I’m linking up with Andrea today for Show & Tell Tuesday and today is…tell (and show) us who you were in high school!
Listen, I’m excited about this one! I dug around and found some old photo albums, dusted them off and proceeded to spend a good amount of time reminiscing. Here’s the thing…I really loved high school. I did not enjoy college at all (another post for another time), but I loved high school. So, since my college experience was blah, I’m glad I had a great time way back in high school.
Here’s a little show and tell about me in high school…
I graduated from Irving High in 2000.
I grew up in Irving and for the most part, went to school with the same people from kindergarten through 12th grade. Irving is a really big urban city that bleeds right into Dallas…so it’s not small. It’s famous for being the home of DFW Airport and the Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys’ stadium was there for 37 years (until 2008 when they moved it to Arlington), but their practice facilities have remained there.
Irving is home.
I was really involved in school. My class had around 500ish kids in it. I took every AP class I could (with the exception of science…no thank you AP science), was involved with the Student Council, National Honor Society, President of the French Club, the youth program at our church, and when we graduated, I was in the top 10% of my class academically. At the end of the year, the students and faculty could vote on their “Top Tigers” (these are seniors who represented the school well…there were only a handful), and I was one of them. I mean…I really, really loved my time in high school.
Listen, it’s football in Texas…it’s all very Friday Night Lights over here :).
My senior year, our football team went to the playoffs…this sign was gigantic and hung in Texas Stadium during our playoff games…and my dad was the one who painted it…at our house on our driveway ;).
This was from our homecoming my senior year. For those of you not from Texas…those are mums. Mums are HUGE (both literally and figuratively). We all took great pride in our mums ;). After homecoming, we would hang them up in our rooms and admire them. My four mums (from four years of high school) hung proudly in my room until my parents moved while I was in college. That’s my friend Kerri, isn’t she so cute?! My hair…is well, large here.
I pretty much had the same boyfriend all through high school. For a brief second, we broke up our junior year and dated other people…but for the most part, it was just him. I went to homecoming with him our sophomore, junior and senior years (he was the Homecoming King our senior year). My freshman year, I went with a really good friend.
The biggest part of my high school experience was the fact that I was on the drill team all four years. My sophomore through senior year, I was the First Lieutenant.
With my parents on Senior Night.
My junior and senior years, I was asked to be a Symphony Belle. Irving (the city, not the high school…there are 3 high schools in Irving and mine just happens to be called Irving High) has a symphony and Belles volunteer before, after and during performances. So, I volunteered both years and during my senior year, we had a Belle Ball. This is me at the Belle Ball. Belles all wear the same dresses…each year the dress is different. Our senior year, the dresses were a wee bit sparkly, no?
Sparkly and fun!
My bestie Kara and I at our Student Counsel Banquet. Fast forward 15 years later…
…and we’re still besties :). Here we are just a few weeks ago with our kiddos after swimming. We’ve known each other since the sixth grade, went to college together, stood up for each other when we got married and are still the best of friends today. This girl knows all of my secrets ;).
Bonus fact…Kara went to prom with The Bachelor my little brother :).
Remember when I said that main boyfriend and I broke up for a minute during our junior year? Well, we both ended up going to the senior prom with seniors during that quick break. Here I am (as a junior) going to prom with a senior…
Yes, I didn’t go to prom with that guy. I just wanted you to see my friend Tim. I love me some Tim. I love him so much that I was super, super thrilled when he grew up and married my bestie Kara :).
So, that’s a little peek into me in high school. Good school, good friends, good church community, lots of fun on the drill team plus loads of other activities…it was a blast. I’m so glad that I fully participated in as many things as I could. I was telling Kensington the other day about how the other stuff (the extracurricular) is what I remember the most and what made high school for me. Classes were fine and everything…but the clubs/teams/activities are what I remember the most.
Of course it wasn’t all fun and games…there were hard times too.
During my sophomore year, my myofunctional problems began and my parents started taking me to see different doctors…we all know how this story ends, right? Fast forward to when I’m 28 years old and I finally (praise Jesus!) find the doctor that fixes me. You can see in every single picture here how my bite is sooooooo off. Sigh.
In March of my junior year, I had surgery on my neck that was serious and thankfully, resolved. I missed quite a bit of school and have a nice scar on my neck to remind me of that time.
But the biggest thing I take away from that time in my life is that I lost my grandfather. My grandfather was only 46 when I was born…so, he was very much like a second dad in my life. We were extremely close.
Granddaddy and me :). This was taken on my 16th birthday. This picture is framed on my desk so that I can see it every day.
