Virginia Is For Lovers...

Last week we had quite the adventure. Let me tell you! And it turned out way better than I ever would have guessed! Keriann was supposed to be the picker-upper but...

Instead of Keriann being our chauffeur, (because of traffic, right?!?) it was Tiffany who took over the job for a few hours. It was a fun time, sitting in her car, and catching up. Remember...I have not seen these people in almost 9 yrs...but it really doesn't matter! We just get each other up to speed on what's going on in our lives and then we pick right back up.

Eventually we met up with Keriann, said goodbye to Tiffany, and began our journey up to Philadelphia to go on one of my random adventures. I've been to every other historical spot of our country so we had to do it while we were there. (because of the chaos, we were not able to have dinner with Jozette so instead we stopped and watched the movie "Australia" which is always a guaranteed good 3 hrs of staring at Hugh Jackman. Soooorry but oh so hmm hmm hmm!)

It is one of those places/things that you have to see at least once in your lifetime and I'm so glad that we did it! We weren't there very long because we had a lunch date in Georgetown that I did not want to be late to....

...and even then we were 1hr late! We met up with Kate from The Big Piece of Cake...I say "met up with" like I've known her for years but this was the very first time ever and the best part is that it's because of our blogs. I love it and I love her! Her blog is different from mine because she is more of "a writer" and a great one at that! Our discussion about "our special needs kids" was exactly what I needed. I had no idea that she was going through some of the same issues with her son that I was going through with my Carter. It can be hard at times to talk to my friends about it when they have no idea what to tell me so it was refreshing to talk to someone who "understands" what I am feeling. That wasn't the only "best" part of this lunch but it's what stands out. Therefore a thanks must go to the hilariously honest and lovely Kate! (thanks for being patient and for the great directions to the restaurant! too bad about the inauguration, huh?!?)

We left Georgetown and headed over to the LDS Washington DC Temple to attend a bell concert that they were putting on. Tiffany and her family were there too so that made the night even better! Her husband, Kevin, also went to SVC, or SVU as it is now known, and played on the Mens Basketball team so I was so excited to see him.

Memories...oh the memories that I've got with these two! We stayed in DC that night so that we could actually sleep a bit before we headed down to Buena Vista, VA. I was getting so excited but at my age...sleep becomes more important! :) We just had to be there by 2 pm for the Womens Basketball game since that was the main reason for my trip out.

Keriann, Candace, the marms, Me, Deidre (Coach Dryden), and Boo (Leslie)

YEEEEAAAAHHHH!!! Quoting Candace..."We're bringing SEXY back to Buena Vista!" hehehe

I love this picture because it's so classic! I'm just staring, dumbfounded at what Boo is saying, and Candace is just laughing her ace off! Believe me...this is not the first time that this has happened!

Like I said before...the main reason for my trip out was so that I could come out and watch my recruit, Amanda, play some ball!

They were playing Bluefield which is a school, a team that I will never forget. For those of you reading this that also played...Do you remember their arena and how loud it could get in there? Especially with all their hootin and hollerin! They were ruthless!

It was a good game to watch and it was fun to see Amanda play. I thought that they might pull it off but they ended up losing by like 4 or 5...which always sucks to be that close!

My favorite part was seeing Coach Mike Harmon. He hasn't changed a bit. His stance hasn't changed. His freaking out hasn't changed. His yelling hasn't changed. His pacing hasn't changed. NOTHING has changed! I will say though, that it was nice to be on the other side of the court and to know that you did not have to worry about the wrath we'd recieve after losing a game!

That night we met up with Deidre aka Coach Dryden who was my Soccer Coach the first year. She is what made that team. It was one of the best times of my life. She was there for you then and she is still there for you now! She did say something that made me realize that it really has been almost 10 yrs. She said, "I was your age then...when I put this team together." WOW! How did she do it? I don't know...

She also brought up some hilarious memories. When us girls were meeting each other for the first times, we were trying to remember names so instead of...some of us acquired nicknames. We were calling Adrienne Nielson "A-Hole" and coach just could not handle it! We had to shorten it so it became "A" and that's what we call her still to this day. My nickname was "Sexy Grandma" and Janet's was "Hoochie" because 1. I was the oldest 2. we both had our belly buttons pierced and 3. anytime that we were scrimmaging, we were the first to say "shirts and skins and we'll be skins", rip off our shirts to our sports bra, and show off our hot, ripped, and oh so sexy "six packs" that we were both so proud of! hehehe! It was a little confusing the next year for the new Coach, Joe Bouchelle, when a parent told him over the phone "Oh yeah. Britney is at the airport with "Hooch and Sex"." He was dumbfounded and even brought this event up again when I saw him last week! Honestly.

It was a fun night but even better when she and I could talk alone. She shared some things with me that made feel like "yes...I'm doing something right and yes...someone who I greatly respect and trust is telling me that I can do it!" Even though we may feel like we "know" it...it's always nice to hear it! Love ya Coach!

When my sister Jenny came out, we had a tradition of going on "rides". We would go exploring and see what we could find. There was one spot that became our favorite and we dreamed of one day owning this house. I had to go back and make sure that I remembered where it was so that I could report back to my sis on how it is doing.

