person and that's what you do when special people get sick." We watched the Backyardigans, munched on some popcorn, and before we knew it Chad was picking Reece up to go home. Below are tid-bits from our conversations today. I can't help but laugh.

R: Why aren't you working like everyone else today?
M: I don't have a job Reece. Instead of getting a job, Aunt Mitzi is going back to school, like you.
R: But you go to school to learn things.
M: That's right. There are new things I want to learn about.
R: My mom doesn't have to go back to school. She already knows everything.

(Talking about our elf on the shelf...)
R: You have an elf like Nate too, except your elf looks really old.
M: Yep. He's been my elf since I was a little girl.
R: No wonder.

Hall of Champion

During my last week in Indiana, I made my way to Indianapolis to check out the NCAA Hall of Champions. Located right next door to Lucas Oil Stadium (home of Payton Manning and the 14-0 Indianapolis Colts) in the heart of downtown Indy the NCAA museum rocked my world. I absolutely loved it. I don't know where my picture of the building itself is, but Layne would have loved it. High ceilings, tall windows, architectural nuances, dramatic lighting... the space provides auditorium and conference room space, board rooms, a gym, sports simulators... it did an amazing job portraying what the true life of a student athlete entails.

One display at the museum is a banner for every team that won a NCAA championship in 2009. Check out the banner on the right (Texas A&M) and on the left (LSU). I would love to sit here and talk trash about how great LSU is, but Texas A&M rocked out this year. They had four banners hanging for 2009. LSU's former track and field coach who has now moved on to Texas A&M is making us regret letting him go. The A&M banner hanging in the picture is for Men's Golf.

Another display I loved is shown below. Every piece of equipment used in the 23 NCAA sports was shown. It was amazing to get a better idea of the 23 NCAA sports- some of which I knew nothing about. There was a room filled with 7 big screens and chairs, with nothing on but NCAA sports, and interactive games where you threw the football, kicked PATs and field goals, and soccer balls.

My absolute favorite exhibit was based on time management. You were given an athletes weekly schedule, and had to plan study time, meals, practice, weight room. I was ridiculously impossible, and was a great reminder of how amazing the representatives of our universities truly are. I'm SO glad I was able to check out this museum, and I highly recommend it to any sports fan in the neighborhood.

Where Have I Been?

It's been three weeks since I've posted, and I'm feeling a little guilty for neglecting the blog. The time has flown by. I stopped and thought, where have I been? But then I realized I've been all over.

Thanksgiving break was an awesome escape from Bloomington. The girls needed to get out of the house, and I needed to get back to Layne. I flew into Dallas, and then the two of us drove into New Orleans for a long weekend with the family. I didn't take pictures, but I definitely should have. Aunt Leslie celebrated her 50th Birthday in style with a night of Broadway musicals. Layne and I partnered up with Amy, Heather, Bill, and my mom's friend Ms. Nancy to perform a few songs from Annie. Layne was Daddy Warbucks. I was an orphan. The weekend flew by too fast. We had friends and family over on Sunday in Dallas for New Orleans style Roast Beef Po-Boys we brought back with us, but I was definitely under the weather and ended up sleeping through most of the day.

The following weekend, Layne's boss flew me back into Dallas, just for the night for Building Solution's company Holiday Party. It was about 16 hours total travel time for 27 hours with Layne, but it was well worth it. We drove around Dallas Saturday night after the party, drinking hot chocolate, listening to Christmas music and looking at Christmas lights... and I was in my own little heaven. The next day I went to DSW and purchased two pairs of insulated, winter boots just in time. I made it back to Bloomington just in time for the first snowfall of the season. I now think 40 degrees is a warm day. Man has my perspective changed.

Life in the Zeta house is keeping me busy. There is never a dull moment. The job isn't easy, and it definitely isn't something I'm made for... but more about that sometime soon.

I've been spending my free time studying for the GMAT. I've been saying for awhile now that I want to go back to school, and with my husbands support, I've started to take action. More about that later too.

