It's Been A Long Time!

Wow...I didn't realize that it's been a month since I last posted. So much has happened...I don't really know where to begin so I won't try to rehash the recent past. I'll just pick up on today. Now that I getting used to Mister being at home on Sunday's, I know that I don't have long before he'll back out on the field. His injury is definitely getting better, I just can't believe that it has taken this long for a thigh contussion to heal.

This has definitely been an adjustment for Mister to be at home and watch football on Sunday's instead of playing. To my surprise he's kept a great attitude...but he's ready to get back on the gridiron. Our social calendar has picked up and so we really haven't had time to sit down and be sad about what happened with Mister and the Texans. Not to mention that we've had so much support from family and friends.

In the meantime work has been kicking my butt! I'm still on my weight loss binge and I've loss a total of 17 lbs. I want to get back to working out on a regular basis....I'm just always tired or headed somewhere. My down time is very limited nowadays. Until I get another minute to sit still....take care!

Recovery Mode

This past weekend I anticipated a very different ending! Sunday's loss left a bad taste in my mouth, the team is stunned, and the city is angry. Here in Houston there is not a good feeling about football right now. One thing that I have been oblivious to is that it's still baseball season, and unfortunately the Astros are finished. Basically, the sports teams here in Houston are giving their fans absolutely NOTHING to cheer about!

Now that the team is well into the recovery phase and looking forward to this weeks' game against Miami...I'm still here trying to nurse Mister's thigh contusion! Everyday Chris goes to the stadium and he tells me that he's going through "treatment" 3 times each day. Then every night when we are having a discussion about our day....he says that his thigh doesn't feel any better. I'm getting a little concerned!

The team doctor told him that this would take awhile to heal....but goodness! One of the trainers told Mister that this is probably one of the worst contusions he's ever seen. I really enjoy going to the games, sitting in the crowd, and cheering loud...but when Mister is on the sidelines my excitement declines. I am a Texan fan...no doubt, but I am an even bigger fan of Mister! So, I am anxiously awaiting his return to the football field. Not to mention the fact that he has been tossing and turning at night because he can't get his leg in a comfortable position. I'm missing my good night sleep!

Hopefully this will be the last week that everyone is operating in recovery mode. If the team gets a win and Mister can make some progress, we may finally be getting somewhere!

Everybody Else Is Doing Good!

So...I'm extremely happy that Mister will be home this week for the first time this season. Unfortunately, he has a slight injury that throws him into the "questionable" category for Sunday's game. But in the mean time some of his other friends had some good games this past week.

The NFL is really a small world, there are only 32 teams and each team only has 53 players. So a lot of them either know each other from college or from some stint of playing together on different NFL teams. Well Mister's closest friends had very good weekends! Let me just mention that before Mister got hurt he was having a good Sunday as well....check out some of their highlights!

http://www.nfl.com/players/christaylor/profile?id=TAY113550

Tramon Williams...he started out as a Texan....but it looks like the Packers love him more. I'll be honest when I saw this highlight I screamed like it was Chris....his fiance is my closest NFL friend! She and I understand each other's struggles....Tramon, like Chris, was an undrafted free agent and he deserves every bit of his success and much more.
http://www.nfl.com/players/tramonwilliams/profile?id=WIL545231

James Hardy is a fellow Hoosier....he's really "puttin" on in Buffalo!
http://www.nfl.com/players/jameshardy/profile?id=HAR108650

Tracy Porter, another Hoosier, Porter is wearing #22 well in New Orleans!
http://www.nfl.com/players/tracyporter/profile?id=POR632160

In the meantime, Chris is really rehabbing to get back next week. Thank God they will be home for the next couple of weeks. Our biggest focus is this thigh contusion...I'll keep you updated on how it progresses over the next couple of days. In the meantime, somebody has a birthday coming up....so it will give me time to plan something special for his big 25. Anybody have any ideas?

Another Day, Another MRI

So....here we are week 3 of the NFL season and the day after the Texans third game. Last night I was looking forward to an uneventful week.....today is definitely a different day. Let's just say this whole thigh contusion thing is not looking good.


While I was at work he sent me a text message saying that he was on his way to the hospital to get a MRI on his thigh. The first thing I thought was "here we go again, I don't have time for this". Basically, to make a long story short, Mister had a MRI on this lingering thigh injury and we have to wait until tomorrow to get the results. Sunday he played hurt and during the game one of Jacksonville's defenders tackled him and put his helmet right on the injury. From what I understand the MRI was done to be cautious. The team doctor and trainers think that he doesn't have much to worry about, they just want to make sure that it's nothing more.

Today when Chris woke up his upper leg was swollen down to his knee. I didn't know anything about this swelling, because when I left for work he was sleeping like a baby. So this whole MRI thing caught me off guard. But i'm keeping my hear to the ground and a positive perspective....injuries are just apart of the game. Thank God it's not worst! I'll keep you posted!

Bringing You Up To Speed!

