We are family (pronounced fa-muh-lee).

[Amanda]

It has been an insane week. like literally insane! But a great one at that, or at least after yesterday it has been just super.

First, the big news of the day: I MADE JAZZ CHOIR!!! I'm so freaking excited because Jazz Choir is amazing. I cannot even believe I get to sing with Jessie, Cheyenne and Maren. They are so sweet and all have b-e-a-uitiful. And I definitely get to be in the awesome Pops Concert next year. Yaaay!

The next good news, I finally got those contacts. After getting poked and prodded for nearly an hour, than getting stabbed by two hard glass disks in the eye, I was finally granted permission to see without glasses. And I love it because my contacts get changed once a month. And now, my glasses won't fall off and hit Issac Long in the head. Sorry Issac, it won't happen again.

Also, it was time for our Marching Clinic this Monday, and all in all ,it went fairly well. Reed, as I'm sure everyone knows, is my Band Buddy and after a successfully progressive three days, I'm setting up a schedule to meet with him over the summer. He's a really good player, a good marcher and our personalities clicked instantly. He has the whole Nervous Freshman thing down to the T, exactly like I did. It was really fun being able to help him those three days, though I was worried he was going to fall yesterday when I stopped pushing him during the new back step exercise. But other than that he, and all of the super amazing eighth graders did well.

Well, now that I've conquered most of my end of the year things, I have to head out now. Despite the infighting and the bad things of the week, we've had great things two. Things like talented eighth graders and jumping for joy at the shot of a lifetime, that just brings the word 'celebrate' to a whole new level. And that no matter what, we are a family, Band, Choir or friends, and we stick to each other in thw worst and best of times. Awww, right?

I have to practice for the talent show tomorrow though and, it is a Grey Day, so I will leave you with the second and third drabbels, both courteously fueled by Shelby's prompts. Ta-rah!

Challenge: The Ultimate Sophomore 100.

Drabbel Number: 2

Prompt: Veggietales (Submitted by Shelby)

The sun streaks through the small window imbedded in the door of the house. In the living room, Taylor and Cassie, the house's primary teenagers are sitting and flipping through the channels. It is a cold winter-ish Saturday morning in March. Taylor was lying on the couch indulging in a bowl of sugary cereal while Sara is lying on the floor speeding past channel after channel with practiced ease.

"Can you slow down, you're gonna give me a seizure." Cassie was relentless, humming a song from a favorite rock band and spacing out.

" One night, yeah, one more time…thanks for the memories even though they weren't so great!" Cassie sang to her spoon.

"You are very welcome." Taylor replied. Cassie rolled over and peered at the TV, bored with the flashing pictures that held no true moral value. But she did pick up the exceedingly large amount of violence and innuendos that were referenced. It wasn't safe to watch TV anymore.

"Please, just find a show to watch, Cas."

Taylor sighed and tossed a throw pillow at her sister. The sudden collision caused her to switch channels suddenly and the old Sunday School favorite, Veggietales appeared on the screen.

"What the heck?"

"Well, it is a throw pillow.'

"Lame pun. Laaaame puuuuunnn."

After a moment of two of watching the vegetables on the show bounce around, Taylor and Cassie both gave a laugh of recognition and sat down to watch. Several minutes later, after no holy reference was made, Cassie got up and left.

"They took God out of Veggietales" She sighed tossing the remote at her older sister. Taylor shook her head in despair.

"They forgot to stand (stand up, stand up) for what they believed in, believed in." Taylor chirped in the style of the poplar Veggietales tune.

"No."

"Oh, stand (Stand up, stand up) For what you believe in, believe in, believe in, God (He's the one to back you up) will stand with you! He'll stand with you, oh yeaaaaaah." She spread her fingers out for the full jazz effect. Taylor giggled and they joined in on singing the "Bunny Song" until the show ended.

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Challenge: The Ultimate Sophomore 100

Drabbel Number: 3

Prompt: Piano (Submitted by Shelby)

Steven sat at his keyboard, his fingers twitching slightly as he hit the record button on the tape recorder on the desk next to him. He was abnormally tall for even an eighteen year old and his skin was tanned from years of working in the sun. He swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat and spoke to the 'judge'

"Hello, my name is Steven Ernst. I am an eighteen year old percussion student and I will be performing my own piece, "The power of the storm."

From there, it was liquid gold. His fingers fluttered over the keys in a leisurely sort of way, despite the pressure that weighed on this tape. Steven was preparing his audition tape for the National Young Music Students Summer Symposium.

