Signs of the Season...

There's this:

Oh, yes! *Starbucks* Pumpkin Spice Lattes are back! I received an email from them yesterday announcing the return of the pumpkin latte as well as their new Toffee Mocha Latte.  Naturally, I had to stop on my way home this morning to try one. Just to make sure they were as good as I remember.  I think they are but I might have to try another one or twenty just to make sure.

It's definitely the season for this:

The first day of school - one senior and one freshman! Don't worry - that's not a gang symbol they are flashing.  The name of their high school starts with the letter "R" - so the school spirit symbol is a combination of the American Sign Language symbols for "I love you" and the letter "R." 

Then there's the sounds of the season:

Drums beating... my center tenor playing his way through the fall of his senior year.

Wondering why Burrito has a buzz cut?

That's because the back of his head has his drumline logo shaved into it.  All the tenors decided to do this as a team bonding experience.  One mom was not as thrilled about it as I was.  (Did I mention it was my idea? Definitely earned me "cool mom" points.)  Hey, if that's the worst thing he does during his senior year, we're in good shape!

There's cheerleaders cheering.

Did I mention she was selected as captain of the Freshman squad? Oh, yes, she is! 

Now, if we could just convince this Texas weather that it's truly time for Autumn.

Blessed, blessed and blessed!

I am rejoicing with my family in the blessing of a good report on my grandfather. Today, he was (finally!) able to undergo surgery for lung cancer. Although the pathology did confirm lung cancer, it was confined to one, very tiny spot. So, the doctors were able to handle the surgery with just a few small incisions and only removed a little portion of that one lobe rather than the entire lobe. Grandad tolerated the surgery so well that he will not need to be in ICU but will be taken directly to a regular room. The doctors are considering him "cured" and he will not require any additional treatments such as radiation or chemotherapy! Thank you to all of you who covered Grandad and his medical staff in your prayers. God is good, and He is faithful!!!

Kat and her cheer squad competed at a national cheer competition this past weekend and placed third overall in their division. This third place win also gave them a bid to the international competitions in April. Kat's team is smaller in number than a lot of the teams but they haven't allowed that to intimidate them. In fact, they use it to their advantage by showing off just how "clean" their performance and skills can be! They will be traveling to Dallas in April to compete at the international competition. Way to go, Kat - I am so very proud of you!

Guess what? I've been blessed, too. The "other" Dawn recently hosted a giveaway in honor of her 100th post and I won! The prize for this giveaway was an super-cute pendant created by artist Cathy Walters. You can see Cathy's gorgeous work in her etsy shop. Thank you, Dawn, for hosting this giveaway - I love your heart and your blog and I'm looking forward to reading hundreds more posts!

Finally, if you notice on my left sidebar, I have a Scripture verse that updates daily. Did you notice today's verse?

He will yet fill your mouth with laughing, and your lips with rejoicing. (Job 8:21)

How appropriate!

We cheered loud and proud!

Last weekend was all about Kat. We had dance rehearsals and dance recitals. Cheer practices and cheer competitions.

There were uniforms.


And make-up.

Lots and lots of make-up.


Friends.


And teammates.


Stoic contemplation about the competition ahead.


And much celebration.


Celebration over a second place trophy at their very first competition!

This weekend, it's all about Burrito and the drumline as they defend their title of "Best Drumline in Texas."

On your mark... get set...

Go!

(Photo credit: By hylander44 on Flickr.)

Put on your running shoes and see if you can keep up with us. It's gonna be a busy weekend. From my planner:

• Dance recital dress rehearsal (Done)
• Football game (Over - our team made the playoffs! How many more weeks of football?)
• Cheer practice (Done)
• Neighborhood yardsale (Going on as I speak type.)
• Bud fishing
• Craft show (Not enough hours in the day so I'm skipping it. *Humph.*)
• Purchase new hair curlers for Kat (Necessary to create "cheerleader hair.")
• Dance recital
• Cheer competition (We do live in Texas, y'all!)

That last item? Guaranteed to produce blog fodder for next week's postings. Maybe I'll even have pictures!

Take me out to the ball park... and cheerleading!

This is Kiddo Numero Dos. She's my favorite daughter! Yes, I only have one daughter but she's still my favorite one.

This is Kat with her best friend, M.

When Kat was small, we tried to find a hobby that she liked. After several unsuccessful and painful attempts (for Kat and for me!), we found the one that was perfectly suited for Kat's personality and physical skills. Gymnastics. She loved it and was quite good at it! The sport often made me a nervous wreck. Have you ever watched your five-year-old, favorite daughter cartwheel, flip and roll across a beam several feet off the ground? That will pretty much guarantee nerve problems. Let's not even talk about the uneven bars.

After we moved to Texas five years ago, we immediately went about finding a new gymnastics school for her. We found one we liked and all was well for the first year. Until she spotted them.

The Cheerleaders.

I'd heard the stories about Texas cheerleaders. And their moms. I'd even seen a television movie about them. I wasn't sure I was prepared to be one. I'm pretty much against murder-for-hire to advance your daughter's cheerleading prospects.

But, Kat insisted that cheerleading was what she really, really wanted to do! They were using a lot of the skills Kat already possessed. But cheerleading offered more. Stunts. Cool uniforms. Pretty ribbons tied around their ponytails. And pompoms. Thus began our cheerleading career.

Kat has been performing with a non-competitive show team for the last few years. The team is made up of girls who started out taking classes with the school. The girls are invited to join the show team if they are able to perform at an advanced skill level. Throughout the year, the show team performs at events in our community and during half-time shows for some of the semi-pro and college teams around us.

This past Sunday, the cheer team and some of the school's gymnasts were invited to perform prior to the start of our AAA farm team's baseball game. The girls were very disappointed when their performance time was reduced to only three minutes. Then, the park's facility manager went back on his previous agreement and told them they could not use their mats. And, the groundskeepers watered the grass - while the girls were warming up. Big deal? Well, it was to them. No mats and a wet, slippery ground meant that they were unable to do any stunts. Their routine had to be modified in an instant. Even the gymnasts were limited to simple, slow tumble passes.

Why tell you all of this? Well, because Kat would only allow me to post the video of them performing with the above disclaimers. Otherwise, you might think they stink. (Her words.)

I did (give the disclaimer), they didn't (stink) so here's the video. Kat is in the front most of the time - point position. She is also the one who starts and leads the yells.

Just when I was beginning to feel comfortable in this role as a cheer mom, I learned this past week that we are about to enter a whole new dimension beginning this fall.

Competition. Pray for us.