It's been a whole week since I've had time to sit down a blog about how chaotic my week has been. This week has been so crazy because I left Dallas late after the wedding...therefore I got home late Sunday night. I never had time to sit down and catch my breath. So....recap of last weekend, the wedding was absolutely beautiful. I had flashbacks of our special day just 3 months ago! As for the Texans loss to the Titans....I would rather not comment. But I will face the critics....the news media here is not happy with the Texans' performance. They are ready for a new quarterback and maybe even a new coach. I, fortunately, did not get to see the game (Mister forgot to set the DVR) but I've heard all about how it was just a disaster.

Mister came home with a thigh contusion (deep bruise) and has been hopping around here like a little kangaroo. He's been going in early all this week to have it treated and it looks like he's a go for Sunday's game against the Jaguars. Speaking of Jacksonville, we are way over due for a home game. Which brings me to, Tuesday Mister and I along with some of his teammates, their wives, and the Texans organization went to work in the Houston Food Bank. It was a welcomed distraction to the chaotic start of my week as well as Hurricane Ike. We had a lot of fun....check out our interviews with fellow runningback Darius Walker. http://www.houstontexans.com/tv/index.asp?mm_file_id=2582&play_clip=Y

The team announced today that the stadium will be ready for next week's home opener! Hooray! With Mister traveling for the last two weeks and the hurricane the week before that...it has gotten a little hectic around here.

The little bit of me that you've all been waiting for.....drum roll please! I'm starting a new job....yes, I'm putting down my corporate job to take a job in criminal justice. I am really excited, back when I was in Kentucky I interned at the local D.A.'s office and loved it...so I'm headed back to the public sector. Something else that is on my calendar for next week is I'm walking/running in the Susan G. Komen Race For The Cure with the Texans. I am really excited about this as well....my Aunt Karen is a breast cancer survivor and I am excited to honor her by walking/running in the race with other breast cancer survivors and women period! I encourage all of you to support and celebrate Breast Cancer Awareness during the month of October.

Hopefully this week will be a little calmer....and I can blog again before next Friday. We'll see! Cross your fingers that Mister comes home with a win on Sunday.....he's desperate for one! I am too, they need a little momentum to bring to the city for the home opener. Hope you have a great weekend and a wonderful week!

P.S. - Just another way that both men and women can participate in Breast Cancer Awareness Month http://www.denimday.com/?sourceCode=lee.com

Hurricane Ike Relief

It's been almost a week since the storm ripped through Houston and most of the city still doesn't have electricity. However, the Texans have gone on.  Mister returned to the normal football schedule Tuesday. Luckily, we have electricity....but we have sat in the lines to get gas and stood in line to get groceries. After the excitement of this weekend dies down we are going to assist the organization in the relief efforts for the city.

We have a busy weekend ahead....Mister is going to Nashville and I'm the matron of honor in my best friend's wedding. I'm so excited about both events....one because this is the first time that I will get to be a bridesmaid. I guess I was blessed to be a bride before a bridesmaid. As for Mister, things are going to be extra "crunk" in Nashville because 15 of his family members are going to the game to cheer him on! Unfortunately, I won't be present for his Tennessee return but I know he's going to do well.

Tuesday parts of the Texans organization will team up with the Food Bank to prepare boxes of items for the people who are in need. This will be our first time volunteering....I'm so excited! We have been blessed through this storm and can't wait to help other people.

Anna Mae Eat Some of This Cake!

Well, now that the lights are back on and the sun is shining......we can discuss Hurricane Ike. Before the storm everyone that we talked to made jokes about the hurricane's name. Most of the jokes made reference to Ike and Tina Turner. Now that I'm here to tell the story of the night that Hurricane Ike came through....I can laugh!

The storm was scheduled to arrive late Friday night, so Thursday people were leaving work early to get gas, water, batteries, and more supplies. When I got off at 3:30, I hadn't heard from Mister so I decided to go get a few things (life jackets, rain boots, and batteries). When I turned into our neighborhood I saw a guy boarding up his house. I stopped and asked him was that necessary....he course said yes! So I went on a rampage trying to find some boards. Finally, I found 15 at Home Depot...but only after standing in line for an hour. Mind you, we have 30 windows! Now the problem was finding someone to put these boards up. Someone at Home Depot told me about somebody that they knew that probably knew somebody else who could do it! Yes complicated! I finally made it home at 8:30.....that's when Mister called and said that the team had decided to have Friday's practice that evening and they were going to have meetings until 10.

Here I am sitting at home....the news is reporting about how people better be prepared for the storm....and he's at practice! Question is, how are you preparing for a game....and a hurricane is only hours away? He called me on his drive home, and I filled him in on all of the chaos that the storm was causing....and he had no clue. The team had kept them in practice and "focused" that he didn't know that half of the city was evacuating and that most of the city had shut down at 12 o'clock.

When he got home he watched the news coverage of the traffic on the freeways of people evacuating. All along he's panicking, so I just sat at the island and ate my chocolate cake that I had gotten at McCallister's. Shewt, I was tired of panicking....I had been doing that all day (without him). That's when I took Hurricane Ike's advice and just ate some of my cake...I just needed some calm before the storm!

