This weekend is the
Renegades camp. Chris is there... I knew I'd miss him as soon as he walked out the door. But for some reason I feel like I've been abendoned somewhat. Not to make it sound aweful...but if I could march, I would. Life in the Renegades move on with or without me. The Renegades has been a part of me since 2003... and now at its peak, I'm not a part of it anymore.
For a lot of reasons I know I will never have any regrets of being there. I made many friends and some are life time friends. Every person in the corps has something special that makes it them. Everyone has their own place that touched my life in some way along the 3 years. I appreciate every minute of my Renegades time.
Let's recap...
My first year, 2003.... I was asked by good friend and mentor Kathy P to join. In June at PP. I thought about it for about a month. We tried working out the babysitting schedule with both our boys. The main reason I didn't want to march was because I was a single mom. It wasn't fair for either Reese or myself to be gone so much when he depends on me and only me. My mom was very kind and she helped with Reese when I decided to take on drum corps again. But at the same time, it was only end of July through the first week of September.... it couldn't be that bad. Kathy and I ...and Ron and I spent much time in their backyards teaching me the work to the entire production. Then the day of the Sunnyvale show, I learned some of the drill and plugged in some work. That night I performed the first 2 statements of the show and sat out the rest.
Just when I thought this is it for me. I stood on the field at retreat thinking about how great of feeling it was to just be there, competing once again. I couldn't wait until the 2004 open house. What's happening with me. These people welcomed me with open arms and I fit in beautifully. Why ruin a good thing.
I weighed the pros and cons of marching another year. The pros sure outweighed the cons here. There is some sort of a cult-ish feeling within the drum corps community. We are one of a kind.
2004 was a fun year. In the beginning there were so many people looking to fill only a few open spots. I wasn't worried that I wouldn't get a spot to march. Not trying to be egotistical or anything. I just figured that people will weed themselves out as they see things here aren't as easy as they might have thought.
The year flew by..... Somewhere in the months of May through July 04, Chris and I got reacquainted.... slowly, but I wouldn't have it any other way. We worked out and got ourselves free from unhappiness at our then-home and made a new home for us. It helps that he is excellent with Reese. They are quite the same boys actually.
At DCA 2004 I was still contemplating whether or not I was going to return in 2005. Only because I felt that Reese needed me more now than ever.
Chris needed me on the field with him and Reese has many loving family members that are more than willing to take care of him when we're at rehearsals.
Christmas time 2004 Chris asked me to marry him when just about a month prior at our private Thanksgiving dinner at home, we discussed the possibilities of another child. We marched 2005 together while a wedding is being planned and Reese getting ready to begin his first year of public school. I'm not really sure how we pulled it off, but we got hitched and pregnant at the same time!!
Now that the Renegades have begun their 2006 season, and I'm not a part of it.... I am feeling a little abandoned.
Chris and I have begun the new chapter as husband and wife. That is one reason I will look back at only the things that made me happy. Being on the field and hearing "From San Francisco....THE RENEGADES!!"
nt by November.... we were. We hope and pray that this baby is a girl... it is. Now we just hope and pray some more that she is a healthy happy girl!
