May God bless America, I know we're not a hopeless case

Every year (at least every year since I've had a blog), I struggle with what to post on 9/11. Make no mistake, I will always try to post something because I want to do my smallest, littlest part to make sure my tiniest handful of readers here at Steph's Other Space don't forget either. I know it's been 8 years now and in our relatively immature American history, that probably seems like an eternity. Patience (nor remembrance) is hardly an American virtue. I think that's what drives me the craziest about our country as a whole... our inability to collectively remember our most blessed history and give thanks to God the Father from whom all blessings flow while simultaneously forgetting to thank those mere mortals who act as His Hands and Feet here on earth.

So I post this in the spirit of eternal thanks to all those heroes from 9/11/01 and to God our Father who gave His only begotten Son, Jesus, so that death--even death in an incendiary fire at the hands of demonic forces-- is defeated forever through the cross. Truly, what was intended for harm was used for good by God to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. (Genesis 50:20)



PS: My suggestion as a perfect remembrance for 9/11 would be to donate blood today. You will save lives, maybe even someone you know and love. And if not, well then you've paid it forward the way so many heroes did on that day.

Read Steph's Other Space...

...be the first to know because I've been harping on the pig flu for quite some time. I think some day history will vindicate me as someone a little ahead of their time versus a silly, alarmist, hypochondriacal housewife (don't think I can't read minds as well!)

Seriously, the only reason I sincerely believe that we must study history and teach it to our children is so we can learn from our ancestors' trials and tribulations (and mistakes, don't ever forget the mistakes!) So the whole point to my ramble here today is that you should get a flu shot ASAP and don't underestimate the pig flu (ie: take it seriously!) And buy gold... the stock market still has a long way to tumble.

Love ya, mean it!

A bone, to you from me

I know it's been a while (late April to be exact) since I last posted and I will brief you on the situations that led to my absence at a later date (let's aim for mid-June, 'kay?) but I just had to take this opportunity to post one of my all-time favorite pics. In fact, I aspire to own a high-quality print of this very photo to hang in my house someday (because not everything that hangs in my house has to be a Daniel Moore...not that there's anything wrong with that):

Is that not an absolutely fantastic picture that says so much more than words ever could? I was only about 10 years old at the time but the image has stuck with me for, oh, about the last 20 years. It's definitely a dead-heat between this photo for my all-time favorite non-family photo:

I do have a print out of this one but have never found the appropriate place to hang it. I'm sure I will someday. I might have to give the edge to the "Tank Man" since that happened in my lifetime, as much as I would actually like to imagine that I'm really from the WWII era. (Truly The Greatest American Generation EVER. Wellllll, the pilgrims were as tough as nails too. ) Anywhoo, I knew June 5th would be a very busy day for me so I couldn't wait until the actual 20th anniversary of that photo to post it here so enjoy it a day in advance. Plus, I didn't want to steal any thunder from my sister's anniversary. :)

Okay--seriously-- it looks like mid-June before I post again but hopefully we already keep up with each other on facebook. If not, request that I be your friend and I'll consider it. In the meantime, if you're looking for stuff to read... try this. Or this. Or this. Or maybe even this. And don't forget to keep up with all my virtual buddies over on the sidebar ----->

After that, you're on your own.

'Til we meet again...

Water fountains are evil

So is everyone sufficiently freaked out over the all the swine flu news? You should be. Unfortunately I don't have the time to attempt to scare you into a real respect for what this could mean for the next 6 to 12 months but I do have some brief thoughts on keeping our kids safe regardless of whatever is the bug du jour. Bear with me as I tell you how to raise your children (should I just turn off the comments now?!?)

Here are a few things I have drilled into my children's heads since birth in an attempt to protect them from whatever pandemic is either currently breathing down our neck or is lurking right around the corner (because any medical doctor who tells you he is not concerned about a pandemic--either this current issue or ones not yet identified-- is truly full of crap. Any infectious disease doctors or epidemiologists out there are welcome to chime in now. In fact, I'll leave the comments turned on just for you.) Anyway, these are things we practice in our household that I think would be well worth the time and energy for anyone.

