 |
| Look who forgot they've been married 7 years...! |
This weekend was amazing. For three reasons. (Andrew's Note: Four.)
1. I didn't clean anything....again. Always a good reason to celebrate.
2. I went to a party. For me. Evidently, I'm a good reason to celebrate.
3. Andrew and I had another wedding anniversary. Which we forgot. So we celebrated... late, but the point is that we celebrated eventually. Once we remembered. 4 days later. Our bad.
4. I got awesome bright-as-the-sun running shoes to punish myself with.
So my band kids threw me a HUGE going away party. More specifically, their parents and a few key students organized the shindig... it was unbelievable. From huge banners saying "Bon Voyage Redmons" to incredible food to speeches made by many students, it was an unforgetable evening. I was so overwhelmed by the entire thing that I completely forgot to get pictures of the event, which just about kills me. Just picture an extravagant even with all my favorite people and lots of tears. It was amazing. It is the last time I'll see some of my students, and I couldn't think of any other way I'd like to finish my time as a band director.
As if that wasn't enough, the kids got me all sorts of meaningful gifts. This is a quilt made by two of my band moms of a few of our band t-shirts. The band kids signed the quilt in non-washable marker. So fun!
 |
| Can't wait to use this in Saudi... oh wait. |
 |
| $10 for you if you understand what Kyle is referring to when he says 'TEOTWAWKI" partner. |
The band moms also compiled a recipe book but made it into a recipe book/scrapbook combo. It is awesome! Some of my favorite pics of the kiddos along with their favorite family recipes! And they brought the food from the recipe book for us to eat at the party. Mmmmmm...food.
 |
| That's Anthony. He's my student conductor this year. He is ridiculously amazing. |
One of my kids (Anthony, in the pic above) made me a "mum", which is kind of a Texas tradition during Homecoming each year.
(For those of you wondering what in the world a mum is, it should make you feel better to know that it took me 2 or 3 years to understand what they were and I still don't understand why they exist. It's pretty insane, but if you criticize them, Texas will secede from you and deem you not worthy of its' time...and probably just conquer you later anyway.)
I hate them (mums, not Texans...shhh, wife, they'll destroy us!!). The girls get these from their Homecoming dates, and wear them to school on Friday before the homecoming game. Each mum has hundreds of ribbons, bling, glitter and cowbells. They are noisy and multiply them times the amount of females in your classroom and you have an idea of how much actual teaching goes on in class that day. Cough.... none. This is my mum from the band. Nerds. Should be fun getting this baby past Saudi security. (Luckily there's no "World of Pork" ribbon).
 |
| More cloth on the mum than the shorts I'm wearing. (Approve.) |
 |
| It just screams... Look At Me!! I'm annoying and I will disrupt your class! |
Everything at the party had a theme, even the flowers. This is the first flower arrangement I've ever received with a Saudi Arabian flag in it. (Their flag can be a bit jarring amongst a serene flower background.)
 |
| Arabic flowers? |
Finally, in band this year the kids and I have been keeping track of 1000 things we're thankful for, (Wife, there are only 700 ways to write "Andrew" or "Husband".) and writing those things on sheets of white paper on the walls of the band room. We made it all the way to 1000 a few days ago! The kids secretly had the list condensed from the large pieces of paper to a small book for me so that I can actually take it with me. This will be useful when its 120 degrees and I'm lacking in things to be thankful for...... Heat?? H$#@ no.
 |
| A few bandies and pages from the 1000 gifts thanks list. Just picture these completely surrounding my classroom. |
 |
| Page one of the 1000 gifts thanks list |
On a more serious(?) note, I love my hubby. Yay for his weirdness and creativness and wonderfulness. I'm kind of obsessed. (She must be, to have been with me for this long through all those dark times of dressing in hobbit costumes, going to highland games, and listening to me suggest "Saving Private Ryan" for family movie nights at least once a month and still laughing at it. I love you too and I may or may not be obsessed with you as well....like that time when Frodo loved the Ring so much that.....nevermind. Case in point.)
Wow.
No comments:
Post a Comment