Let’s Have a Parade

Every year, the senior Strutters travel to New York City to participate in the Macys Thanksgiving Day parade. It is definitely something these girls have looked forward to during their years on drill team and it was finally their turn! Let’s have a parade was the theme and they were there for it.

I don’t think I was properly prepared for how much they would actually be practicing and what a feat it is to pull 360 dancers from all over Texas into one dance routine in only a few days. These girls put in some hours! On parade day they were up at 4am to eat and run through everything one more time before heading to the parade route by 7am. It was cold y’all and these costumes aren’t built for warmth. They did have polar shield blankets but I’m not sure that helped much.

Once they started walking in the parade it became more bareable and they were all smiling and waving by the time they pasts by our hotel. It was literally one of the sweetest moments when I found her and started calling her name. She was waving because her friends were waving but didn’t see me at first. When she finally found me she began jumping around and hollering “that’s my mom”. I seriously got all teary eyed!

In addition to being in the parade, the girls saw the broadway show & Juliet which they raved about, took a harbor cruise to see the statue of liberty and watched the Rockettes Christmas spectacular. Of course we were able to check her out to do some things together as well which I will be recapping later, but y’all, can you imagine getting to experience NYC the first time with so many of your close friends? What an incredible experience.

This girl has had quite the 2023. She also traveled to Hawaii at spring break for a national competition and then headed to Costa Rica in July on a mission trip. Our well rounded girl only has five more months before she closes out her high school years and we are soaking up all the memories!