The Best End of May

I may or may not have mentioned that our May was so busy  packed with lots of life to live.  At the end of this lovely action filled month was the best event possible to end a long month, much less 10 weeks of missing one of your children.  

In March, our eldest shipped off to Army Basic Training.  He wrote us some wonderful letters at the beginning, but after the first couple of weeks, his schedule (understandably) didn't allow much time to sit around and write letters. There were a few all too short phone calls, just long enough to grow a healthy appreciation for long conversations.  But at the end of May the wait was over and we attended Basic Training Graduation.

Oh.My.Goodness. 

 How awesome it is to see one of your children doing so wonderfully well.

We arrived at Fort Sill on Family Day, looking forward to Charlie Company's informal presentation before the graduates were released for some free time.  We seated ourselves with many other families and patiently waited for the program to begin.  It was supposed to start at 9:00, and I tried not to judge that the program hadn't started by 9:40.  That's when I got a phone call from Ben ... apparently, we were waiting in Foxtrot Company's part of the building  - ha!  He told me to walk to the sidewalk and head the other direction, at which point I saw two young men in dress blues waaaaaay down there.  It was him!   

That moment was just the best.  

It was such a shock to see him with next to no hair - it's certainly the shortest it's ever been.  And he's worn a beard since he was ridiculously young, so it was a double shock to see him clean shaven.  Abbie later accused me of being starstruck by him (and yes, okay, she totally nailed me, what can I say?) but I don't think I was alone in that for one minute :o)

 We took a brief driving tour of Oklahoma, which by the way is beautiful, and ended up at a quaint hamburger joint called the Meers Store and Restaurant.  

We had the obligatory burgers at Meers, which was established in 1901.  It was filled with ramshackle charm that was only overshadowed by amazing hamburgers which were only overshadowed by the BEST peach cobbler and homemade ice cream in gargantuan proportions.  Two minutes into the meal, Ben sighed with exasperation and I thought something was wrong with his burger.  He laid down the three bites that were left and said, "I forgot that I have more than five minutes to eat!"

We took our soldier back to the hotel to relax a little bit, and he took a nap - the first one in ten weeks,  a well-deserved nap!  He stayed in uniform the entire time, shiny shoes and all.  Other things of note were that he had to be with at least one other person at all times, and he could not walk and use his phone to talk or text - he had to stand still if he was looking at his phone.  That one might be a good one for the civilian world :o)  

After the most wonderful day of just drinking in how great he looks and how happy he seems to be and how comfortable he is with what he's doing and where he's going, we took him back to base so he wouldn't miss his 8:00 curfew.  

The next morning was graduation!  The graduates were seated before the chapel was opened, sitting at attention (or that's what it looked like), very stern and serious.  Drill Sergeants were introduced (they looked terrifying), distinguished graduates were honored, and each graduate marched across the stage to shake the Commander's hand.   It was a pleasure during the graduation ceremony to honor the veterans, Ben's granddad and uncle among them.  After singing the Army song, the graduates were presented to a room full of immensely proud friends and family.  "These men and women have overcome every obstacle to become the newest defenders of America" got an easy standing ovation. 

Following the ceremony, we gathered with LtDan's parents and his sister and my brother and sister.  Ben chose Korean food for lunch and we all thoroughly enjoyed a huge and very tasty buffet at Pusan restaurant.   

We're all just a tiny bit proud!

After lunch, we headed back to the hotel to just relax - after ten weeks of high structure and rigid schedule, Ben just wanted an afternoon with no plans at all.  I don't blame him a bit.  He got a video game fix, and we updated him on important internet things that went on while he was gone.

The one and only unhappy thing about the entire time was that Nathan had to miss the event because he couldn't get off work.  It was a double whammy of good and bad, since he's proven himself well enough to step into a position of greater responsibility but that meant his schedule wasn't as flexible as we once might have hoped.  But his younger sister and brother represented well for him.

It was time to take our soldier back to base; graduation at 10am and off to Advanced Individual Training at midnight.  It was time to go and I couldn't stop taking pictures.

Before he left us, we went to see the obstacle course area and Treadwell Tower, a 40 foot high beast that all soldiers went up and down many times over the course of their training.  Ben got called out for smiling on his way down once.  Our boy is a thrill seeker.