My sophomore year, he was diagnosed with lymphoma and his cancer was a strong presence during my time in high school. On August 9, 1999 (just days before my senior year), I was up at the hospital with him filling out my SAT and ACT applications while he watched the Cowboys preseason came. We laughed and talked and had the best time (just like we always did). I kissed him goodbye around 9:00 and drove to Irving High where the seniors were all camping outside in front of the main doors so that the next morning at 8:00 AM, we could get first pick of parking spaces for our senior year (it was a tradition to camp out all night so that you could get the best spot…seniors got to go first). I stayed up all night outside with my friends, picked the best spot the next morning and then went straight to drill team practice at 9:00 AM. About an hour into drill team practice, my dad walked into the gymnasium and I knew as soon as I saw him that I needed to go. I got in my red car and drove straight back up to the hospital where I stood at my grandfather’s bedside as he took his last breath.
So, my senior year (which started five days later) was awesome…but definitely marked by loss.
That’s it folks! That was high school.
Next time on Show & Tell Tuesdays, we’re sharing where we were on 9/11.
And to see posts from the past…
(I was in China for the first two, so I wasn’t able to participate.)
Since yesterday, I announced the winner of my $500 Visa Gift Card Giveaway and my 100th Bar Recipe, today, we’re doing Meal Planning Monday Tuesday.
Click here to see my meals for the week.
Happy Tuesday friends!!
JulieAnn Greenfield says
I am with you I loved high school! College for me was also blah! I am glad you brought up Mums…. I went with the same boyfriend {now husband} my sophomore to senior year of high school and I think each years Mum was bigger than the last 🙂
Sheaffer {Pinterest Told Me To} says
Shay! I will NEVER tire of seeing old pics of my friends! It's so fun to get a peek into each other's lives!!!!! And your high kicks? Impressive! 🙂
Erika Slaughter says
I could have totally gotten behind that Belle thing-I was all about the sparkly dresses in high school. #canyouaddafewmoresequins. And so sweet that you and Kara go way back!
Narci says
So fun!! Look at how cute were in that sparkly purple dress!! I love!!
Aubrey says
What a sweet baby face! Love all the old pictures!
Sarah Kuykendall says
Thanks for sharing! So fun! I'd love a post about your college experience sometime too.
Laci Murray says
I agree 100% that high school was so much fun for me!!! Much more fun than college! Blah! You were extremely active and I want my kids to be the same way.
Jenna {Real Simple Girl} says
Such fun pics and stories from your high school years! My friend and I went to different high schools and were just reminiscing the other night about our high school days, and we were talking about sending each other pictures of what we looked like! I'm sorry your senior year was marked by the loss of your grandfather. I lost mine during my junior year, and like you, I was very close to him, like a second dad. Thanks for sharing your memories!
Leigh Clark says
The mums!! I had no idea Texas did it SO big!! Beautiful then and beautiful now – your grandfather would be proud!!
Molly Middleton says
Hi Shay 🙂 I'm pretty sure this post solidifies the fact that I think we are the same person. My post basically says all the same things. I got chills reading what you said about your granddaddy because that exact same thing happened to me the fall of my senior year with my grandma. With dating the same guy, loving high school and not college, being best friends with the same girl, volunteering, etc. But I went to Frisco schools K-12 instead of Irving 😉 It's basically all the same. I hope you do post about college another time 🙂
Robyn Marrie says
Loved your pictures and stories! I can totally relate- lots of fun times in school!
Lynn Parker says
I love this post! I'm a long time reader and I also went to Irving High – although I graduated several years before you (1985)! I was also a Toy Tiger and a leader my senior year. The traditions you described had changed since I went to IHS – so funny! I went to Crockett and then IHS. I then went to college and taught elementary school with Coach Bennett's wife. She was so sweet! I loved your photos and they brought back some memories for me! TTSGGG! (Did you all still sing the Toy Tiger song at the end of practice?) Do you still have your baton?
Taeryn Bemont says
Such a great post! One thing that I wanted to ask you about is the number of people in your class / year group. I grew up in South Africa and now live in the UK and the schooling systems in both countries are very similar and in both you would have a maximum of about 150 people in one year and I'm talking about a big city like Johannesburg which has 7 million people and so is roughly the size of London. 500 ish seems so enormous! How many people are there in the whole high school then?
Mix and Match Mama says
In our area, I would say that's very average. Our school had about 2000 students.
Todd and Courtney says
This is so fun! I went to high school in San Antonio (now live in Chattanooga, TN) and it seems like nobody really knows what mums are unless you're from Texas. My sister lives in Ft Worth now and she taught in Irving because now working in Ft. Worth Schools. I sure do miss my Texas roots & fly out every 6 weeks or so to look at different parts of town to see about moving (been to McKinney, Frisco, Ft. Worth, Highland Park, Aledo, etc) So miss it!
maureen says
I loved your post! And I am crying so hard about your Grandfather, I can barely write this! I loved high school and all the activities! I am so glad I took part in everything, I just wish I had spent a little less time on my hair and what boys to go out with and a little more time on my studies!! LOL! It wasn't until I was in college that I realized I was actually smart! Thanks for sharing!