Fantasy Playing Time

Happy Hump Day! So....this whole fantasy football thing is new to me, I'm not even sure of how it works but here goes. Since Mister's role with the team has increased over preseason, so many people have been keeping up with him...especially in Memphis. Shout out to Joey! As a result of more playing time it is my understanding that Mister has been drafted to quite a few fantasy teams. Well, when he didn't play much this past weekend that didn't help the fantasy leagues. And I was just like you, wondering why he didn't play much this weekend? He didn't have cramps, he practiced all week, he has no injuries....so what's the problem?

I'll be completely honest with you.....this goes back to the struggles of a free agent! In Mister's case there is a good side and a bad. The positive is the Texans' aren't deep with runningbacks, but the depth chart does consist of a 4 time Pro-Bowl veteran and a 3rd round pick Heisman trophy runner up.....which leaves Mister at 3. So on game day typically 2 runningbacks play and the 3rd one dresses for backup and special teams. Basically, he has to wait his turn.....so you ask is he frustrated.....shewt yeah! But he is constantly reminded of how fast this opportunity can be snatched by cuts or by injury.

I will say don't sleep on him.....because some things have already been shaking up in the backfield this week. So Sunday he should definitely see an increase in p.t.! As for the fantasy leagues....I'm not real sure how they work but I will say that the Ravens defense should be a beast! On a side note please keep us in your prayers....Hurricane Ike is brewing and we are waiting (again) for word on the status of the game so that we can get the heck out of Dodge.

Lonely Weekend

Mister just home from the first game of the season, and the first loss of the season! I'm so glad that he's home, because when he's gone I don't get any sleep. Being at home by myself is not exciting...I think I'm just super scary. Friday we went to dinner with one of my friends and her fiance. Yesterday morning Mister left home at 6:oo a.m....and the team left for Pittsburgh at 9. Saturday was a good day, it marks the first day he got his contacts in by himself. Last night I went to dinner with my sister and my grandmother....just to pass time.

Today was game day! I got up with all intentions of going to church...but because I didn't get any sleep I didn't have the energy to get ready. So I sat around and waited for the game, only to be disappointed. This game was just bad all the way around. At halftime the Texans were down 21-3. I get so frustrated....because it looks so easy from the couch, but I know that they are really struggling on the field. I wish they would have won but...Mister made it home in one piece. So overall it was good weekend! Now we just look forward to next weekend....the Ravens and my in laws will be in town!

Game Day Contacts

Here lately Mister and I have been trying to get our sight together. He and I both went to the eye doctor back in March but we never got new lenses for our glasses or contacts. So now that the wedding is over and camp is over....we finally have time to get back to taking care of our health.

So the week before the Dallas game the head coach mentioned in his press conference that Mister needed to use better "vision" on the field. Vision in football terms is not what the rest of the world defines it as. In the football world "vision" is being able to see the play develop. In Mister's case being able to see which hole to run through to get the most yardage. This is what prompted the whole "game day contacts" ordeal. I decided to go and make Mister an appointment to get contacts....which I knew may not go over well. To my surprise he didn't complain and he was such a good sport.

Well his contacts came in last Friday and it's been crazy since then. When the lady called and said they were in, he immediately said "I don't want to hear it!" We went to his contact lesson so that he could learn to put them in and take them out....and that didn't go too smoothly. So the lady put the first one in and told Mister to do the second one....he had to kick both of us out of the room just so he could concentrate. Once he got that one in, he had to learn how to take them out. That was easy!

It's been almost a week since he got his trial pair of contacts and he has yet to get them in by himself. Every morning he wakes me up to put them in before he goes to practice. He claims that when he blinks the contacts are going to roll to the back of his head! All of this vision chaos made me get my new lenses. I had no idea that my vision had gotten so bad since the last time I got glasses. While I was all on him about not being able to see....I found that I couldn't see either! I'm happy to say that when Mister goes to Pittsburgh this week, this will be his first game day with contacts....we'll see how much it helps his "vision"!

Anonymous Support

Most people are surprised that this was Mister's idea for me to write a blog about our everyday lives. Really and truly he's very open about the struggles of his journey to get to the NFL. It hasn't been a cake walk but he has definitely been blessed. Through this blog I have gotten so much feedback, both positive and negative. It has been both encouraging and uplifting...because it gives me a chance to look inside myself. Much like most things in life, there are good and bad things to this football thing. Most people, including my family, think this is all so much fun and we practically have no worries.

Please believe that my struggles are just like yours. There isn't enough time in the day for me to keep things together. I have a closet full of clothes and nothing to wear just like most women. Mister complains every time I head out to the mall like most men. The other day I was talking to one of my friends and she was shocked that I haven't gotten a housekeeper. I was explaining to her that not every NFL wife has a team of people keeping everything tied together. I fall into that category. Don't get me wrong I am considering getting somebody because 4 toilets is just too much for one woman to clean!

