We are well into the spring season, and, boy, has it been crazier than expected! We are back to “normal” life, but that is not saying much; it still has yet to slow down. My last blog left off right before the best part of spring. The day after OU’s Pro Day, we arrived in California for spring break, and the week that followed was awesome!
The break started with Samajé’s agency’s fundraiser, the Athletes First Classic. We got to dress up and brush elbows with the big wigs, which may sound like fun to many of you. For us, it brought out a lot of social anxiety. 😉 Neither of us fit into the “fancy” setting very well, and we are not the best conversationalists. Nonetheless, the weekend ended up being a ton of fun.
To start off the weekend, we got to experience the green room, which is where a bunch of vendors set up and basically give away free stuff. This part blew my mind. I had never gotten so many cool things for free. It. Was. Awesome. After we left, we found our hotel room to get ready for the gala dinner. Once again, I was in awe. The hotel the event took place at was a resort, and it was by far the nicest place I had ever stayed. For a girl who loves hotels, it was quite the treat.
The gala dinner was where I lost Maj’s interest. We got all dressed up, took a picture on the red carpet, walked around the silent auction, stood around and chatted a bit… All before the dinner program even started. For some of you, this may be hard to believe; for those of you who know or are familiar with Samajé, you will understand – he is not a big fan of talking. He also strongly dislikes crowds. And waiting around. And fancy things. Needless to say, I should not have expected him to enjoy this part of the weekend. :p
The dinner program began with a live auction, during which a ridiculous amount of money was spent (all for a great cause), we listened to speakers discuss the benefitting foundation, and dinner was served. We ended up ducking out a little early to go watch TV, because that is what we normally do on a Saturday night.
The next day, we went to the “tailgate” portion of the Classic. This event was more our style. We wore shorts and T-shirts, hung out with some great people, and ate yummy food (including five ice cream sandwiches between the two of us – we like ice cream). We had the option to attend a Wiz Khalifa concert for free afterwards, but, of course, we opted to return to Samajé’s apartment to hang out instead. I love our relationship. 🙂
The rest of the week was filled with other exciting adventures, and a lot more relaxation. On Monday, we went to the Los Angeles Zoo. On Tuesday, we went shopping, ran a few errands, and grabbed dinner at our favorite place in Orange County – the Fourth Street Market. On Wednesday – the best day – we went to DISNEYLAND! It was my first Disney experience. I cannot describe the amazingness of it in words, except to say that it really was as magical as everyone says.
After Disney, the trip unfortunately came to an end. I flew back the next day to pick up Moose and meet my sister and aunt who came to visit me in Norman; Maj returned a couple days later. Since then, although he technically has “nothing to do,” we have been keeping quite busy.
First and foremost, during this period of time, NFL teams continue the interview process up until the draft. Coaches occasionally fly in to meet with him and work him out; some teams may fly him to their facility. I often get asked who is interested in him, and, honestly, it does not much matter. He has interviewed and worked out with about 20 teams, but, as many of you may know, he could get picked up by any of those or any of the other 12 or so. The only thing he is focused on right now is staying in shape, which he is doing by working out once or twice per day on most days, and completing the online classes he is currently enrolled in.
Another thing I know many people are curious about is how he is able to have enough money to live during this time period. During his training period, his agency provided the main source of support. As of right now, he is able to earn money a few different ways. He took part in putting on a football camp for kids a couple of weeks ago, which was a TON of fun! This past weekend, he did a signing event, which consisted of 6 hours straight of taking pictures, signing autographs, and meeting some awesome fans. Furthermore, he is able to make money by signing autographs for memorabilia and trading card companies. Contrary to popular belief, his NFL contract will not come until a few months after the draft (when he officially makes the team), so he is fortunate to have these additional opportunities to earn an income.
As for me, I am continuing to work my way toward graduation – which cannot come soon enough! I have been keeping busy with my job working for the OU Soccer program and my frequent workouts with my personal trainer/fiancé. I have also been driving the guy around while his car gets a pro charger installed (as if it isn’t already souped up enough – insert eye roll). I am actually really enjoying it, though, because it forces him to spend time with me. 😉
Regarding our relationship, we are having a blast planning our future. We have started looking at houses here in Norman (whoop!), which we are strongly considering making our permanent/offseason home. We will be watching the draft in Austin, so we have wedding venue tours scheduled for that weekend. The wedding will happen at some point in March 2018, and engagement pictures are scheduled for next week!
As the draft and graduation quickly approach, we are savoring our last bit of time here in Norman as college students. In less than one month, the real whirlwind will begin!
<3 Meg
P.S. – Shout out to the lady with the gray hair. 😉 I have been keeping you and your family in my prayers. <3
