This was the first day of school picture for us this year. It felt very empty without John in it, but then again, we didn't have to wait for a reluctant eighteen year old who didn't want to have his picture taken on the first day of school anyway. Look! Three smiles! I took a few more pics and tried to arrange the kids in a more eye pleasing configuration, but Ace went from Smile, to Neutral, to Frowny Face with each additional picture I took, so LOOK! Smiles! 
On Friday of the first week Charlie and I hopped in the tiny car and drove to Lubbock to see John in his first game of the season. We got there at about 9:30 p.m. and they were still having a rehearsal so we checked in to the hotel that's across the street from the school and when he got done, he came over and visited us. He talked all about his first week and his teachers and band and friends and at one o'clock in the morning I yawned for the 50th time and looked over at Charlie who could barely keep his bloodshot eyes open and had to break the news to him that we were old and if we didn't go to sleep now, we would pass out. So he went to hang out with friends.
The next "morning" at around 10:30 we barged our way in to his dorm and made him get dressed so we could take him out to lunch and go shopping for the microwave he wanted. Charlie's best friend came over from Littlefield and we took him to Zio's where we ate pasta until we were sleepy again.
Then we went back to his dorm, unloaded his goodies and gathered his laundry and intoduced him to a Laundromat. He has laundry in the dorm, but as it was Saturday, there were no available washers and dryers. Despite the fact that he had done all his laundry last week, he had worn 14+ shirts in a week. But when you can do all 4 loads at the same time, the laundry mat is your friend! He had to be back at the music building at 3:00 to change into the first half of his uniform and at 4:00 they did a "Fan Performance" run-through on the practice field. 
After the run-through, they went back into the music building to get their jackets and hats and we followed him in and forced him to take pictures with us against his will.
At 5:05 they get into formation in the Music parking lot (practice field) and then march to the stadium, he said "You can march over with us, we do all kinds of fun stuff." So we did. And I have a video of that, which I haven't figured out how to download. I haven't watched it yet, but if memory serves, it shows the band marching out of the lot as I walk over to their planned route, then they march double-time past me and then you can see the video bounce around as I try to keep up without falling down. I think I might have pulled something. Charlie said he definitely sprained his spleen. By the time we got to the stadium I was drenched in sweat and huffing and puffing and had a cramp in my left calf, and I didn't even have a big heavy polyester band suit on. We took several wrong turns getting into the stadium (How hard could it be you ask? Plenty.) Then went the wrong way and found our section was on the other side of the field. We got there JUST in time to get out the video camera and film the preshow. It was exciting and awesome and unbelievable!
I bet the mother of the Quarterback has to take a Valium.
