Happy Homecoming

Friday night was Mansfield High's Homecoming football game, and Chris and I joined Jamie, Drew, Sharon, Jim, Keith and Aarika for some nostalgic Friday night football. This fall marks ten years since I marched in a high school football game, and boy, has MHS progressed in those ten years. I am proud that my freshman year was the spark to the upward trend (we qualified for the Area marching contest for the first time ever in 1998), and even more thrilled that the current drill writer, marching band director, and guard instructor for MHS is Matt G., a friend from TCU. They placed first in a contest a few weeks ago!

Link to MHS 2011 Show

We also stopped by our friends Jace and Joy's house after the game to see some band friends from Chris' class. It is crazy seeing them ten years later.

Saturday was TCU's Homecoming! I went to rehearsal by myself to see some friends and watch the band perform part of their show without all the football noise and distraction. So great!

Link to a portion of TCU's 2011 show

We came back up in time for Noah and I to march (with my good friend Angie) into the stadium with the band and other alumni.

Sharon waits for the band to begin the parade

The pace was a bit quicker than it used to be!

We then joined the band on the field for the traditional pre-game show with the alumni band.

Cooling off by a football fan

The band takes the field!

Alumni band (you can see my boots)

Noah loved standing on the sideline for a close-up of all the action: the Showgirls, the band, the colorguard, the National Anthem... everything was gravy until I started to pull him onto the field for our part. We had a few tears and some reassurances, and then he continued to enjoy the experience.

No longer crying here...

I'm a bit ashamed to admit that we left after halftime, but in my defense... the score was 41-0 at that point (69-0 was the final); we had to clean up for Chris' reunion at 6 p.m.; our seats are directly in front of the speakers that blast music and other high-volume racket for the entire stadium (and we're sick of it); and, Noah had not yet napped.

Noah at Frog Fountain

Kissing the Horned Frog for good luck

 Like I said, Chris' reunion was Saturday night in the Fort Worth stockyards (not actually IN the stockyards, but in the Texas Hall of Fame building). Chris only actually knew two other couples, but I at least recognized some other people and, being such a shy person, struck up conversations with several others of his classmates. It is so interesting being with some of your classmates ten years later! At the risk of sounding really catty, I must note that the cheerleaders were the most unrecognizable (attributed to weight gain); the most popular guys are now just normal guys, if not underachievers; the most successful people are the band people/geeks (no surprise there); and there were a few surprises, namely the girl questionably dressed who turned out to be a strip club manager, true to stereotype. Yikes! I can't wait for my reunion next year!