On Wednesday, I'm driving into Indianapolis to go to the NCAA College Hall of Fame. Around 4:30, I'll be picking Abby up at the airport! Wohoo! On Thursday, we're planning on heading back to Indianapolis to check out Zeta Tau Alpha's International Office and have lunch with H-Matt, who is now the newly wed H-Matt Kirk. Neither of us have been to IO, and I'm looking forward to checking it out and sharing the experience with Abby. And on Friday, we hit the road. We'll be making the 13 hour drive back to Dallas and plan on meeting up with the newest member of my Dallas family- Ellyson Newell. That's right, Ben and Jessica gave birth to a beautiful baby girl last week.

The next two days will be spent doing laundry, packing, and preparing to transition with the new House Director. The week is going to fly by, and I can't wait to get home to Dallas.

And a quick sidenote: Happy 30th Birthday Week to my wonderful husband Layne! I may not have been around for much of the first 30 years, but I sure am looking forward to watching you grow old over the next 30! Sorry I won't be there on Wednesday, but I promise we'll make up for it this weekend!

Sissy is Coming to Visit!

I am SO excited. I just booked Abby's flight from New Orleans to Indianapolis. She's going to come spend two days up here with me, one of which we're going to go and check out Zeta Tau Alpha's International Office in Indianapolis. She'll get to check out the cold weather, the campus, the house, meet the girls... we'll have a nice meal or two... and then we'll hit the road. I'm thrilled to get to have some quality time with Abby, and I'm really looking forward to the company on the road home.

We'll get back to Dallas on a Friday night, and if Ellyson comes as planned, Abby will get to meet the newest addition to the Newell family before catching a flight back to New Orleans on Saturday afternoon.

Thanks so much for making plans to come and visit Sissy, and thank you Doody for letting me have her for a few days. I can't wait!

Illinois State University

So I was lucky enough this weekend to check out another university in the Midwest. Kieth took some time on Saturday morning to give us a tour of Bloomington/Normal, and Illinois State University. ISU is where Layne's cousin Chad and his wife Monica went to college. It was really nice to get to see the town where they had their college experience, and get to know the town as well.

One thing that blew my mind was Watterson Towers, one of the residence halls on campus. It's a twenty-eight story twin tower complex, and is one of the largest college dorms in the world. It houses 2,200 students every year. Can you imagine what move in day must be like?
Of course, I made Keith drive by several of the Greek houses at ISU. We have a Zeta chapter there. Chad was a Sigma Chi, and Monica was a Tri Delta. Below is a picture of her sorority house. I was so glad to get to check it out!

Quality Time With the Illinois Ramsey Clan

This past weekend was absolutely amazing... because I got to spend it with my husband, because I got to see our friends, and because we had some really amazing quality time with our family. Layne's Aunt Paula, cousin Keith, his fiance' Casse, and their kids Kylie, Jackson and Logan live in Bloomington/Normal, Illinois, which is about a half an hour drive from Peoria where our friends Hannah and Bobby got married on Saturday night. The weekend ended up working out perfectly. Layne took off on Friday, flew into Indianapolis, and we got on the road. Aunt Pauly really spoiled us. For dinner on Friday, we had steaks, baked potatoes, the infamous Anderson yeast rolls, and a delicious apple pie. Afterwards, Casse's dad took the kids and the five of us were able to head over to Windjammers, and local bar, and relax.It was nice to have some quality time to relax without the kids and enjoy each others company. We threw several rounds of darts, had a few drinks, and called it a night.

Keith and Casse came back over to Aunt Pauly's house on Saturday morning so we could spend some more time together. Kylie is 3 years old, and I think she is incredibly smart. She communicates so clearly, has a solid vocabulary, is great with colors, and numbers... Layne and I had a blast interacting with the kids and playing with them. At first, I think she was a little intimidated by "Uncle Layne's" size, but as you can see, she warmed up eventually.

The twins, Logan and Jackson, are one years old. Can I say adorable? They aren't talking yet, but they understand everything you say to them. I still can't tell them apart other than by the clothes they are wearing, but Kylie has them down. Aunt Pauly is great with the kids. I enjoyed seeing her interact with them, and seeing how much they adore her in return.

Keith and Casse are going to be married at the end of the summer, so we're already looking forward to our next trip back to Illinois together.

