HoCo 24

Tonight was Evan’s last SEC game as a student. He scored a student a ticket on the third row.

His last weekend spent pomping - or drinking beer while supervising pledges who pomped a float.  

His last HoCo week as a student. The week ended on a high note with another point in the win column.

Four more weeks and he graduates. Gosh, the time went by so fast! 

Number 22

I skipped the gym Saturday morning, but got up at dawn to make the drive to Knox to wish my baby boy a happy birthday. 

I got this great picture. 

And this one. 

I’m sick. The photographer is dead to me because of this. 

If you had told me in 2004 in Germany that I’d one day celebrate Evan’s 22nd birthday at a tailgate for a SEC school, I’d believe you. At the age of two, his favorite movie was “Rudy.” He got into a three point stance before he could talk. And I can’t tell you how many times I had to pull him off of the AMHS football field on Saturdays during a game. He wanted to be on that field with those teens, my students, so badly. So it is appropriate we celebrated turning 22 on a game weekend outside of Neyland. 

Happiest of birthdays to my boy! 

Winning Season

They did it! After coming back from behind a goal, they rallied to secure the 4-2 win. This marks the best reserve team record in school’s history. 

Good stuff! 💜⚽️🎉

Crafting

We are back at it. After a hiatus from crafting, today my co-workers turned besties and I made a reversible holiday sign. 

We painted, stained, and glued so one side represents Halloween and the other Christmas. 

This one turned out so well that I have no intentions of throwing it away or donating it. 

Smoke ‘em If You Got ‘em

What a day! Keagan met Evan in Knox for the Alabama game. The morning after the third Saturday in October 2022 Evan woke up clutching an AL lineman’s knee brace. Today that knee brace sits proudly on display in the AGR house. I think the guys might have prayed over it this morning hoping God was a Vol fan.  

Evan stormed the field again this year but no memorabilia was taken.

Wes said this pic is worth the ticket price. I donated plasma this week to help pay for it.

This pic might have to be framed; the celebratory cigar smoke can be seen from across the river. 

Everybody else is wearing jackets and sweatshirts. Evan is half naked. That beer and stress must have kept him warm. 

Meanwhile, after the game I was in Nash for a Postie concert. What a show! He’s so odd in a completely good way; you can’t help but be swept into his performance. He took his camo crocs off after the third song and performed barefoot for 90 minutes. Then he proceeded to smoke a pack while singing. The shoes sat neatly together next to the mic until he left stage. 

The three of us have seen some great shows, but our calendar is empty until next spring. 

His special guest was Blake Shelton who literally stood in one place smiling at Post the entire song. He was clearly feeling the same as the rest of us.

Fireworks were all around Tennessee last night. 

Theatre

We have weekends free. We are not married to soccer tournaments on Saturday or have to attend Church of the Soccer Parent on Sundays. On a whim, I decided last spring to buy season tickets to the theatre and then crossed my fingers we wouldn’t miss any big football games. That didn’t go exactly as planned because our first ticketed show was this weekend during the UTK game.

But that was okay since the game was difficult to watch. The musical was everything I wanted when I hit pay back in May. I feel like I have to see this on Broadway, though. I need to see the choreography with dancers instead of singers who dance. I mean I have the time. Why not book a weekend in NYC to see a line up of musicals? 

Northern Lights

I downloaded an app for Northern Lights last June when we were in Canada on the off chance there would be solar activity. There wasn’t, but I have dreamed of seeing the Northern Lights for years. My phone app sent me an alert Wednesday night just as I was about to doze off that alerted me to the 1% chance I had to see the lights in my back yard. I debated skipping it because I was looking forward to my bed since last Friday night, and the last time I got this alert, I saw nothing. But I forced myself up anyway just in case (I’d hate myself if they were indeed visible and missed it) and caught this. 

Who needs Iceland? 

I joke. I do, because I need to see the green lights too. 

Collegiate Goal

What a night! I’m sleepy. My bed has been so tempting all day after a long weekend and little sleep, but I wouldn’t miss this for anything! Keagan’s first collegiate goal!!!!