Seriously, I pray every night that neither Chris nor I take this opportunity lightly and that we realize how blessed we are at 23 and 24. We pray that we remain humble and down-to-earth, because this is a blessing and God could have chosen somebody else to wear #27. The things that have happened to us, both good and bad, some people never get to experience. So to everyone who has written a message, left a comment, watched a game, lifted a prayer for us, or called to check up on us I thank you. I realize that you never know who's in your corner and whose lives you are affecting; and honestly you don't always have to know.

With the final cuts for the team looming Chris and I are on pins and needles, and trying to find ways to keep busy. He is vacuuming our empty formal living room as we speak! We are hoping for the best....but it really doesn't matter because we know that we have faith and so much love and support. On a different note, please say a prayer for Harry Williams. His girlfriend and I are friends and he's one of Mister's teammates. He was injured in Friday night's game and has had neck surgery. The doctors have told him that his football career is over. So just whisper a little prayer for him and his family.

Cowboy Fans At Heart

The last time that I wrote I talked about how my whole family is going to the game tomorrow in Dallas. Many of you know my friend high school, but I'm originally from Dallas. My whole family is full of die hard Cowboy fans, and some of them just can't stand the idea of wearing a Texans shirt into Texas Stadium. So what's a girl like me to do?

I grew up loving Troy, Emmitt, Michael, Flozell Adams, and even Deion. When I was in elementary school the Cowboys went to 3 Super Bowls. My family loves the Cowboys. Well, now we have a new sheriff in town, and he doesn't wear a silver star on his helmet. Miter, plays for the lesser known Texas team that is trying to earn the respect of the N.F.L. I have no choice but to support the hubby, I wouldn't dare disrespect him like that. My folks on the other hand....they are questionable!

Some of them have collected Texans shirts and caps over the last 3 years....while some of them has been a little hesitant to even cheer for Mister on game day. As a matter of fact, my aunt text me to ask what number he wore! But tomorrow all 15 of us will be in some sort of Texans gear ready to scream loud and cheer hard. They love Cowboy football, but they love the man wearing the Texans uniform more.

I encourage all of you to tune in tomorrow night at 7 p.m. central time to tune in to the Lone Star Showdown! Make sure you look for #27 in the DARK blue jersey. I sure hope that you will join me in cheering him on in his 1st career start! You don't even know what kinda opportunity this is.....if only you knew his struggle. I'm so excited, he's so excited......just ready for kick off. P.S. --Pray that he doesn't cramp up!

A Family Affair

This one will be a venting session, so here we go! The life of a football player involves so much and it takes so much out of you. When people ask me what it's like to be with someone in the NFL my first response is always "it's fun, but it's stressful too!" The emotional rollercoasters that Mister and I have been on have definitely made our relationship stronger. But what I find most interesting is the reactions that we get from people. Some people find it interesting while others think that you (the woman) do not have any goals and ambition.

I'm sure that the plight of a NFL wife is much like any other wife; and I applaud any woman doing her thing and keeping her house/family together. I'm always asking my mom what the difference is between my stress and everybody else's stress. I hate the fact that most people think that because your husband plays football all you want in life is to get your nails done and carry Gucci purses. There are so many ambitious women who are married to athletes, but I think that this stereotype prevails. I know for me, Mister's schedule is so hectic that it takes all that I have to go to work, keep our house clean, eat, workout, and sleep. Let's not even get into how I'm suppose to be supportive of him and go games and even some practices! I do what I think is best for my relationship and my household.

For Mister and I our faith is what holds things together and keeps a balance in our lives. But our families play a major factor as well. They are our support, our encourgement, our backbone! For instance the day Mister moved into the hotel for camp my little godbrothers left a message on our answering machine wishing him good luck. Those are the types of things that keep us going, because for him the game is rough, tough, and physical and for everybody else it's entertainment. For me the games are fun until somebody gets hurt (especially Mister)!

This weekend Mister plays in Dallas and there is a group of 14 of us going to the game. I am so happy, because I don't have to carry the stess of game day all by myself. The anticipation of the game, Mister's nerves, and the atmosphere all wear me out. My mommie and the rest of my family is going to be there, and I can relax because they will have my back! This NFL thing is a family affair, there is no way that I could do this all by myself. I cheer and I scream, but every time he takes the field his health, his life, and his career are on the line and I never forget that.

Random Chaos!

I just got back from New Orleans yesterday around 2 and I'm exhausted! Now I get to look forward to a whole new weekend of things. Three major events take place this weekend....my sister moves into the dorm, I'm hosting my best friend's bridal shower, and of course the Texans vs. Cowboys game. So, I'll probably be a little scatter brained but it's only temporary insanity!

Back to the Saints game....we came out with a win! (I say "we" as though I'm on the team as well!) The highlight of the game was his 2nd career touchdown! Mister's cramps flared up again during the 3rd quarter....but overall he had a good game. He ended the game with 12 carries and 39 yards. I bought our tickets instead of sitting in the Texans section way up on the roof. We sat right in the middle of some Saints season ticket holders....and they were not happy to see us! They were nice, but they did not appreciate me screaming for Mister's team.

