But Then It Hit Me

The other day, as I was cleaning out a closet, I found this picture:



This is my college roommate Becca and I at a JSU football game. I remember that game very vividly! We got dressed up in our "coolest" clothes (circa 1996 - hence those sunglasses) and went to the game with these two ATO guys. You see, the real guy that had my heart was sitting at the other end of that stadium playing trombone with the Southerners, but we were "on a break" I found myself for just a fleeting second thinking - wow - to relive those days again! We had so much fun! But then reality set back in and I had to finish cleaning out that closet.

This past weekend Matt, Davis and I attended the 55 year anniversary/reunion of The Marching Southerners. We had so much fun seeing old friends, walking across the quad holding hands, wondering the halls of Mason Hall, eating at Chickfila and wishing we had one of those when we were there, watching a great football game and seeing a trombone player and his non-band member girlfriend walk hand in hand after the game. Made me feel young again!

But throughout the weekend different things would go across my mind:

Those bills I needed to pay
Worrying about my sister-in-law who very suddenly lost her mom this week
Worrying should we have skipped the Southerners reunion and attended the simulcast of Secret Church instead
Making sure Matt feels encouraged because he is doing a really great thing!
Trying to figure out when to buy some new black dress shoes, since my only pair (that I have owned since 2004) have fallen apart
Planning meals because I really don't want to eat at McDonalds this week
Remembering how many days until that next dentist appointment
And the list went on and on.

And then as I listened to them rehearse Saturday morning I thought.....wow - it would be fun to relive those college days!

You know the days when:

Mom and Dad paid the bills
We never worried about death - we were invincible
Wondering should we skip going to Lindsey's room to watch the new episode of Friends so that we can go watch the big Southerners Thursday night practice (we had no DVR back then)
Making sure Matt felt jealous because I had lost a really great thing (remember we were "on a break")
Shoes - no worries - I have so many shoes they wouldn't even fit in my closet, and if I didn't have the perfect pair, I would borrow Becca's
Never worried about planning food - there was always Ravioli, Cecil's or my mom and dad always had hot food on the table
Remembering how many times I had skipped which class
And the list went on and on!

Those days were pretty special!

But then it hit me! As I was sitting in the stands on my 35th birthday watching Matt and Davis on the field at halftime with my phone in one hand taking still pictures and the video camera in the other, these days are pretty special as well! When we come back in 15 years to the Southerners 70th Reunion, I will see a couple with their only child, and long to relive these days again as well!

These days are pretty special!

You can't deny we were part of something special in college. But you also can't deny we are a part of something special now. It's all been pretty magical!

So I will leave you with some sights and sounds of some pretty special days - then and now!


Matt and Davis on the field.



Matt and I....again circa 1997....its always the sunglasses



Davis holding the music at the morning rehearsal for Matt and Mr. Holland, the music minister at our very first church. Sweet memories!




Here is the video from the halftime show. There are a few things you need to remember as you watch:

1. I am no videographer. It was hard to video with one hand, take picture with the other and tap my foot to the music. Plus my arms just got really tired.

2. If you are watching this video on the website, remember to pause the music at the bottom of the page.

3. There is a section of the video of a little boy playing on the field. That is our friend Jarod's son. It is quite funny. I made sure to video it as a reminder to me. I was so hard on Davis reminding him to hold the music still and pay attention to Matt. It really is just about having fun!

4. If you can stand it, watch it to the end of the video. You will see my sweet encouraging child pat his Daddy on the back! He was so proud of his daddy at that moment!

5. Well, after many attempts, we had to upload the video with Youtube. It was just too big to upload here. Hopefully you can get to the video from here. If you can't let me know, and I will email you the link.