On the road again

Well I'm off...ok, so I'm at least at the airport. I'm waiting for my flight to O'Hare. A little nervous because there is fog in Chicago and a light rain. I'm hoping that it doesn't delay any flights. Things are clear in Houston so I should be fine once I get there....and if worse comes to worse, I'll borrow a car from Susan and drive the 6hrs from Houston to New Orleans. I don't care. I'm going home!

I just passed a woman at the snack counter at the airport that was wearing a black and gold jacket with a Saints logo on the back. So me, in my gray tshirt with "Saints" in big letters across the front, tapped her on the shoulder and asked "are you going home for the game." She said "YEP!" We're everywhere.

And yesterday brought even more excited news---my brother said one of the guys that they tailgate with ...who's nickname is Lunchbox...has decided to boil 200 pounds of crawfish for the tailgate party. I haven't had a crawfish in so long I'd almost say I don't remember how to eat them...but that is of course not true.

And so the journey begins....

"I'm goin' home, to the place where I belong..."

I love the song "Home" by Daughtry. It's the perfect anthem for my upcoming trip. Most people are very surprised when I tell them that I have not been home to New Orleans since Hurricane Katrina hit. I've made plans several times but they always seem to fall through. Well in just a few days I'll be heading home and I cannot wait. It's a very short trip but a very special occasion...at least for me. The New Orleans Saints will be playing in the NFC Division Championship Game....and they will be doing it in the Superdome. It's only the 2nd time in the teams history that they have made it this far. The last time, ironically, was in 2006, when they played the Chicago Bears. But this time, they are playing at home...the dome...the place where so many people were stranded during the storm...the place that was basically ripped apart when the people were stranded. But the place that made me cry when I saw the Saints run onto the field for the first time after they fixed it up.

I know that no matter what happens at the game, I will cry. I will cry because I'm home. I will cry because I am proud. I will cry because it's not where I am every day. But as much as I love New Orleans and as much as I am who I am because I was raised there...it's not where I need to be right now. But who knows....so I hope my loyal follower and anyone else who stops by will enjoy the chronicles of my journey. I promise to post LOTS of pictures as well.

So as we'd say Les sais les bon temp roulez! (I don't think I spelled it right but it's LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL!)

There's No Business Like Show Business

It's been so long since I've had an ordinary miracle...actually I've had many. I just haven't had a chance to blog in a while. This evening I finished a two weekend run of "Evita." I was in the chorus and had several bit parts. I LOVED it. Which was very surprising to me because when I initially started listening to the music, I wasn't all that escited about it. I'm more of a "Rogers and Hammerstein" girl. I think my favorite musical is a toss up between "The King and I" and "Once Upon a Mattress." Both very different from "Evita."

But what a great drama and a wonderful story. And to be a part of such a great group of people was...well an ordinary miracle. Actually I have to admit, many of my theatre experiences have been ordinary miracles. They are filled with new challenges, wonderful music, difficult dances but most of all great friends. Some new and some old, but all a special part of my life. People have said before "Why would you do a show if you aren't a lead." And I've always answered, it's more about the people that you get to work with. In all honestly, sometimes you have more fun as a chorus member because you get to experience the people more. But each show that I've done has been a blessing. And I'm thankful to be able to share the stage with so many talented--and FUN people. "Let's Go On With The Show!!!"

WHO DAT Nation

Now if you're reading this and you aren't a New Orleans native you are probably wondering--what is WHO DAT Nation....well I'll tell you. Years and years ago someone started a chant in the New Orleans Superdome during a Saints game...."Who Dat, Who Dat Who Dat Say Da Gonna Bet Dem Saints."

And a whole nation was started. Who Date Nation is what they call the legions of Saints fans and tonight I was fortunate enough to meet a few members all the way up here in Peoria. And so I think we have started our very own Peoria Area Who Dat Nation.

Nothing is more exciting than meeting people from home. I met an older couple--they had children that are probably 5 years younger than me--that had been transplanted up to Peoria from Mandeville, Louisiana about 3 years ago. They're children still live in Louisiana and we started exchanging stories while watching the Saints-Dolphins football game at a local pizza joint that had television screens in every booth. Then we started worrying about the game--as they saints were down 24-10 at the half. But as the 2nd half started and the game started to pick up, they invited me to join them to watch the game...we suddenly found out that they went to my church, and their season tickets that they children still use are just 3 sections away from my brother and his wife's season tickets. It was just amazing.

And after a major upset win, they said they would see me in two weekends for the next Sunday game. How much fun is that.

It's always great to find a little piece of home away from home. But it's even better when you find PEOPLE who can share that same piece of home away from home.

It really is a small world....with some very ordinary miracles.