This cramp issue has become a serious concern for me because it's affecting his playing time. To sit in the stands and watch him lay motionless on the field was a little much. I've been buying him Pedialyte, but he hasn't been drinking it consistently. He went to the sideline to walk the cramps off, but the trainers decided to take him to the locker room and give him an IV. I'm not a big fan of needles, but Mister doesn't mind it. On the way to the locker room he saw me in the stand and gave me a thumbs up so I wouldn't worry. You know that didn't matter, I still wanted to know EXACTLY what was wrong with him. One my friends text me and told me the announcer on t.v. said it was just cramps. It was definitely a relief, but just adds to my concerns. So hopefully by Friday he will have this cramp thing worked out.

Aside from the game, I got to see two of my friends that I haven't seen since I left New Orleans in 2004. We had a rushed lunch together, but we got to do a little catching up. Good times! You would have never known that we hadn't seen each other in years....I'm just so happy to see them so happy and doing well. By the way, this was my sister's first experience with Cajun food. She was not impressed.

My impressions of the city were good and bad. I was okay until I made a wrong turn and saw a house with spray painted "x" that said they found 2 bodies inside. I took a moment to take things in and it really hit home. I realize just how blessed I am, just on a surface level. I'm not even talking about any of life's luxuries. I hope that the city continues it's rebuilding process. By the number of Saints fans at the game, it's clear that the people of New Orleans have a lot of pride in their city. Which is as it should be. Overall this weekend was a lot of fun, would definitely do it again!

My Big Scare!

Okay, yesterday I get this text message from my uncle and it reads, "Mister fumbled in the red zone?" I'm sitting here like what? Again, my blood pressure rises and I'm getting a little warmed up because I've told Mister that I don't like finding bad news about him on the internet, I would rather hear it from him. So, I got the text message maybe 20 minutes after Mister was off to the evening practice. Which meant it would be 3 or 4 more hours before I would hear from him to clear it up.

In the mean time, I'm looking online and texting my uncle trying to find this report somewhere. I never find it! So the reason I was in a panic is because Mister's rookie year, it was put out in the media that he had a fumbling problem. I personally have never seen him fumble....dating back to his college days; and there is no statistic to be found on him. But the media said that his fumbling problem is what kept him from making the 53 man roster.

Finally, Mister's text me because he was headed to Bourbon with his teammates to see the city. I respond back with "did you fumble yesterday in the red zone in the scrimmage?" He immediately writes back, "no". So of course I was relieved, but sometimes Mister acts like stuff is not a big deal and it really is....or should I say the media makes it a big deal. He reassured me that he didn't fumble.

I have a hard time with the media talking junk about him. Mister can handle it, but I don't like it! Between the media and the fans on the message boards, you really have to have thick skin. Mister's thing is all of this just comes with the territory, but my thing is I didn't sign up for them to be talking bad about him.  Just another reminder that this is "his dream and my reality"!

Back To The Bottom Of The Map!

Ok.....this one may be a little emotional! Where do I start? Mister and his teammates have already left and gone to New Orleans for this weekend's game. I, on the other hand, have gone back and forth on if I wanted to go. Why, I kept asking myself, am I so nervous to go see my husband play a game in a city that I "knew" so well! Well that's just it....I haven't been back to New Orleans since "Katrina"

Let's rewind and then fast forward at the same time. As many of you know, I went to Dillard University in New Orleans for the first 2 years of undergrad experience. I have so many fond memories of the city, the school, the people, and the food. Unfortunately, I know that the city of New Orleans that I knew will never be the same. While I was in New Orleans in school I had an older cousin who lived in the N.O. and worked at Dillard, but he died this past December. So while I'm a little nervous to see what type of negative effects the hurricane left on the city, I am anxious to see Mister play again!

When Mister got there, I kept asking him what did the city look like and all of these different questions. He of course didn't know! He never saw it before all of the disaster struck! Shewt, he can't even pronounce the street names and suburban city names. I may not know either because I didn't see it right after the hurricane. So, now that it's been 4 years since I left and 3 years since Katrina i'm going to see the Texans beat the Saints and just how far the city has come. I hope that it still has that vibrant spirit and loud streets, but I'm not going to set any expectations. As for Mister and his teammates, they better come home with a win....they don't have any excuses!

Preseason Game 1

Now that the first preseason game is under Chris' belt, I think that he can breath a little easier. Before last season I thought we was a super hero, I thought he could never get hurt or be sick. For the first time ever I saw him struggle with both. His injury was definitely a physical thing but the rehab process was definitely mental. So in game one Chris had high expectations for himself and at the end of the game I don't think that he was satisfied. I think his disappointment came because his expectations were unreasonable for a preseason game and his first game back. But for his overall performance he did pretty well and the knee is just doing superb!