We were standing in the common area with other soldiers and their families, taking pictures and chatting for just a few more minutes.  Ben had just explained that you are not to step on the Charlie Company emblem painted on the ground when he yelled a booming, "At Ease!" and everyone stood still at ease ... one of the Drill Sergeants was walking through (a woman Drill Sergeant, as a matter of fact, very impressive).  This is what you do when someone of higher rank enters a room, call out "At Ease!"  Civilian that I am, I instead took a blurry picture of the brick wall in my flurry to figure out what I was supposed to be doing, because I'm cool like that.

He's off to his next post in San Antonio, where he'll go through sixteen weeks of medical training along with many of his fellow basic training graduates.   He said his sergeant told him on Monday - Memorial Day - that the job of a 68W (medic) is to make people's Memorial Days less memorable.

I hope he does that many, many times over. 

He's in the Army Now

Surely every parent tries to predict what their children will be based on their interests as they grow up.  At two years old, I thought our eldest son would be a hydraulic engineer because he loved to play in the water.  When he was five, I suspected he would be a game designer because of the complex games he made, meticulously drawing pieces and cutting them out.  Then came age eight, and I was certain he'd be a video game designer since video games piqued his interest.  Around twelve, I was pretty sure he was going to be an artist, most likely famous for writing a web comic.  The teenage years rolled in and finally I conceded I wasn't going to be able to predict anything at all.

 When Ben began to talk about being a nurse, it was clearly more than just a passing interest as he spoke of the markers God was putting in his life.  I was surprised, but so proud.  I was so proud of his gentle and respectful, yet commanding demeanor as we helped my Dad in his final years.  It all crystallized in my mind when I knocked on Ben's bedroom door well after 2am one night, because his granddaddy needed his help.  Ben's response went from an irritated "WHAT???!!!" at my knock, to an enormously kind "Hey, Granddaddy, what can I do for you?" within two minutes.  That's what the best do ... they put the self aside and they address the call.



When Ben talked about joining the army, even though I'd always thought the military would be a good fit for him, it was a surprise because he'd not expressed an interest in it before, as far as I could remember.  But I thought yes, of course.  Military service is well and honorably represented on both sides of our family, with Grandfathers, Great Uncles, Uncles, and a cousin, each having achieved something akin to legendary status.  I know my son took many cues from these extraordinary men.  That's what the best do ... they take their inspiration from the best and follow the lead.

Ben grappled with the decision to go into the military pretty intensely over many days, and when he made the decision to go Army we couldn't have been more proud.  He'd be able to begin his service as a medic and work toward getting his RN while in the military.   Of course there's the scary side of  military service, but I determined from the start not think about that side of it unless I'm praying. I have yet to meet anyone who went into the service that didn't come out a better person, and I know this will be the case for Ben as well.



Since we'd already booked our February family cruise when he signed up in December, Ben was able to get a deferred enlistment.  He worked, saved his money, enjoyed spending time with his friends, time stretched out and it seemed like his ship out day would never come.  The family cruise was a sweet time of just being together without the normal at-home distractions.  When we came home, we hosted a dinner in Ben's honor with close family and friends, and everyone had an opportunity to speak encouragement and blessing upon him.  Most moving to me was what his younger brother had to say, acknowledging Ben's significant personal growth over the past year.  Since the kids were toddlers, I've prayed that our family would be a place of personal growth, and that we would recognize and allow it in each other as it happened.  What an awesome answer to prayer; to hear it put so succinctly from one sibling to another was the  g r e a t e s t  pleasure.  Then Ben's cousin brought in a little levity by thanking him for taking the pressure off their generation of the family to go into military service.  Ha!



The days prior to shipping out shifted into hyper drive and it seemed impossible that the time was  upon us.   Although I'd had the privilege of accompanying my Dad as a veteran to various military activities, it's a very different experience to see it all from the beginning, when everyone seems so young.  We witnessed the swearing in of about twenty people, and that was only one of several groups that day.  Then it was time to see our son board the bus and wave goodbye.  I'm not going to lie and say there isn't a big hole in my heart.  That afternoon I was teary at the slightest kindness, but I'm excited for the beginning of a great life experience opening up for my son, and that's the most important thing.



We watched the bus pull away, and headed home.  I did the regular grocery run and bought about $50 of junk food, and it was clear we would comfort ourselves with cookies, at least for one evening.  I wanted to tell everyone I saw, "My son just left for Basic Training" but I refrained :o)  Day Two was distracted and disjointed and I found everything to do except for what I planned to do.  Day Three I leaned into it, treated myself kindly, tossed the to-do list and organized the pantry.  My highly sensitive kid-radar is still a little off, missing a blip on the radar.  But I'm pretty sure I can trust the US Army to keep tabs on my boy.



