Marching Band, not just halftime entertainment

The Pride of Broken Arrow performing 2013's Utopia

Dear Staff and Creative directors of the Pride of Broken Arrow,

For some time now I’ve been wanting to express my great appreciation to you and the entire Pride staff.  I’ve had the privilege to support 2 daughters in the color guard, Molly and Katie, with the hopes for the remainder of my 4 children left at home to march someday with the Pride.    Please bear with me as I try to express in words the feelings of gratitude in my heart.

I am keenly aware that parenting is all about teaching, guiding and finding those opportunities in life as they become available.  The past few months have been chopped full of those parenting moments for me, Katie and the rest of my children.  When I was diagnosed with cancer my world was shaken,  and I thought I had felt the deepest of earth trembling shakes when my husband had passed away, I was wrong.  Your eyes are opened wide when you are given the task of fighting for life,  I was awoken to what being a mother was really about, one of them being the joys of simple things. 

This year’s show, Katie’s first year performing with the Pride was a God given blessing to me and my family.  Funny that a high school marching band can move a 39 year old mother to such emotions but it has.  As the season progressed, Kate and I would have night time discussions after practice, after football games, after wonderful trips to super regionals about how simple and beautiful the show was and how the music was soul moving.  Those moments with my daughter are forever etched in my mind and I hope lasting memories for her as well, for isn’t that what life is really about, creating those memories?   Being curious about the music, one afternoon I took it upon myself to research.   Not being very musically knowledgeable, I had no background information about the music composed by Aaron Copland.  I was moved to tears when the feelings that I had recently began to appreciate about life was an inspiration for the music;  Simple Gifts, the shakers hymn being the inspiration behind his beautiful composition Appalachian Springs.

"Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free,
'Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be,
And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
'Twill be in the valley of love and delight.

When true simplicity is gain'd,
To bow and to bend we shan't be asham'd,
To turn, turn will be our delight,
Till by turning, turning we come round right."

Katie Rose, center front color guard

I’m sure it was never your intentions to produce a show just for my family, I can just see you and Wes thinking “Hmm, how can we lift the spirits of the Summers family”  :)  But this is the purpose of my deepest thanks,  you did such this year when you guided, taught and inspired those children to become the best musicians and dancers they could possibly be.  You took beautiful music, the inspiration behind the music and produced something magical that I will never forget.  My family understands the importance of what this life is all about, time with each other, sharing opportunities, living life and enjoying the simplest of things, hugs, kisses, laughter, tears, joy and music. 

Thank you all for giving of so much of your life to this wonderful organization.  I will forever remember this time in my family’s life that we were taught and moved and lifted by something as simple as,  the Pride of Broken Arrow. 

Sincerely,

Rebecca

Katie Rose

"I started to pray"

When Duane was diagnosed in 2007 we were both adamant about keeping a journal of how we navigated through his cancer.  That lasted maybe a week.  I do have some great letters to rely on and a few inspirational journal entries to reread when I feel low.  I did start to blog, it was therapeutic, I loved writing, sharing my thoughts to be forever burned onto the internet(for better and for worse).  It was almost immediately after my diagnosis of cancer that I decided to continue on that path of blogging, for me, for my own personal journal, a journal that I could share with whom ever stumbled by.  I don't want to forget the little tender mercies, the moments that someday I will cherish.

Early this morning, around 5 a.m., I woke with a panic. Yep, I was still in this reality of cancer, yesterday wasn't just a bad dream.  Instantly my tears started to flow and as much as I could stifle the cry, the audible sobs surfaced.  Each night my little girls have taken turns having a "sleep over" in moms room.  I like it, sometimes they fight over it, having a little body with me is comforting.  Last night was Hannah's turn, my rowdy, tenacious 7 year old.  As I sat on the edge of my bed sobbing, trying to be quiet, a little hand reached up and started to rub my back.  Can you just imagine what that did to me?  Being a mom is the best job in the world!  I quickly was able to pull it together, snuggle that sweet child, kiss her forehead and whisper "go back to sleep baby".

I took my sob session to the bath, hoping to hide the pain I was feeling.  As I continued to cry I became calm and relaxed.  At the time I assumed it was the wonderful smell of lavender and the sunrise that I was witnessing outside but as my sweet Hannah approached me this morning about my tears she explained that "mommy, I knew you were crying in the bathtub, I started to pray for you."  What an amazing moment, what an amazing feeling to know your child felt compassion, your child knew who to turn to, her Father in Heaven.  That was my tender mercy for the day.  My sweet Hannah, sharing with me the power of prayer.  I will cling to that power, that faith my 7 year old exhibited.  Lesson learned.

Do it for them

I have always centered my entire world around these babies, my Seven Super Summers.  Since the moment I discovered my beautiful Molly would be coming to my world I shifted my priorities, happily.  They are my everything.  Every gray hair comes from them, every sleepless night, every stomach ache, all the worry lines, from these little monkeys I gladly accept.  But with all those things, things the world would consider negatives has come such joy!  They give me a purpose in life, a goal to reach, a reason to carry on.  They are my children, entrusted to me by a loving Father in Heaven to care, love, nurture and raise righteously. 

Five years ago when Duane passed away, I could have easily curled up and shriveled away from the world.  I had lost the love of my life to colon cancer, an ugly and unwanted word in our home.  My children, my Seven Super Summers, my little saviors, they saved me everyday.  They gave me hope and a reason to hold on, keep going and keep my chin up.  Sometimes I would fail, I'm only human, sometimes the grief would consume me but it wouldn't take long before I pulled myself back into a peaceful spot.  They always pulled me back.

So tonight I write this entry, alone in my bed, contemplating the new task that I have been given, a fight I have to fight.... I have colon cancer.  I have the unwanted word, I have the horrid disease that took my husband from me that November day in 2008.  I am human, I have at several points today been on the brink of utter despair.  Cried the ugly cry, thought the why, thought the what are the odds, given in to the negativity yet there was always something pulling me back to center, my Molly and Ben, Katie and Mr. Jack, sweet Grace and my littles, Hannah and Emma.  They are my gravity, my life, my reason to fight and fight with every blasted breath in my body.  Tonight, I Do It For Them!!