Every year, Steven sent in an application to the world class Symposium and every year, two weeks later, he was sent a clipped letter of rejection. But this year was different. This was Steven's last year to be accepted, as he was an incoming Senor in his High School. But while Steven was extraordinarily gifted, they only took ten Pianists from across the country to attend the NYMS Symposium in L.A. It was super elite, only the best of the best ever attended the two month Symposium.

Steven felt like it was his year. He was playing a self composed piece, trying desperately to gain creativity points and his application with his three page essay, copy of his awards and ten recommendations were ready to go in the padded mailing envelope. Next to that was all of his practice pads. Though his primary gift would always be piano, he was on the Drum line in his Band and as its captain, it was his job to know all the music. He was particularly proud of his legacy in percussion section. He was a soon to be 3 year all starter and pictures of his plaques were in the screed envelope too. With a flourish, Steven finished his audition with a meticulously prepared glissando and said in an even tone "thank you for listening to my audition." He shut off the recorder, smoothed on the tape label and sealed the envelope, running out to stick it in the mailbox.

The next two weeks were agonizing. He went to dinner with his girlfriend, Arianne. He went to work seven or eight shifts. He played basketball with his best friend and fellow Drum line member, Tre. He did everything he could to keep his mind off the fact that a board room of elderly music educators were tearing apart his entire high school music career. He practiced with his Section in the parking lot at their High School one day, feeling hopeless. He was watching his section attempting to perfect their back step when Mr. Atello hollered for him from the Band room door.

Steven told his section to break for water and he jogged over to the wide green doors that led to the music building. It was eerily quite, despite the beginning flute class that was supposed to be going on in the smaller band room. He saw Mr. Atello through the open door of the main office and he motioned for him to come in.

"Take a seat, Ernst." He said tapping the chair in front of his desk. Mr. Atello was the main director of the entire Band program who always carried a soft spot for his Drum line. Often times, he referred to them as the heart beat and if the band happened to lose tempo, he would recreate the sound of a failing heart monitor, producing a nervous laugh from the low brass as their director eyed them. The old director smiled at his favorite student and carefully pulled out a padded envelope from his desk, very similar to the one Steven had sent in about three weeks earlier.

"Steven. I know for the past three year you have tried so hard to get into that Symposium. I, an truly shocked you haven't made it yet. And I hate to tell you this but…" Steven closed his eyes and exhaled slowly.

"You don't have to."

"No. I don't. Look in this envelope." He passed the yellow-orange envelope across the desk and Steven gently opened it and shook out a DVD and a letter. Mr. Atello took out his laptop and opened up the DVD to play it as Steven read the letter out loud.

"Dear Mr. Ernst. We are happy to inform you that you have been excepted into the National Young Music Students Summer Symposium. Your DVD presentation really impressed us- Wait a minute!" Steven stopped mid-sentence.

"I never sent in any DVD presentation." He said bewildered. The director smiled slightly.

"No. I did." With a click of the mouse button a young Steven appeared on the screen. It was his first day in class and he was a sixth grader playing the keyboard. He was showing off his years of lessons for his classmates, not realizing he was being watched by the directors and a security camera caught the whole big spectacle. Next, it was a series of snapshots from his seventh, eighth and ninth grade years. A picture of him winning the percussion award at Band Camp, a picture of him at All-Region, a picture of him practicing with the Drum Line as the youngest snare member in twenty years. Then came a clip from an All-State video of a piano solo and after that more pictures of him on the Drum Line, him winning an award at the Spring Concert and him writing in his music and him practicing in Band Class. Then finally came the clip of his piano solo from last year's field show and a clip of Drum Line Camp. The whole amazing presentation ended with a snap shot of him smiling at the camera from behind a Keyboard taken nearly three summers ago at Drum Line Camp.

"You deserved to make it Steven. I just wanted them to know how amazing you really are." Steven bowed his head.

"Thank you sir." Mr. Atello smiled.

"No, thank you Steven. I really counted on you these past few years. Even when you started out as a sixth grader tapping out quarter notes. You were always so disciplined. Now you are my Drum Line captain and one of the finest young musicians in this country. It is your time to shine." He handed the envelope back and Steven grinned.

"I won't let you down, sir!" He said running out of the office and back to what he did best.





Lots o' hugs from, Amanda.

P.S.

Kudos to Molly and Josh for making Jazz Choir and to Reed and Shelby for doing so good at the clinic. It's going to be an amazing year folks!