Friday Night Lights

I know the title of the blog may have given you visions of Tim Riggins (or maybe that's just me), but these Friday Night Lights included some cute boys and girls of our own. Football in every capacity is a fall tradition.  Part of what I love about the game is what it represents - the newness of a school year, the starting over, the lovely fall days. In the last few weeks, we played backyard football, went to a high school football game, and I went to the Homecoming game at my alma mater, Illinois State University.  All of them were fun and memorable in their own way.  There's nothing like a cool, crisp, autumn day and football with your cousins and uncle. The kids (Todd and Greg included) had a blast playing their own pick up game. Nothing but planning plays, the word "hike" and laughter was heard.

As for the high school game, Syd and Skye took a one day cheer clinic through the school district. They learned 2 cheers and a dance and got to show off their new skills at half time of the high school game. It was very much small town Americana with hints of Friday Night Lights (without the boosters and jumbotron and sadly, Tim Riggins was nowhere to be found). 

We had a great time going back to ISU. It has been 16 years since I last stepped foot on the campus. So much has changed and so much has stayed the same. My two friends and former roommates joined me on our trip down memory lane. We laughed until our bellies hurt and our conversations widely revolved around the "remember when" theme. We walked the campus slowly and stopped by the buildings where each of us spent a lot of our time. We remembered professors and classes, found the "stinky" tree in the quad, and commented on all of the campus improvements. My sister in law is now a freshman there and she and her roommate were kind enough to show us around.  We explained to them that we went to school before there was Internet, Skyping, texting, or email. Research was done in the library and on microfiche. My first cell phone was a bag phone always plugged into my car for emergencies. We didn't have debit cards or meal plans.  Our ramblings probably took the tone of "walking uphill to school both ways." But, our college experiences were fantastic, even with being disconnected from the real world more often than not.  It is, after all, where I met my husband and some of my life long friends. There's something about going through the growing experience that is college - the entering when you're a teenager and leaving when you're an adult - that creates bonds even in those we don't see as often. 

We also had the "what would we do differently if we had to do it all over again" conversation. If we could go back in time, what would the now 38 year olds say to the then 20 year olds. We all had things we would do differently, whether it be a course of study or bad choices in boyfriends, and all agreed that we would give just about anything to go back and have that carefree college life again. I can tell you that it most certainly did not feel like I started college 20 years ago. Stepping on to the campus was like stepping back in time but with the perspective and life experience to see things just differently enough. I don't think we appreciated the awesomeness that is the college experience when we were in the midst of it.  I love seeing Noelle thrive at ISU and can't wait to see how she does in her four years there. And, just think, in less than 9 years, I will have a college student myself. I don't have the words in my vocabulary to express how that makes me feel.

Back yard football at it's finest.

I think Cole is trying to tackle Trevor here...good try, buddy. Give it a few years!

Trevor's natural athletic ability shows in more than just soccer....he had some moves on the football field, as well.

Friday night lights...mid-America style

Noelle and her roommate, Mary Kate....so college! 

The game was a blast! While in college, I attended exactly one football game. So wish I had gone to more. 

College squirrels are so much cuter than our backyard squirrels, aren't they?

This weekend, I will be attending my high school reunion. More reminiscing, more of what we would have done differently, more conversations that will start with "remember when." I'm both excited and anxious to see my former classmates. Some I have reconnected with on Facebook, but haven't seen in person, and some remain mysteries...until Saturday that is.  20 years.  As cliche' as it is...how time flies, life is short, and it doesn't feel like 20 years,, most importantly - do I look as old as I thought alumni were when I was in school?

And, in other news, Bergeron Photography should be up and running shortly! I'm so excited to start this new venture...perhaps something I should have done a long time ago. Perspective is an amazing thing.