So....as always I was running late, I got to my seat at the end of the first kickoff drive. The first series of the game Denver had the ball....therefore I didn't pay much attention. When we were finally on offense I guess I didn't get the memo because I looked up and Chris was on the field. I wasn't expecting him to be out there so fast. Well come to find out I missed the first play of the offensive series when Ahman Green was in. So of course I'm cheering and stuff....but I'm all tense. To be honest my frustration came when the Denver dudes kept grabbing Chris by the ankle. I was mad and told my sister that they need to make that illegal, because they could break some body's ankle. That was when she reminded me that all of this physical stuff is apart of the game.

The worst part of the night was when the quarterback got sacked! So during the play once he hit the ground he fumbled.....and Chris picked it up and took it another yard or so. Of course, I'm screaming because Chris has the ball until I look over at my god brother and he has his head in his head. I knew then that something went wrong....of course there it was on the Jumbo tron! Chris missed a block in the blitz and got the quarterback killed! I wasn't sure....Trey wasn't really sure....but it's looked really bad. So for the rest of the game....I was quiet.

When the game was over and we saw Chris the first thing I asked was "was that sack your fault"? He of course was like..."yeah" and tried to explain (like I knew what he was talking about). So I asked did he apologized and he said yeah....after that I felt better. Chris is such a good guy.....this game was a reminder for me that this is a team sport!

Beauty Shop / Texas BBQ

As always, I'm behind...but hey that's typical me right now! So, last week I made an appointment to go to the beauty shop because I was overdue for a relaxer. The lady told me that she had an opening at 7:00 pm on Thursday, which was perfect because I didn't have anywhere else to be and Mister was suppose to be in camp. Of course this is not how things went in the end.

Like always, I'm not always aware of the team's schedule. So on Wednesday night Mister calls and says that he has Thursday evening off and he's coming home. I just sit on the phone and look "big eyed and crazy" (as my momma would say). That's when I inform him that I'm going to the beauty shop and he's going to be home with my sister for awhile. Fast forward to Thursday and I get to the salon and have to wait about 45 minutes....typical black salon! I get my relaxer and a roller set and finally I walk out of there at 10:35. End result, a husband who is a little upset that he had an evening off and no wife to spend it with....but oh well, cause my hair looks good!

This is just a side bar....but definitely a bit of an update on the football front. The day of the "hurricane" that I ran from, Mister had a radio interview with the local sports channel. During the interview they ask him about Memphis BBQ as well as if he's tried any Texas BBQ....and he said NO! I was just shocked....my daddy has barbecued so many times and my momma makes her own sauce and this dude gets on the radio and says no. So I had to remind him that I'm originally from Texas and Memphis was just a pit stop in my life. The people on the radio loved him....obviously he's doing well!

Weight Loss Plan

The fact that Mister's weight fluctuated so much has been a mystery for so long. I've been thinking about it a lot. At first I was worried that something was wrong with him, but he always says that it's water weight. So over time I've gotten jealous! For instance, last Saturday when he came home after practice he was 216.

So Saturday afternoon we went to BJ's and had pizza and for dinner that night we had smothered pork chops and rice. Before we went to bed that night he was back at 220. Sunday morning we woke up and Mister ate a bowl of Frosted Flakes and a cinnamon roll for breakfast. For lunch he had left over pizza and before he headed back for meetings he had a turkey and cheese sandwich. Before he walked out of the door Sunday evening at 4 he was back up to 224!

Now tell me how crazy that is....and to make things worst the next day he was back down to 214. So now you see why I'm jealous! For our wedding I got a trainer 9 months before and didn't loose a single pound. The trainer said that it was stress and I probably wouldn't loose much and I'd probably only tone a few muscles. But I will say that since the wedding I've lost 12 pounds and I've only gone to the trainer twice.

So I'm trying to decide if I need to get my helmet, pads, and jersey and have my own training camp in the back yard. Clearly training camp does a body good!

Safe Return

At 10:30 last night Mister calls and says that the coaches decided that they could go home and wait out the storm with their families. But they are going to have practice at 1:30 Tuesday afternoon. Well at 10:30 I was 2 hours away at my grandma's house watching Jon and Kate Plus 8 on TLC. They picked a fine time to make a decision!

Since the tropical storm didn't do much damage I decided to come home this evening. On the way home my sister and I were driving along and the rain was picking up and the wind was getting a little gusty so I was getting nervous. I had to turn my flashers on so that the crazy people behind me could see me and all of a sudden my sister is screaming my name and pointing. I look to my left and see car after car going into the ditch! My crazy behind thought "oh God we are next", so I started pushing the brake and was just bracing myself for the slide and it never happened. That's when I realized that the people in the left lane had all run into each other and were sliding in the ditch trying to avoid a stopped car. So much for these Texas drivers driving in a hurricane!

I said all of that to say that I made it home safely and Mister had a good practice. I wonder if the next time a hurricane/tropical storm comes should I wait around for the organization to make a decision?

