The Final Countdown

Wednesday came and went so quickly, but it was a day I'll remember as long as I live!
Once again, we started out early: 7am Sunrise Rotary Meeting. The meeting was held over a delicious breakfast, and about halfway through the meeting I got to speak to the club about my experiences over the past 6 months and how I came to be involved in Junior Miss, the classic spiel.
From Rotary, we headed out into the community to pay a visit to several sponsors of America's Junior Miss, and really, truly thank them for all they do. Our first stop was New Horizons, a bank in Mobile. Next we stopped by Regions Bank in downtown to talk to one of the executives, Joel Daves, about what great things their support has done for the program. While there, we met up with Dee Gambil, another executive and a past AJM president. (Regions Bank is on one of the top floors of the highest building in Alabama, so needless to say the view from the offices was spectacular.) Our last stop before lunch was Alabama Power across the street from Regions Bank. We talked to a wonderful man named Eric Patterson, whose wife is the finals coordinator of Junior Miss.
After our sponsor visits, it was time for a fabulous and delicious lunch with the America's Junior Miss Foundation Board. There were about 12 in attendance and we talked about everything from the possible AJM name change to the possible outcome of the night's game.
From lunch, it was back to the AJM headquarters for a quick meeting with LaBarron McClendon, an organizer for the Senior Bowl another big football game played in Mobile at the end of the month. The meeting was very much about briefing on what was going to happen when I came back into Mobile at the end of January for the Senior Bowl. It sounds like it's going to be another couple of awesome days!
After I was appropriately briefed, I was whisked off to Roots, a wonderful salon in Mobile, where Haley Hill had arranged for me to get my hair done before the big game. After a quick do, I changed and we headed out to the stadium for the big event!
We got there around 4, and set up a little autograph booth in the KidZone outside Ladd Peebles Stadium. After a few autographs, I went onto the field for a quick sound check. The big moment was ever closer...
After we checked in, it was only minutes until kickoff. I was a part of the official coin toss, as the all important Game Ball holder! (I think I was actually supposed to "present" the Game Ball to the President of the City Council, but he left the field way before I had the chance! Not too bad, though, since I got to keep the 2010 GMAC Bowl game ball. Yeees.)
After the coin toss and failed presentation of the ball, I had a little more than 2 nerve-wracking hours before I sang to go around and meet everyone in the guest tents and press boxes. It's kind of amazing how many different people came to the game!
Finally it was time. Third quarter was almost done and I marched out to the 20 yard line to sing my bit. After the clock ran out and 3rd quarter was officially over, I grabbed the mic, and stepped right out into the middle of the field. The announcer introduced me and I did my practiced wave...
Singing was such blast and something I'll remember forever! The weirdest part was that there was such a delay between my voice coming out of me and my voice coming out of the speakers. It was so distracting! I kept wanting to slow down to let my speaker voice catch up with my singing voice! I don't know if I sounded distracted or not. It's probably a question that will never quite be answered...
Then just like that, a minute and a half, and it was done! Crazy. We stayed on the field for the first few minutes of play of the fourth quarter, and it was SO cool to be right in the action of play. We were right in the end zone as Troy scored. On the second down, a player went to catch the ball in the corner, missed, but slid right to our feet. I wish we could have watched the whole game that way! It really, truly was one of the coolest things I've ever experienced.
The rest is history. Central Michigan won the game in double overtime with a field goal after they blocked Troy's kick in their field goal attempt. The teams were excellently matched, and it was anyone's game. It was a blast, and I wish the night had never ended.
But end it did. Around 11 that night I got back to my host family, packed, and fell sound asleep. At 4:45, I was up and we loaded into the car to drive to the airport. My plane left around 6:40 headed to Houston, then from Houston to O'Hare. I actually made it back to campus in time for my classes!
My week in Mobile was nothing but wonderful, and I can't wait to go back at the end of the month for Senior Bowl!