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I think we had a really good season. A lot of people picked us to be last in the Western Conference and to not even make the 2008 WNBA Playoffs, and I think us finishing fourth and making the playoffs just shows the character of our team. It shows that we prevailed through the adversity of having several injuries, losing players, etc. For us to keep fighting all year, make the playoffs, and put up a good fight in the playoffs showed how resilient we are and how close-knit this team is; that we were willing to keep fighting for each other. That’s what everybody did – we just played for each other, from the beginning to the end. A lot of times we felt that we were the only ones who believed in us, but that’s what we rode for the entire season. I’m definitely not happy about it ending as early as it did, but I’m happy with what we built here as a team and as an organization.

It was tough to lose in Game Three [of the Western Conference Semifinals] the other day because we fought so hard and we felt like we’d played a good game. There were a few bounces that didn’t go our way, but I think all-in-all, especially once we’ve had more time to get the emotion out of it, I think we played a good game and did things well. Of course, there are things we could have done better, but you always have that in every game. I think, again, it showed how resilient our team is to keep fighting. On paper, San Antonio is the best team in the league and we took them to overtime [in Game Three] and gave them a lot more than what they probably wanted to deal with. So I think that we’re proud of how we played and our fight from beginning to end. It’s tough to lose a game like that when you feel like you’ve fought so hard and you feel like you deserve it so much. But again, once we’ve had some time to get the emotion out of it, I think we’ll be proud of how we played.

Now, I’m packing up and leaving to go to Louisiana to visit with my in-laws and then we’re going to Georgia to take care of some things at our house. I might not do that though; I may just rest and let my husband do that! Then I’ll be shipping out to play in Naples, Italy, for a team called Napoli. I’m not sure exactly when they want me over there, because I still have to get my visa! I may be making a few trips all around the world because the consul in the jurisdiction of Louisiana is in Houston, so I may have to fly back and forth from there, and then go to Italy. There are a few things up in the air right now so I’m just going to try to get some rest.

There were some other teams that were interested in me but it is freezing in Poland, the Czech Republic, Latvia... I did not want to go to any of those places! I told my agent that I preferred Spain or Italy, and that’s why everything is so last minute – I told them that I was willing to hold out until I could get somewhere I wanted to be, especially since this really is my first time playing in Europe and also the first time for my husband and daughter to leave the country. I wanted it to be a good experience for them in a place that they would enjoy and have a good time. My daughter has bounced around so much, I just didn’t want to take her somewhere where it’s freezing cold and she couldn’t go outside to play. Anyone who’s ever met her knows that she has loads of energy and she needs to be able to let that out and be a kid. I just want to make sure I was somewhere where the weather is nice enough for us to be able to do that. From what I hear, Naples is a beautiful city, so I’m really looking forward to it.

I have the web link to an English-Italian school that Napoli gave me. There’s a military base there too, so I could send her to an American school if I wanted to, but I figure why not let her get exposed to some culture. I’m going to send her to the English-Italian school where they speak both languages. They said it shouldn’t be a problem to get her in so I’m going to get on the website and check it out.

I’m looking forward to Italy because everyone says it’s so beautiful. Naples is on the water, which is something I love. I’m from Miami! But I haven’t been around the water in a long time – being in Louisiana, and here – so I’m looking forward to being around it again. I’m looking forward to a new environment and a new experience.

Ticha Penicheiro also will be in Italy – in Milan – and I have one of my old college teammates who will be in Italy, Doneeka Hodges, so I’ll get to see her. There will be a couple of familiar faces.

Lastly, I want to thank all of you who have kept up with my blog and responded to what I’ve had to say. I’ve enjoyed doing these blogs because I get to show another side of me other than the basketball me and I feel as if I’ve had a chance to express some things about motherhood and give some people some insight about questions that they have, like “She’s married and has a child and she does what for a living?” I think that was kind of fun! I enjoyed being able to give some insight into what people may think is a secluded world – being a professional athlete – and also letting people know that I’m human too! It’s always good to keep close that reminder—we’re not superhuman, by any means. I’m happy if anybody got anything from my blog, even if it was just one little bit of encouragement or connection. That means a lot to me, so thank you!

Aishida has started kindergarten and she likes it, but I didn’t expect anything else. You could throw her in the middle of the ocean and she’d be fine! She adapts really well to any situation, she’s having fun and she likes her teacher. She comes home every day excited about what she did in school and she says things like, “We wrote our numbers, we drew a tree with numbers,” and all that kind of stuff, so she’s having fun.

She wasn't really ever with me during the day before she started school because I’m usually at practice so my schedule hasn't changed - my husband is the one that gets the break for those three hours. She goes for half-days, from about 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. This is the first school that I looked into that has full days but it was full by the time I found it; it’s a brand-new school so it filled up really quickly for full days. Anyway, Frederick is really the one that’s getting that time off that he’s usually home with her. He’s the one that’s getting that break right now, because I’m always practicing!