On a side note: Keith's brother Chad, his wife Monica, and their two kids Braden and Vivian are in the process of relocating from Washington to Houston, Texas. We're thrilled that we're going to get to see so much more of the Ramsey family in 2010.

I - L - L - I - N - I !

Along the road to Aunt Paula's house in Illinois, Layne and I made a pit stop in Urbana/Champagne to fill our tank with gas and check out the University of Illinois. One of Layne's best friends, Ben Newell, went to school here. I love checking out college campuses as it is, and even more when I have friends or family who attended that school.

So here are some interesting facts I've learned about the University of Illinois since I've moved up to the Midwest: It's really hard to get into the University of Illinois. The school has the 10th largest undergraduate enrollment in US, and is known for one of the top five engineering programs in the country. Several of the girl who are from the Chicago area come to Indiana because they couldn't get into U of I. (You rock Ben!)

I'll be honest, it doesn't make my 10 top "Most Beautiful Campuses" list, but that may very well be because the leaves have fallen and fall has passed us by. It's not a far drive from where I am now, and I would love to be able to make it back for a basketball game before I head home.

When I was a freshman at LSU, we played the University of Illinois in the Sugar Bowl. Ben and his friends were actually in New Orleans for the game, lighting up the town. I'm glad I was able to experience a piece of his past. And while I never dreamt I'd proclaim it...
I - L - L - I - N - I!

Taking a Few Days Off!

After eighteen days of working and being on call 24/7, I am finally taking a few days off. That's right! Tomorrow I'll be picking up my husband at Indianapolis International Airport and heading to Bloomington, Illinois. We'll be spending the weekend with Layne's Aunt Pauli, cousin Keith, and his three beautiful kids. On Saturday night, we'll be meeting Ben, Jessica, and Erol in Peoria, Illinois to see our friend Hannah Hessing marry her fiance' Bobby. Hannah and Jessica were both Tri Delta's at Missouri, and we have developed a friendship with her over the years. Hannah and Bobby were with us on our special day, and we're looking forward to celebrating with them as well.

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend! I'll be sure to post pictures of our weekend together soon!

For All My Zeta Ladies...

Check out what I found painted on the baseboard in the dining room! I cracked up laughing when I saw the bunny!

Girls Night Out

I know the picture quality sucks, but I had to blog about my girls night out. Last Saturday, my friend from college Heather Matthews was in Bloomington, Indiana for a bridal shower, and she stayed in town for a girls dinner. For those of you who haven't met "H-Matt," she was a Zeta at LSU and is a year older than me. She was McQ's Maid of Honor, and McQ is her Matron of Honor at her wedding next week.

The town was packed since it was parents weekend, so we decided to grab seats at the bar at Gratzie! an Italian Eatery. The food was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! I had Shrimp Pesto, and it was out of this world. Delicious large shrimp, roasted garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, asparagus... I loved it. There was someone playing piano in the background, the hum of conversation around us, and a great time with the girls. What more could I ask for?

If someone would have told me when I graduated from college that I would be having dinner with Heather in Indiana 3 years down the road, I never would have believed it. It was a wonderful night, and a great reminder of all the adventures that life holds. I had a blast, and look forward to seeing her again soon when she gets back from her honeymoon.

Thanks for bringing me to Indiana Heather, and congratulations and best wishes on your upcoming nuptials. I couldn't be happier for you!

Gameday

A view from the inside...

Hoosier Momma

That's right... I'm officially a Hoosier Mom these days, so I went out to tailgate and represent the Indiana pride that I have. Below in white is Taryn, a Traveling Leadership Consultant with Zeta Tau Alpha who is staying with us at the Alpha Xi house until Tuesday. She and I headed out this morning to hit the campus, and bumped into some of our seniors along the way.
No- this isn't a picture of the home side before the game started. Attendance is just that poor. I knew IU football is struggling, but I was really surprised by this. I can't imagine the last football game I went to where the stadium was so empty- even McNeese filled up better than this. Especially since its a Big Ten conference game, Indiana vs. Wisconsin. When was the last SEC matchup you saw that was this deserted?

