My oldest daughter Melissa has done many things to make me proud but I have to give her mother and other family credit for many of her good genes.  What Melissa and I do share is a focus and intensity that borderlines on being obsessive and maybe at times a little reckless.  Whatever labels you want to put on it, my oldest child has it, and she came by it honestly.  There are many stories about Melissa’s drive. One of my favorites happened at a football game in 1998. Melissa was to be the featured majorette in the halftime show. Clouds were gathering as we drove to the game and by the time we got there it was pretty clear we were going to get wet. I was just hoping that maybe the rain would hold off until she got to perform. We made it to halftime with just a few sprinkles but as the band lined up to march on the field the wind picked up and the rain began to fall.  By the time the band reached mid-field it was pouring. Melissa was out front and when the band set to play suddenly Melissa held up her hand and then she broke ranks and ran to the sidelines. I was disappointed for her because she had worked so hard getting this routine ready for homecoming.  I of course was assuming that her part in the halftime show was called off.  To my surprise Melissa ran to one of the football team managers and got a towel to wipe her hands. The band waited on her as she ran back on the field.  She setup and signaled that she was ready. Now, there is no way that she should’ve attempted this routine in a driving rainstorm but even from 20 yards away I could see the focus in her eyes.  I just knew right then that she was about to nail that routine and it did not matter how hard it rained. Most people would never have been out in front of a crowd like that in the first place and most of the rest would have called it off when it started to rain. Not Melissa, she was ready and 100% focused. As she went through her routine she threw that baton as high as she could, not once, not twice but five times catching all five. Wow! Now, Momma couldn’t do that, that there was Daddy’s genes! Okay, well, her momma was a majorette too but she would never have performed in a driving rainstorm. It still makes me smile just to think about it. That’s my girl!

Melissa Warford Freeman