I remember homecoming in high school and college with fond memories. Working in Tracey Vosler’s barn our senior year every single night trying to make our senior float perfect. Frozen hands, hot chocolate, laughing with classmates and getting more and more excited for homecoming. Friday arrives, the day of the annual parade. We wake to 60 mile an hour winds and snow (gotta love Wyoming!). The float was blown to pieces getting out of the Vosler’s barn. So, we did what you do in Wyoming,we road on the back of a truck with absolutely zero decorations (no other floats survived either, so it was the most boring parade in the history of East High school). Homecoming at UNC — sorority parties – fraternity parties- – the annual Greek sing (winning with the Lambda Chi house) – parent weekend – alumni weekend. Great memories.

My two oldest are in the middle of homecoming week at Blue Valley High in Leawood, Kansas. It’s amazing how much everything is the SAME. Spirit days, bonfires, football, a dance and of course, corsages. Okay, so some things are different – no Journey or Wham at the dance, the dresses look more like prom and they spend way more on the dinner. The entire community will turn out for the game tomorrow night – it feels like a small town and 1986 all over again (no dippity-do in my hair, no izod shirts with my collar standing straight up and my pink penny loafers are long gone – what was I thinking?!!?).

I love seeing my boys enjoying homecoming week — playing football for the team, playing in the marching band in the parade, winning the dance contest at the school bon fire last night, ordering the corsage for the date on Saturday and planning a dinner out with a large group of best friends. It takes us back to ’86.

The world seems to going crazy tonight. Fear seems to be everywhere. But, here in Leawood Kansas things seem very right.. Teenagers excited about a big game tomorrow night – parents excited about cheering them on – girls buying new dresses – boys hoping they can wear running shoes instead of dress shoes, first dates and homecoming royalty. As much as the world seems to change … the homecoming traditions still remain the same. With the world going crazy…. I am grateful in Kansas (let’s hope the DJ plays a little Talking Heads – the kids don’t know what they are missing!!).