the history of homecoming

Another last. Tonight marks Colton's last Homecoming Dance. I've always liked this sweet tradition - it's a dress up night, to be sure, but so much more laid back than Prom. And I love that it's for all grades in high school. Colton and Reece have been able to share this memory for the last two years - and I really love that, too.

Freshman Year

Colton was new to Brentwood Academy his freshman year but he jumped in to it all without hesitation. Precious Bailey was his date that year, and she came straight from a cheer competition in Nashville, changing in the car on the drive over and meeting us at the restaurant. Cayce and I got to chauffeur them that year since neither was driving... we loved it - they hated it. And the highlight of that night? Cayce and I picking them up from the dance dressed as Sonny and Cher (Cayce was Cher - I was Sonny). We were coming from a Halloween party and while we probably COULD have changed before we got back to the school, we decided it was more important to remind Colton that he is never too cool, and you should never take yourself too seriously.  Bailey loved it - and Colton will always smile when he thinks about it. NOW he will smile; then, maybe not.

Sophomore year. Well that was the year Colton decided it was more important for him to hang out with Dawson and watch college football together. Dawson had a broken leg and couldn't go to the dance - and Colton being the good and honorable friend that he is, felt he should keep Dawson company that evening. Of course it had nothing to do with the fact that Texas was playing that evening. Or that he was still upset about missing the Texas game while he attended his Freshman Homecoming Dance the year before. No, that would have to do with it at all. In the end, though, he and Dawson had a great time - and Colton had no regrets.

Junior Year

Honestly, I don't remember much of the Junior year festivities. Colton asked a girl who was a year younger than him - and I didn't know her. Cayce went to the junior picture session so I could cover Reece's freshman picture session. So I never even met the date, who's name I cannot remember at the moment. Cute smile, though - I do remember that.

David and Victoria Beckham - Senior Year

And then he was a senior. As we already know, he asked Raleigh (earlier post all about that "ask"). Sweet friends since Colton started at BA. So... seniors do things a little differently. They don't dress up. They dress in costume - as famous couples. Colton and Raleigh? David and Victoria Beckham - and yes, they totally nailed it. The whole evening is really pretty awesome and very fun. The seniors parade through the campus (parents are the parade watchers), and have dinner together as a senior class before the dance. Very, very cool way for a very close class to celebrate their last Homecoming together.

Deckers, Beckhams, Great Gatsby, Titanic, and Life of Pi.

My Homecoming dances were nothing like this. We had a dance - we didn't dress up - and I don't think that many people even came with dates. It was outside, in our school's courtyard - and it wasn't even decorated. I don't remember ever going out with friends before or after the dance. We just showed up at school for the dance, dressed in normal "going out in the 80's" clothes - and danced in groups. We did pair up for the slow songs - but only those who were lucky enough to be asked (I doubt I ever was). I don't have any pictures, which is a good thing because the 80's really weren't all that great of a fashion time for anyone! I do remember, though, that I enjoyed the dances - because I always enjoyed anything social. But I will have to say that I would have loved a Homecoming night like Colton has had these past fours years - particularly this senior year.

Senior Walk

Dancing the night away with friends

Tattoos and all. Temporary, of course.

My boys and their beautiful dates.

Yes, he may have loved this.

rally and bonfire

It's Homecoming Week and it's a year for new beginnings. Thanks to the work and planning of Colton and several other seniors, this year's Bonfire was bigger than ever - and a new tradition was begun... THE RALLY. I will admit, the idea for the Rally was mine, but had it not been for some very awesome seniors, that idea would have stayed just that - a really cool brainstorm that never went anywhere.

And so tonight, after a month of brainstorming, planning, approval meetings, and more approval meetings, THE RALLY debuted with a huge audience, tons of excitement and one of the largest bonfire crowds ever. This was our school's first-ever night time pep rally - complete with cheerleaders, dancers, wing men, pep band and the first ever "Battle of Red and Blue".

The Wing Men may have stolen the show!

The meetings got old, I know, but I am proud of Colton and Caroline, in particular, for sticking with it and seeing it through to the end. Because of their persistence, this year's senior class has just left it's mark on Brentwood Academy by starting a very special tradition that I have no doubt will be enjoyed by many for years and years to come.