1. DO NOT EVER use a water fountain. Not at school. Not in church. Not here. Not there. Not anywhere. Fountains, coolers, bubblers (whatever you want to call them!) are nasty, evil little things that should be banned. My plumber husband tells me they are increasingly required by local building codes but I find that to be truly insane, but then again, that's government for you. Plus, I truly believe I must be ahead of my time. :) I'm sure someday our grandchildren will laugh and laugh about the "good ole days" when people all drank out of water fountains or they won't believe us when we say we did. Anyway, don't take my word for it. Read/watch all about them here, here, and here. (That is what I found after a very cursory internet search using "water + fountains + germs." Feel free to do your own research.)

2. DO NOT EVER share cups/bottles/drinks with anyone (parents and siblings most certainly included!) Seriously, not with a fox. Not in a box. Not with a goat. Not on a boat. (Unless you are married to said fox or goat... because if you are married then you probably swap germs with your spouse from time to time but this is not the place to discuss such things. Especially when you re-read that last sentence. I think we should just cut off that discussion. Right. Now.) Anywhoo, in all likelihood, you are contagious before you even know you have anything at all. I always imagine everyone as contagious (that's a nice way to view the world, no?) and act accordingly. Spit-to-spit (membrane-to-membrane) contact is pretty much the transportation of choice for germs so just don't do it... How hard can it be to pour another cup or water bottle? It's certainly much easier than the sleepless nights and cranky days with sick kids. And it's still got to be cheaper than all the doctor and prescription copays.

3. WASH YOUR HANDS. In the rain. On a train. In a house. With a mouse. If you can't wash, then deactivate the germs with hand sanitizer and then wipe them on your shirt or a napkin after the sanitizer has dried. Currently the CDC recommends washing your hands frequently (for me, that's pretty much until the skin is raw but just before I get tiny little cracks and fissures... which are --surprise!--a backdoor entry for germs!) or using a hand sanitizer that is at least 60% alcohol, like Purell. Wet Wipes and some others use antibacterial cleaners that aren't as effective as good ole alcohol. You'd be surprised at my various stashes of hand sanitizers (or maybe not after reading this) and I can assure you that as this swine flu drama continues to unfold, I can hoard with the best of them.

So there's my Confessions of a Germaphobe. I'm sorry if you look at me in a completely different (neurotic!) light now. It was either this little spiel or a dissertation on the Spanish Flu of 1918. Or another anti-Obama rant after this spiffy stunt yesterday. But honestly, I think I cope better with the pig flu than the current administration so I'm going with that for now.

You're welcome.

Out of the supply closet

Sorry I haven't posted much lately but after quick glance at the blogs on my sidebar, everyone else has the same problem...too much to do and not enough time, certainly not enough time to post at my self-indulgent blog. Plus, I've had so much on my mind that I didn't even know where to start. I did want to share a juicy tidbit here that many of you may already know about via facebook (except for Tom, who has about the funniest explanation I've ever heard/read for NOT joining facebook, as well as PeePaw, who can't seem to find that elusive facebook at the library!)

Anyhoo, we've had a large development in our family and NO, I'm not having another baby. Still, I will have a child with me around the clock starting this fall despite my youngest starting kindergarten. So what could that mean?!?!? It means I'm homeschooling Ricky Bobby for the next school year ('09-10) and it's official now seeing as I've filled out all the paperwork and informed his current school of our decision. It's been a huge blessing how smoothly things have gone so far and I feel like the hardest parts are behind us (other than having to field your searing questions here!) I have all sorts of other thoughts on the topic but I don't have time to compose them coherently now but I at least wanted to throw y'all a bone since I'm not sure what any of this means for Steph's Other Space. I can certainly envision a life without blogging (or tanning beds!) in the very near future.

I stared down the oscillating vent and won! (Or "This world sux!" Take your pick)

Not many words tonight... today was in many ways a fantastic day yet I will go to bed tonight with a full mind and heavy heart. My two kids are sleeping peacefully and beautifully in their own beds tonight. That's fantastic. Three completely unrelated families that I've been following (in one form or another) struggle this very same night with their own children's health crises. That sux. I faced down an all-too-familiar and menacing oscillating vent that is very similar to the one that pulsated (yet oxygenated) my newborn son for 5 days and realized it really wasn't as bad as my memory recalls. That's fantastic. That same oscillating vent was connected to my friend's critically ill son. That sux. My son went on to survive his own health scare with neonatal heartblock unscathed and even ran a mile (in 10 1/2 minutes no less!) as a fundraiser for the local NICU ministry. That's fantastic. An acquaintance I connected with only because of a random discussion over neonatal heartblock watches her infant son fight for his life tonight. That sux. All of these babies are safely in God's Hands with the blessed assurance of Heaven that far exceeds our earthly comprehension. That's fantastic. Jesus is leaving their families and all of us here on earth until His Father tells him to return. That sux.*

*With the quantification that my brain is indeed very small and very finite so really it doesn't suck at all because His ways are not our ways and are actually much, much higher. Still it feels like it sux for now. And I know someday it won't suck at all and that's fantastic. But I don't know when that day will come and that, in fact, sux.

