Maria Weaver:
CLASS OF 1984
Osbourn High SchoolClass of 1984
Manassas, VA
Maria's Story
After graduation, I prepared to audition for The Garfield Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps colorguard...my dream of all dreams. Unfortunately, the injury to my right arm (which I battled all through high school) got worse and I became unable to do flag corps/colorguard anymore. Fortunately, they were able to restore circulation to my arm just before they had to consider amputation. I guess I was pretty lost after that. Not much seemed to matter in life without performing. I went to work at several jobs, made a bunch of friends through church and ended up marrying someone I met at a church group I helped to start up.
That marriage produced 2 children and a ton of heartache. Enough said about that.
Following my divorce, I married a high school sweetheart from marching band...Rob Weaver-class of '83. (We'd been engaged before while he was in college but I chickened out when I couldn't handle losing flag corps.) We had a son together and bought a house in Manassas. Then we had a daughter. I went through a major "mid-life crisis" kinda early and we went through a rough patch for a little while. Thankfully, we managed to get through it and get our acts together.
I took 2 months to tour with the Cadets and help sew uniforms for the corps. It helped ease the pain of never getting to audition. That helped me heal emotionally from the past and I was able to come home and give 100% back to my family again. No more mid-life crisis...thank heavens!
I was able to be a teacher's aide for 2 years and then my body just wouldn't stay healthy enough, long enough to do it anymore. I miss that a lot. So, now I work hard everyday to be there for hubby and the kids and do what I can around the house to help out.
At this time, the kids are 20, 16, 12 and 9. The two youngest live with us and keep us busy. We love to do things as a family. Music is still a big part of our lives and both younger kids hope to be in the marching band someday! We still go see The Cadets perform every year ev...Expand for more
en though I can't volunteer anymore. We love to go to DC, airports, camping, the mountains, movies and once a year we try to at least spend a day at a beach. Our favorite vacations have been to Wyoming, Montana, Alaska, Maine, any mountains and to log cabins.
The main things I try to always remember and teach the kids are: that no one is perfect, anyone can change if they really want to and are willing to work at it, honesty is the best policy, each life is a work in progress, and when you look in the mirror- be honest, supportive, loving and forgiving because someone somewhere needs you, loves you and needs you to love and need them.
I came back to this story, noticing that it's been awhile! My oldest is almost 26 and on his own. My oldest daughter is 22 and graduating from WVU this May with a BA in Psychology. Our youngest son is 18 and graduating from SJHS in June and applying to the music department at NVCC for an AFA in Music and hopes to go on to get at BA in Music education with a minor in Music performance. Our youngest daughter is 15, not quite dating yet (not until September at least!) and in the front ensemble of SJHS's Marching Band. She thinks she also might want to be a teacher someday...perhaps for Kindergarten? Rob and I are still deliriously and happily married...will be 20 years this June 2015! I'm still recovering from my traumatic brain injury from a car accident over 4 years ago but am doing much better than I was just even 6 months ago! I keep challenging myself and push myself to accomplish more than I've tried to before and somehow, I manage to do pretty well with that. I still can't drive so I don't get out and about much more than family stuff and Dr. appts. but hopefully that will also return someday. Now, I'm working hard to deal with loss in the family, getting healthy and stronger and hopefully I'll become better able to take care of our home and Rob and the kids like I want so badly to do.
Never give up! Hugs and happy memories to all! -Maria
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