How 'Bout Dem Saints

Fan...it means something different to different people. For me being a New Orleans Saints' fan is true committment. There were days when I was a kid that they were so bad, the fans in the stadium would actually wear bags over their heads. I don't even think the Detroit fans were doing that last year when the Lions were 0-16.

But today, the Saints beat the Giants--a team that is considered to be one of the best in the league--48-27. They are now 5-0. Some that has only happened 2 other times in the team's history. And it brings me to my ordinary miracle of today...determination. There were many times when they talked about selling the team, or moving the team--especially after hurricane Katrina devistated the city. But the city wouldn't have it...and the players wouldn't have it either. I have to give it to the players. The city was destroyed and yet the players wanted to come back and play and LIVE in the city. That's determination and dedication. And the fact that there are years when the team is so close to a championship and don't make it or they are so FAR from a championship and they still come back the next year to try all over again.

THAT'S DETERMINATION. How can I possibly say "I can't do something" when they come back year after year to try once again for a championship.

You gotta love it...and you have to love the support that the team gets---we natives are known for saying things like "Bless You Boys" and "Who 'Dat Say They Gonna Beat Dem Saints." It's not great grammar but it simply means there is no one that can touch us. And it's always "US" or "OUR" boys. That's the other miracle of the day...true, unwavering support. If you've got that, ANTYHING is possible...

...maybe even a Saints Superbowl!

Courage and Faith

I've thought a lot about faith and courage over the last few days...maybe the last few weeks. Recently I ended a long term relationship. I still love him. Every day I still find something in my house or around me that makes me think of him. And we are still very close and will probably be for the rest of our lives. But we are both at different points in our life. He's starting new endeavors, trying to figure out what he wants to "be when he grows up." And I'm settled. I love my house, enjoy my friends, thrive at my work (even if I'm not sure if it's exactly what I want to do). I have found my happy place. And our two paths have grown further and further apart.

So we took a line from the musical "Wicked." In "Defying Gravity", Elphaba sings "It's time to trust my instincts, close my eyes and leap." And so that's what I did...as we talked on the phone one night I said "This isn't working" and he said "Yeah." And that was it. There were tears here and there and I have to admit, there are occasions when I cry for no reason (or at least no apparent reason. But it's like I finally stopped holding my breath wondering what would happen.

And that's Faith....knowing that someone or something has a plan and sometimes you have to just let go and follow it...even if you don't know where it's going to take you. Several weekends before we ended our relationship, I went into church and asked God what to do. And he told me. But I told him I wasn't ready. And he said, ok and then waited for me to be ready. That's faith...and I thank God every day that I have it. Because I wouldn't make it through this without it.

So where does Courage come in to play? I have slowly but surely been telling friends and family what has happened. To be honest, I don't really know what to say...telling people that we "broke up" just doesn't seem like the right phrase. We aren't broken....we just aren't romantically linked. But one of the friends that I told apparently discussed it with her husband who said he admired my courage. I didn't think of it that way. I have not thought that I was courageous at all. I just thought that I was following my path. But I guess it takes courage to let go...

So here I sit, wondering where this path will take me. I have great faith that it will lead me to the right person at the right time. And I take comfort in knowing that I have the courage to make it through...I only hope that he has the courage to make it as well.

GEAUX SAINTS

Fall is one of my favorite seasons. I guess that's why I have enjoyed living in the midwest. I love the cool weather, the smell of a fire in a firepit at night, the colors and the leaves changing. But what I love most about Fall is FOOTBALL. Ironically, I only went to a school with a football team for one year. The college I went to didn't have a team. But what I have been a diehard New Orleans Saints fan since I was in 3rd grade.

It was then that my teacher at the time, Mrs. Richardson, would give us extra points on Monday when she'd ask us questions about the game. I will say I wasn't excited about watching games at first. But each Sunday I would get more and more into it. And then when I was in eighth grade, I started to babysit for the children of the Offensive Coordinator for the team. And of course, I had to watch the games to see how the team was going. I always seemed to make a few extra dollars when the team would win a game. That, and the fact that, Coach would come and pick me up to babysit and I felt like it gave me something to chat with him about as we drove over to their house.

But now, it's just a part of my Sunday experience. Oh, I enjoy watching any team...but the Saints are what I "live" for. And even living in the Midwest, I still sport my Black and Gold proudly every Sunday. I've got a Saints Flag proudly displayed outside of my house and I'm either in a Saints T-Shirt or a Saints jersey. My neighbors giggle and tell me I should just become a Bears fan. But there is NO WAY. I'm happy to cheer for other teams when not playing the Saints--and would even be willing to cheer for the Bears if necessary (one of there big players right now if Forte--a Tulane grad), but first and foremost I'm a SAINT. Just like so many others, I BLEED BLACK AND GOLD!!! Geaux Saints.