Campus Diary--Julie Hadden, Week 6

I can make progress or I can make excuses.

-- Tuesday, October 30, 2007

06/06/07

Today was especially brutal. Jillian does not like losing players so she is determined we will WIN this next weigh-in. I thought I was pretty determined too, well until I hit my fourth hour of butt kicking. OUCH! I literally can’t raise my arms and don’t even get me started on my broke down legs. You know what though? She’s right. Not one thing I did in that gym today hurt worse than sending Jim home. Dang – I hate it when she’s right.

06/07/07

My arms hurt, my knees hurt, my ankles hurt, my back hurts, my joints hurt, my stomach hurts…get the point? Days like today are pretty typical, I just have to keep reminding myself that this is a blessing. Opportunities like this do not come around very often. Pain is part of the process. I have two choices – I can make progress or I can make excuses. Pain or no pain, this time I’m making progress.

06/08/07

Today was our challenge. The prize was a video from home. Ask me if I saw my video…uh, that would be NO! Guess who won the challenge? Red team, oooh surprise surprise. They have won 5 out of 6 challenges. Oops, did I say “they”? Sorry…I meant Phil has won 5 out of 6 challenges. Seriously…why are they here? He doesn’t need them. I know I know – bitter much? I just really wanted that video. OK, get off my back. Sorry Phil, I hope you enjoy your video! THERE now are ya’ll happy?

06/09/07

Today was a really bad day for our team. Jillian had to break the news to Hollie that her mother only had a few days to live. It was so incredibly sad. I know she really needs to be with her mom but I also know what this opportunity means to her. I have no idea how this horrible tragedy will end, but I hope that Hollie will be at peace with whatever choice she makes. If mother dies, she will die knowing what a beautiful daughter she has inside and out.

06/10/07

Today was the first day we got to make phone calls. It was absolutely fantastic. I hadn’t heard my husband’s voice in 7 weeks. Just hearing him say “I love you” was better than any prize they could give me. Knowing that the people you love most in life are rooting for you, praying for you and supporting you gives you renewed strength. Strength to “finish what I’ve started” for once.

6/11

Today was a weigh-in. I hate weigh-in days. They are so nerve wracking. I lost 4 pounds. Not bad, not great but hey, I’ll take it. This week was a really rough week for our team, but fortunately we won’t have to be in the elimination room. Nothing is worse than that room. Just the thought of that creepy place gives me the heeby jeebys.

6/12/07

Tonight, Phil was eliminated, not by his own team, but by the Blue Team. It was a tie. It will be weird to not see him everyday. Who will I pick on in my blogs? Who will win all the challenges for the Red Team? Just kidding Red Team. Seriously though, he will be missed. The ironic thing about this game is that he was eliminated for doing a great job. How bad does that stink? He went home because he was the best.

Campus Diary--Julie Hadden, Week 5

Can’t wait to see what vacation with Jillian will be like.
-- Thursday, October 11, 2007

5/28/07
Today was a long day. Early this morning we worked out, packed and then headed to the airport. I’m so glad we got there nice and early, otherwise we might have missed our 5 hour late flight. Yeah that’s right 5 hours late. Did you know it takes 6 ½ hours to get from California to Jamaica? Six hours of sitting next to a woman who obviously had a bladder problem, loved to talk and had questionable depth perception. Fun, fun, fun. By the time I got there I felt as tired as a one-armed paper hanger. Can’t wait to see what vacation with Jillian will be like.

5/29/07
Okay Jamaica is gorgeous. It was worth the drama of getting here. We had dinner with Alison. It was the first time we got to hang out with her. She’s great. This place is truly paradise. I only wish my husband could be here with me. We could lay out on the beach and listen to the wind blow, sip some fruity drink, hold hands. Instead I’ll be running football drills in the sand and I can see it now, at some point I will be facedown in the sand with Jillian yelling something like: “Do another one or you’ll die where you lay!”

5/31/07
Today we had our massages. It was fantastic. I really needed that. In this game you get beat up everyday and it was nice to just be pampered. It was even nicer being pampered while the other teams were being tortured by their trainers. Oops…was that mean? Oh well, they should have won the challenge. He he he.

6/1/07
Goodbye Jamaica…I hate to leave this place. It is so beautiful. Back to life on campus. It feels like being out for summer break and having to go back to school. YUCK!