band camp.

every family has their "thing"
some families are athletic
some families are artistic
some families are big on cooking and gardening
My family has a band thing.

My dad is a professional trumpet player
My sister plays the french horn
I play trombone
My 7 year old brother Parker loves the drums
>>Link of him performing to the soundtrack "Rio" HERE
...and my mom is the constant support. ;)

We have done a lot of local camps and bands during the years we have been involved, but this past week I was able to go to Friends University in Wichita Kansas to participate in a selective band.

I was pretty pumped at first.  Anna had gone her senior year, and it sounded pretty cool to be able to go and live in a college dorm for 4 days...

Then I got there and remembered something...
I knew absolutely NO ONE.

I never really realized how hard it is to feel so alone..to stand in line for dinner, not knowing who you were going to sit by or talk to...

I prayed.  I prayed to just have someone to sit with.. They didn't have to become my best friend, just someone to share a table with so I could look normal..
Then I heard my name. I thought it was just a coincidence, that someone with friends must have had the same name as me...but nope! They were talking to me. Hallelujah.

It turns out that one of the good friends Anna made while she was at the camp had been a regular camp attendee.  What are the odds of THAT?

Well anyway Liz (Anna's  friend) and Bree(the girl Liz was with) and I ate dinner together. I was so grateful for them.
Throughout the week we became really good friends and I laughed almost every 3 seconds.
They made me feel so good!
...Then I looked around and saw a girl standing by herself.  I looked at her and saw me that first day, not knowing who to talk to, or who to sit with.  I prayed for her this time, that either someone (possibly myself) would have the courage to go and sit with her and be her friend like Bree and Liz did for me.  I kept an eye on her and she did make friends, but being alone really opened my eyes to the fact that everyone feels alone sometimes, and its important for courageous people to make them feel important...because they are.

I'm grateful for Liz for being courageous and introducing herself to me, and being able to make friends in such an awkward situation.  Thanks babe.

                                                            

Me, Bree & Liz