The Gator Nation is everywhere!

I hope you all got to enjoy the holiday. No, I don't mean Labor Day (although, if that holiday was celebrated today in the country where you reside I do hope you enjoyed it). I'm talking about a much more exciting and important holiday: kick-off of the college football season! 

Finally! It's football time! I know Christmas somehow shanghaied that whole "most wonderful time of the year" title (I blame Andy Williams), but if you're a college football fan perhaps you will agree with me that football season might be even more wonderful. It certainly gets me excited! Before us lay four glorious months of gridiron competition with powerhouse programs and underdog teams, fight songs and ref whistles, hail-marys and double reverses, blowouts and nail-biters. It's like the gift that keeps on giving (hopefully Ws in your team's column). 

As a proud alumna of the University of Florida and lover of all things football and all things Gator...it's a big deal. Being out of the South, much less out of the country, for an entire football season is something akin to torture. But if you're a missionary you can call it "sacrifice" and feel very noble for enduring such hardship for the cause of the Gospel. I like to think that there's a special reward in heaven for those who miss football season for Jesus. (That was a joke. Please no angry theological rants!) 

I'm happy to report that there are several other Gator and SEC fans working down here, so I felt in good company getting excited for the big day. 

Gator toes!

I painted my nails, made a countdown, watched all my football movies and stocked up on Dr. Pepper. Like I said, I think I get more excited than Christmas and I may have gotten a little silly with my football preparations. (On a side note, I think that when I have kids there might be a football fairy that comes on kick-off eve to leave good little football fans team gear in exchange for Dr. Pepper and 7-layer dip. Just a thought.) Here was my poetic musings the night before game day:

Gator PJs!

'Twas the night before kickoff and all through my room, 

The Gator décor was proudly festooned. 

My jersey was hung in the closet with care, 

With my orange and blue it was ready to wear. 

Dr. Pepper was nestled ice cold in the fridge, 

Of chips, popcorn, and chocolate there was more than a smidge. 

"Remember the Titans" played on the screen, 

While I browsed through stats and clips of my team. 

In my Florida PJs I snuggled in bed, 

As "We are the Boys" ran through my head.

I updated my status 'ere I turned out the light. 

"Go Gator football! And to all a good night!"

Thanks to the wonder of the internet I was able to get up Saturday morning and watch my favorite show, College GameDay, and then many hours of delightful football. Sure the screen froze many times and I couldn't watch every game I would have liked, but I got my fill of college football, complete with the first Gator victory of the Muschamp era over FAU. And since I was excited and didn't have anyone around to share in my Gator enthusiasm (and also, I'm a dork) I took a few ridiculous photos to celebrate. Keep in mind that this is just the Gator items that actually made the cut to get packed down to Peru. 

So don't worry, my fellow Gator fans, the Gator Nation is alive and well in Lima. Come on down and join me for a swing and sway:

We are the boys from old Florida, 

F-L-O-R-I-D-A

Where the girls are the fairest, 

the boys are the squarest

of any old state down our way. (Hey!)

We are all strong for old Florida,

down where the old Gators play (Go Gators!)

Through all kinds of weather,

we'll all stick togetheeeeeeeeeeeeer...

for F-L-O-R-I-D-A!