I keep thinking back over his childhood and wonder where was the play with the plastic green army men, or the obsession with GI Joe that could've tipped me off that the Army was the way this one was going to go.  But it turns out that what I should have been predicting in those early childhood years was that my son would turn out to be high value, strong, steady, compassionate, resilient, deferential, capable, adventurous and personable.  On that I would have been 100% correct.

The Fork in the Road

Over the past few weeks, our 21 year old son has contemplated the most significant decisions of his life thus far.  LtDan and I would like to think we've helped, but in truth we haven't, much - our boy has done it all himself and we stand by, like spotters at a gymnastic tournament.  After years of providing guidance on things like the red shirt or the blue shirt? which book to read next? which summer job might make the most money? ... it's surreal to be in proximity to monumental life decisions.  Wasn't this "boy" just experiencing waves of joy over his new game of Hungry Hungry Hippos, battling King K. Rool in Donkey Kong Country, and belaboring which pack of Pokemon cards to purchase? 

The exceptional young man grappling with significant life choices is the main plot, and there is the subplot, where his mother takes hold, albeit with weak hands, of a new perspective on predestination and human will.  As I considered what counsel to give him, my greatest and most obvious word was first to pray, but what came next surprised me: not to ask God to help him pick the "best" path, but to pay closest attention if he felt God saying, "Not this path."

I remember one golden fall Friday afternoon heading out from my college town to spend the night with my aunt and uncle.  I was pampered and indulged, wrapped up in their warm  hospitality with congenial conversation, a savory homecooked meal, and a fire in the fireplace.  When Saturday afternoon came, I couldn't decide whether to go back to my dorm, new and exciting and full of possibilities, or stay one more night in a familiar and beloved home.  The decision was supremely difficult - I wanted to do both, and both were equally enticing options.  While I struggled with the decision, the seed was planted that sometimes - maybe all the times? - what matters isn't so much choosing one good choice over another good choice, but simply making a choice and going with it wholeheartedly.

It's exciting to stand with your child at a crossroad.  And it's scary.  And it's hard.  Having been this far down my own road, I have perspective enough to see all the choices before him are good choices.  But it's different, this standing at the fork of someone else's road - you can't make the choice for them.  I've been at my own forks in the road.  I know the inertia that swirls inside the fear of making the wrong choice.  I understand the paralysis of not being fully in control of the outcome.   My son walks through his days preoccupied, the weight of the decision evident in his bearing.  Always, I've believed God leads us to make THE right choice.  But as I watch my son consider the possibilities and the vastly different paths before him, I begin to sense that maybe God doesn't position an angel with a flashing arrow beside the "right" or "best" path because maybe there isn't one best and right-est path. 

While the mother in me wants to guide, influence, and direct, the fellow-traveler on the road of life is intrigued to see which way he'll go, knowing how abundantly well equipped he is.  As a parent, I want to say,  "I know you can do any one of these things well.  Tell me which one you want to do, I'm 100% behind you."  From beside this fork in his road, I think maybe all the paths are good, and God says, "This is the path you want to take?  Good!  Move! Let's do this!" 

I begin to see maybe that it isn't so much   t h e   path that's the important thing.  No matter which path I choose, God will mold me into who He wants me to be.  He promises to do that.  Each road might bring me down the home stretch with different bumps and bruises, and different sets of victories, but the ultimate purpose is that life refine me into God's intended best version of me, wholly dependent on Him.  His plan for me, and for all of us, is that we become as much like His Son as possible in our individual and unique version of humanity.  Obsessing about choosing the "rightest" path - and it's terrifying opposite, chosing the "wrong" path - isn't necessary.  It's really about evaluating which sights you want to see along the way, because God promises He'll finish the good work He began in each of us, whether we chose the road that goes over the mountain or the one that skirts around it.  His promise remains constant, that He'll never leave me, nor forsake me; He'll always be with me whichever the path.  He's going with me, and He'll use whatever path I take to get me to who He wants me to be. 

There's a kind of fearless freedom in that … delightful room for creativity, for collaboration, and for adventure.  And it makes watching your first-born consider those first few steps past the fork in the road not nearly so scary.  

When The World shows up in your backyard: teaching kids how to behave in a crowd

I learned an important lesson in second grade.  It was one of those rare moments when the teacher was called out of the classroom - I think it was a substitute teacher, surely not my beloved Mrs. Baldree.  She was called to the office, and told the class to be quiet and stay seated until she returned.  The class, of course, erupted into second grade shenanigans and boisterous talking as soon as she closed the door.

