**My Birthday Weekend: 9/13/12 - 9/15/12**
Call off the search party, I'm alive! First, I would like to apologize for not writing in MONTHS! This year has been full of work, big life changing decisions, and lots of travel. I know I still have to finish my 2011 cruise review and do my reviews on the UK baseball regionals, UK basketball championships, my cruise reunion in Washington D.C., and a trip I took to New York to see some former UK baseball players play. However, with my first post back, I just couldn't go without writing about my birthday weekend last month. It was a weekend full of my favorite things and favorite people, a weekend that will forever stay with me in my dreams.
September 15th was my birthday. I had been super excited when it was announced that there would be a University of Kentucky Alumni Charity basketball game on September 15th, which would bring back former Wildcats who are currently playing in the NBA. Well, any University of Kentucky athletic event is to my sports world as the Backstreet Boys are to my music world. To make things even better, there was also a UK football game that day AND my husband was actually willing to go with me for once. I was totally ready for a day full of Wildcats!
And then something happened that completely changed my course of action...Leighanne announced that there would be a Wylee Party on Saturday, September 15th in Roswell, Georgia. Now I was completely torn. Lexington, Kentucky was only 6.5 hours from me and would entail an entire day of festivities. Roswell, Georgia would be at least a 12 hour drive and the Wylee Party would only be five hours. To some this would seem like an easy choice, but I was presented with two options and I had to make a choice. No matter which I chose, I knew I would have a great time. I discussed my options with my husband and my friends and took suggestions. I guess my husband really knows me best when he told me, "Go spend your birthday with Brian." He was right. There would always be another UK game but spending my birthday with Brian would be something that I had only dreamed of ever happening. Little did I know that even afterwards, it would seem like a dream. So I made my decision. I was going to drive down to Roswell, Georgia for my birthday.
Then some news was announced that I thought would once again change my plans. Just a few days before I was supposed to take my trip, it was announced that the Backstreet Boys would be performing in New York at an event for Old Navy on Friday, September 14th.....yes, the day before Brian was scheduled to be in Georgia for the Wylee Party. Since the Old Navy Event seemed to be so last minute, I was worried that Brian would not be able to be at the Wylee Party. Don't get me wrong, I love Leighanne and I've bought my fair share of Wylee products. However, I would really have to think about making that long of a drive without Brian being there. Luckily, there were still tickets left for the UK Basketball Alumni game if need be. There had been no word one way or the other as far as whether or not Brian would be at the Wylee event. So I decided to send out a little tweet to Brian, Leighanne, and Wylee to see if I could get some kind of confirmation one way or the other. Anyone who has tweeted Brian or Leighanne know that it can be a bit difficult to get a response back. Apparently, my birthday was going to start two days early because I received my second ever tweet from Brian Littrell...
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| Let's just pretend that it is my birthday that he wouldn't miss for the world... |
Alright, so I was going to be heading down to Georgia after all. My plan was to drive to Louisville on Thursday night and stay with a friend so that I'd only have an 8+ hour trip, rather than 12+ hours. However, a baseball team that I had been following all summer had made it to the playoffs and were playing the championship game on Thursday. I had started listening to and following the Hudson Valley Renegades (Class A Short Season Affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays in the New York-Penn League) as soon as I had discovered that one of my favorite UK Baseball players, Michael Williams had been placed on the team after he had been drafted to the Tampa Bay Rays. It was also very convenient that another UK Baseball player, Luke Maile, had also been placed on the team. I had actually taken a trip to New York just two weeks prior to see the two play, but that will hopefully be another blog entry at another time. Anyway, the Renegades had tied a best of three series up with the Tri-City ValleyCats and were going to be playing the Championship deciding game on that Thursday. If I drove down to Louisville that night, I was going to miss it. I made the decision to stay at home and listen to the game (yes, listen since it is only minor league baseball and not on TV). The Renegades ended up winning the New York-Penn League Championship that night! Two of my Bat Cats (UK Baseball players) were Champions and this would be considered early birthday present number two!
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| 2012 New York-Penn League Champions - Hudson Valley Renegades |
And I bet your wondering where this talk of UK Baseball all of a sudden came from? Don't worry there will eventually be a blog post about that too!