After going down a goal in the first half of tonight’s game against Covenant, we were awarded a PK. Keagan motioned to the coach he wanted to take it, and the coach said, “If you are that confident, Keagan, then go ahead. You take it!”

Center backs never score. They never take PKs either. But never say never to Keagan. He tied up the game with his beautiful goal. 

In the last ten minutes, we scored again on a beautiful upper 90 goal. The team is 3-0.

4:15 will hurt tomorrow, but I can sleep this weekend.

Day Two of Weekend Fun

Everyone: “Whatever will you do as an empty nester?”

The answer is everything I have wanted to do but couldn’t do before - live music, comedy shows, and the theatre are my current favorites. 

My flight from Tampa landed at 8:00. I was home just in time to see the last quarter of the UARK and UT game. (Who would have thought we would lose to a unbanked team? This is why college sports is so much more fun to watch than pro.) 

With every 18-30 year old male from Dickson county, Vikki and I met up downtown Sunday night for another rescheduled concert. This time we watched our hometown boy, Koe. 

This crowd differed greatly from Friday night. It was very much the good ol’ boys - very East Texas. He certainly attracts a certain demographic. Vikki and I were the oldest people there. I heard my three favorite songs, and when the final song started, we headed for the exit trying to avoid the crowds, the traffic in a parking garage, and the jammed streets. 

Monday morning will be too early. Tuesday I will feel the effects of Sunday night. But you only live once! 

Back at It

This weekend was Morgan’s make up Tampa show. I flew to Florida after work, met my friend Jenny at the airport, and Friday night we were listening to Nate, Cole, and Morgan. We spent so much money getting to Tampa not once but twice that I refused to miss an opening act. 

By the look of empty seats, nobody else seemed to care. And, yes, we dressed alike. It wasn’t on purpose but our carry-on bags didn’t hold any other options. 

A sprinkling of rain didn’t stop us from the fun - just stopped our good hair day. We stayed up late, slept in, and ate great food. Where has the Cuban sandwich been all my life?

We somehow timed our visit the weekend in between two hurricanes. How did we get so lucky? 

Family

My parents came to Nash this weekend to see a concert. On Sunday they met us in the city to watch Keagan’s soccer game. 

Some things are hard to let go.

Dr. Wallen

I had a mental health appointment on Friday afternoon in Knoxville with Dr. Wallen. 

Traffic was horrible getting into Knox. Eighty thousand people were trying to see the same doctor. I finally made it to the house to find we rented a total sketch three bedroom dump. 

But I got to spend the night with this guy. Nothing’s better than partying with your 21 year old. Evan saw a side of his mama he’s never seen before. He giggled at me during the first three songs and then just accepted my crazy. 

I was super excited to see my guy Tony (and his players) were chosen to walk out with Morgan - complete with the trophy, the flag, and the home run fur coat. Perfection!

We had great seats for the Eric Church and MW song! 

The orange fireworks. The Tennessee fan gear. 79,998 people (everybody but Vikki and Mal) singing Rocky Top. The chants of “It’s great. I say it’s great to be a Tennessee Vol.” The energy and solidarity cannot be matched. 

This was my fourth show and the best yet. I’m not sure the Tampa show can beat this! 

And the show ended with a date for his next new song. 

Make that Another W

Last night in pictures. My number 4 played CB the first half and RB the second half; he was smoked after 75 minutes on the pitch.

This is totally worth sleep deprivation.

That’s a W

My boy. 

My college athlete.

My team captain. 

Got his first W of the season! The good guys came out on top 3-2. 

Girls’ Weekend

It’s September and that means it’s time for my annual girls’ trip. This year, on a whim, we decided to do coastal Massachusetts with our home base in Salem. We all flew into Boston and then rented a car. We drove along the coast and soaked up the beautiful water views and colonial homes. 

We stocked up with wine and cheese at the corner store and then had happy hour in our VRBO. We had dinner at a downtown restaurant rumored to be haunted. We were told by the waitress that guests took pics earlier in the evening and ghosts were seen in the photos. 

Tomorrow will bring us history, wine, and hopefully really good food.