Five years ago, I loved Halloween, It was probably one of my top holidays. Decorations. Fun. Costumes. Parties.

Then, my daughter joined a competitive marching band.

Of course, I made her join the marching band. I was in marching band, both high school and college. My best friends of the day, and some still to this day, were in those bands. We did some fundraising, marched in parades, did one field show per year. My mom did worked a booth or parking lot once or twice a year. All the normal stuff. Or so I thought.

My kids’ marching band competes in the Florida Marching Band Championship circuit, and their season finale is in November. Which turns October into Bandtober.

For 5 years, we have moved pretty much everything out of our life and into the band. Rehearsals, concerts, competitions, fundraisers, football games, concession stands. Twelve-plus hour days on weekends. Thousands of pounds of equipment assembled, moved, disassembled, moved again.

My daughter, Matilda, graduated last year. And now, Lane is a senior and we are well into our last Bandobter. I’m not sure how I feel about it.

Relieved? Excited to be able to have my life back? Sad? ALL. OF. THE. FEELS.

Senior night is Friday, and our last 2 competitions – ever – are the next 2 weekends. I’m nervous. We have made the finals the last two years. But I certainly remember how hard it was the first two years that we didn’t make the cut for finals. And now, there is no ‘maybe next year’.

I know I’m going to miss seeing my kid on the field and seeing a program grow from summer camp to a finished show, but I also know that I’m going to feel a loss of a sense of in being needed. Band was for us parents, too.

So, Band Moms and Band Dads, if this is your last Bandtober, how are we doing?