A Tropical Storm

I'm not one for severe weather, so the thought of a tropical storm coming this way is just not what I had in mind. I'm considering going to my Grandma's house to hide out until things settle down. Unfortunately, Mister has to stay here with his teammates and weather the storm. I'm not sure that I'm comfortable leaving him here, but I know that i'm not staying here. I don't play with the weather like that!

Back on the football front....Mister went back to camp yesterday afternoon. I was getting used to having him home again. When he first got home on Saturday he was limping around and just looked like he was on his last leg. But he had his epsom salt bath and some good ole home cooking. So I made sure that he was well rested....although I really needed him to fix this air conditioner vent. By the time he left yesterday he looked like a human again and not a gladiator. He was well over due for a shave!

Speaking of air conditioner vents...let's talk about this home ownership thing! I love our house, but with him gone I have more responsiblity. For instance we were having problems with the electrical outlet because we just had a sprinkler system installed. So I made arrangements for the guy to come out and fix it....but it never dawned on me that I would be home alone. Typically I make arrangements for service people to come when he and I are both home, so of course I'm walking around the house with a knife in my pocket, because see I love my life! lol!

One Week Down

So today marks one week and one day of training camp. Mister is surviving...it's amazing how fast he and his teammates have worn down. I just got home from the last "open" practice, I just love how the fans get into the spirit. It's exactly one week until the first preseason game....this time next week I'll be headed to the stadium to see them take on the Denver Broncos. I'm so excited....I've really learned to love the game. When football season rolls around things are so fast paced because I have something to look forward to every weekend.

While I was driving home I realized that we have been married for over a month now. It's crazy how fast time goes. I absolutely love being married....it's a lot of fun....especially since I'm blessed to be married to my closest friend. So I mentioned it to Mister and he just looked at me....because of the two a days he can't keep his days straight! He kept asking me if it was Thursday....and today is Saturday. He's shocked that it's been a month as well, we knew that training camp was right around the corner but goodness.

So....back to football! The team took this evening and tomorrow off so Mister is home. I'm going to cook some smothered pork chops and nurse his little cuts back to health. I never understand why he always gets so beat up in practice. I mean these scratches looks like they let the tigers at the zoo loose. His knee is doing so well and he's doing great in practice. During the practice he just looks so tired when he's standing on the sidelines, and then when he gets in.....you see him hit that second gear. Monday he'll be back at it....so i have to enjoy him while he's home!

So Behind!

I'm so behind....Mister has been in camp for 3 days already. Today is day 4 and I just went to my first practice last night. I've been so busy taking care of my sister and her softball career that I haven't had time to focus on Mister.

The first day of camp went well....I think it's taking some time for him to get readjusted to being hit and wearing pads. Not to mention the Texas heat. I think he was all worked up with the anticipation and excitement of actually getting back on the field. Since i'm not the one taking the hits I just wait by the computer to make sure that he's not on the injury report. My sister is here for the summer and I spent the whole day at the softball field with her. I'm glad actually because it kept my mind busy and I didn't worry so much about Mister.

Day 2.....my godbrother and his wife went out to the morning practice, again I was at the softball field. Saturday's practice was the first "open" practice for the fans and according to the media it was over 3300 people there. So I'm waiting to hear some type of report, and I get the call! He's down again....but only with cramps this time. So apparently during the course of the practice he gave himself and the coaches a scare because he lie in the middle of the field screaming. He's all good. By the second day I was ready to see what was going on at Texans headquarters....instead I was still at the softball field in the heat!

Day 3.....the heat and sore muscles have really kicked in. This was the first practice in full pads....of course his first hand off one of the d-linemen knocks his block off! Other than that he's really doing well. I mean he's getting quite a bit of press because he's trying his hand fullback....we'll see how that works out! I'm not sure how I like this whole fullback thing because i'm so used to him running with the ball, not blocking. KJ had to be at the softball field at 7 am so once again I missed all of the football events for the weekend. No need to worry there's plenty to see during the week...so I'll make my way out to see some action at some point.

Season 2

In the last post I ended at the end of his first season. When the season ended he decided to go home and visit his parents for 3 weeks and then he came to visit me in Kentucky for 3 weeks. At the end of his stay he asked me if I wanted to move with him, at the time we were already planning our wedding but it was still more than a year away. March 1st we returned to his apartment to start our lives in the same city for the first time ever. I finally started a new job just as he began offseason training. As the weeks went by he got stronger and bigger. He was so excited about the upcoming season, he had so much to prove to himself, the coaches, and the fans. The weeks went so quickly and before we knew it, it was time for him to move into the hotel and start training camp.

That Thursday before camp started he packed all of this things and he and I both back out of the driveway at the same time. He was headed to the team's hotel and I was headed to work. That evening I exhausted from the excitement and anticpation of camp starting...which meant the season was near. Finally it was Friday, the first day of camp. I was anxious to hear updates from him just to see how the practices were going. During my ride home from work I was telling my mom how happy I was that he was in camp because the anticipation was going to kill him. When I walked in the door I sat my phone down and immediately starting watching the 6 o'clock news just to see the sports segment.

