David and I attended the Howard Payne University homecoming festivities yesterday. We decided to make it a day trip this year rather than fork out the dough for a hotel room. (Our usual lodging for homecoming moved closer to us this summer which we really like. Believe me, I'd much rather have my in-laws close enough to keep the boys once a week or so instead of just seeing them every few weekends.) Anyway, we're only an hour and a half away and it is really quite manageable for a day trip - as long as the boys aren't with us and they weren't. Nathan got to spend some time with my parents and Benjamin got to spend time with David's parents.
My favorite alumni and I were actually up and ready and on the road to Brownwood by 7 a.m. We arrived and registered and then attended a choir concert at 9 in FBC Brownwood which is located just across the street from campus. (The building they usually have the concert in on campus, Mims Auditorium, is being renovated.) At the end of the concert each year all choir alumni are invited to join the choir on stage for a final song. Here's David in the mix. Can you see him? It's kind of like those "Where's Waldo?" books. It would really help if he had a red and white striped hat on - not going to happen.
I zoomed in a little to take the next shot.
We went to a reception in the FBC Fellowship Hall and afterwards as we were heading out some of our friends from Heritage Singers (an ensemble of about fourteen people that David was in while at HPU) were standing around the piano about to sing an arrangement of "Shout To The Lord" that they had performed a decade ago. It sounded great - they've still got it.
After the concert we watched the parade, visited the bookstore, had lunch on the grounds (catered by Underwood's Cafeteria - yeah!), went to the game (a disappointing loss to Louisiana State but the marching band looked great), drove around some of our favorite spots in town, ate dinner at CiCi's pizza (we were going to eat at Mr. Gatti's but it had gone out of business -so sad), then went to the Homecoming Musical "Bye, Bye, Birdie."
Well, here it is Renee and anyone else who cares, the first pic of my new do. I told you it was short! I had the girl sitting next to us at the musical take this shot.
And last but not least we went down to "our tree" outside the girls dorm (the tree where we shared our first kiss in December '93) to steal a kiss before we headed back to Abilene. A couple of girls were walking up and we asked them if they would snap this for us.
We had a great day except for the fact that my mom called during the game to say that Nathan was running a fever, poor little guy, and his asthma is acting up again. Benjamin ran a fever earlier in the week which I just attributed to the fact that he is teething but it might have been a bug. Anyway, he ran fever for two days and then was better so I hope Nathan is soon feeling better too. Please remember him in your prayers.