So, Friday rolls around and I am on very little sleep. I never get any sleep the night before I leave for a trip because I'm up late getting everything packed and prepared. It's the one aspect in my life that I never finish early and I have no idea why. In order to pack for Georgia, I still needed to unpack from New York two weeks prior since the vacation fairy had failed her job miserably and hadn't done it for me. Even though I was on little sleep, I knew the adrenaline of the trip would keep me awake. The fastest way to get to Georgia from the Chicago area is to head straight down to Nashville and then over to Atlanta. However, I was heading south. Lexington is south. I love Lexington. Do you see where I'm going with this? By cutting over to Lexington and then heading south, I was only going to add thirty minutes to the drive. The feelings of pure joy I get when I am in Lexington was going to make that extra time well worth it. I had been getting some suggestions of places to eat in Lexington that I wanted to try. Additionally, I thought it was very convenient that Lexington is pretty much the exact half way point between here and Roswell (6.5 hours for each leg).
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| Michigan City, IN -> Lexington, IN -> Roswell, GA - Approx. 733 miles |
As I crossed the bridge over the Ohio River and into Kentucky, I immediately felt a sense of peace. It's the feeling I always get when I travel to or through the state. I just feel so at home there and there is a calmness that passes over me as I see that "Welcome To Kentucky: Unbridled Spirit" sign. I said so long to Indiana and hello to the place that I most want to live. I said goodbye to the miles and miles and miles of this....
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| This is the only cool part of Indiana, our wind turbines amongst the corn fields. |
And said hello to this...
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| The hills of Kentucky between Louisville and Lexington |
If only it had been slightly later in the fall so that the leaves would have begun to change....then the drive is even more beautiful and breathtaking.
I finally got to Lexington at about 4:30 or so. It was an odd time since it was too late for lunch and too early for dinner really. However, I had planned it so that I would be hungry at that time. I stopped at a recommended hamburger joint just off of campus called Tolly-Ho's. I ordered my burger and was just getting ready to leave when early birthday present number three walked in the door (although it took me awhile to figure this out).
I saw a young guy walk in wearing a Milwaukee Basketball shirt. I thought it was funny since one of the UK Basketball players, Doron Lamb, from the 2012 Championship team had been drafted to the Bucks. Then I noticed that he kind of looked like Lamb. He walked away to the bathroom (I'm assuming) while the two people he was with ordered and sat at the table caddy corner from me. It was then that I realized that one of the other guys looked like Marquis Teague, who was also on the 2012 Championship team and had been drafted to the Chicago Bulls (and was from Indiana). I started to get pretty excited but wanted to make 100% sure it was them before I went up and made a fool of myself. I always have a problem recognizing athletes when they aren't in their jerseys...you're just used to seeing them that way. Luckily, Tolly-Ho's calls out your name when your order is done. Then there it was.... "Marquis"....."Lamb." I started to do some major fangirling. These were like the Backstreet Boys of my sports world. Not only did I have two University of Kentucky basketball players sitting next to me, but two UK players that played for the 2012 NCAA Championship Team.....AND were now professional basketball players. They were in town for the UK Basketball Alumni Charity Game (remember that was supposed to be happening the next day). It took me a few minutes to work up the nerve to go ask them for a photo. When I did, they had already started eating. Remember, I had already finished eating when they had walked in or else I would have waited to bother them until they were done. The friend they were with (I later found out his name was Dion) asked if I could wait until they were done eating and I willingly obliged. Thank goodness the restaurant had wi-fi so I could fangirl on Twitter and Facebook for the thirty minutes I had to wait while they sat there in silence, not saying a word to one another, and on their phones. Finally, they started to get up and Marquis gave me a little nod to let me know they were ready. I told them what a big fan I was and how I had been there in New Orleans to watch them win the championship (again, another blog entry eventually). I don't think they said a single word to me. I got between them and they of course towered over me. I'm glad I got my photo but their social skills need some working on. Maybe its because I'm spoiled by the four Bat Cats that I've met, chatted with, and had photos with (three of whom are now pro in the minor leagues). The photo could have been better in so many more ways but I will gladly accept it since it was a totally unexpected part of my trip. Just think, if the Renegades would not have been in the Championship game, I would not have been at Tolly-Ho's at that exact moment to get that experience. Everything does happen for a reason.