First Ever Battle of Red & Blue

Cheerleaders

Academy Dancers

Battle of Red & Blue

Screaming Eagles

Senior FB players get painted up by their moms

Heading down to the Bonfire

Friends who play together stick together.

game five... mba

Let me just get this out of the way right now... We didn't win. For the second year in a row, Montgomery Bell Academy beat Brentwood Academy.

It was a well fought game - from both sides.  We had a chance to win it with a field goal - but our incredible kicker, who hadn't missed a kick all night, succumbed to the pressure. Then, with just a few second left in the game, we were only yards away from the end zone - and the win was once again in our grasp. But the Big Red stopped us. And the victory was theirs.

The football players show some out-of-the-norm emotion
during the MBA Pep Rally

MBA is one of our biggest rivals and this loss was huge. It's crazy but our team and our school isn't used to losing home games. In fact, this was the first regular season home game loss that Colton has been a part of during his high school years. Losing is never easy but it is during times of failure and loss, that we sometimes grow the most. In those times, character has the opportunity to shine. Last night, I saw the Eagles - though broken in mind and spirit - shine. They rallied around one another, supporting and encouraging our kicker, in particular. And within a couple of hours, were already putting the loss behind them and making plans to move forward.

And so, our record changes to 4-1... and that's okay. Go Eagles!

game four... st. x

The three muskateers - they are three pretty awesome young men.
And they might just be beaming a little.

This week's game is home again - against another Catholic high school. But this time, it's St. Xavier, from Ohio. Yes, you read that right. I said O-hi-o. Last year, we traveled the four hours to their school so thankfully, this year was their turn to come to us. I'm quite serious when I say "thankfully".

Papa and Nana rarely miss a game.
In fact, Papa has rarely missed a home game since Colton
started playing high school football his freshman year. 

St. X is good. I mean they are really good. Like nationally ranked good. But we are good, too. And we are ranked nationally - not near as high as St. X - but we ARE somewhere in those rankings. Last year, they beat us. This year?? It went to DOUBLE OVERTIME
and then... oh yes, we DID...  4-0 baby! And just like that, we jumped WAY up in the national rankings. (Though I still can't tell you exactly where that puts us - please just be impressed that I know this much.) Watch the game winning touchdown here: http://youtu.be/hUr0QZyig-U

Cousins Kaycee and Dan Parker in from Union City for the game.
While watching the MS girls line up to take pictures with Colton
after the game, Kaycee commented that she felt like
she was back in Amarillo, watching Cayce after an AHS game.

The highlight of this game, however, wasn't our win (though that was pretty super fantastic). The highlight for me was seeing Dawson back on the field - not in uniform, but on the sidelines... encouraging and leading his team. It's good to have you back Big D - #1 QB you'll always be.

Oh, and did I already mention... 4-0 baby.

college... oh my.

And his first college response is a.... YES!

And I couldn't be more excited that the first response came from mine and Cayce's alma mater. Go Wildcats!

game three... Father Ryan

85 and 31. Best friends in and out of football.

First Pep Rally of the season

It's our third week of the season, and we played Father Ryan High School - a team who caught us off guard last year and basically creamed us. The Eagles are STRONG. The Eagles are TOUGH. The Eagles WIN. MOST of the time, that is. Last year, we didn't even look at Father Ryan as a challenging opponent - that is until... yep, I'll say it again... until they creamed us.

This year, we were ready. It wasn't pretty and if it hadn't been for our incredible defense, we probably wouldn't have pulled it off.

But yeah, it's now 3-0 baby.

homecoming?

"Raleigh, will you go to Homecoming with me?" That's pretty much how it went. He asked, she said yes. The punchline, though, is that he asked her in front of the entire student body at the beginning of the first pep rally of the year.  And so, amongst hoops and hollers, Raleigh, grinning from ear to ear, left the cheerleaders and joined Colton (who, by the way, had a similar smile on his face) and said yes.

Fun? Yes. Embarrassing? Maybe. Memorable? Totally.

As my sixth grader and his buddies observed aloud later that afternoon, "That was a GREAT ask. I mean, how could she say no in front of all those people?!"

Love these two - great friends who will have a great time enjoying their last high school Homecoming together.