One really awesome thing about the stadium that I loved is the miniature football field that runs along side the end zone for all of the kids to play on. They were out there all game throwing the football, and it looks like they had a blast. They even had benches on one side of the field with Gatorade set out for the kids. It really was too cute.

IU's Marching 100 were a blast to watch play. Similar to the Golden Band from Tigerland, there is a lot of movement and a lot of dancing done by the band. And yes, all of the seats above them really were deserted.

I love me a good marching band, and IU was fun to watch. When members weren't playing their instrument, they were dancing along in sync with each other... in step with the rest of the band. It reminded me of St. Aug's band, without the soul.

It was a close game, much closer than the stats said it should have been. Indiana held on tight, but ended up losing to #21 Wisconsin 31-28. Taryn and I enjoyed the experience, and then headed up for the matchup of the weekend, LSU vs. Alabama. I enjoyed my first Big 10 experience. I'm thrilled to knock another stadium off the list. But now it's time to get back to the big boys... my boys. GEAUX TIGERS!

A Mystery Revealed

All my life, I've never understood why there aren't more college football games at night. I mean, come on, we all understand how powerful Louisiana Saturday nights are. You have a longer time to tailgate, the anticipation for kickoff has time to build up... I mean, who really wants to be watching a football game before their coffee has had time to kick in? Not me.

But after my first Big 10 football game (more to come soon), I finally understand why they aren't more night games.... the weather. Today was a perfect Saturday for college football. Indiana took on Wisconsin with the sun shining and the weather in the mid-60's. But what if it was a 6pm kickoff, after the sun had set? The weather would be in the mid-30s, and who would want to put up with that? For LSU vs. Florida, or LSU vs. Bama... yeah, I'd put up with whatever extreme the Lord threw our way... but not in the Big Ten. Not in the Big East. Not when you can barely feel your fingers and your toes. There are limits to the madness when football isn't what sustains a way of life. I'm in basketball country, and it shows.

So after 26 years, I get it. Football is important up north, but its not worth putting yourself through hell for it. So kickoff is during the day, so you can get back to the heaters by nightfall. And while I understand the beauty of a 7pm kickoff, I don't blame them for it. Two weeks of this weather, and I understand.

My Address

I love receiving snail mail... so please, keep the USPS in business and send some love my way.

Zeta Tau Alpha House
Attn: Mitzi Court
1020 North Jordan
Bloomington, Indiana 47406

P.S.- I've officially finished my first week in Indiana.
I miss Layne.
The countdown till our weekend in Illinois has begun: 12 days!

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween everyone! It's been awhile since I've spent a Halloween at home without a costume, but I have no complaints. I took advantage of the beautiful weather today (in the mid 50's) to get to know campus life at IU a little better. I started off by picking up a tall white mocha at Starbucks, and set off on foot to explore.
The Sample Gates above are the entrance to campus. There is a plaque stating "I hope that our alumni will always insist upon the retention of our precious islands of green and serenity- our most important physical asset, transcending even classrooms and laboratories in their ability to inspire students to dream long dreams..." There is a wooded forest in the middle of campus with winding paths, that are now covered with the fallen leaves. Campus is breathtaking. While I was walking across campus, the bells in the tower below started chiming, and it took me back to my days at LSU. I truly love exploring college campuses, and today was no different.

(As I'm sitting here blogging, 20+ girls just ran into my apartment in their Halloween costumes, party animals and nerds, chanting "Zeta Girls you know you're hot, let me see that booty pop. Woop. Woop. Woop. Woop. Woop." My job is so unique!)

When you walk off campus, you wander into downtown. It's an adorable area filled with stores, restaurants, city hall, etc. The rolling hills and changes in elevation are new to me, and while it's a bit of a workout for the legs, I find it beautiful too.

After lunch and catching up on some football, I made my way over to Assembly Hall for the Haunted Hall of Hoops. Kids of all ages showed up in their Halloween costumes for games, trick-or-treating and autographs. After, the basketball team had their first public scrimmage, and the season kicks off next week. Just like LSU has their baseball dynasty, IU prides themselves on their basketball program. Even though it has been 22 years since Bobby Knight won the Hoosiers a National Title, it was great to experience another sporting venue that has so much pride and history.

