From the time I stepped foot in my classroom on the first day of Kindergarten, I've been a Panther.
A
Lewistown Panther.
One that bled blue and white.
I proudly sported my blue and white "Seventh Ward Roadrunners" gear on all of the necessary 'school spirit days,' and that only got worse as I traded my blue and white t-shirts for blue and white
cheerleading uniforms and
Kaepa sneakers.
I took my job as a Panther Cheerleader from 4
th grade up through 12
th grade very seriously. I was proud to represent my school. Proud to cheer my buddies on towards victory. And proud to bleed blue and white.
So when I fell in love with an Indian Valley Warrior - the worst of the worst when it comes to school and hometown rivalries - I was doomed. He made it a small mission to turn me into a Warrior. I never wavered - and still announced how proud I was to be a Panther. Even after I got my first teaching job in an Indian Valley school, where I remain today, I was still a Panther. And when I married my handsome Warrior, and he made me buy a house in "warrior territory," I was STILL bleeding blue and white.
For the last few years that I've been a teacher at Indian Valley Middle School, I've had to 'pretend' to be a Warrior. I had to wear red and black and 'pretend' to be proud! I did it for my students and to be part of the faculty - but they knew I wasn't happy about it! I would wear my panther paw socks and keep them hidden under my jeans. Or I would wear my Panther football
tshirt under my warrior sweatshirt.
Sneaky, I know :) (It's a true miracle that I didn't get beat up!)
But only for one week.
Spirit Week!
The week that Indian Valley and
Lewistown face off in the 'iron kettle' match! The most exciting football game of the season - and my all time favorite game to cheer for, back in the day!
Today, my friends, is game day!
Today is 'Warrior Day' at
IVMS.
Today is our pep rally where we all get to celebrate our warriors and cheer them on for tonight's game!
And this morning, as I got dressed, I realized that I was dripping in red and black - instead of blue and white.
But wait. It gets worse.
Not only did I trade in my blue and white for a red and black
tshirt, jeans, and IV football sweatshirt, but Brooke was proudly dressed in a red and black sweatsuit. Topped off with a big white cheerleader bow. She's never looked cuter! And my mom might even bring her to the pep rally today!
When my warrior husband noticed how festive his wife and daughter were on 'iron kettle' day, he was proud to know that he has FINALLY changed me into a warrior.
And a proud warrior I am!
Maybe it's because I love my job and the interaction with all the little warriors every day...
Maybe it's because I love my husband - who makes one very handsome warrior...
Or maybe it's because my daughter will grow up to be a warrior...
Whatever it is, I'm bleeding red and black today.
Words I never thought I'd utter... but true, none the less.
Go Warriors!
Beat the Panthers!
A strange, new obsession with bellies has begun in our house...
...or maybe it's just the belly BUTTON...
Working with flash cards is Mommy's favorite activity these days.
Chicken noodle soup is her favorite meal...
...or teddy grahams.
...watching for Daddy to come back from hunting.
...don't need these silly socks.
...think skinny. 
...or teddy grahams.
...watching for Daddy to come back from hunting.
...don't need these silly socks.
...think skinny.
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