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| Doron Lamb, Me, and Marquis Teague - Former University of Kentucky Wildcats (basketball) |
I was walking out of the building at the same time, thanked them, and wished them a good weekend. What happened next was just weird. As I got into my car, which they had parked right next to, Dion (the friend) asked if I was from there and if I wanted to hang out with them. I explained that I was just driving through and was headed to Georgia (but really I was thinking that there was no way I was going to put myself in a sticky situation)!
I was sad to leave Lexington, even though I knew I was headed to see Brian that next day. I'm just always so happy when I am there. Because of my stop in Lexington and other pit stops along the way, my total trip to Roswell took about fifteen hours, although I did have a little motivation along the way from one of Leighanne's good friends, Jodi...
Thanks to my friend Jessica, Leighanne had been informed that I was coming a bit of a distance and I got my first tweet from Leighanne, thanking me.
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| It feels really good to be appreciated for my dedication |
I was still too pumped from everything that had happened to me thus far to really get any sleep. It was officially my birthday by this point and I was going to get to spend the day with Brian and Leighanne Littrell. I knew the next day would go by incredibly slow as I waited for 2pm to roll around. Luckily, I had an old high school friend that lived in Roswell to go to lunch with and get my mind off of the waiting.
I showed up to the Teal Gallery about 15 minutes early and there was only one person waiting outside at the time. It made me wonder how many people were actually going to be at this Wylee party. I looked in the window and Leighanne happened to be standing right there setting things up. We waved at one another and I took a seat outside to wait for the party to start. More girls started to show up as it got closer and closer to 2 o'clock. At one point Brian came out to make a quick trip to the Wylee trailor that was parked outside. He apologized that it would only be a few more moments...imagine that, the event was not going to start on time. Don't we all know and love Backstreet time? Brian then poked his head outside again to take a photo of the group that was so patiently waiting to get inside and tweeted the photo.
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| That's me in the "Birthday Girl" sash |
He tweeted the photo at 2:09 and I would say that we still waited another 10 minutes or so before they finally let us into the building. I would say that there were probably 20-25 people in line to get in as Brian took some video.
Video courtesy of SimplyLeighanne
I knew exactly what I wanted but I decided to look around anyway. As I looked around Jodi and pretty much all of Leighanne's family wished me a happy birthday and thanked me for making the long trip. I knew that she would have some new stuff that wasn't on her website yet. There was and I, of course, wanted it. However, I'm not made of money and knew that there was one item that I wanted more than anything else there...the Brian Cross Necklace.
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| Brian's Cross Necklace - Wylee by Leighanne Littrell |
I didn't see any as I looked around and had to ask Leighanne if she happened to have any with her. She gladly helped me as I became the first customer of the day. As she was checking over the necklace to make sure that it had not been damaged at all, Baylee and Prue (Jodi's daughter), came up to Leighanne to let her know that they were leaving (they were going somewhere with a family member, I'm pretty sure it was Leighanne's step dad). Leighanne asked if Baylee had visited any of the customers and told him that it was my birthday. Both Baylee and Prue told me happy birthday. Baylee then told Leighanne that I should get the special birthday discount. The boy is just too adorable and so much like his father. I would say that I was done with my purchases by 2:45 but there was no way I was going to leave that party until it was over. Brian, Leighanne, Jodi, and all of Leighanne's family (mother and sisters) were busy selling away as the crowd grew bigger. I would say at one time there were maybe 50-60 people there at one time, since people were constantly coming and going.
At about 3:00, Brian said that he would be taking photos in 20 minutes. I found some very nice fellow Backstreet fans to talk to as we waited. An hour later, Brian finally started the picture taking. He was running on Backstreet time once again but I really didn't care. I was having a good time with everyone as I waited. I got into line and started chatting with some new girls around me. At one point, Leighanne was standing next to me so I got my photo with her...
