Yes, one of us is under dressed in this photo. CDM got to attend the Texas A&M Navy/Marine Corps Midshipmen Ball last night while I was busy working a volleyball game. He came to pick me up from the game and was somewhat distracting to me as he sat behind our bench the last set of the match. How can you keep you eyes off of him?? I love seeing him in uniform. The window in the background is CDM's contribution to the training room. He has found pictures of all of the girls in different publications and taped them up on the window. All of the girls make a daily trip by the window to see if there are new pictures posted.

Below are some pictures of my training room and office.

Kansas

In the past week I have been back and forth to Kansas twice. We played KU on Halloween and I did not realize how close Lawrence, KS is to St Joseph, MO. I tried getting in touch with Anne-Marie and Laura to see if they wanted to come to the game. They already had plans but Aunt Carol was out visiting them and she and Aunt Rose came to the game on Sat. It was such an unexpected treat to see them.

Fall

Fall is slow in coming to College Station (it still has not hit). On a recent trip to Ames, IA I found fall. We are still experiencing 80 degree days. I hear it is supposed to cool down at some point in the year but I don't quite believe it. I'll let you know when and if I ever put the flannel sheets on this year...

On a Mission

September 2009:
When CDM saw a specific pair of shoes he knew he had to have them. These shoes, however, are only manufactured for the TAMU football team. No local store or online store has access to them. If any of you need visible proof at how determined CDM is...28 days later he had a pair on his feet!

We went to our first TAMU football game together!

Also of note in Sept: I got to view my first ACL surgery. If you every have ACL reconstruction there is a reason you are sore afterwards.

Home Sweet Home

The women's A&M volleyball team traveled to my old stomping grounds--San Francisco--during the Labor day weekend. One of our matches was played against St. Mary's College of Moraga, CA; it was SO much fun to go back to Moraga, I can't believe how much it has remained the same and how beautiful it is. Sometimes I think my childhood mind has glorified the area and that it can't possibly be as pretty and as peaceful a place I imagine it to be. Well, in this case, my childhood mind was right on. Here are a few memories for Steph and Joe:

• Schief, Shimizu, Malone and Francis?
• Campana Music
  
• Specialteez
  
• McCaulou's
  
• Joe's Taco Bell
• Nation's
• The Handlebar-out of business:(
• Joe's baseball fields still look great
  

I spent one evening with the Peirce Family whom I lived with during summer 2001. All of the kids are growing up and look great! Mallory took me by Campo to pick up Sydney, who is playing water polo. I was right back at the pool I spent 4 years swimming in. What a treat!

After our second VB match against USF we spent a few hours at Pier 39 and Fisherman's Wharf. The only thing I was craving all weekend was a sourdough bread bowl with clam chowder, and it did not disappoint! YUM!!

We caught the red-eye out of SFO and arrived back in College Station at 8:30 on Monday morning. We all had to work/go to school that day as TAMU does not observe Labor Day (strange, I know). It was a very rough Monday and I realized that as anxious as I was to go home to CA my home sweet home is wherever my CDM is. I was so happy to see him, get a foot rub and crawl into my own bed for a few hours.

1st Day of School

Monday was CDM's first day of school. He had a great first day and has met some interesting classmates from a wide variety of backgrounds. It looks like it will be a good fall semester.

Work has started in earnest for me, I have had volleyball 2-a-days for the past 3 weeks and now all (70) of my swimmers and divers are back in town. My office has been a revolving door for the past two days. Texas A&M hosted a VB tournament this past weekend--A&M won the tournament!

ADDY & ELLA!!

CDM was back in NC the end of July to close the book on a few business items. While there he stopped by our friends home to see his "girls" (Addy and Ella). "Cameron's here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" is the early warning cry for CDM's arrival to the house. These two were very shy when first meeting CDM. Fast forward a few weeks and the picture speaks for itself. They love CDM and he loves them, the girls won't leave his side; he could not wait to see them when he went back to NC; it was the highlight of his trip, and he appreciates Addy and Ella's mom and dad for being so generous with all their kids.