Go Wildcats

Tonight was homecoming for the thriving metropolis of Jenison MI. Green and White were proudly worn through out the community and football fever was in the air. Spirit week left Johanna with great anticipation of football.

The Zuidema girls decided to brave the brisk air and the late night for school spirit. We fill a bag full of mittens and scarves, grabbed some candy, practiced a few cheers and then...

We arrive, we park and we wait (apparently getting there 1hour and 15 minutes early is not necessary.) Tickets are bought and the gate opens, we find a great spot on the bleachers, where we sit for 1 hour until kick off. Well let me back up. By "sit" I mean: stand, climb, sit, wiggle, scooch, stand, jump, hit sibling, make silly faces, ask 20 million questions including "do we hate the other team?" (NO, we love everyone!)

Finally enter football players for warm up: This begins a 20 minute series of giggles and the players stretch, run, and bash into each other followed by questions like "are we winning? (no, we have not even started yet.) Things start to look up when the cheerleaders, balloons, flags and mascot enter. What little girl would not like this!?! Well, the answer is mine. So after begging them to watch all the cool stuff, I finally let it go and they go back to their "sitting"

The game starts with the National Anthem where an excited Johanna proclaims: "Hey I know this song!" And then the interest is over. But the kids are still having fun so I am committed to power through until 1/2 time where the band comes back out and since it is homecoming there will be floats, homecoming courts and beautiful girls in stunning dresses. We count down the minutes. The kids are getting tired and cold. They are kicking strangers all around them. Abby is trying to eat sunflower seed shells from the creepy guy sitting next to us. And just as half time is about to start, the announcer reminds us to stay after the game for the floats and the dresses and the homecoming festivities. WHAT! AFTER the game, we barely made it to half time! Hanna is stunned, her hopes are crushed. Well, I say, at least we can watch the marching band... (which lasts 2 minutes because they are playing a "scary song"). So off we go, back to our car, hand in hand.

As we get into the car Hanna states "This was great! I want to do it again!"