10 years ago, at 10 PM on January 25th, a group of SFASU students were anxiously awaiting a phone call. Everything was set up and ready to go, a phone number, member shirts, a Dodge Magnum, fliers, a birthday cake, balloons and even a few people who had been waiting on this day for years.
Driving Jacks first night of operations were a go and all we needed was a phone call. We knew there was a need for Driving Jacks at SFASU (any college campus really) but we were still nervous that no one would call. We set up a "just in case" person to call in but we never had to utilize that person because we got our first call not long after we "opened". Apparently someone had been itching to be the first rider of Driving Jacks and went down in history.
I still can't believe it had been 10 YEARS! That is so crazy to me. I think it's more crazy that I have been out of school for 10 years more than DJ has been operating that long-I always knew it would be great once it started.
The Road Trip with Kali Claire
My parents needed someone to watch Kali while they were going out of town but I had plans all day. In the AM I had to volunteer for my Rodeo committee, Special Children's and in the evening I was planning on driving to Nacogdoches for the 10th anniversary party. I said, "I can watch her if she can go to Nacogdoches with me" thinking they would say no, but nope, they said yes!
Every time I have gone on a 'trip' Kali asks me if she can come too. I always feel so bad saying no to that little face! She was so excited to go on a trip and stay in a hotel. My mom even bought her a new little suitcase to bring with her.
We left the house about 2 pm and only made a few stops (chicken nuggets-Kali, Starbucks-me, restroom-both of us) and made it to Nac around 5 pm. We checked into our hotel room that I had reserved by the phone. Let me tell you, I will NEVER stay at Days Inn in Nacogdoches again (see below for story).
Hector got to Nac shortly after we did and we headed to the park with Kali while waiting for Clarissa and Josh to get there. We also had to pick up the cake at Brookshire Brothers before dinner.
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| This child loves balance beams. Remember the railroad tracks from the Polar Express, same thing-she loved this! |
Speaking of the cake. Do you notice anything different here? The bakery did a great job but ummm...it's supposed to be 10 years, not 90. Same difference, right? Haha. They did do an amazing job on the logo though!!
We made it to the party and it was super fun. The news was there to do a story on the 10th anniversary and interviewed me. I will not be posting it on my blog, but you can google it if you want on the Lufkin/Nac news channel. I look awful and said "amazing" too many times. Ugh, I always say stupid things in interviews! I told my sister that if someone makes me into a meme for saying 'amazing' a million times, I will cry! I tried to get Hector or someone else to take my place, but no one else did and they wanted to interview me since I was the President on the first night.
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| Kali Claire and Connor helping blow out the candles. |
After the event we all went walking around the campus. Kali decided that she wants to be Lumberjack and posed with Surfin' Steve. #axeemJacks
So, one quick story about Days Inn in Nacogdoches. DO NOT book a room there. There were bugs and the place was was not kept up. That's not my biggest issue (though that is a huge issue).
At 2:30 am we were woken up by people shouting outside our window. They were in a fight about something and I heard them say something about a gun. I called 9-1-1 because I wasn't sure if it was a robbery or what was happening. Someone kept saying "let me in" and "give me the money". I wanted to leave right then but if it was a robbery and I opened the door to leave, he could have gotten me and Kali too. I can't just drive away quickly without putting her in her car seat, plus she was sleeping and wouldn't be too much help getting away. So we just stayed put and I was praying that we wouldn't get shot.
The Nacogdoches Police Department responded very quickly and diffused the situation. I didn't hear what happened but in my brief glimpses outside I believe I saw someone being taken to jail. There was a taxi cab outside and my best guess as to what happened was someone didn't pay their taxi bill and the driver was upset and trying to collect his money. I don't know (I didn't want to go outside and ask just in case the friend of the guy that went to jail wanted to get revenge).
Anyway, the next morning we met back up with my friends at a local restaurant for breakfast/lunch before heading out.
