Today was a really good day. Volunteered with the Gator Bowl, it was the Hall of Fame Coach's Luncheon at the Hyatt. Usually we do the welcome dinner. At Dave and Busters. Or Sneakers. And usually we are supposed to wear ugly sweatshirts. Today we were supposed to wear khakis but as I have none I wore all black with my grey knee high boots. My plan was to find a man, specifically Bobby Bowden. Jokingly. It worked. Really...
Standing in a ballroom set for 1000 people, welcoming people, fans, coach's, players....getting hugs from the president of the Gator Bowl's mom and aunt, winks from some coach's, a few yes mams from players who were cute until I realized probably weren't legal just made me feel like me. I was totally in my element!
There was a "Green Coat" lady giving me the stink eye. We were both doing the same job and she kept cutting me off helping the attractive ones. I let her have them. I knew the Coachs were coming in. She wasn't smiling. Probably because her coat felt important at home but looked like a green men's blazer next to my pashmina...hehe!
My Dad tells my Mom and I to come to the front after we were done and they were asking people to have a seat at their table. The table right in front of the stage, CSX, was for us. We didn't know that, we thought we'd be relegated to the back. Behind us was the Governor of WV, Coaches, old Players. It was just a really nice event that I was expecting to volunteer at, not be part of.
I went to the restroom while lunch was being served and walked out right with Bobby Bowden. I asked him if he needed help finding something and he said the restroom so I walked him to where they were. And from the cutest old man, aside from Papaw and Popsy, Coach Bowden gave me a hug and an "well aren't you pretty." I was kind of giddy...
Here is a man that is 80 years old, who is loved, respected, known by so many, giving me a hug. Not in a line of people asking for pictures or autographs. Going to the restroom.
So when the presentation and speeches started it was really neat to hear the stories of Coach's, players, Verne Lundquist who I listen to all the time on CBS sports, front and center.
Coach Bowden got up to speak and maybe because we had a moment (yes, it was a moment) I was extra touched by what he was saying. He's charming, funny, witty, Southern. But he was also very wise. Said that when he coached for WV, who they are playing against tomorrow, he was new and made a lot of mistakes and lost a lot of games because of those mistakes but without making them and losing those games and seeing what changes to make he wouldn't have been able to go to learn, grow, and have such success at FSU. Nothing we haven't heard before, but hearing it from such an iconic man, 10 feet in front of you...
Mom leaned over and said, "2009 wasn't a great year and had a lot of pain but God sure is ushering us into 2010 with a bang." It wasn't that I didn't have to wear a sweatshirt but heels. It wasn't that it wasn't at Dave and Busters but the Hyatt. It wasn't that I was eating a piping hot steak dinner instead of running tables to get players drinks and ketchup (yes, I've done that.) It wasn't that I had a great time doing what I thought I was there to do and was ok with sitting in the back. It was that I got to do something I really enjoyed doing then we got to sit at a reserved table, one we didn't even know was reserved for us....
How much more does God have for us?!
Dream bigger this year. I know I am. I hope you feel as blessed, favored and loved as I do right now.
Happy New Year! xoxo
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