Ready or...

Ready or…

by Drew Bankston

In preparation for my upcoming trip to New York and participation in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, this past week has been, without a doubt, the most exciting yet. On Monday I received a red envelope in the mail. It was a large envelope and a mystery until I opened it and found a letter inside. The letter was from the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade group congratulating me on being selected to be a part of the parade. Something physical that I can put in a scrapbook! 

The next day I came home to find a very shiny, red envelope on my porch. I opened it to find a per diem card that Macy’s sent me to help pay for food when I’m in New York. Sometime this week we’ll find out about travel arrangements. I’ll find out about my flight to New York and home again. I’ll find out about transportation between the airport and the hotel while in New York. I already know about the hotel where I’ll be staying.

I received information about plays, performances and other activities that I can attend while in New York, and I’ve been practicing my musical parts for the songs that we’ll be singing on the float, including an original Christmas song never heard before!

I’m so excited to be going and to be a part of this.

I’m a little sad though because for the first time in 27 years I won’t be with my wife and family on Thanksgiving. It will be different. The range of emotions for this one day is amazing. The excitement and exhilaration of doing something that I’ve always dreamed about at the cost of not seeing my family on a day when I’m grateful for so much, including my wife and kids.  My wife reminds me that we’ll be together when I get back and that we’ll be together for the remainder of the holidays. Still…

I’ll continue to post about the parade and the thrill and excitement of it. I’ll post photos on my Facebook page (www.facebook.com/drew.bankston) my Instagram page (https://www.instagram.com/drewbankston_/) and my Twitter page (@drewbankston1). I might even do a live chat. It will be fun and I’ll announce before it happens.
My blog next week will be the last one before the parade and then I’ll be doing one more after about the parade. Beyond that is like life itself. A mystery to be uncovered when that day comes! Here we go, friends. So much more to tell!