Marching to the Beat of the Drum

Allie and Gabe marched in our local parade the other day.  As a member of the marching band, Allie was required to be there.  Despite the fact that he doesn't even go to high school, Gabe was marching along with her as part of the marching band.  The band director requested 5 siblings to carry the signs at the front of the band.  Allie was very eager to sign Gabe up for the task.  Gabe was okay with it until it dawned on him that he was going to have to walk the entire length of the parade!  But he was faithful and went anyways.  As a bonus for him, he happened to know the other boys that came to hold the signs and they had a pretty good time hanging out despite the long arduous 3/4 of a mile walk.  They looked great marching together to the constant beat of the drum.

Two birds with one song

Last night, we attended the BYU-UCLA football game.  Since the BYU football team doesn't make an appearance in Southern California very often (twice in 20 years), we try to attend the games when they do come.  We had been planning to go to the game for a few months when Allie's marching band instructor interrupted our plans.  The marching band was going to be performing that night...at the BYU/UCLA game in the Rose Bowl!!  We couldn't believe our luck!.  The one football game that we were planning to attend, Allie would be playing at half time.  It was like killing two birds with one song.

Gabe, Jeff and I had a great time at the game.  We ran into several members of our ward there, and sat with them during the game.  The support for the BYU team was evident with many, many fans throughout the stadium.  For half time, 20 of the area's best marching band (including ours) marched out onto the field with the UCLA marching band and performed a few songs together.  It was really fun to see Allie down on the field.  She even happened to be on the big screen!  We nearly won the game, we led the entire game until the last 5 minutes of the 4th quarter when it was the other team's turn to pull off a miraculous win.

My like is opening up....

With the subtraction of two teenagers from my home, my life is starting to open up a little.  There are less children to care for, which leaves more time for me.  There are new possibilities staring me in the face.  There is time to explore new avenues, new routes and directions to go in life.  With the future an open book for me, for the moment I decided to opt more tangible new avenues, routes and directions instead of the metaphoric ones.  After 5 years of waiting and anticipating the door, of door jamb framing being walled up, it has finally happened.  I put a new door into the house.  Now my house is directly connected to my garage.  No more cold toes as I run from the front door to the garage!  No more wondering if I will be caught going to the garage in my jammies!  No more walking around the entire house from my bedroom to get the tape measure.  I can see the future, and it is a shorter distance to my car!  I will worry about all that other stuff later.