From a Mexican Paradise to a National Championship Paradise!

Dave and I flew home to Atlanta on Saturday afternoon January 8 only to wake up Sunday morning at 4 Am to catch a flight to Phoenix! It was so very well worth the loss of sleep!

Dave and I had a blast in Phoenix. We met a bunch of our friends from Atlanta there. Sunday night we went to a wonderful steak house in Scottsdale called J & G Steakhouse. The steakhouse was located on top of the Phoenician Hotel (such a Gorgeous hotel). I ended up getting a burger and I must say it was one of the best ones I've had in quite some time. Sitting right in front of us at dinner was John Gruden, Urban Myer, the SEC Commissioner Mike Slive, the Pack Ten Commissioner Larry Scott, the President of BCS games, and 2 other "unidentified" men. Needless to say, all the guys were in heaven! Our friend Stewie even went and had a conversation with them. And whether or not you are an Urban Myer fan, he is very handsome in person! :) Once we got done with dinner, we went down to the hotel lobby bar where we saw John Saunders, Nick Saban, and Chris Fowler. We all assumed that the entire ABC/ESPN staff was staying at that hotel. I so badly wanted to take pictures but didn't want to look stalker-ish. . . .

I woke up the next morning like a little kid on Christmas. It was game day - the MOST important game AU was going to play in nearly half a century! I was nervous but so excited. I kept telling myself that even if Auburn did end up losing, I would still be super proud of the fact that they made it thus far. We got the gang together and tailgated across from the stadium for a couple hours.

The game was AMAZING. It was such a good match up of two great teams. There was never a dull moment. I think the last two minutes of the game was the best part. Oregon tied the game, we got the ball, managed to hang on to the ball and Wes Byrum didn't let us down by kicking his 6th career game winning field goal to win the 2011 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME! Man, I still get chills thinking about that game and that moment. It will be a moment I will NEVER forget. I am so very proud of my Auburn Tigers. They came, they saw, they conquered! What a wonderful example of team leadership/spiritual leadership, team chemistry, perseverance, determination, and love for the game. WAR EAGLE my friends!

Tailgating across from the stadium.

(Prashant, Stacy, Neil,Dave, Me, Ashley, Marc, Audrey, & Stew)
Tailgating: Dave, Bo, and Stewie
Walking to the stadium

Game time! The AUsome AU band about to perform.

Confetti!

Right after my "cry fest." Watching Wes Byrum kick the winning field goal to win the game, I lost it!

My parent's good friends who sat with us, Shayne & Robert

Awarding Coach C the crystal ball!

Party after the game with a million other oh-so happy AU fans!
(Stew, me, Dave, Audrey, and Marc)

Still in a state of shock that we actually won!

WAR EAGLE!!!

There was no tree in our hotel room, so we decided to roll Stewie!