Whew! It's over.

You know that feeling you get when you're working toward some big event -- your wedding, a play, a big fundraiser, a 1st birthday party -- and your whole life seems consumed with the task. Then it happens. And then it's over and you are just exhausted?

Yep. That's me today. Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis is one for the record books -- happily, with the right team in the W column, and I feel like I have been working out with the teams. I am beat.

It's been a week of emotional pride in my community; walking, walking; walking in Super Bowl Village; late nights to catch Jimmy Fallon and what new and wonderful things he might say about Indianapolis; Twitter and Facebook conversations to keep the energy moving; reading and watching and listening to report after report about the city and the upcoming game. And now it's over and I am worn out. I can't imagine what the people on the host committee must feel like now.

The kids have today off of school, courtesy of the Big Game, so I happily took off work to stay home, too. The prudent part of me knows this would be a great day to catch up on laundry, finally get the Christmas boxes back in the storage room (they're packed up, just waiting to be moved), and clean my bedroom. The indulgent part of me wants to move from this chair at the kitchen table and snuggle down under a blanket on the couch.

Having the Super Bowl in our city was a fun ride. I'm glad we got to experience it -- well, everyone except Robbie who doesn't do big crowds very well. I'm so proud of the way the city came together to put on an amazing show on a world stage. The way the television stations actually reported something other than what comes over the police scanner all day (not looking forward to returning to that). The accolades that came from media all over the country.

But right now, I'm glad for the quiet and for my blanket on the couch.