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| Leighanne Littrell....looking gorgeous as always |
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Before the party, I had been trying to decide if I was going to wear something Wylee to the party or if I was going to wear my University of Kentucky football jersey because Kentucky was going to be playing later that day (and because I wanted to see if he would remember me as "Kentucky Girl" like he called me on the cruise). I eventually had decided to compromise and go with my Wylee No EGO's (Edging God Out) shirt but was wearing my University of Kentucky shoes and earrings. I had brought my jersey with me in case I decided last minute to change my mind. After my photo, I decided that it was time to show my team spirit and threw my jersey on over my shirt. I was now in football mode. In between a set of photos Brian had looked across the room at me and just kind of laughed as he shouted, "You changed!" I had to shout back "Of course, Go Cats!" I'm not going to lie, I had a huge smile on my face because 1) Brian had noticed me specifically in a room full of people and 2) He had remembered what I had on to realize that I wasn't wearing the same thing. Leighanne also got a big kick out of it. She asked me if I was trying to make it look like I was at two separate Wylee parties in my pictures.
It seemed as though once people got their photos, they left. I had kind of been hoping for that so that the crowd would get a little smaller and Brian wouldn't be so busy trying to get around to everyone. I do hope everyone that was there bought something though. If it is one thing I can't stand, it is those fans that go to Wylee parties for the sole purpose of seeing Brian. I have been to five Wylee parties and have bought something at every single one because I love her stuff. The girls I had been talking to stuck around for a little while longer before they decided that they had to get going. Once they left, I just kind of wandered around.
Brian eventually finished his photos and started interacting with those left a little more, rather than going back to selling things. I did have a few conversations with him. We talked about how I had run into Marquis Teague and Doron Lamb on my way down and got to show him my University of Kentucky shoes. He seemed to like those. I had also started a conversation about the UK Baseball team and then he called them the "Bat Cats." It made me smile because only UK fans really know them as that...at least those of us that are more than just fans of their basketball team. Then we started talking about Corey Littrell....a junior left handed pitcher that pitches for the University of Kentucky. Brian actually wasn't familiar with Corey and I had to show him the photo I had of him on my phone. Apparently, Brian did not know of this Littrell (who also happens to be from Kentucky, only Louisville). It seemed to intrigue him.
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| Corey Littell - Junior - LHP - University of Kentucky |
It was also quite funny because as I was looking for the photo, Brian happened to notice my background on my phone, which just happens to be a photo of my favorite poster...
When he saw it, he started cracking up laughing and asked "who is that young good looking guy?" as he struck the same pose as he was in the photo. The whole situation just made me laugh.
Earlier I had overheard him talking about how he had actually flown back into Georgia that morning from New York where he had been with the rest of the guys for the Old Navy event. I asked him about it and he had told me how Kevin, Howie, and he had gone out after the event and time had slipped away from them. Before they knew it, it was 3am. Brian had to be at the airport at 6am so he only got a few hours of sleep. Once he got back into Atlanta, he got home, showered, and then basically started to get ready for the Wylee party. Sometimes I just don't know where he gets his energy! I had noticed that during this conversation that more girls had come in and were just kind of standing there. I told him that since there were some people waiting to get photos with him, I was going to let him talk to them and that I would talk to him later. I wanted to make sure that everyone got a fair shot to talk to him and get their photos with him. I knew that as long as I kept talking, Brian would probably keep listening and I didn't want to hog him. I know I dislike it when other people do that. I moved on and chatted more with Leighanne's family, who couldn't believe I was still there. I told them that I had traveled 15 hours, I wasn't going anywhere!
With about an hour left, there were probably only about 10 fans or so still there. I realized that if I was ever going to tell him the story about how he brought me closer to God, it was probably a good time to do it. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this story, I encourage you to read about it in my You did reach out your hand post. When I had decided that it was finally the appropriate time to tell him, he was having a conversation with what appeared to be a nice couple.
At about 6:30 I saw my chance when he had finished talking with them. I went up to him and told him that I just needed to thank him. He told me you're welcome and we both laughed since I hadn't told him what I needed to thank him for. I told him that I needed to thank him for helping me make what I thought was the most important decision in my life, the decision to become a Christian. It was then that I went into the story about how God had found a way into my heart during his Christmas tour with Rebecca St. James at the Naperville show (he told me that he loved that tour by the way). I told him the whole story with tears in my eyes and rolling down my cheek....something I knew would happen if I ever got to tell him my story because of what it meant to me. He thanked me for telling him that story and that he enjoys hearing stories like that...than he wrapped me into one of his hugs and just held me for a few seconds.