Being the Good Girl that I was, I stayed in my seat and mourned the bad behavior of my fellow students until I got a righteous and mature idea: we should play the Quiet Game!  Since  the room was so noisy and chaotic I couldn't get anyone's attention from my seat, so I went to the front of the classroom and tried to make my suggestion over the rising din.  That's when the teacher returned to the room, to see a class in disarray, deliberately disobeying her instructions, and me out of my seat at the front of the room shouting about the Quiet Game (oh, the irony!).  I was sent to the hall to reflect upon my misbehavior.

It was clearly a misunderstanding ... I was only trying to lead my fellow classmates into better behavior by deliberately disregarding the teacher's instructions.  I stood in the hall thinking about my good intentions and the fact that in a situation where one authority figure was faced with 30 misbehaving kids, my Good Girl aura did not outshine the fact that I was just another kid doing the wrong thing.  Here's what I learned:  if the authority figure tells you to do something and you do not do it, you're  wrong.  Even if you have a good idea.  Even if your good idea supports her authority.  Even if your good idea that supports her authority would lead the rest of the class to do the right thing - if you have to be disobedient ... you're wrong.

One of my most humbling life experiences has been my children's response to me on days when I am out of control.  Frustrated.  Tired.  Overwhelmed.  Not two consecutive moments of peace, and undone housekeeping and schoolwork and business rising like a chaotic tidal wave.  Much to my shame, there have been days when I've taken my frustration out on my children in short tempered and unkind verbal tirades that were out of control and inexcusable.  But my children taught me that kindness, grace, and believing the best in the face of out of control anger and frustration have a positive affect.  My children taught me that when the person in authority is out of control, you have the power to affect the situation for peace - even if you are a mischievous five year old who dared your brother to drink soy sauce until he throws up all over the couch.  When you respond to out of control authority with composure, dignity and respect, you help restore equilibrium to the situation.  You call the person in authority back to calm.  Even when you are a little person with very little power, if things are out of control, your response can help the situation right itself.

Recently, the city we refer to when it's time to go into town became the nation's focal point over a situation at a pool party that spun badly out of control.  My heart breaks for every person involved and for the terrible ugly swirling around screens as the scene replays in America's living rooms.  I thought this kind of thing couldn't happen in my world, and lo and behold, it's right there in my backyard.

We know families who live in the neighborhood where the pool party debacle happened.  My kids are around the age of the kids involved in the appalling situation.  I'm sure no one arriving at the event dreamed it would end up headlining the national news for days on end. The now infamous pool party has been a frequent topic of conversation in our family.  Maybe it has also been in yours.

As our kids were growing up, I found preparation to be one of the best things I could do for my children when we were entering an unfamiliar situation or a situation where expectations on their behavior were high.  Discussing with my toddlers what was going to happen, who would be there, how to respond to various questions and how I expected them to behave was nearly always a guarantee for great behavior.

I think as we process the broader social topics regarding the pool party in the news, it's also important to coach our young people through what to do if they find themselves in a crowd that's out of control.  We'd not had that conversation in our family before.  Here are seven talking points to start a conversation with your kids about what to do if they're in a public setting and things go wrong:

Have a great time, but monitor what's going on around you

As more and more people are added to a gathering, the crowd itself develops a personality and mood, and the bigger the crowd, the greater the influence it has over unthinking individuals.  Your situational awareness becomes increasingly important as the crowd builds; you need to know if things start to go bad.  While you're having fun, keep part of your brain in constant monitor mode.

Do the right thing when everyone else is doing the wrong thing

In my second grade class, everyone else was talking loudly and out of their seats and I thought my good intentions justified disobedience, but all I did was become part of the problem.  Even if you are trying to lead other to people do the right thing, disobedience is still disobedience.  Take your stand as a leader by doing the right thing, even if others don't follow.

LEAVE when a group situation tips out of control

A bad situation starts small but it builds, and then there's a moment when the situation tips.  In a crowd, this is often marked by people trying to be badass, talking loud, and showing blatant disregard for propriety and the property and personal space of others.  When the behavior of the crowd becomes more of a force than the behavior of the individual, it's time to pack it up and leave.  Leave, and do not come back.