And to cap my day off, I made my way over to St. Paul's Catholic Church for mass to celebrate All Saints Day. The priest who said mass was funny, the congregation was casual, and I felt right at home. It's just around the corner from the Zeta house and is definitely in walking distance, but I'll be glad to have my car in the next few weeks as winter is approaching.

It was a nice, fun-filled day of just exploring IU. Things get so hectic at the house, I find that I am enjoying some of the downtime I have to myself. I'm looking forward to kicking back now that the house is empty, watching College Gameday Final, and catching up on some ZZZ's.

Make sure you send some pictures from your Halloween adventures my way!

You'd never guess...

You would never guess the temperature is in the low 30's when these girls go out on a Thursday night. Hello!!! Am I the only one who got the memo that it's close to freezing up here?

Purpose

I found this quote on a card in my apartment when I moved in, and I absolutely loved it. It warmed my heart, and I wanted to share it with each of you.

We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.

Romans 8:28

After losing my job, I felt a little lost. But being here in Indiana has made me feel like I have purpose again. I believe that the Lord has a plan for Layne and I, and while I can't completely understand why things happen, I am learning to trust that they are for the good, and that God is holding us in the palm of His hand. It's a beautiful lesson to learn, and I'm so thankful my husband and I share our faith. It makes life even more rich and full.

Like I say, life is good.

Work Hours

So... I'm a house mom. I live where I work, 24/7, so I never really go off the clock. What are the hours like? Pretty good actually. I've been surprised that I haven't had a problem getting 9 hours of sleep a night... they just aren't regular hours. I'm officially back on "college time." I'm up late, I sleep late. But as long as I get my sleep I don't have a problem.

I have the flexibility to come and go as I please during the day. The only requirement is that I sleep in the house every night.

What are my responsibilities? Well, there is a staff I'm responsible for. We have four cooks in the kitchen, six houseboys who serve at dinner, and two housekeepers. From a paperwork perspective, I've got to make sure our invoices are getting paid and our staff is getting paid. We've got a budget we need to stick to, so I've got to pay attention to that. We have formal dinners and recruitment events I have to work with the girls to plan as well.

Most importantly though, my job is about providing a safe and secure environment for these woman. It's consoling the girl who just broke up with her boyfriend and came home to an empty house hysterical at 10pm. (Pepperoni pizza and a heart to heart solved that.) It's about cancelling the access keys to the house when the girls get home from the bar and can't remember what they did with them. It's letting the girls into their rooms when they get accidentally locked out. And then there are the not so fun rules to enforce- towing cars parked in the fire lines, asking boys to leave after hours, and making sure there is no alcohol being stored upstairs.

It's a unique position. Memories of my college experience have come flooding back to me. I'm enjoying my time up here, and can't believe how quickly the time flies by when you're staying busy. Before I know it, I'll be spending a long weekend with Layne in Illinois visiting Aunt Paula, Keith and the kids, and our friend Hannah's wedding... and I can't wait for that!

My Temporary Home

On Monday night, I drove into Bloomington, Indiana to begin a new adventure in my life as the house mom for the Alpha Xi chapter of Zeta Tau Alpha. Below is a picture of where I'll be living until the Fall semester ends.
The chapter house is both beautiful and large, sleeping 110 girls on three floors. In the front of the house are a few tables that the girls can sit outside and study on when the weather is nice.

Below is the view when you want into the front door. If you head straight back, you'll run into the hallway that takes you to the chapter room and my apartment. You can see the stairs leading to the "dungeon" below. The dungeon is the study room in the basement. To the right is a living room area, and a TV area as well.

If you look to the right when you enter there is a little sitting room that leads to the dining room. Below are some of the sophomores I'm getting to know.

If you head upstairs, it takes you to the TV lounge on the second floor. You can always find the juniors hanging out, working on homework, watching Friends, or playing Mario Kart.

The Alpha Xi Chapter raises more money for their philanthropy than any other Zeta Chapter in the entire nation. So far, they have already raised over $195,000. I am blown away by the efforts they put into it, and am so proud to call them my sisters.

