Being a big football town doesn't mean we ignore the arts!

Living in a small Texas town, obsessed with football, people automatically assume that the arts get the leftovers when it comes to funding and community support.

I have to say, it is one of my favorite conversations to have.. cause while that might be the case some places, it's not for us!! We in the Stephenville, support our athletic programs AND our art programs!!

Case in point, Tuesday evening's 6-8th grade Christmas band concert. The concert was held at the high school, because their are soo many kids in band that they can't fit on any of the other school's stages easily! Nice problem to have!!

Then, there is the seating for the audience. We got there at 6:40 for the concert that started at 7pm. Maddie was in the third band performing, so I figured we'd have plenty of time to find seats and then as the bands performed we would just shift up to get closer as people left. NOPE! by 6:40 there were just a few rows of seats left in the auditorium that seats 1000 people! And nobody left! Okay, some did, but the people that were having to stand at the back immediately filled in their seats!

Isn't it fabulous that these junior high students get to perform for a full house!

And of course, my first-chair clarinet girl did awesome!

Here is the Symphonic Band getting ready to perform.

Yippee, my camera took decent pictures..even from the very back of the auditiorium.

And with her directors. They do a great job day in and day out.

And with a friend after the concert.

One of the best parts of the night... three bands+ percussion specials and we still got out in right at an hour! 

Love being a band mom!

Conquering Cancer 5k

Last weekend was a big running weekend in our house. On Saturday we had a Conquering Cancer 5k and Family 1 mile fun run. This was a big deal for us as the two families involved in this race are near and dear to our hearts.

 

Shari, in the below picture with Lexi is fighting breast cancer. She's one of my mom's closest friends, she taught Maddie in Kindergarten and is practically a family member. 

 

The other family is the Esquivel's. Their little baby, Riley was diagnosed with cancer at a month old or so! He's being held by his dad, Maddie's science teacher. Coach Esquivel is also a football coach and a champion of Maddie's.

Needlesstosay, this was not a benefit race that we were going to miss. Maddie wasn't able to go as she had Choir Solo and Ensemble. Bummer.

However, the rest of us participated! This was Lexi's first race!!

Here they are before the race. Kylie wasn't so impressed. She didn't like how the bib felt pinned on.

Lexi and Emma, ready to run!

 

I only signed up for the 1 mile as I was running the 1/2 marathon the next day. Good thing about doing that is that I got to take lots of pictures!

The races started with the 1 mile. Doug decided to run with us and use it as a warm up.

Kylie didn't last very long.

But how cute is that!

And look at this runner! Look at her form!! and if Blogger had allowed me to, I would have made the picture bigger so that you could see the joy on her face!

 

I'm thinking I have a running buddy!

After the fun run, all of the 5kers lined up for the timed run.

And they are off! Of course you don't get faces, they are too busy starting runkeeper!

During the race Kylie ate three blueberry muffins. I guess watching others run and being carried made her hungry!

 

And there is Doug coming in. I think it was his best time yet! Go Doug!!

I love how we were able to support our friends and our community and begin sharing a running bond with our girls. I am so very aware that we live in a very special place and am incredibly thankful that God brought us back to this community to raise our children.

Heart of Gold: David vs Goliath

The Heart of Gold Game

I can't remember what I've told the blog world about The Heart of Gold Game, so I'll recap.

Our local high school has a really good football team with an fan base that is quite large. A few years ago the team decided to honor a child that had a special need or health issue by designating one home game of the season as their Heart of Gold game. Tshirts are sold with the child's name on the back and the entire team and coaching staff wear the shirts. The community buys the shirts as a fundraiser and then the family is given a monetary gift.

Our family has supported this in the past and I know last year's recipient family. I would have NEVER guessed or dreamed that we would be such a family. 

But a couple of weeks ago the head coach called Doug and asked him if we would be willing/interested in Maddie being this years recipient. So after drying the tears, we asked Maddie and she said okay. She didn't really get how big this was.

Fast forward to this past weekend.

Maddie went to the Breakfast with Champions with the Varsity football players, then was honored at the pep rally, then spoke on the local radio station at the Coffee with Coach.

That was the warm up.

When we got the the stadium, it was electric. It didn't hurt that the game was against our big rival. It's a David vs Goliath match up with us being David. The Head Coach had told me earlier in the week that he really, really wanted to win for Maddie. But we weren't predicted to win.

So as it nears game time, imagine a stadium full of people and tons of them are wearing a shirt that supports your kid. I really struggled to keep it together.

Maddie ran out with the team, in fact, the Head Coach ran with her. It was wonderful as Maddie had been really worried about being the last one on the field when she heard that she would be running with the team. For a kid that is always last in gym class, is the last picked for a team and is the last one finished with anything athletic, this was really worrying Maddie. So, I shared this concern with the coach, and he turned something scary into something special!

Here they are running in. 

Here is Maddie with the Head Coach. They are getting ready to go out for the coin toss. Isn't this picture crazy. It's taken with the same camera at the same time as the other pictures, but the spotlight on Maddie and Coach is incredible!

Maddie was the Honorary Captain and she called the coin toss.

Here we are leaving the field. Don't you just love Kylie's pig tails!!

And the game starts!!

During the game, Doug and Maddie spent a lot of time on the sideline. But she still made time to play with Cousins!

Even Kylie and Lexi got turns to go on the sideline.

Don't you just love this picture of Kylie and her Cousin!! Sweet.

 

After the game.. It was incredible. We beat our Goliath.  Head Coach ran down the sideline waving our flag and hooting and hollering. It was such a memorable time.  And to be standing on the sideline. One of my highlights.

Then Head Coach got the team together and did his speech.  It was so fun to hear him. These boys had done something special and he praised them all. Then he called Maddie over and gave her the game ball! Oh yeah, I was teary!

 

And we finished the evening with a team picture. Complete with Maddie in the center.

 

 

The entire experience was one our family with never forget. The monetary gift to Maddie will be placed in a trust for her future medical expenses. Our prayer is that it will never have to be touched. But is sure is nice to know that we have it available for her care.

Living in a small town, there are trade offs. We don't have a lot of the amenities that others have.. but the community love of each other is better than any fancy restaurant!

Oh how blessed we are to live in the Ville.

Thankful Thursday.. Hallelujah, the house is ready to sell!

I can't believe we are back to Thursday again! Today is exactly 2 weeks since I started the quest to get the house ready to sell. It has been an exhausting effort, but the house looks great!

So if you know of anyone that needs a great place to live in Stephenville, Texas, send them my way!

Take a look at all of my work and the specs of our house by going to www.1302cleveland.com

Have a wonderful day.

And one more thing, if anyone gets this far.. pray for Maddie, she's had a flare up and has missed the last 2 days of school and I don't expect her to go today. She's only been to 2 softball practices and she can't go to practice today. I am thankful that we know what she has and how to deal with an autoimmune kidney disease, but it doesn't make it any eaiser.

Thanks.