Day 157 - September 5th

GIRL DAY!! Melinda finished up with all her famous people have-to's and we got to play today. Tiff and I picked up Melinda and Kelley after a much needed good night's sleep. I don't know how those two do it. They are GO GO GO all the time. I was exhausted by just the few hours we followed her around yesterday. She's definitely made for this kind of thing.

Kelley is our new friend, she's also Melinda's manager. She's awesome! I think we clicked with her pretty quick. Of course it would be like Mel to have a mean manager. All four of us had a great time running around. We had lunch at Abuelo's, one of my favorites! The manager recognized her and kept bringing us food. We had such a good time catching up. We laughed so hard and really got to reconnect and catch everyone up on everything. Good and bad. We then did a little shopping at Hallmark and an AT&T store for some new phone covers. Then we had to quench Mel's craving for Braum's!

We headed to Braum's and Melinda put on her Facebook that she was going to be there. I'd say in that short amount of time, 30 people came to meet her and get her autograph. Even Desi & Elvis and their kiddos came! Ginger and Amaya had a great time playing! I had mom bring Ginger up because Melinda wanted to see her again before heading back to Nashville.

I put on my Facebook status too that I was at Braum's for autographs. But people were probably just too star-struck and nervous around me to ask me for an autograph. It happens a lot...the whole people not asking for my autograph because they are intimidated by fame. I completely understand.

After that her manager decided we needed to get Melinda out of Braum's or she would be stuck their all day. We headed back to her hotel and hung out in her room. Just like hanging out in our rooms in high school. But then, we had to say good-bye. I didn't wanna. Tears were welling up in all of our eyes. We got in a few more photos and were hoping that it wouldn't be so long before we saw each other again. I love you so Mel, and I am so stinkin' proud of you! Come back home and visit again soon! And bring Momma Doolittle for crying out loud!!

This weekend I saw Melinda sign everything from paper, to pictures, to phones, iPods, backpacks, books, arms, shirts, just about anything that they could find. I was going through the 357 pictures I took the last 2 1/2 days and laughed at everything she was signing. And then it hit me...all that time I spent with her...I didn't get an autograph. I still see her as Mel. I didn't think once to ask her for her autograph. Dang it! Now I want one!