Know how far your influence extends

If you're attending an event where things are going wrong and you need to extricate yourself, you need to know that the people you're with are going to be in sync with you.  If a situation is decomposing and you can't convince your friend it's time to go, you may still be on scene when things turn really bad.  Make sure you know how far your influence extends with those around you, because if you don't have influence over the people you're with, you may need to get yourself out of there and leave them behind.

Stand down when a person of authority arrives

If you haven't already extricated yourself from a bad situation when a person of authority arrives at the scene, whether it's a parent, security guard, and especially if it's a policeman, be still, be quiet, and wait for your instructions.  Under no circumstances should you be part of the milling chaos.

Exude respect to those in authority

When a person of authority confronts you - even if they are out of control - exude respect.  From every pore of your body, with every facial expression, every blink of the eye, every spoken word and the very tone of your voice, convey respect.  If they rudely tell you to sit down and be quiet, sit down and be quiet.  Do not be part of the problem.  Just as the sweetness of the child calms a frustrated mother, your calm respect can affect a stressed out peace officer, and any positive affect applied to a bad situation is a worthy contribution.

Distance yourself when it feels like The Group needs to right a wrong

Provided you haven't already left the scene, which is highly preferable, if the collective seems to be trying to right a wrong through disobedience and disrespect, distance yourself as far as you possibly can (again, provided you haven't already left).  The solution isn't going to be found inside the disobedient and disrespectful group.  The solution is in the individual.  YOU be the calm one.  YOU be the respectful one.  Because if every single YOU does the right thing, the situation rights itself.

In the pool party situation, if every person had gone home, if every person had maintained calm, if every person had exuded respect, if every person had maintained their individuality and taken personal responsibility for their influence over the situation, the video now cast into internet perpetuity would not be on a constant loop pulling more and more people into the poisoned ugly.  As parents, we have an obligation both to our children and our society to teach our children how to handle themselves if they find themselves in a public situation and things go wrong.  Because as it turns out, The World hangs out in our backyard.

Put on a Happy Face

When I was little, my teenaged sister would sing "Put on a Happy Face" to me when I got pouty. It never worked to clear up my gray skies, it was just hugely annoying, though I do have to admit it's the perfect song for a pouty kiddo.  I had no idea the song came from a musical and I certainly never dreamed I would have a beautiful daughter with a beautiful voice who would get a part in that musical.  

I always knew my sweet girl had a lovely voice, but when she auditioned for our homeschool group's musical production of Bye Bye Birdie, the heretofore hidden talent came to light.  We'll never forget that audition day ... her hopes that she really did have a gift were confirmed.  It was so exciting when she was cast in the musical as part of an ensemble that plays a big part in the story line. 

Auditions were a year ago, rehearsals began in earnest last fall and culminated in three performances over the weekend.  Abbie played a crazed teenaged fan girl, completely dedicated to and wholly enamored with the legendary Conrad Birdie (think Elvis Presley).   Her character was so not her real self ... it was hilarious to see her behave in a way she never would in real life.  

 

The costumes were rented and the full skirts, keds and bobby socks were like a time machine.  The zipper on Abbie's dress gave her trouble all week long, and finally broke during the last rehearsal.  Fortunately, the girls were required to wear "proper underpinnings" and there was no dramatic wardrobe malfunction.  I did minor mending on several dresses, but zippers are advanced sewing, and after some frantic texts and email messages, we found a mom who could bring her sewing machine to Enrichment classes Friday morning and replace the zipper just in time for the first show.  This woman is my hero.

Between the Saturday afternoon and evening shows there was pizza, lots of laughing and games.  I've known some of these kids since they were in elementary school and it's a strange and wonderful thing to see them growing up so fast ... so. so. FAST.  But in all the very best ways.  

With three brothers and a cousin who's like a brother, Abbie's natural habitat is boys. The girl's dressing room was a different world, all hair spray and makeup and hair brushes and "let me curl your hair."



She got three bouquets of flowers and was even asked for her autograph.  As family and friends gathered around, there may or may not have been happy/sad/exhilarated/overwhelmed tears after the last performance.

But she put on her happy face before I could break out into song.

This just in ...

You know how it feels when you're working on something,
 and you have no idea how it's going to turn out?

We've been in that limbo of wondering for six months, my friend Jeannie and I.

If it hadn't worked out, I suppose I could've said it was all her idea ...

because it was.
She thought it would be awesome to give students at our homeschool co-op an opportunity to showcase their musical talents in a concert, and then offer the concert proceeds to our co-op benevolence fund.

I told you a little bit about that }here{.