After the news went off I picked up my phone to call his mom and saw that I missed a text message. I checked the text there it read "I hurt my knee in practice, don't worry I'm on my way to the hospital to get a MRI." I sat there in disbelief, mad that he didn't call and frustrated that there was nothing that I could do. When I called him back he was already in the hospital and about to go in for the MRI. I grilled him like a witness. I wanted to know how it felt, what happened, and who hit him. Once he finished his MRI he called and told me that he wouldn't get the results until the next day.

Saturday around noon he called and told me that he had torn his menicus. So of course I had no clue what that meant. Surgery was already scheduled for Sunday morning at 10. This was the end of his 2007 season. Never in a million years did I ever dream that he would get hurt...he had never been hurt. So now after of months of rehab and now we're married he's ready, and so am I, for the 2008 season. Watching him stand on the sidelines with crutches this season wasn't much fun for me, but it has made me appreciate his opportunity even more. There are so many guys out there that never get the chance and I realize that he is blessed to even be here. So he leaves for camp in exactly one week and four days. I hope that you will join me in this journey that I call His Dream and My Reality!

Welcome to the NFL

Allow me to introduce myself, I'm 23 years and old and I'm married to a professional football player! Technically the NFL is his dream and just my reality, but I have come to love the game. My husband is starting his 3rd year with the same organization...his road to the NFL was a little bumpy. He was an undrafted free agent and the summer before his rookie season was full of surprises. To start things off he left for OTAs (NFL translation = Organized Team Activities) the day after I graduated from undergrad. Just so happened it was Mother's Day! Our entire relationship was long distance so him going away was not a big deal but it was the fear of the unexpected. The first few weeks he would rush off of the phone to study his playbook...that was an adjustment. As the summer progressed he got better, but somebody should have told me about camp. I thought it was going to be like his college camp...this was my when I learned that this is a job and not just a hobby. He was literally at the stadium 12 hours everyday for a month.

When camp wrapped at the end of August I went to visit him just in time to see his last preseason game. This being my first NFL game I was a little nervous, I really didn't know what to expect. I was definitely not prepared for my introduction to the NFL. I got a crash course on players, coaches, groupies, wives, baby mamas, and girlfriends. It's was definitely a different world from our days at the university. I was definitely learning the ropes! After the game on Thursday night we thought that he had done well and I was assuring him that things would work in his favor as cuts were approaching. When they made what we thought were the final cuts on Friday, we were safe. With cuts over I thought that he could just get comfortable with his new organization and enjoy the excitement of officially being a NFL player. Little did I know that when he would return from practice on Saturday morning there would be news of another cut.

Sunday morning had now been deemed the official final cut day. We woke up and got dressed for church and we're just wasting time till it was time to leave when his phone rang. I just sat there and he answered the phone, sure enough it was someone from the team calling to tell him that the GM (translation = General Manager) wanted to meet with and him and to bring his playbook. There was nothing that I could say to him or to anyone else to help him. He walked out of the hotel with a sad look on his face...I had no clue as to what would happen now. I thought that his dream of playing in the NFL was over. So about 30 minutes later in he comes, he's calm and I'm shocked. He said that the coach said that they liked him but didn't want to start the season with all rookies in his position. So they had decided to bring in a veteran and put my hubby on the practice squad (translation = scout team). Later I learned that the veteran the team brought in to replace my guy was a former Heisman trophy winner. This news was discouraging to me but not to my husband.

So the regular season begins and of course I go to the game, trying to be supportive. My husband didn't even touch the field, he was dressed in the team's warm ups and was basically a sideline cheerleader. I'm trying to keep a positive outlook and keep him encouraged but I wondered how long this "practice squad" thing would last. Twelve weeks later he gets another call from the organization. This time it was good news, he was being signed back to the active roster on Friday and that Sunday would be his rookie debut! I was in Kentucky living with my parents and couldn't get a flight at a decent rate in such short notice. Ultimately, I missed his first game! I was so excited for him, I was just happy that he would finally get to fulfill his dream. His mom called me from the stadium that Sunday morning as she walked in and said "we are finally here". For the next couple of weeks he would be a special team specialist, getting most of his p.t. (translation = playing time) on special teams.

The last 2 games of the season were the first time that he would see any action at his position. Christmas Eve 2006 his team went into that game as a definite underdog. He had a breakout game, to hear the commentators call his name was just phenomenal! It was a great game with a great win against the team that would go on to be the Super Bowl champs. Going into the last game of the season he knew that he would be getting a lot of playing time. We are Christians and we believe that God works in mysterious ways. I was running late to the game and missed the first series and when I got there he was already in the game. So the entire game I wondered if he had gotten the start. That game he was named the player of the game and I would later find out that he didn't get the start. It was New Year's Eve and we had to celebrate because we were glad that he ended the season on a positive note.

This post has gotten so long, I'll bring you up to date in the next post.