Touchdown!!!

I love high school football. The cow bells. The bad food. The non-stop stream of small children running up and down the stairs. That's the pre-game show stuff.

Seriously, I love the iconic stuff.  I love that some things don't change, after decades of attending football games. The things I look forward to and I know will be there. The pretty, energetic cheerleaders. Oh to be that young again.

The refs in their coordinated uniforms. Hey, which one of you guys was supposed to bring the quarter? I thought you had it! No, I thought you had it!  Here, use this Chucky Cheese token.

The young warriors, adrenaline pumping, ready for battle. Be careful boys. And play nice.

The excitement, the build up, the drum roll. Which brings me to the part I love the most. The band.

Drum majors who can walk without seeing where they are going impress me. The choreography, the rhythm, the colors and symmetry.

The cute little band members.  I am ever so grateful to and in awe of our band directors. Controlling 100 squirming, dancing, giggling bodies in blue in the stands and on the field is no small feat.

See that tiny one?  That's my spawn.  I know, because I still remember how un-fun the whole process was. But it turned out all right. I asked her what she was thinking about in this picture, and she replied "Wondering if the concession stand had cotton candy."  Oh, that's my girl.

She loves band. It's a social event. She doesn't even mind being called a band geek, although she is certain she's not a geek at all. This was her first time to play in front of the football crowd. I asked her if she was nervous, and she said only a little. She can't wait to play the snare drum. The fact that the drum weighs only 10 pounds less than she does is not a deterrent at all.

Apparently she was not too terribly nervous or concerned about playing in public, because she found time to stick a huge sequin on the end of her nose.

Awwww, that's my baby. My spawn. My offspring. The girl with the bells.  The child with the shiny nose. The drum with legs. I won't even stoop to saying 'never missed a beat.'  oops. sorry.