Sweet Home Alabama

This past weekend, the Cheeze family went to visit Bubba's oldest daughter, Paudry, at the University of Alabama.  (A little back story - Bubba was married before and had two beautiful daughters, Paudry and Palli.  Their relationship has been one of many ups and downs and side to sides.  Recently, Paudry has reached out to us and we are grateful to be able to be in her life again)  Paudry is a gorgeous, tall, gregarious 20 year-old who, after struggling through her freshman year and taking a year to be back home while her step-dad deployed, has returned to the Crimson Tide and is moving on at full speed.  She invited us to Tuscaloosa to see a football game, meet her friends and roommate and see where she lives and goes to school.  We jumped on a plane and went to Alabama (with a banjo on our knee - ok, I know that is getting old...)

It was a perfect weekend.  She almost knocked Bubba over when she ran to hug him in the parking lot of her apartment.  The look on his face was of pride and joy and will stay in my heart forever.  She bounced up to her apartment and gave us the $2 tour and we met her equally gregarious roommate and their dog, Piper.  She showed us all around Tuscaloosa, where she took classes and worked, partied and played, her sorority house and all the fraternity houses, and all the other parts of college life that make that time so special.  We were struck by how grown up she is and at the same time still the little girl we remember.  Full of promise for the future and funny stories from the past.  She has overcome a lot and is a better person for it.  She may still have some growing to do, but who doesn't?  

And the game...OMG!  I have to preface any talk about the game with the fact that there were 57 people in my high school class and 200 in my college graduating class.  I am a small school girl.  When we walked into that stadium (along with 92,000 other people) I was in awe!  I didn't know that many people liked football!  All dressed in red and chanting "ROOOOOOOLLLLL, TIDE!" at the top of their lungs, they were the most well dressed and well behaved football fans I have ever come across.  Paudry loves football as much as Bubba and I do and it was great to watch them cheer together and talk about plays and players.  The Tide rolled and won the game and Bubba and Paudry won each other's hearts again.  

He was bursting with pride over this weekend.  This is how he has always wanted his relationship to be with his daughters.  He admits that he has not been perfect and could have done more in their lives, but he is ready to look to the future and the promise of better things to come.  And I love him for that.