"She ain't no ' wannabe' no more...

"Penn State Wannabe No More"

Truth is.  Thing #3 was NEVER no "wannabe".  We just liked to tease her that she was destined to be a Penn State Nittany Lion.  And sometimes we even DRESSED her like the Nittany Lion just to prove our point...whether she wannabe or don't wannabe.  Truth is.  She had no choice that she was born bleeding blue and white.  Truth is.  It could have been worse.  She could have been born bleeding Ohio State grey and scarlet and worshipping something called a Buckeye.

1.  Her dad and I met at Penn State, were engaged at Penn State, and now own a second home at Penn State.

"In the Beginning there was Penn State"

2.  Her brother and sister both went to Penn State.  AND married Penn Staters.  No, this wasn't mandatory...maybe.

"Followed by MORE Penn State"

3.  Much of her formative years were spent at Penn State, or travelling WITH Penn State on the weekends.  Sometimes it was to watch her brother play baseball for the Nittany Lions...

"Growing Up Blue and White"

"Surrounded by Blue"

4.  ...sometimes it was to tailgate and cheer on the Penn State Nittany Lions football team.

"We Are"

"The Family that Tailgates Together....is 'Pretty Cool'!"

5.  Her opinion might be that her family is just a weeeeee bit "Penn State Crazy".  She probably has a valid point.  After all she IS the "smart one" of the family.  But then again, so are Things #1 and #2.

"Tolerating the Craziness"

Despite all these facts, or maybe BECAUSE of all these facts...Thing #3 always swore there was no way in H*ll she would EVER go to Penn State.  And I always said that is okay, just as long as you know there is no way in H*ll you are going to Columbus, Ohio and THE Ohio State University.  We had a deal we both could live with.  I would have bet a gazillion Buckeyes that Thing #3 would be the renegade of the familial unit. That she would be the one to introduce some foreign color into our blue/white wardrobes.  That maybe I would finally get to sell that townhouse up in State College for perhaps a place down at the shore (seriously,...TOTALLY hoping for the latter!).

She put in applications and was accepted to schools in Boston and New York City.  BOTH cities that I could totally get use to visiting ad nauseum.  I COULD actually get excited about a renegade child and having to buy and introduce a new and foreign university hoodie into my wardrobe (as long as it wasn't The Ohio State).

And then something outta the blue (and white) happened...

"Thumbs Up"

She decided to embrace her genetics and gave the thumbs up to the Blue and White.  We have another Nittany Lion in our den.  Truth is.   She has ALWAYS been in our den.  But she is officially done with being a wannabe, and is a bona fide "We Are".

Truth is.  I would have been thrilled for her wherever she chose to attend college.  Truth is.  My wallet thanks her for choosing Penn State.  But my heart thanks her for making her own choice and exploring her options.

Now on to the next obvious question.  NO, she does NOT have to marry a Penn Stater!  Truth is.  It WOULD make family Christmas gift giving all THAT much easier tho.  So just think about Thing #3, okay!?!?

We are!

P.S.  Despite my aversion to Ohio State, I just wanna say I DID root for them in the National Championship Bowl game this past year.  It hurt.  But I did it anyway.

Here's where I "link up" today.

(click on image for description of Song-ography)

Next Tuesday's Song-ography title suggestion is "Ameriecan Pie" by Don McLean.

Come back and link up!  (blog, instagram, flickr photos welcome)