A brief synopsis...

Okay, here's the deal...

I've been busy A LOT lately, which also means I'm exhausted (think fatigue-exhausted) so I haven't made much time for blogging. I'm fine... just tired. And what few fleeting moments of insight or possibly even wit (?) I do have are shared with my facebook community of friends (because, ya know, they comment and whatnot.) And to be fair, everytime I'm at the computer lately I'm typing. Or obsessively checking on MckMama and her son. Or reading James Spann's updates. Or researching diaphragmatic hernias. Or reviewing homeschooling curriculum. Basically, I'm doing everything but blogging (and resting.) Hopefully that will soon change (on both accounts) but I don't see any real indication of this in the near future. Consider it a favor... I'm sure y'all are tired of me *complaining* about Obama. (If that's the case then rest assured I've got plenty to say about Tim Geithner.)

But first you've to get mad...

I promise I will try not to turn this into a rant because honestly I do understand that this week--in the grand scheme of things-- is really not that bad, at least not sackcloth and ashes bad. But it has been pretty sucky to say the least (how eloquent is that?!?!) And I feel bad for my mother or anyone else who has had the misfortune of listening to me unload on them because I have a week's worth of stress and frustration pent up inside of me yet no real vice with which to unwind (unless the ever-unhealthy and expensive Coke Classic in a glass bottle counts!) I used to complain biweekly to my beloved Granny about such things before she died but now that's not possible obviously. What's that you say? Go to the cemetery and vent to her gravestone? You mean the same gravestone that was recently overturned by a gang of hoodlums? True story. Now granted it didn't actually happen this week but I just found out about it on Sunday, thus kicking off a craptastic week. And today it ends with finding out the NCAA is possibly up to their old antics again, which incidentally may also mark the beginning of my new role as populist leader in an uprising to be named at a future date. Stay tuned.




Goodbye craptastic week!

A word to the wise...

Hi all... I just wanted to give you readers a quick yet vague update regarding a situation you may notice is unfolding (ever so slightly) here at Steph's Other Space. A woman has contacted me regarding the Siran Stacy post and she has commented on several of the posts below. I have since edited her comments only to remove her name and have otherwise left the comments untouched, though they have obviously reposted under my name. Due to the very sensitive nature of this issue, I'm not going to say much here but I wanted to reassure you that this is no ploy or joke in an attempt to pump a little drama into this humble blog. I. Hate. Drama.

Secondly (and might I add in a very motherly tone), please take this lesson to heart in your own blogosphere. I know it's quite humorous how protective I am of my family's true identity but this woman reaching out to me only serves to reaffirm my position on the matter. You never know who is reading your blog and I think most of us would be shocked to see how very easy it is to find personal information on the internet. My father recently emailed me a picture of our house that he found online via Google Earth. Believe me, it's out there for the taking so essentially anyone could very easily (at no charge!) get directions that would lead them directly to your doorstep. It's never too late to retrofit your blog for these dangers... just go in and delete everything with any sort of indentifying information, including the titles you give to uploaded pics. I would also add a somewhat anonymous email address to your blog because usually you have identifying information tagged to an account. Obviously people will still find you if they are really hell-bent on it but please don't make it easy for them!

Anyway, I'm done lecturing for now. But eat your veggies and wear your seatbelt. Oh, and heed the tornado sirens. :)

Dang Mama! (in my best Ellen Page on SNL voice)

This is just crazy. But I don't feel bad for him... nope, not one iota. I've always believed that BIG-time talent almost always comes with BIG-time attitudes, despite pro players having about the best job on the planet.

Okay, it's the beginning of a very busy week so I'm probably not going to post much here (unless a debate breaks out between me and anonymous from Dothan) but I will mention that our sweet JJ dog is in the hospital. It appears he has a nasty case of pancreatitis so he's the hospital for a couple of days. I think he'll be okay but he is 9 years old now so all bets are off. Regardless, he's probably enjoying his break from the kiddos and Miss Sassy, not to mention that obnoxious runt Cotton. He probably thinks he's at Club Med or maybe Heaven? Sometimes (okay, a lot of times) I wish I could get a nice little stay in the hospital but to be honest, I'd settle for bedrest so don't feel bad for me if that ever happens. I imagine the sleep you get in a coma is just delightful...

