It’s been a long time since I’ve been to prom.
Correction: I’ve never been to prom.
GASP! Oh the horror! No PROM??
I know, right?? Let me explain…
I went to a private Christian school in high school where dancing was highly frowned upon. And you can’t really have a prom without dancing. However, rather than completely deprive us of all essential high school experiences, the powers that were opted to throw us a Jr./Sr. Banquet. In other words, we got dressed up to the nines, we attended with a date (but don’t forget to leave 6 inches between you for the Holy Spirit), and then we sat down to eat dinner and listen to a sermon. Yes, I said listen to a sermon.
Now before you go feeling all sorry for me, I’ll tell you I didn’t know what I was missing at the time. A sermon over dinner while wearing a formal dress and sitting with a date seemed very normal for me, so I wasn’t at all weirded out by the situation. Now that I have a little more life under my belt, I feel somewhat differently, but that’s a whole different story.
Regardless of how I see that experience now, and despite the lack of dancing and overwhelming purity of the whole affair, Jr./Sr. Banquet was actually very fun. I have wonderful memories of Non-Prom…the giddy excitement, new makeup, giggles with my girlfriends, and butterflies in my stomach as I waited for my date to arrive. It was a night to feel a little more grown up. I felt beautiful and got to go on a special date with whichever boyfriend I had at the time. (Or friend, or crush…you know, it varied. And I went all four years of high school…gotta switch up the date situation a bit!) And we even got to stay out all night (at carefully pre-selected, parent-chaperoned places of course).
All things considered, I loved Jr./Sr. Banquet, and I have a scrapbook full of memories that I will treasure forever.
So when Emily contacted me to shoot photos for her and her friends before Buchholz’ prom, I jumped at the chance. What a great idea! Prom (or Non-Prom) night will be an amazing memory, no matter what your experience is like, so the opportunity to be a little part of these kids’ memories was pretty cool.
Emily and friends, I hope you ALL had a wonderful time at prom! Thank you for letting me be a part of your fun. Stay tuned for prom photos Part 2!
anwenbackup 
You may not remember but we created an ersatz prom you for the night you brought Ben back to the house after one of those banquets, I think. Ben had provided those those nice shiny, starry decorations and we printed out “PROM” posters. We relocated the sound system, I think, and you all slow danced to the music. Things never worked out with Ben, I know, but at the time it was all pretty magical. I think you all slow danced at this “prom” but after you all left for the chaperoned all-nighter I know Mom and I did — it was dark and romantic and K Ci and Jo Jo was playing — “Crazy, crazy, crazy, crazy, crazy about you baby!” I think you were in love with Ben that night and know I was specially in love with your mom that night.
You know that was the only Prom I went to too. Carol Malouf (sweet girl, not stunning, but still out of my league) said no, and my good friend kind-of-nerdy Cathy Good (we were science club buds 🙂 — but she was a VERY nice girl and a very good friend) didn’t think she would be asked so she asked a date from out of town before I wised up and asked her myself. You snooze, you lose!
But I think it all worked out in the end becuse it turns out the only prom I went to I took your Mom and considering how in love with her I am that seems fitting.
You just flirted with mom through a blog comment. I love it. 🙂 And I loved that night…can you believe it’s been 10 YEARS since that night??? How is that possible???
PS How subversive were we to bring you and Ben from a no-dance non-prom to a cuddle and slow-dance (no ruler measuring the distance between you!) prom?
Haha, yes, well, you guys were cooler than I realized at the time. 🙂
Ahhhhh…
Very sweet!
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