Mississippi

I am asking that you please pray for a place that is near and dear to my heart. It's my other home, the place I was living when I really came to know Christ, a place I spent my childhood summers, where I went to college, and where I met some of the best friends a girl could ever ask for.

Mississippi is a place that is greatly misunderstood. It's the butt of just about everyone's jokes. It's a place that people make fun of and then they visit. Then they fall in love with the mysterious state. The people are some of the most wonderful you will ever meet, the food is some of the best in the world, the Blues are from there, and Rock n Roll exists because of one of it's most famous locals.

This magical place was devestated by the worst tornado outbreak that has ever occurred in the state. Louisville, MS was hit my a tornado two different times alone. Yazoo City, Tupelo, Jackson, Brandon, and Columbus were all also hit. I know people who consider each of those places their home towns. My mom included. Some who have found out that their parent's homes were in the line of the tornado. I sat on my couch all night sending constant updates to a friend of mine who was riding out the storm in Brandon. 

As much as Mississippi is hurting right now I am constantly reminded by how good her people are and how they always rise above any obstacle put in their path. Because of this massive line of storms I picked up the phone and called two friends who I haven't spoken with in way too long. Neither of them live in Columbus anymore but both of their families still there. It was so good to talk to my old friends, and I learned the valuable lesson to not only talk to people in the midst of something terrible. Call, text, write, Snapchat, whatever just because and whenever. I was also reminded once again that in Mississippi; when things get bad, we get good.

To understand the world, you must first understand a place like Mississippi. – William Faulkner

Throwback Thursday: Super Bulldog Weekend

If you can't tell by now, I loved my college and every thing about it. Still do. There has always been something about Mississippi State that has drawn me to it my whole life. My mom went there and my grandparents lived in Starkville almost my whole life. My grandmother didn't move away till my Junior year of college and we still give her (lovingly) crap about moving away. No free place to crash at now ;)

There are two big weekends every year. One is in the fall and the other is in the spring. One is built around football and the other is built around baseball. This weekend is Super Bulldog Weekend and it is all about baseball. I love it and my heart is aching that I am not there. It was always one of my favorite weekends in college. I loved attending our baseball games and hanging out in Left Field Lounge. I loved all the crawfish boils that popped up around campus and I loved how all the fraternity houses transformed into their own little hideaways for the weekend.

Many of you probably don't know a lot about Mississippi State besides the fact that it's a cow school. State is very well known for it's baseball program and is continually ranked as one of the top place to watch college baseball. We hold all of the Top 10 attendance records for a college baseball game. How could you not want to be in the middle of all of this- 

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Walk around Left Field Lounge and I can guarantee you you will leave just as full as you are on Thanksgiving Day. Some of the best food in the world is cooked out there on those grills. There really is no place like it.

Now for some throwbacks-

Woof! We are such babies in this picture. Our Freshmen year of college and our first SBW. Now I'm going to go cry that this picture was taken about 7 years ago. Also, why doesn't my hair curl naturally like that anymore?!

Pretty sure this was my junior year of college. I always seemed to have a million guy friends. Maybe because I'm addicted to sports, and I only have a couple girl friends who can stand to watch a whole series of baseball or stay at a whole football game with me. SO, I was usually stuck with the guys :)

Senior year and extremely early to a game. I miss going to these games and getting the best views by hanging out in Left Field Lounge. 

John Grisham (who attended State) has written about Dudy Noble and the magical place that it is. You can find the full article that he wrote on it, here. Here's just a couple excerpts of that article on one of my most favorite places on earth-
"The older I become, the more I find myself drawn back to Dudy Noble. There are many reasons. It's great baseball played by very talented kids. The game is pure and uncorrupted by money. The place is filled with memories, both of my college days and of the great games and moments since then. It's a wonderful place to unwind. The mood is festive. Time is meaningless. The game is played without a clock. There are no telephones in Left Field. Deadlines are more distant. Appointments seem insignificant.   Regardless of wins and losses, I always feel better when I leave Dudy Noble than when I arrive. There are few places of which this can be said."

"I wish I had played there, too, but I never came close. And so I return year after year to watch the best of college baseball, to see old friends and make new ones, to cook and eat, to see the show. There may be larger parks, but not larger crowds. There may be prettier parks, but I doubt it. Dudy Noble is college baseball at its absolute finest."