This is the view you have when you walk into my apartment. I've got a little table I have set up as a desk, and Zeta provided a laptop for me to use while I am here at IU. I got a comfortable reclining chair too, which makes me think of my Dad.

Here's the view of the couch and the little kitchenette I have. It's got a sink, a refrigerator, a microwave, and plenty of cabinet space.

I have a closet that runs the entire length of my bedroom wall. And great furniture for all of my belongings.

And to top it all off, I have a great bathroom. It's large, has a tub, and a washer and dryer. What more could I ask for?

Monday Morning, 6am Departure

Starbucks Pit Stops Along the Way

Hopeful arrival in Bloomington, Indiana... 8pm

Aunt Ellie- Please send me Mrs. Doody's Kindergarten Class address. I'll be driving through Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee, Illinois, and Indiana, and would love to send postcards of my travel their way.

Indiana University- Here I Come!

It is with excitement, anticipation, and a little bit of nerves that I want to share a new and bright opportunity on the horizon. I have officially accepted a temporary position to be the House Director of the Alpha Xi Chapter of Zeta Tau Alpha at Indiana University. The former house mom left in the middle of the semester, and a friend from college who works for our International Office recommended me to fill the spot until they can hire a long term replacement for next semester.

Luckily for Layne and I, we won't have to spend too much time apart. We'll have 15 days away from each other, and then a weekend in Illinois for our friend Hannah's wedding. We'll have 10 days apart before I come home for a long Thanksgiving weekend, and then a 20 day stint before I'm home for good. Stephen will be here with Layne which will help, and I'll have 111 girls who live in the Zeta house to help keep me company.

I'm really looking forward to visiting the NCAA Hall of Fame in Indianapolis, and a day trip up to Notre Dame to check out the campus. Layne's Aunt Paula, cousin Keith and the kids will only be 3.5 hours away in case of emergency, and my friend H Matt will be a quick hour drive.

I know being away from Layne will be a challenge, but we both feel that this will be a good experience for me, and that in the long run, our marriage will be stronger for it. I'm getting on the road Monday morning, and will arrive in Bloomington later that night. And from there... the adventure begins!

They say home is where the heart is. Part of my heart has always stayed in New Orleans, and part of my heart will always been in Baton Rouge. Part of my heart is always with Layne. It'll be hard to be apart from everyone and stand on my own, but it's short term... and hey, I bet I'm going to get to check out a new college football stadium or two!

I've got a busy weekend ahead of me to get ready to head out of town, but will be sure to keep everyone posted as my adventure unfolds.

Happy Birthday Mom!

So another great benefit of being home this past week was that I was able to be home for Mom's birthday celebration... and man did we celebrate! On Sunday, after the Zeta Reunion, Abby and I met up with Dad's side of the family at Brewbacher's for lunch. We had cake and party hats, and I got to spend some time with my Maw-Maw. It's rare that I have that opportunity, so I'm glad I was able to take advantage of it. This was cake and Happy Birthday #1 for Mom!
On Tuesday night, I met up with my parents and their friends at "The Bay" to celebrate Mom and Aunt Becky's birthday. I love my mom's friends. Although they aren't my friends, I have a unique relationship with several of them and cherish the fact that we are close as well. Below is my Mom and her "breastest" friend Aunt Becky who just celebrated her birthday as well. This was Happy Birthday Cake #2!

And on Wednesday night, Abby and Doody had the family over to their house to celebrate October birthdays (Mom, Uncle Tim, and my cousin Cullen). Doody cooked roast beef po-boys and gravy- AMAZING! We did what we normally do at family events... sit around, talk, and laugh together. It was a great night, which of course included cake #3! Cullen and Mom share a birthday, so we called him up and sang to him too.

My Mom is such a giving person. She pays attention to details and makes the little things important for all the people in her life. It was so nice to see her showered with love from all the people in her life. Thanks for letting me celebrate with you Mom. I had a blast, and am glad I was able to be there. It's been too long since I've been able to celebrate your birthday with you!

PS- Check out the amazing birthday cake Abby made. She ran out of icing, but it was still delicious. Thanks for being the hostess with the mostest Abbs!