(Now I suspect I'll get some sort of lecture from my dad about this post!)

Anyway, enjoy your week and don't be an Andre.

Frazer Tonight

Siran Stacy is scheduled to speak tonight at Frazer United Methodist Church in Montgomery tonight (like soon, maybe a couple of hours?) and hopefully you'll consider going if there's still time. Either way, please take a few moments to watch these videos (here and here... sorry, I cannot get them to embed into blogger for anything. Get thee behind me, Satan!) of Siran Stacy's recent visit to WSFA in Montgomery to share his testimony. I beg all of you to ask yourselves if what you have faith in would sustain you through such a tragedy, or really any tragedy at all (or what about just everyday life?) May God continue to be with Siran and his daughter as they go about their mission...


PS: I promise you this, I would HEART Siran Stacy no matter the color of his former uniform so obviously I feel blessed and humbled that he once donned the crimson jersey!

What the???

I know I said I wasn't looking to bash Obama here (and honestly, I'm not looking but this stuff keeps popping up and sucker-punching me in the face!) Regardless, the last time I checked I was a girl and girls reserve the right to change their minds. Hey, at least I still have a mind as it's now quite apparent to me that Obama has lost his! Let me back up and say that I'm not mad (per se) that he's offering an olive branch to the muslim community, although that certainly shows a certain large degree of naivete, but I'm fuming that this is his first interview as President of the United States. He could have made reaching out to the muslim community a priority but still given his first interview to a distinguished American journalist. For someone with a relatively high IQ, I would think he would realize how this is going to play with middle America (and don't say it doesn't matter because every President or Presidential hopeful cares how it will play in Peoria.) Not to mention that there can be no "mutual respect" with terrorists. Call me crazy but I don't respect Bin Laden nor his little Al-jibberjab sidekick. Arrrrgh, I'm regretting that I didn't actually go door-to-door for McCain now (0r at least wormed my way into his campaign to wield enough influence over their campaign tactics regarding his stance on attacking Obama's questionable muslim agenda.)

PS: A preemptive Letter from the Editor...

Dear Anonymous:
I see that you have stopped by Steph's Other Space at least a couple of times (or more if you're reading this) and while I appreciate your patronage, I would prefer that you assert your intellectual prowess by engaging in meaningful conversation as opposed to slinging words like "dummy," "idiot," and "retard." That said, you should know that I'm the Adrian Peterson of blog commentating, which means I can do it all day. (Read: All. Day.) In the past, someone has asked a question or stated a hypothesis and then we here at Steph's Other Space engage in scholarly dialogue. We may not all agree but we certainly don't resort to name-calling as the lowest common denominator. I assure you that you really don't want to go that route anyway as you have now ventured down into the Deep South where we tend to manifest God's love in a fashion more closely resembling Jesus clearing the temple than offering His other cheek. Now if you don't have a personal relationship with Jesus, please email me so we can discuss that matter in private because if you don't have a relationship with Jesus then anything you encounter here will be a mere gnat stuck to your windshield as you travel the great highway of life. If you have no interest in knowing Jesus then rest assured I have no interest in casting my pearls before swine. Perhaps you should just stick with MckMama's page, where--as you know--she is both funnier and a whole lot nicer.

To the other readers here at Steph's Other Space, I suggest we just freeze out "anonymous" and her/his infantile comments via the ole cold shoulder, though she may be impervious to such chilly tactics as she hails from coastal Washington state near Bellingham, give or take a few miles. God bless his/her yankee heart.

A Follow-up (Updated with a link in an attempt to prove it's not just me being mean!)

For you Lacey, a pic that reveals the true owner of the purple Madonna gloves (with Jay-Z still in the ridiculous hat while Beyonce/Sasha Fierce thinks to herself "If he wasn't worth a gazillion dollars..."):




And this is for "anonymous" who seems to get her feathers all ruffled by Jay-Z's hat and gay priests. Oh yeah, it's also for anyone who can grasp the absurdity that is Aretha Franklin's hat, though it does make her head look smaller.