Jeannie and I encouraged each other through the growing angst of not knowing
if anyone would actually come to the concert,

and we pumped each other up
when rehearsals didn't seem to come together quite as well 

as we thought they should.

And just when it seemed the concert would NEVER get here ...

it got here.

Our students were ready to rock.

Five extraordinary kids, off the chart talent, and a show that astounded everyone who came.

We were exceedingly blessed to have the opportunity to perform 

at The Sanctuary Music and Events Center in McKinney, Texas.

The Sanctuary is a new two story event venue that can seat up to 250 people.

The staff was accommodating and extremely helpful, and the place is gorgeously elegant.  

And elegantly gorgeous.

When we arrived to set up and do sound check,

 there were eight magnificent guitars from The Guitar Sanctuary next door 

up on the stage.  

If you love guitars, this store is like no other and you should check it out.

Just look at their website }here{ and you'll understand.

After we   c a r e f u l l y  helped move the guitars off stage,

we were ready to set up.

There were moments like this ...

And then everything started falling into place.

After six months of working on pulling a concert together, these kids just blew it away.  

Nathan (yes, that's my son!) and Justin kicked things off with "YYZ" by Rush.

and then went right into "Wipeout" where Zach could show his stuff as a drummer. 

Does he look young to you?  

He is. He's 13 ... that's 7th grade ... 

Although he's a self-taught drummer, Zach held his own.

Pretty awesome for 7th grade!

Justin, who's been playing guitar since he was 5 years old, 

and came in second last year at the International Guitar Show, 

played some real guitar manifestos, 

including "Crystal Planet" by Joe Satriani, 

"What Lies Beneath" and "Into the Storm" by Andy James, 

and "Scarified" by Paul Gilbert, 

in addition to one of his original works called "Perpetual Anomaly".  

His technique is flawless ... sometimes you can hardly see his fingers, they're moving so fast.

Nathan played "Summer Song" by Joe Satriani, "After Shock" by Andy James, 

"Jordan" by Buckethead, and "Ya Dig" by John 5.  

Together, Nathan and Justin played Joe Satriani's "Crowd Chant"

and Andy James' "Eyes of the World".

LtDan was taken aback ... it's one thing to hear the guitar through the walls at home,

and altogether another to see your son playing on stage like he belongs up there.

LtDan knew our boy was good, but he didn't realize he was that good.

Your wife can tell you that you won't believe how good,

but until your son is up there on stage ... you just don't recognize.

We were both so proud!

Aavery was our bassist.  

This young man's incredible musical talent extends to just about every musical instrument.

He joined our rehearsals four weeks before the concert,

and we were amazed at how his bass rounded the sound out
and made every song that much better.

In addition to his musical talent, 

Aavery brought his positive attitude and collaborative spirit to the group.

I would like to bottle up and sell that stuff.

And also:  his smile can light up any room.

Then there's Kate.

Her voice is beautiful, haunting, and distinctive.  

She plays the piano, already performs on her own nearly every weekend, 

and writes her own music.

She sang originals "Scarred with Ink", about not judging people by superficial things like tatoos, 

"It's Time", an oh so poignant song written when it was time 

to move out of the house she'd lived in her whole life,

and "Highway Lights", about moving on to new things.

She also performed "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" (Santana style) with Justin, 

"Clocks" by Coldplay, and "At Last" by Harry Warren (think Etta James).

Aavery accompanied her on the keyboard for a beautiful rendition of Leonard Cohen's "Alleluia".

As collaborations, the kids chose "Shine" by Collective Soul

((( YEAH )))

if you know the song, you know what I mean :o)

And my favorite, "Far and Away" by Slash ...

It was soulful and bluesy with awesome guitar solos.  

Better than the original ... sorry, Myles Kennedy and Velvet Revolver.

Can a girl pull off singing the Guns N Roses song "Sweet Child O Mine"?

Oh yes, for sure, this one definitely can.

They finished up with Stevie Ray Vaughn's "Tightrope" ...

and were rewarded with a standing ovation.

We had an amazing, enthusiastic, supportive crowd of about 80 people, 

and we were quite pleased with the turnout,

particularly since nothing like this had ever been done
through our homeschool co-op before.
If anyone came with the preconceived notion that homeschoolers are nerdy,
they left with a new opinion.

It was an awesome, incredible evening.

I keep having concert flashbacks.

I'm a total groupie.

At least one if not all of these kids are going to make it big someday.

You can say you heard it here first :o)