10 years gone by

I have been reflecting a lot this past year on what was happening 10 years ago. 1998 was a big year for me. I still lived at home but was working full time, paying my own way through college and performing with a World Class Independent (the top of the pecking order) WGI affiliated winterguard. I was never to know at the beginning of the year what a turning point the year would be in my life.
* January: I obviously didn’t know it at the time, but my youngest future step-son was born.
* March 9: my well loved, adored, favorite Uncle died of cancer.
* April 4: I performed my last competitive winterguard show. The rules don’t (at least they didn’t in 1998) allow you to compete past a certain age, termed “aging-out” once you retire you are an “age-out”. We were retired at the ripe old age of 22.
* Summer: I received a phone call from my mentor, instructor and WGI hall-of-famer, Stanley, who asked me if I’d be interested in teaching a high school colorguard during the fall. He would choreograph during band camp and I would be there for all the rehearsals and competitions to run the group. I was ecstatic that he would pick ME and that I would have this alone time with the great Stanely! Of course I took the job.
* August 13-16: I went to Disney World (Best place ever) with a friend to watch DCI (Drum Corps International) Finals, and to “run-into” a friend that I decided I wanted attention from. In the fledgling days of the internet, before Expedia and Travelocity, I put this whole trip together for the 2 of us. Hotel, flight, car rental, event tickets, Disney passes and SeaWorld tickets for just over $500. I’m still pretty proud of myself.
* August 24: Band Camp started for the high school group I was referred to. I was introduced to the rest of the staff, which consisted of a percussion instructor, my future husband.
* Mid November: I realized I was wishing to have more and more attention from this percussion instructor (K) and started, uncharacteristically and shamelessly, flirting. It paid off.
* November 25: I received a call at work from K asking me out to dinner. Funny story – my Mom and I worked at the same place and she was covering the phones that day. She transferred the call to me and whispered across the isle to me “It’s a BOY on the phone!!”
* November 28: Our/My first date. We’ve been inseparable ever since.
* November 30: First work day after our date. He sent me flowers! I have never been so red in my life!
* December 23: We exchanged gifts. I got him this, you know a cymbal, like on a drum set. I didn’t know at the time, how perfect for him it was. He said later that at that moment he realized how much I already knew him and his ex never would have thought of it. He knew then he would marry me. We/I had our/my first kiss. (Yes I was a late bloomer.) He was a gentleman and waited a whole month of dating before kissing me or holding my hand. He later confessed he still felt guilty because he had been married for so long.