"At the ennnnnnddddd of the roaaadddddddd!" That song has been stuck in my head and I suppose it is appropriate. This is going to be long one, so just bear with me.
So I know I have been less than diligent in documenting the end of the year, apologies. It was a whirlwind few weeks full of the usual softball fields, softball dirt, driving a van full of giant toddlers, diet cokes and hours upon hours on the highway. The season came to a very abrupt, very sad ending last weekend.
I knew this day was coming, it always does. In this profession, as in life I have gotten used to saying goodbye, starting over. Never gets easier, but it has allowed me to meet and know so many amazing people, and each new beginning is another chance to continue to meet people. However, as many of the 2 readers of this blog know...... This has been an interesting year. I have spent the majority of it not knowing when that goodbye was coming, how I was going to leave, would I know it was the last time I would see people?
A few weeks ago when the possibility of me remaining at Maine was gone, I accepted a position at Princeton University. I am currently sitting in the Panera in Princeton, its graduation weekend, so there are many many very smart people walking around in very very fancy academic regalia. Lots of seersucker pants and Polo (Erin you would LOVE it here :) ) I am making this stop on my annual summer sabbatical to Ohio/Michigan to find a place to live. I left the beautiful lakehouse yesterday, and I had expected to return after my midwest trip and be able to enjoy one last Maine summer with her and Brandi. But as I continue to learn, life has other plans. Linnea is moving to Wisconsin, and will be leaving while I am still at home. Linnea has been more than a roommate, more a lifemate, as we spend every minute together on road trips, I am constantly escaping to sit in the papazon chair in her office, and then when we became official roommates in September. It was an abrupt goodbye I was not expecting, but thats how it goes.
Coming into this weekend was going to be rough for me regardless, being my last home game and possibly the last time to see not only the team play, but the many parents who I have been so fortunate to have met over the past 2 years. We needed to win 2/3 to advance to the conference tournament, and playing at home against the last place team made this seem like a reachable feat. After winning the first game, spirits were high only to be dampened by a loss in game 2 on Saturday. It was then time for the end of the year banquet, I was braced for an emotional evening. It all started well, dinner was good and then several of my greatest fear were realized. One of the parents called me up in front of the room to give me a gift, say nice things about me, give me a hug, and make me talk. Now 2 loyal readers, you know all of those things make me panic, and I avoid at all costs. But this particular parent is a 4th grade teacher, and she gives pretty mean looks so I obeyed. I tried to convey my honest appreciation and gratitude not only for the gift, but for everything all of them have meant to me all in as short of time as possible so I could go hide in my chair. As I was walking away from the podium, my sandal got caught in the microphone cord and gravity prevailed. I ate crap in front of a room of 75 people. As if falling wasn't bad enough, the cord managed to knock the podium over, in addition to the jersey cases the coach presents to the seniors. Im sure the video of this will end up on YouTube sometime in the near future, but I suppose it was a lighthearted way for me to exit.
Sunday was senior day, hopes were high, people were still laughing at me, and the weather was absolutely beautiful. But it was not meant to be, and we lost, ending the career of 4 of the seniors and the season for the rest of the team. It was a very emotional day, but all things must come to an end. This marks the beginning of a tough few months for me as I essentially will be saying goodbye to people who have been a part of my life the past 2 years every day. I have truly enjoyed my time in Maine, my time with the softball team. There have been times I've been tempted to light the van on fire and roll it down a hill, or just drive home without them (I'm told this is how parents feel sometimes..... Thanks for not smothering me with a pillow mom and dad) but I am really going to miss them. But enough mushy mushy, its time to try and find somewhere to live, then head back to the motherland. Ohio and Michigan here I come