And this one is just for me (because as Lacey kindly noted, it is my blog after all!) Need I say more?

You lookin' at me???

Are you waiting for me to comment on today's historic events? Well, it is historic no matter your views on the candidate (read: don't listen to Rush Limbaugh...ever!) as it's only the 44th President in this country's history. That said, today is not the day to wax poetically about the future of our country. I'm sincerely happy that people perceive today as a huge step forward in the ongoing civil rights movement but I won't deny I'd much (much!) rather see the likes of Condoleeza Rice, Alan Keyes, or perhaps even Montgomery's own native son Artur Davis taking that oath today. I too have a dream that one day all people (political candidates most definitely included) will be judged by the content of their character and not the color of their skin. So I guess that's it for me today (and for who knows how long because it's a never-ending job being a mom!) Bless God America and may God be with President Obama as well as his fellow Americans.

Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.

Romans 13:1

Our God is an awesome God...

I know that title is kind of an unusual one for what I'm about to post but I think it's appropriate (although, to be fair and balanced, I think it's always appropriate to mention that our God is an awesome God!)

The woman I've mentioned before, Hope, passed away this morning. Just read her husband's blog entry for yourself and then please pray for him and his family. He has lots of questions and few answers (Don't we all?!?!) God is so very awesome in the way He works out even the smallest details and I want to acknowledge how much I appreciate that... it's really been an answer to my prayers. Again, please pray for this family as they deal with death and then enter a new phase of life. I am praying specifically for a continuing renewal of her husband's faith.

May God bless that now "Hope-less" family with a future and a new kind of Hope. And may He bless Hope with that healing and peace I've desperately petitioned Him for on her behalf. Amen.

I hate to be a downer...

... but two of my blogging buddies (so to speak) are in major need of prayer. Honestly, I'm humbled and humiliated and flabbergasted to think of all the trivial things I worry about on a daily basis when currently (as in right this very minute) there are actual significant things happening all over the world (not the least of which is this.) First up is a woman I have never met named Hope. She has terminal cancer and is currently in the no-man's-land most cancer patients face at the end. She has two young boys (about my sons' ages) and an adoring husband. It is so tragic to read about what is going on with them and my heart aches for them. I desperately pray they find the peace of Jesus Christ and John 3:16 at this time. Also in urgent need of prayer for peace and endurance during a very hard time is MckMama and her young son Stellan. Hopefully you remember them from previous posts but the shortest version of a very long story is that Stellan suffered in utero with a heart condition that was in some ways similar to Crabman's. He was born in perfect health with no medically possible explanation. Now he has tested positive for RSV (which is quite severe in all young infants, especially those with a history of heart conditions) and is not doing good at all (she most often updates from the hospital on twitter.) I absolutely HATE to hear about such a situation and I'm not sure anyone will ever fully understand how much it pains --yet humbles-- me to see a baby with a heart condition not have a happy outcome. Yes, God's ways are so much higher than our ways... I cannot even begin to comprehend. I just try my best to be grateful for what I have and understand that none of what I experience on a daily basis is about me... it's all about Him! May He be glorified in both of these situations (ahhhh, but He will!) and may the Lord Jesus come quickly! Lastly, may He give us a peace that surpasses understanding until then...

Hope

God has really had the word "hope" on my mind and in my heart a lot lately. And I mean a lot. It all started with this dear woman, whom I implore you to pray for through our Lord Jesus Christ as Hope and her family are certainly deserving of our prayers and thoughts this Christmas season. And man I wish she knew just how much she is on my mind. All. the. time.

Then I read this today. I forwarded it to both Hope's husband and a friend of hers. Hopefully (there it is again!), it will be a blessing to someone along the way. It certainly was to me. And then, just now, my husband forwarded me this. I pray someday in my life I can do something as powerful and fulfilling as that. Wow.

Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

Romans 5:3-5

A Christmas Post (including obligatory kids w/Santa pics!)

Can you tell which of my sons is easy-going and which one is, um, not so much? My mother-in-law took our boys to see the Walmart Santa (obviously) while we were in Atlanta for the SECC game. These complimentary (using that term loosely) pics are definitely keepers!


