Cookie helped me pack before I left on the great Fall Break Road Trip Adventure of 2015. She's about to head off to Colorado with the boys of her family so she has quite the adventure ahead too. Can't wait to share stories when we get back.
Wednesday night was all about driving to Nashville. Lucy and Jack watched Netflix on their devices, Julia and I watched Grey's Anatomy, I worked on college bracelets for Ashley, Katie and Hannah and her parents drove. Of all the families in Fishers, the Dewolf's are high on the list of people I've spent the most time with. Hools and I planned a year ago that we would come visit Han at Bama and this weekend that dream is coming true.
We woke up bright and early Friday morning to tour Belmont in Nashville. While Julia and her parents went on the tour, Jack, Lucy and I had our own self-guided tour around campus. The campus was filled with animals statues. We tried to climb to the top of their bell tour but got cut off on the second floor by a locked door.
Kat Notestine came to see us before her first class. She was a CILT years ago, a Day Camp counselor in Choctaw and this past summer we were co-counselors in Choctaw week 7. I'm such a fan of this friend and loved getting to see her in her element.
Jack, Lucy and I were wandering around without a plan and ended up on a random sidewalk. I saw a girl walking towards me who was looking at me like she thought she might know me, then I was thinking that I might know her. We both realized it really was the other person and she dropped her books to run and hug me. IT WAS JULIE LINDBERG. Julie was a CILT way back in 2010 with Annie Fazzio and she worked Day Camp the next summer. It's been at least four years since we've seen each other and we were both giddy. I didn't even know she went to Belmont.
Julie's class had just been cancelled so she spent the next hour and half walking us all over campus. Jack even got to play some basketball in the aux gym. We went in the art building, the music building, walked through the gorgeous cafeteria, and all over campus. Julie loves this place like I love Hope College.
Right as we finished our own tour, Rotto walked out of the student center. She's a Camp T counselor too and although I knew she went here we didn't know if we'd get to see each other today. Then it was back to adventuring through Nashville with Julia and the Dewolf's.
We ate lunch at the Double Dog, peaked our heads inside the famous coffee place Fido, looked through a couple boutiques where I found a new scrunchie. Next we headed over to 12th street to find the famous Nashville sign.
We stumbled upon a store called Craft South that I feel in love. Beautiful quilts, fabrics and other crafting supplies. Heather from Crimson Tate needs to visit this place.
We were told to check out Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream and it didn't disappoint. I fell in love with the sweet cream with strawberry sauce. The person scooping my ice cream turned out to be a YL leader for Belmont and Vanderbilt students so I got to talk to her and ask her questions which was pretty sweet. I was a YL leader for HS students while I was at Hope but I would have loved to be a YL college kid too.
We found one more really fun store before we left and grabbed a fruit popsicle from Las Palentas for the road. The Dewolf's are really good about eating often, I'm into that.
Next we drove three hours to our next hotel in Birmingham, AL. We stopped at a giant mall called The Summit that had stores like Vineyard Vines, Lilly Pulitzer, Kate Spade and Kendra Scott that we don't have at home. We did our first Bama shopping at Alumni Hall too and I walked away with a sear suckered hat.
Friday morning we finally made it to the University of Alabama. Julia and her parents immediately headed off for their tour and Jack, Lucy and I met up with Hannah. Luckily she had her friends car with her so she got us around campus quickly. We saw the condo where she'll live next year that overlooks the Stadium. Then we went to her dorm room in Tut and got to see Katie Timmons, our other friend from HSE. Katie decided to miss her next class so both girls gave us a tour around campus.
We walked on Sorority Row and got to walk inside Katie and Hannah's sorority houses. We stopped for lunch at Alpha Chi which was delicious and walked up on the patio that is Han's favorite spot.
There's this huge life size picture of the team running out onto Bryant Denny field in the Ferg Student Center. That's Han's favorite part of the whole game. It was so fun that she could point out the cheerleaders in the picture that she has become friends with.
We continued our tour on our own-- Jack loves breakfast and is so glad that at Bama Breakfast Never Stops. Seeing students walking around campus all morning and afternoon was one of my favorite parts. Almost all of the girls were wearing large frockets and nike shorts-- that's my kind of uniform. Lucy told me, "Sarah, it looks like you fit in here."
We had to go to the original Dreamland BBQ for dinner. It's a whole in the wall little place but so delicious. They bring out a plate of white bread and cups of BBQ sauce to dip it in first which was wild to me. We all shared racks of ribs and they were delicious. I think Lucy enjoyed them the most.
Friday night Ashley Rohr, our third HSE friend, came into town from Tennessee and all five of us stayed in Tut with Katie and Han. We met their friends, experienced Band Night and mostly just loved being together with old friends.
Saturday is GAME DAY. Hools and I woke up early and walked across campus to Starbucks for coffee and breakfast. Tailgate tents were already set up and the quad was starting to fill with sports fans.
Han got ready in her cheer uniform for the game and took us over to Alpha Chi for pictures before she had to head to the stadium.
Han means the world to me. I got to be her YL leader for the last three years while she was in HS and she has a huge part of my heart. Watching her grow up, figure out what she wants and then go after it has been quite the journey for her. I love that she has found community and people here at Bama and that she is loving this life she has created here. I'm so thankful for her friendship and for how she has continued to be such a consistent friend even when she's miles and hours away.
Hools and I walked to the stadium for the Walk of Champions when the cheerleaders lead in the whole team before the game. The players were all wearing fancy suits and huge headphones with very serious looks on their faces.
David Bock had been on campus for days for his college visit (he's coming here next year) but Saturday afternoon was the first time I got to see him. Roll Tide-- he loves that. Southern hospitality-- he loves that. Tailgating in the quad-- he loves that. Fancy sports-- he loves that.
Katie and Ashley were Southern Belles in their game day hats and dresses. We ran into them right before the game in front of the stadium. We really love these friends.
The Dewolf fam didn't end up making into the stadium to actually watch the game, but I'm not complaining. We checked out the strip, ate some chipotle, chatted up some scalpers and walked campus again. Finally we found ourselves in the Ferg watching the second half on TV. Bama won the game and everyone was excited.
We grabbed our stuff from Tut right after the game and got to say good-bye to Han. Gosh we love this girl. It'll be awhile till we see her again but I'm so glad I got to see what her life is like these days. The Dewolf's and I spent one last night in Birmingham before making the long drive back to Indiana. It's been one heck of a Fall Break adventure.