Can you imagine the history? Of what went on at this house? Of who walked these grounds? If these trees could talk....

I know...such the romantic...

If you read the "Babysitters Club" books and I can't remember which one...but one of the girls moves into an old Cival War-like house...This is what I picture it to be like. Did I mention that I LOVE VIRGINIA and it's history!!!

Sunday dinner at the Lunds...Thanks Mom! The broccoli salad was the best!

Still "bringing sexy back"?!?

There were some first year students that we were talking to and we were telling them some of "our stories". They were dying! We determined that we were the schools guinea pigs since all of the things that we got caught doing, didn't get caught doing, would have gotten us kicked out! We were laughing so hard and those first years will never be around again. They have almost tripled their number of students and they are not "pretend playing school" like we were in some ways.

Those years were the best!

We had to take a picture in front of the infamous fireplace before we headed over to find my all-time favorite professor...Ms Barbara Crawford. Her Art History class was not a chore like most thought it was. It was something that I grew to love. I'm serious!

Not only has she been a professor for 30 yrs, she is also a well known artist in Lexington. If you have some time, you should go over here and look at some of the work that she has in her gallery.

She is also who I attended the semester in Italy with which is another reason why I wanted to make sure that I saw her on this trip. There are not words that I can use to really describe the ways I feel about this woman but if you know her...you know what I am talking about! She just understood me...

I've had one too many experiences on these buses and/or vans...and for some reason they involved me hanging and flashing from them. My friend Heather reminded me of a trip, probably a different one that I don't have a picture of, in which a truck driver would not let us pass because he did not want his visual to be taken away. I'm sure it just became a game for me because I tended to be a bit of a tease back then???

The other reason why we had this grand adventure out to VA was to help Keriann pack up her house since they are moving to CA. So here is some proof that we did both...we had fun and we packed!?!

...and you know me. When I get thinking about the good old days...that is when the pictures come out for you all to see because I know that you will enjoy them just as much as I do!

Me, Nancy, Leigh, Brittney, Burgess, A, Liz, Boo, and Sabre

1999 Womens Soccer Team

Burgess...Me, Becca, and Audrey

A team photo in front of Becca's parents home in PA...

Burgess, Claire, Leigh, Keriann, Caytie, Me, and Michelle

Audrey, Me, Caytie, Heather, Boo, and Coach before our game in Asheville, North Carolina

I have no idea what their signs are? Boo? Coach?

Heather, Me, and Boo

...the "threesome" once again...

Tiffany, Mary, Abbi, Leigh, Michelle, Boo, and Me before a Mens game Me paying attention to what I am supposed to...our game hehehe Boo, and Keriann

Caytie, Me, Keriann, and Janet (Hoochie)

Caytie, Heather, Me, and Boo in Michigan before our NSCAA National game practice and then "The Girls Club" at our Nationals Banquet Dinner (the gang signs??? I have no idea!?!)
This is all of us supporting the Mens Team in their National game...Graham anyone?!? :)

PS does anyone know how to get a hold of Carter or Graham Anderson? I found some of their stuff that I was keeping safe and I can't find either of then anywhere! Help???

Here we are the 1999 NSCAA National Champs...2 yrs in a row! This picture below was taken right after I got piiiiiiissed at Brittney Romito, jumped back over 2 rows of benches in the van, and punched her in the face! No lie and if you were there, then you will remember this event! Looking back...so classic!

So you saw the picture that was taken after I punched her...well the anger did not go away too quickly as you can see her glaring at me after our game! This picture is perfect! We did get over it but it is a moment that will go down in the SVC history books! You just DID NOT MESS with a Romito!Candace and Me

This is the sememster that my sister Jenny came out and the semester that we lived off campus. It was awesome and quickly became the hang out spot for both those we liked and for those random townies that we had befriended along the way. See that airmattress that Alice is sleeping on? Like idiots, they put it on the floor heater vent which of course melted it as they slept. Alice woke up so pissed at how horrible she had slept! So we made a deal with her...if she would help Jenny "borrow" some mattresses from the school, they would pile them up so it could be used as a couch and then when anyone would sleep over, they could pull out the mattresses and sleep on them!!! hehehe Notice the word "borrow"!

Here was the other spot that we spent alot of time at...SPANKY'S! Don't you just want to punch "Scary Sheri" when she would pose like that with her "ugly" face poses?!?

Here is another story that we laughed about...We had some "Frat" friends who attended W &L University so we would go to some of the Frat Parties just to have fun and to get our groove on. Our Dean was positive that we were partying it up for all of the public to see our bad examples so they would send "decoy's" to the parties to spy on us and to see what we were really doing!!! Let me just say that I am not admitting or denying anything but either way...did they really think that we were stupid enough to do anything so close to home knowing that if we got caught, we would get kicked out for breaking the honor code?!? Come on!!! Give us SOME credit!!!

Anyway...the trip was awesome and somewhat "healing" in a weird way. Before I was always worried about the way that I would act or the way that I would be treated because of the wheelchair. Sometimes people don't know how to act towards me which just makes it awkward! I'm still Katie and I will always be my random usual self!`

Thanks for the great trip and for all of the "doors" that have been opened!!! Virginia definitly is for lovers!!!