March.

So I totally dropped the ball on posting lately. And it wasn't even because I didn't have anything to write about because it has been an eventful month! But first I'll explain a little about why I LOVE March. And due to my delinquency in posting, this post will probably be extra long, so brace yourself. Or just stop reading now...I'm doing most of this post for the sake of my own memory anyway. :0

March Madness. The Big Dance.

I LOVE it.

At a very young age, I began playing basketball. It quickly became a love of mine. Not only playing, but also watching. I became a HUGE fan of Kansas Basketball in junior high, and my loyalties still remain. College basketball (although "corrupt" in some regards) is (in my opinion) one of the purest forms of teamwork I've ever been a part of or witnessed. Don't misunderstand that statement. I LOVED every bit of my high school basketball experience, and wouldn't trade it for anything. We were back-to-back State Champions! But coming together as a team wasn't all that difficult. Many of us had gone to school together since elementary, we were blessed with supportive parents and we were bonded together as sisters in Christ. It was a unique experience, and being part of that team is one of my favorite parts of growing up. But creating a team out of individuals who do not share common education experiences or socioeconomic statuses or zip codes is something that I love to witness. In fact, because of this strong affection toward college basketball, I always thought I wanted to be a college basketball coach. I was blessed to be part of the Lady Bears program while attending (Southwest) Missouri State University, which I LOVED. It was an incredible experience. But it also made me realize that I did not want to live, sleep, eat, and breathe college basketball which is what coaching requires. Being part of an NCAA Division 1 program, I realize the time and effort that goes into making a team, and March is the culmination of it all. So this is a glimpse into why I look forward to March. But sometimes the expectations of March can leave me "heart broken" (which I know is a very dramatic choice of words, but just go with it) and wishing it wasn't over. It's the uncertainty and the possibilities that make March one of my favorite months. And March 2012 did not disappoint. But it was more than just the Madness that made it memorable, so here are some highlights* (meaning I'm restraining myself from including the everyday mundane details of work). ;)

*March 2-4, Andrew and I took a road trip with his parents. We enjoyed shopping and eating on the Plaza and going to see the Jayhawks play on Senior Night! It was such a FUN weekend away! KU clinched the Big 12 regular season championship (by 2 games!) for the 8th STRAIGHT year!

*March 7-10 was the Big 12 Tournament. KU lost in the semi-finals which was a disappointment, but I was hopeful it might be a catalyst to end the season well...

*March 11 was Selection Sunday and KU was picked as a #2 seed in the Midwest Region. As far as I could tell, this was a good fit to make an extended run in the Big Dance...

*March 16 was the first test for KU...against Detroit. Win. Still alive. Still dancin'.

*March 17 is always a fun day for our family because we are Irish. And my mom came to Springfield to spend part of her Spring Break with me!

*March 18 was the 2 year anniversary of my Grandma O'Donnell passing away and I couldn't stop wishing, selfishly, that she was still here. After church, my mom and I drove down to Branson and did some shopping at the outlets. We love our retail therapy! Later that night, KU had it's second test of the tournament against Purdue and it didn't look hopeful for the majority of the game. But the last 45 seconds, the Jayhawks pulled ahead and won. Still dancin'. Sweet 16!

*March 23 was the next game for KU against North Carolina State. They were playing in St. Louis and I had the opportunity to buy tickets for the games there, but I was prudent and resisted the urge. The Jayhawks once again pulled from behind and won. Still dancin'. Elite 8!

*March 25 was an epic game for KU with a rematch against our former coach, Roy Williams, and his North Carolina Tar Heels who we beat in 2008 on our way to the National Championship! Win. Still dancin'. FINAL 4!

*March 29 was a reprieve from basketball. Andrew and I drove over to Tulsa for the day with his parents. Our reason for going was to see the Pioneer Woman for the release of her new cookbook, but the boys roamed Barnes & Noble instead of joining us. Sybil and I loved meeting Ree Drummond and having her sign our cookbooks! She was so nice and personable- I have video on my iPad of our interaction as proof!

*March 31 was KU versus Ohio State. The Jayhawks had already played the Buckeyes in December and won...but OSU was without their star player that game, so there was a bit of added pressure coming into the game. We had friends over to watch with us, and it was an intense game! KU pulled it out and finished out March strong. Win. Still dancin'. National Championship Game!
  -It was at the conclusion of this game that plans started falling into place for my parents and Tyler and I to head to New Orleans for the Championship game! Andrew's sister and her family live on the North Shore of New Orleans and they had kindly offered to let us stay in their home. But this post is about March and beyond this point, it was April, and the details of what followed are crazy enough to merit its own post. I promise I won't wait a full month to post again and it will be less of a play by play of my life- and the Jayhawks. But it was necessary, for my sake, to do so for March.

Rock Chalk Jayhawk!