Sweet Home Alabama

Coming home for the first time after being gone for FOUR months was so exciting! I'd been anticipating it for several weeks - making plans to see friends, shopping for cute outfits, and trying to rest up so I could be on the go while I was home. The rest request was definitely answered because I got sick about a week and a half before the trip home. For days all I felt like doing was lying around and blowing my nose!

October 4th finally arrived! I left the office at lunch time to get to La Guardia for the 2 PM flight to Birmingham. My coworkers escorted me down the office elevator and to the street - giving me hugs and well-wishes home...I guess they were as excited as I was for the trip since I'd been talking about it so much!

My flight arrived around 4 PM, so I thought the plan was for Daddy to pick me up since the rest of the fam would be at work. But, come on people, this is the Mummert's we're talking about!



As I walked up the terminal, there stood everyone in the same spot as I had last seen them four months ago! I was a little bit embarrassed to see that in addition to the cameras and video camera there were also "Welcome Home" signs! But the little gang looked so cute I just had to laugh!


This is classic!!!


Julie and her "Welcome Home Beta!" sign...the glitter, flowers, and meowing cat are too much! :) (And I love Elizabeth's "Razzle Dazzle Returns", but I don't have a good picture of it!)

I spent Thursday evening at home...drove a car for the first time since I left!, twirled baton in the driveway, ate lots and lots of food Mama had spent the week preparing, and loved hanging out in my bedroom which felt so HUGE I could not believe it!

Friday I went to Tennessee to see my Grandma Mashburn, and I stopped in Cullman to see my Mummert grandparents. That evening I met up with a bunch of girlfriends - it was so, so sweet to have everyone together in the same place! I talk to them by email and phone so much I didn't feel like anything was "new" between us - just good to see them in person!







Spent Saturday at the Alabama Homecoming football game and was so happy to see all my Crimsonette and Million Dollar Band buddies. Sunday I went to Briarwood and got to have lunch with a bunch of those sweet friends. Later that afternoon I visited Elizabeth and Chris at their new house - it was so cute! Sunday night my girls came over to the house to visit and eat, and we had such a good time.



I couldn't believe the whirlwind weekend was about to be over. I didn't want to look at the clock and see it was getting late - my flight left Monday morning at 6 AM, and I still hadn't repacked my suitcases with winter clothes! Thankfully, star packer and organizer Julie stayed up late and packed me once again for New York...what would I do without you, MBB?!

The main thought from the weekend at home was that I didn't feel like I'd been gone for four months. I did, but I didn't. It was so weird. For the most part, things looked the same and felt the same - I enjoyed driving too fast with the radio turned up; I enjoyed having my own big bedroom and bathroom; I enjoyed being around my family and friends. It was like nothing had changed. But Saturday in Tuscaloosa as I sat enjoying the football game just like "old times" in surroundings so familiar, I got two phone calls from New York friends inviting me to go out later that night. It was the first time I realized New York was real and not just a dream I'd been in the last few months. With a little bit of saddness I turned down the invitations. I looked around at my family and all the football fans, and I smiled knowing I have two lives I really love.