AND THE BAND PLAYED ON

Yesterday was the band competition at Metamora IL, and it was down-right COLD!! I thought of Lin as I was packing my van: it looked like we were going on a trek to Alaska; coats, hat, scarves, gloves/mittens, warm socks, long underwear, sweatpants, boots, and enough blankets to last through the long, long, LONG day.

Since I am also the "Snack Queen" (I have upgraded my title from Snack Mom..not enough pizazz!), I also had to load (6) 5-gal coolers of drink, 32 dozen cookies, about 15 bags of chips, snack mix, etc., 6 bunches of bananas, and about 7-8 big bunches of grapes. Needless to say, as we pulled out of our driveway, I could feel the tires groaning!

We made the hour drive through some very pretty scenery (the trees are just gorgeous this year) and after getting to the school, we drove in the parking lot and as I got out to unload the snacks, after being in a heated van for an hour, I started to get very, very cold.

Then it hit me.

It was only 11:30 in the morning, and I was going to have to feel like this for another 12 hours. I put on the sweatpants, a heavier coat, mittens, another pair of socks, and finally I started to warm up. I was so cold that it was kind of hard to function as it got later in the afternoon. By the time the sun went down, my daughter had every kind of warm outwear on, was wrapped up in a blanket , and I had another blanket around her shoulders. Honestly, she handles the cold just like I do!!

When it was time for our band to go out onto the field, I was almost giddy with anticipation! Would their instruments function in the cold? Would they be in tune? Would they march in unison? Would the flag girls be able to grip the flags? My fears were not totally unfounded......

They were sounding awesome, moving in time, were doing the routine just like they have done a hundred times before, and then,

Something.Went.Wrong.

Not sure what exactly happened...one of the band girls later tried to explain it to me...it has to do with "phasing," but it happened, nonetheless. It was sort of like watching a collision happening but unable to stop it. The band was playing, and the percussion pit section was doing their thing, but the timing was not there.

It didn't seem to last long, and soon they got back on track, but, it was enough to get low scores. But, still, the band played on bravely. And finished up beautifully!

I was never so proud of them as I was at that moment. They held their heads up high and marched, in unison, off of the field. When the awards were announced, our band got 1st in parade, and drum major and percussion (for parade) and in field, they got the "Crowd Pleaser" award but nothing else. Out of 4 bands in their class (3A), they didn't place at all. But, the band kids, even though clearly disappointed, handled it very maturely. They cheered the other bands on, as they were awarded their trophies, and kept encouraging each other.

Next week will be another competition, there are other football games to play at, and together, as a group, the Band Will Play On!

Hope you all had a wonderful Saturday! Have a Blessed Sunday!

**A.Marie**