Taking a Break/Observations from Augusta

I, like I feel a lot of Southern people, get really excited about the Masters. The course is beautiful, the CBS music is great, it marks the start of Spring. Generally speaking, it's pretty great. But, until yesterday, I had never been.

A few weeks ago, my best friend called and asked if I would like to go with her to yesterday's practice round and Par 3 contest. Of course, I jumped at the chance to make my first trip to Augusta National and see all the beautiful stuff I've been watching on tv forever. And the timing could not have been more perfect. I've had an insane past few weeks. They've been filled with meetings, third quarter grades, doing homebound instruction, a fun brother-sister weekend with my little brother, and two people close to me losing family members. With the exception of my birthday last week, when I came home right after school and put on pajamas, the earliest I've gotten home is around 8:00. For an introvert like me, being away from home and with people for 12 hours a day for over 2 weeks is pretty exhausting. In short, I needed a day off.

Going with my friend and her mom to Augusta was just the break I needed. It's beautiful there...seriously one of the most beautiful places I've ever been. Everything is basically perfect. It's kind of like the cleanest theme park you could think...except that it's really quiet because everyone whispers, which when you work with seventh graders who don't get the idea of an "inside voice," is absolutely wonderful, and there aren't rides, you just get to walk and sit all day. And, the food is really good. With the exception of my now major sunburn, it was an all-around perfect day.

As we were driving home yesterday, I thought about God and how before I was born He knew everything about my life and how that plan is perfect. And I thought about how He knew that I was going to meet my best friend when we were in 5th grade after our moms met at Parent Night. And I thought about how He knew all about what my last two weeks would be like and how much I would need a day off....and He started arranging it 16 years ago. And as wonderful as my day at the Masters was, that's even better.

***************

Here are a few fun observations from my day trip to Augusta:

1) One great thing about the Masters is that it is one of the few (maybe the only) times where the line for the men's room is longer than the line for the women's.

2) The Par 3 Contest is really fun because the golfers pick fun people to caddy for them. That means that some pick friends, or wives, or moms, but the really cool ones pick their kids. So, you get to watch little kids run around in caddy outfits, which just may be the cutest thing I've ever seen.

3) I think I am maybe supposed to marry a professional golfer so that I can spend my life walking around golf courses and watching people golf. It's very relaxing.

4) Ian Poulter is taller than he looks on tv. (Plus he's British and had his mom caddying for him, which was really cute....but none of those things have anything to do with observation number 3....)

5) It's really fun to drink a beer with your best friend's mom at 12:00 on a school day when you know your co-workers are probably in a meeting during their planning period.

6) I really should use more sunscreen than I do...or invent some magic way to not miss/forget places like my neck.

7) The course at Augusta National is a lot hillier than it looks on tv.

8) Some women think of golfers the way most people think about rock stars. If you don't believe me, here's a story:

My friend and I were waiting to watch Fred Couples, Ricky Fowler, and Phil Mickelson at the 10th tee. Two women, who looked to be about my mom's age, rushed over, stood in front of us, and immediately started talking about how good looking they think Phil Mickelson is. They were like giddy school girls talking about a cute boy (which is something I'm kind of an expert on since I see it basically on a daily basis). As they were talking, the woman in front of them turned around, looked at them, and said (this is a direct quote; I'm not kidding), "Just wait until you see him swing."

I had to hide behind my friend because I started laughing at them....