We have found a new footing—making new traditions as great as possible. Staying up late eating popcorn instead of a football game. Drawing Daddy pictures and cards so he knows we are thinking of him always.
Author: Lesley Ann Jones
Lesley Ann Jones is a band director’s wife in Katy, TX. She has one future tuba-playing son who just turned three. She works full-time as a business analyst in the Oil & Gas industry. When she’s not toddler-wrangling, she serves as the photography chair for the band and volunteers at church. In her spare time…wait….nevermind. Catch her snaps of band wife life at @crhsbandwife on Instagram.
Dear Senior Band Members, We Miss You Already
For our tribe, band kids always reign supreme—because if you can march backwards playing music and survive sight reading and summer camp, then, by George, we think you have a darn good shot at being amazing. Because you already are.
Football Might Bring Us to the Stadium; But Community is What Gives it Life
Football is the reason we’re brought together, to cheer on the game and its players, but it takes on life because of the surroundings—I am moved by the music, join in with the cheerleaders, become gracious in a win, remain respectful in a loss, join in the celebration of our school, and most of all, I also find imperfect people around me who are trying to grow a community.
What’s in Your Game Day Bag?
You put the backpack straps on and there’s a little bar/swing where their feet go instead of where the “pack” would be on a backpack. It holds up to 50 pounds and allows him to jump on and off as needed rather than having to constantly take off and on. It saves me time and mental stress as we tote around stadiums—no more waiting for toddler speed, he loves getting the view from the top and it's super unique design makes us friends every place we use it!
Bandtober is Back
My goodness the magic of this month. The seasons starting to (finally) shift, sweater weather creeping in and, since I’m from Texas, the temperature outside is finally below the temperature of my pumpkin spice latte. Bring on fall! Oh, and it’s Bandtober. This month, a blur of activity and chaos swirls about our household. There …
The First Note of Band Season Brings Me to Tears
Despite the message being simple, it seems to be a constant reminder that if they just keep practicing, if they just continue to put the effort in, if they just focus on the game, it will all pay off.
Love Isn’t About Just One Day
Considering I was born in the afternoon, I guess today is my first full day of being 40. Yep, yesterday was that day where clearly I need to pack it in and get my shawl out, adopt 50 or so cats and knit something random. I’ve heard my entire life and into our marriage that …
To the Wife Who Didn’t Sign Up for This, Maybe “This” is Even Better
The point is that sometimes what we need doesn’t always come in the package we thought we needed. Five years ago, my life didn’t have a husband, a child, much less this unique lifestyle. Today I cannot imagine life without them. I am so very grateful for where I am because of the absolute unexpectedness of who I’ve become because of it.
Dear Husband, In Case I Haven’t Told You Lately—Thank You
Thank you for understanding it takes time to get all this. The schedule, the time away from home, modifying our parenting, social lives, hopes and dreams and everything in between—there were many lessons and routines that weren’t easy to come by.
I’m So Thankful for This Community of Coaches’ Wives
So, to the new wife who’s learning to cope, to the one trying to dye her socks pink, to the one bleaching her pink socks white, and to the new mom with a 6-day-old determining if she should go to the game … I’m right here with you. Reach out; make the connection; I’ll accept you just as you are, as God tells us to. No judgment, no make-up either – because girl, I ain’t got time for that.
5 Lessons Learned While Sitting on the Sidelines
Humans are icebergs and we never know what someone is going through, and today they took it out on our partner. It’s hard to not strike back, especially when it’s it front of our kids and they don’t quite understand adult misgivings. The best we can do is protect ourselves, realizing that we do not know what that person is going through in their own life.
It’s Bandtober: Hug a Band Director’s Spouse
Let me be clear – we are not better off or more saddled than any other organization out there – football, dance, everything in this realm has its own ups and downs. We all deserve the spotlight, and I’m hoping this brings some support to the band family I have come to love very much. Have your team sit through a performance, I challenge them to go to a competition even. Learning how to respect your comrades is just as important as respecting your competition – it’s sportsmanship at its finest.
‘Twas the Night Before Football
The child wasn’t nestled all snug in his bed,
He was playing with toys, my patience hung by a thread,
Husband in his iPad, and I in my map,
“Which stadium, again, am I supposed to be at?”
Happy New Year, From a Band Director’s Wife
There is no greater pride I feel when I see our band family take the field. For seven minutes, after hundreds of hours of work and sweat, I realize what all of the chaos in our household was meant for. Sure, there’s still a stain on my favorite sweater, I cannot seem to locate my son’s purple race car and cereal has replaced my real dinner. Watching my soulmate use his God-given talent along with hundreds of others beside him, makes my job worth it.