My Mom, My Hero

I will explain that blog title in a minute, but first I wanted to tell you that I am over on The Ramblings today participating in her Tiny Sparks series. I was pretty freaked out about writing for her, but once it was published and there was nothing I could do about it, I felt kinda awesome.

Now let’s get to…

Nashville

A few weeks ago, I decided that I was going to go to the NC State bowl game in Nashville with two of my really good friends. These two friends just happened to be boys. Chris, Nick and I packed up all our NC State gear and made our way West for an epic weekend adventure on Friday with one stop along the way, Cherokee. You see, Chris and Nick are really good at this thing called poker, and Cherokee just so happens to be an Indian Reservation with a giant casino. Now, this wasn’t exactly the most exciting part of my trip, because when I was in Vegas I spent 15 minutes at a Black Jack table and spent the rest of the night dancing. Well folks, nobody dances at Harrah’s so I was left with the boys roaming through the blinking lights at every turn.

I somehow got the idea of poker pretty quickly, because the boys were handing me money to play with and I was making them money. Pretty sweet deal. I get to play at the casino and I don’t even have to spend my own dollas. The next morning they woke up bright and early to play their hand at table poker while I got ready back at the hotel. One boy was really happy, the other boy was really pissed. Either way we were headed to Nashville and we were all excited!

We get to Nashville pretty around 4pm on Saturday, not realizing that we went through a time change until well after the time change, and just drove around exploring the city before we chose where we were going to get into trouble.

They let me choose where we were going to go, and I chose Tequila Cowboys. Not only does it have “tequila” and “cowboys” in the name, but it was on a scene in Nashville the TV show!

Yeah, see that stage down there that man is singing on? I danced on it.

Sunday was probably my favorite day, because when I woke up we all decided to go to the Tennessee Titans vs. Jacksonville Jaguars NFL football game. Oh heavens was I excited! This was my very first NFL game and I was super pumped!


Me and my BFF Chris Whitman (as Jacob likes to call him) The game was freezing and we caught ourselves seat hopping to stay in the sunshine. Once you were in the shade… game over. But I wasn’t heartbroken to go up into the upper level, because the view was kind of amazing.

Nashville skyline behind LP Field, anyone? Anyone?

After the game I made them do something I wanted to do… see the Grand Ole Opry.

The boys ended up falling asleep at 8:30 that night, so I decided to go on my own little adventure and walk around a little bit and enjoy time alone. Being around people 24/7 isn’t my ideal situation so being alone on this trip was a vacation in and of itself. It was probably a good thing we went to bed a little early on Sunday, because we were up at 6am ready to head to the Music City Bowl.

That my friends is the only picture I got of us tailgating and at the game. We arrived at the lot at 7am sharp, and I spent most of my time wrapped up in 2 blankets curled up in a chair. I also had on wool socks, Ugg boots, leggings under my jeans, t-shirt, long-sleeved t-shirt, jersey, hoodie, Ride coat, gloves and a headband. You could say it was a little cold that morning.

Five minutes into the game Chris wasn’t feeling so well, and Nick ended up taking him somewhere for the majority of the game.
So, while NC State was playing horrible, and while it was sleeting outside, I spent the entire game alone making friends with Vandy fans. Awesome, right? After the game, the boys fell asleep (shocking) and I stole the car. You can go ahead and assume I was a little frustrated. We did drive ten hours for that one game… but I was going to get over it before New Years and in order to do that I needed to be alone. As in stop texting me, I want nothing to do with you, alone. After three hours of silence, I was able to return to the room to get ready for the night. I knew it was New Years Eve and you are supposed to wear all of your sparkly dresses and fun outfits, but it was cold and raining. My planned outfit was just a button down, jeans and boots with my giant, warm coat. For some reason, that I have yet to understand, the boys talked me out of my weather appropriate outfit and into something more deserving of New Years Eve, my Lilly dress.

I felt extremely awkward to say the least. Everywhere I turn girls are in these tight fitting, sequined dresses and here I am chilling in Lilly Pulitzer. Whatever, I was going to have fun. We actually got a table somewhere and spent the next two hours chatting it up, watching Clemson beat LSU, and getting death stares by some rando girl. I mean this girl was looking at me like I killed her puppy, all night. Sweetheart, if you want him, take him. Somewhere between the music note dropping and the pouring rain we all got separated. (It was for the best.)


And because Nashville is a little behind on the times, there was no, read no, cab line after the ball dropped. None. No cabs… anywhere. And it was raining, a lot. And if I was wearing my coat I wouldn’t have gotten wet. (increased frustration) Instead Nick and I ended up walking a mile and half in the rain before we even found a cab. By found a cab, I was running down the middle of the street stiff arming civilians to get in a cab. Fortunately for another group, we got along in our mad dash for a cab and shared one.

I immediately fell asleep, which never happens, to be awoken by the THIRD group of rowdy hooligans in the hotel rooms beside mine blasting their rap music and talking so loud I could feel the New Years desperation steaming off them. After a quick call to the front desk, the third night in a row, I fell back asleep around 2:30. Glorious sleep. Other situations happened, which I have since corrected, and we can just leave it at that. Either way, I was not looking forward to the 10 hour drive back to Raleigh with these two boys.

And this is where my heroic mother comes into the picture. After 8 hours of riding in the car with two boys and not speaking to each other, the tension just built and built and built. There was no saving the last two days of Nashville, none. We were going to be passing right by my home exit on the way back, and I just COULD NOT stand the thought of passing my house and then being stuck in the car with them for another two hours. So I begged and pleaded for my mom to take me the last two hours, and bring Sadie back with me to Raleigh. Her only requirement was writing a blog with the title “My Mom, My Hero,” and talking about how she saved me. Which… she did! So thanks mom for saving me from the pits of stupidity and the center of my personal hell.

I feel like if I was able to have a little more alone time, and not be with people the entire trip my increasing frustrations might not have happened and situations would have gone a little smoother. After all I am a girl who went on a trip with two boys… Let’s just go ahead and say that we will stick to one day football games from now on.

It is also my Sadie girls THIRD birthday today! We aren’t going to talk about the fact that she is getting older, we can just settle with the fact that she is still my precious furry baby.

Katelyn

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