Sarah says
Love the mums! Had no idea this was a thing. Also, I thought about you this morning while watching the news. They are changing the pumpkin spice latte!! Why mess with perfection?! Hope it isn't to much of a change.
Dawn says
So fun! Love!! I too loved high school and was blah about college!! There's just something about going to school with friends from your comminity and friends who know your family, etc.
Meghan Moellman says
Looks like you had a fun, fabulous high school adventure!! I completely agree- it's the life outside of classes that makes high school the best! I have to say, I'm always jealous of anyone who grew up in the south where football is such an important experience- it wasn't at my high school. I always craved an experience like Friday Night Lights… okay, maybe I just craved Tim Riggins (; Thanks for sharing today!
Jenny Lindner says
Lol! Tim Riggins! Love love loved FNL! 🙂
Kim A says
Ok, you're going to have to elaborate on the mums lol. What was the point of them? I've honestly never heard of such a thing and most girls around here wouldn't want something that big covering up their dress. Do they still wear these today?
Mix and Match Mama says
Yes!! Mums are big business in Texas :). Ridiculous, I know!
JenniferJ says
I had the same gown as your Belle Ball gown! In Virginia Beach we have Neptune Festival and they chose a "court" of senior girls to be Princesses and we all wear the same clothes and gown and each year is different and THAT gown was our gown too! How funny!
Stefenie Garcia says
I loved Irving HS!! It was so much fun! Our school was the best!! We went all out when we had homecomings! I remember when I moved away and went to my new schools homecoming they were nothing like Irving's! They didn't dress up at all! Bummer! I held on to my mums for as long as I could remember. I still have tons of pics from Crockett Junior H and Irving H! Those were the good old days!! To this day me and Michelle are the best of friends! Loved reading this! ?
Lauren says
This post was great, wow, memory lane! I was at my parent's house last week and found a big box with my drill team hat, letter jacket and a photo album of all drill team pics. I remember you were in my "squad" when I was 1st Lieutenant…gosh, what a lifetime ago! I'm glad we both took such great memories away from IHS AND from being in the best youth group around! 😉
Jeanie says
That was fun! I noticed how much your dad looks like your brother (or vice-versa) and how Kensington resembles you, especially in the first picture with your BFF. I can relate to the loss of your grandfather. My grandmother and I were very close, too.
Leigh says
I should've a Belle because I have a deep love for sequins and sparkly dresses. I would've been all over that tradition! Love this post. I was one of those people who LOVED college and not high school (nothing bad happened, I just never found "my place"), but I really adore reading other people's high school experiences.
Mix and Match Mama says
That was me in college…I never found my place and I didn't try hard enough to find one.
Misty says
I grew up in Irving as well, went to MacArthur, and I was a Symphony Belle as well! Just nine years before you though 😉 Enjoyed this post since its my hometown too!
Cathy's World says
I have only left a comment once but I read your blog every morning. It is one of my favorites. I had to comment today because I saw that you graduated the same year that my son did. My son was diagnosed with brain cancer shortly after his senior year began. He too was in all honor classes since seventh grade. He left his junior year with a 4.3 gpa. During that summer things started to happen and wrong diagnosis were made. He got to attend the first day of his senior year. That was it. Shortly after that, he was diagnosed. I can recall all the way back to when he was in 5th grade and he would say, "I can't wait for my senior year." He loved school. He only needed on credit to graduate. He got to come home for a few days once. We had to push him in a wheelchair, due to a stroke, but he got to attend his graduation. Sadly, he passed away at 17 years old after an 11 month stay in Children's Hospital. I always think of him as a 17 year old young man. Your post made me realize that he would have probably had a family, a house and without a doubt, a great job in sports broadcasting. He read the newspaper at 3 years old and knew all the stats of the Los Angels Angels where we live here in California. He had a love for sports and thrived in journalism. I guess I never realized how much he would have accomplished in life. He will always be in my mind, and heart, a young man. He will always be forever young. He had a love for Jesus. I know he is in Heaven and I will see him again. Loved reading about your high school years and I love your blog. 🙂
Lisa Nortman says
Your son sounds like a real angel! So sorry for your loss but I know you treasure your memories of that forever young guy.
Dana Rae says
Super small word! I went to Irving High School as well (class of '96)! I actually know so many girls who you probably graduated with! And I was actually at the playoff game that you pictured. My (now ex) sister in-law was a varsity cheerleader. Sorry to ramble, but after all these years I didn't know you were from Irving, too!