Pre-Friday Night Lights

We are setting nicely into our school routine.  I'm still running ragged, trying to play catch-up everyday.  I teach many different classes and it just takes a lot of preparation.  I get new students everyday and so there are changes to be made to grade books and seating charts.  The girls are powering through - lots of homework, Seminary, dance, etc.  So we had our first football game on Thursday night.  It was a preseason game - not only does the football team need a practice game, but the cheerleaders, dance team, and band all appreciated the practice, too.  (Apparently there are 65 freshmen in the band this year!!  HALF THE BAND!!)  Maddie was pretty nervous for the game and extremely excited.  

The big concern was the weather.  It has not just rained for 40 days and 40 nights, but stormed and poured and deluged.  No one has been able to practice outside.  Everyday right as school ends, the heavens open up and the amount of water makes it seem like it isn't really raining, it is just all water in the air.  I know that most of you are suffering in horrible drought conditions, but we just can't imagine that.  Yesterday as I left school and it was blue sky, it seemed strange and unfamiliar.  Anyway, we were very worried about the weather for the game.  The skies were gray, but the rain stayed away and it wasn't even horribly hot.  At one point, a big gust of wind came through and then it got comfortable!! 

Travis has taken on the roll of "Mat Dad Chairman".  The cheerleaders need mats on the track (we don't have a rubber track) to do their stunting.  I have three mats and so I need 3 dads/game to roll the mats out there.  Travis enjoys getting them all ready and he knows the drill.  We have to let the band march by before the mats go out.  Mike and Linda are great helpers and developing into great friends.

 Even though I'm busy with the cheerleaders, I get a chance to watch my own kids dance.  Rozzie and her bestie Nora are starting their 3rd year together on the team.

 It is very exciting to see them all out there.  Our last principal made the dance team get green pants two years ago as our colors are green and gold.  The girls hated the pants, thinking they looked like asparagus or green beans.  With the new principal in place, the coach ordered black pants and no one thought twice about it!!  It is exciting to have Rozzie up on the front line as one of the officers for the team.  Maddie is on the back line with the freshmen, but lots of fun to have her out there.  Here is a picture showing their awesome skill of levitation:

 This is my coaching staff:  Janae (JV coach), Cortnee (Choreography), and me!!  Janae was part of Fleming Island's first graduating class and is now a 3rd grade teacher in the county.  Cortnee is hired out by the team.

 And here are the Maddie's - both freshmen.  Maddie really likes high school and says that it is way different than junior high - in a great way.  Her schedule is pretty sweet, too.  She has science, English, and math for her first 3 classes, then she goes to band, yearbook, and PE.  It was nice of me to get her PE last so her hair stays nice all day!!

Next week is big with a pep rally and a big county rival for the football game.  Stay tuned and I just might post more dance pictures.  (Oh...great...more of the same...)  Thanks for humoring me.