Homecoming

Byron and his family moved to Brentwood his senior year and he graduated from Liberty High School, the same school at which we both now work. He hated it. In Byron's mind this was Hickville, USA, they only taught one foreign language at the school after all!! And that language was Spanish which wasn't foreign at all to half the school.

Imagine his surprise when 11 years after graduation he landed BACK in Brentwood. This time with a wife, two kids, two cats, a dog, a DDS degree and student loans up the wazoo. That was 1986; now there are five kids, only one cat, a hamster, a pet mouse, a mortgage and another degree in Education. We are still here and we love it.

When we moved here in '86, there was not a stop light in town. Lucky's was just going in, up til then we just had Centromart. Jake's Variety was where you could buy some baby clothes, hardware, ribbons, tools etc...it had a wood floor and was very cool. We had a small theater and the best drive-in called Rich's. You couldn't make a 'quick' trip to the store because you knew every one. I used to conduct Parent's Club business in the produce department of Luckys. (Once, Mitch had unbeknownst to me eaten an entire bottle of Flintstone vitamins. There I was chatting in the produce department, Rachel in the cart, Mitch in the seat and Lauren in the baby carrier when much to my surprise Mitch started throwing up, all over the apples. EVERY apple was touched. It was legendary here for years. ) ANYWAY.... There were two elementary schools, one Jr. High and Liberty. Now, we have three high schools, 7 elementary schools and three Middle schools, parks galore and more stop lights than I can count.

Through all the changes, one thing has remained constant, Liberty High School, Homecoming, float building and a parade downtown. We have city officials, county officials, Employees of the Year, bands, horses, drill teams, cheerleaders, Homecoming court and class floats.

This is Homecoming week and because of the great example set by his sister Lauren, Jeff is a class officer and is helping to build the Freshman float. We are at the school M-TH this week, from 4-9 pm, transforming a rusty old flatbed into a work of art and school spirit. (well, maybe not a work of art.....). The theme for the float is "Kicking the Wolverines OUT!" (My idea was "Kicking the "L" out of the Woverines..." They didn't get it. ) It's a Lion kicking a Wolverine through the goalposts. Simple and very Freshman like, and what a stinkin' ordeal! Freshmen have no patience, no vision, no stick-to-it-iveness. ( Pray with me that we have a finished project on Friday for the parade.)



Getting started--it really was rusty, beat up old flat bed. Gonna take a miracle.



Chicken wire on and filling it with the first of 5,000 paper napkin flowers.
Yep, 5,000.



What Jeff does best. Socializing. With girls.



Working. For a minute. We think.



Raquel painted the flatbed and then sat in it.



Making a Wolverine, which in my opinion actually looked like an alligator.



The goal post, every good float has goal posts. Ours has lights and red stripes around it. Very cool and impressive. We hope.



Our float half done, looking pretty good. If we can just figure out how to attach a paper mache lion head to a bunch of 3" PVC pipe we'll have a chance of finishing.



The owner of our flatbed is a great sport. He now has cardinal fenders, gold rims and newly painted tires. Doesn't everyone spray paint their tires black?

I'll post the finished product this weekend. I know you'll be on pins and needles until then.

I love living in Mayberry.