The drive.

Oh my goodness, its the night before I load up and head towards Louisville. By this time next week I will have officially be a has been! Crazy.
For as long as I can remember I have worked towards one goal, one day, and one dream. It has changed a little but since I was about 12 years old I have worked and strived "to win Louisville." Growing up it was to win the Louisville lamb show and today my team and I finished up our last practice (in Texas) to try to win the judging contest. Tonight was the last time of walking around the atrium and around those huge bull statues getting sets ready. It almost doesn't seem like real life to me.
As I have packed my suitcases, read over my stenons and tried to gasp my mind around the realization of this is the last hooraaaahhhhh, I couldnt help but think, "why do I do this?" "what keeps me going back?" this is the conclusion I have come to... Its that feeling you get, when you walk into the grand drive, on the floor, or in a reasons room. As Norman Khols says, its the feeling that you know your alive. Its that adrenaline rush, when your body is shaking, you're so anxious, and you cant help but be so excited. The world seems to just go in slow motion, it all comes down to one breathe when the 'fat lady sings.'
I always get like a little kid at Christmas time the night before I leave, in high school I always remember the day before; mom would come get me out of class early and the fun would begin. We would start washing, shearing, dying, and loading up the showboxes. I would wake up just about on the hour, every hour to see if it was time to leave. Finally when it was time we would drive for hours and hours and finally pull into Kentucky. I cant help but be excited for that moment in a 15 passenger van with my teammates. There is no one better I could think of to share that last feeling with than a van full of Red Raiders.
I know this weeks "drive" will be one I will always remember. It will be the most challenging, exciting, and earnest weeks of my life. I pray for everyone's safe travels and that everyone is able to bring their best shot. I wish my fellow Red Raiders the best of luck as they compete in the National Championship Meat Judging Contest.
As Clint Cummings would attempt to rap about Louisville...
"Look, if you had one shot, one opportunity To seize everything you ever wanted one moment Would you capture it or just let it slip?"

PS: to my non judging friends, this part of the blog is for you, you have exactly one week and one day to prepare to have me back in your life. We have some time to make up for. (;