Speaking of Santa, here's a verbatim (well, minus the embedded links) copy of Ricky Bobby's wish list to Santa:

1. Viking helmet (bet you were thinking this!)
2. Old-school football helmet
3. Arkansas mascot
4. Rolling-Gantry crane
5. RC toy from Toy Story 2
6. Blu-Ray
7. Blu-Ray DVDs (well, he didn't specify but I imagine something along those lines)
8. Walkie Talkies
9. Pirate playset
10. #1 Alabama vs. Ole Miss DVD (even I don't know when this matchup occurred... Anyone? Anyone?)
11. 1934 Alabama vs. 1934 UT DVD (hey, at least we won!)

As a sidenote, Ricky Bobby does in fact know what a Blu-Ray is, which is bizarro unto itself because we don't own one nor have we even talked about acquiring one (you know that much is true because we would have "discussed" it here first!)

And while I'm embarassing Ricky Bobby, here's an excerpt from his Sunday School sheet a couple of days ago: "I'm thankful for my pets JJ, Cotton, Sassy, and Horhay (The Fish), fiber, spaghetti, Crabman* (My brother), and me!" That kid... he has a real knack for making people laugh, even when he's not trying to be funny. I think he gets that from me. Hmph.

*No, he did not call him Crabman. He used his real name but you know the drill!

And not to be outdone, Crabman had his own funny moment last week while we were Christmas shopping. You see, we've tried to make a habit out of letting our kids drop some money in the Salvation Army bucket each time we see one and it's usually the highlight of Crabman's outing. Well, Plumberboy never has coin change so he just gives Crabman a dollar bill. The other day I had lots of errands to run so I decided to give Crabman a couple of quarters since we'd probably see lots of bellringers that morning but he chastised me quite loudly, saying "No, mama. It costs a dollar!" So now I suppose Walmart has a $1 cover charge until after the Holidays.

Sorry, folks. I wish I had something more entertaining and/or enlightening for you but I'm really pressed for time! I do wish each and everyone of you a Christmas filled with the peace that only comes from faith in Jesus Christ. That's what Christmas is all about and it's God's free gift to everyone.

Merry Christmas from me and my family!

2008: 'Tis the season, indeed!

Ground Control to Major Tom (and all other interested parties!)

Editor's Note: This isn't open to just Tom, our resident techie. I would actually love input from all of my dear readers.

We're interested in getting a new camcorder . Well, actually I'm interested in getting a new camcorder... Plumberboy is content to use any Christmas money we may or may not get to pay off Holiday expenses. (He can't understand why I'm embarassed by our Zack Morris-esque camcorder that I could easily perch atop my shoulder. Okay, okay... it's not quite that bad but it's outdated enough that I don't think it's a wise use of money to buy a new battery pack now that our current one is DOA.)

So the question is: What do you recommend and why or why not??? Thanks in advance for your cooperation regarding this matter...

Sincerely,
Steph

Well, who wants to be Muhammad Ali anyway???

They called it Ali v. Frazier and that's how it felt. There were punches. There were counterpunches. There were the equivalents of sucker punches by UF's Brandon Spikes. In the end, Bama was knocked out of the title ring by Florida Tim Tebow. Saturday night was the closest we've ever had to a playoff and Bama didn't make the cut so I won't complain in the least about being 12-1 but left out of the title game. The stronger team won and that's good for the game. I just can't wait until we're the stronger team... but I suspect I won't have to wait long. If Saban recruits this offseason like he did during the last offseason, we'll all have to explore the word "juggernaut" and how it applies relative to Bama's current situation. A'ight?

That said, man, it always feels colder after a loss in December. And it was raw in Atlanta on Saturday night. Despite being numbingly cold after the game, that loss stung... for the fans, the coaches, and most definitely the players. Nobody wanted the magic to end (at least not in the Bama camp, though I suspect the Jen(n)s are happy!) We all wanted the senior players to go out on top, where they deserved to be. We all wanted to give Saban a triumphant return to Miami. I personally wanted one last title season so I can semi-retire. I'm tired exhausted. I'm broke. My kids are older and I want to spend more time with them on the weekends as what used to be a weekend respite is now the hassle of all hassles. But there's no doubt about it, a win on Saturday night would have made it all worth it.

Still, I'm proud. Very proud. We won't be back. We are back. Our future is bright. We're back in the BCS Sugar Bowl (cha-ching)... but this time it's not so sweet. Thanks for EVERYTHING, players and coaches. See you in '09!

PS: With Christmas right around the corner, I won't be updating here as much as I would like. I know you are all are just lost without your daily Steph fix :) so I've started a twitter account. I believe you can "follow" me by going to twitter.com/bamasteph.