I went on to explain how its been very hard for me for about the last two years since I moved back to Northwest Indiana because I don't have the same support with my faith up here like I did when I lived in Southern Indiana. I told him how I hated being back north even though all of my family (and my husband's family) is there. Then Brian told me something that I think I always knew but could never really put my finger on....he simply said, "Because you've changed." He was absolutely right. He then told me how it was okay because change can be good and that I should just keep changing, there was nothing wrong with it. He explained that now that he was out of Lexington, he was probably never going to live there again even though he loved it growing up...because he had changed.
I couldn't believe it, I was having a heart to heart life lessons conversation with Brian Littrell. And it was only going to get better...
I went on to tell him how I was diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder in 2006 and how when I get into my depressive states after my high anxiety states, it is knowing that God is there and his album that usually helps pull me out of them, especially my favorite verse of "Angels and Heroes." He asked me if it gets especially bad for me during the winter. It totally does, especially now that I am back north and the winter suck with the lake effect snow that we get from Lake Michigan. I just couldn't believe how much he just genuinely cared about everything I had to say.
There were two more amazing parts of conversations that occurred while in this conversation. However, I am sorry to say that I just don't feel like I can share them. They were stories that Brian shared with me about his life so I believe that they are his stories to share when he wants to and with whom he wants. I will say that the fact that he shared them with me makes me feel very special because he felt comfortable enough with me to share them and he was sharing aspects of his personal life with me. A Backstreet Boy was sharing a part of his life with a fan (there was actually one other fan with us and one of Leighanne's friends). I'm sure he's shared the stories with others and I am not the only one. If the stories ever come to light in the fandom then I will be more than happy to share them.
The whole conversation from start to end was probably about a good 45 minutes. That was 45 minutes of personal heart to heart conversation, with his strikingly sparkly blue eyes looking me right in the eyes as he focused his attention on me as I was sharing with him some of my stories. The fact that it was my birthday, was just icing on the cake. I'm getting goose bumps now as I even just type this. I have to believe that the conversation actually would have been longer but it was already 15 minutes after the party was supposed to end and they started to kick us out so that they could get out of the there before they were charged extra for going over their time. I said goodbye to Brian, thanked him again, and gave him one last hug. Before I left I had to say goodbye to Jodi and Leighanne as well.
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| Jodi and me |
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| Brian, me, and Leighanne |
Once I got into my car, all I did was sit there for about 15 minutes and took a deep breath. I couldn't believe what had just happened to me. Even that 45 minutes would have made the 15 hour drive all worth it. I probably could have sat in that car for hours just thinking about what had just happened...but I had a Kentucky football game to watch at my friend's house and I had already missed the first 30 minutes of it, except that once I got to the friend's house, he told me that he was recording it for me. Kentucky lost, imagine that. They may know basketball but they do not "know their way around the pigskin," as Brian had mentioned earlier that evening.
Once the game was done, I went back to my hotel room but there was NO way I was going to be able to sleep. My computer at the time was broken or else I would have actually typed this whole thing up that night instead of now, one month later thanks to all the studying I have been doing for my Graduate Record Exams. At about 3am, I started to not feel too great. The next morning when I was supposed to drive back home, I was flat out sick. There was going to be no way that I was going to be able to drive home. So, I got the hotel for one more night and spent Sunday sick as a dog in Roswell, Georgia. I was just thankful that whatever it was (I'm pretty sure it was because of my dinner from the night before) hadn't hit me the previous day. I woke up Monday much better, although tired and weak and drove home in some pretty crappy weather, stopping once again in Lexington, this time to have a Hot Brown at Ramsey's.
So, there you have it....what is the the best birthday I have EVER had and a birthday that pretty much started two days before my actual birthday.
I LOVED this post! So amazing! I'm finally caught up on your blog. I love hearing about your experiences!!! --Brittany France
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