There's bad exhausted and there's good exhausted. I am happy to be good exhausted on this fine, rainy, hail-filled day.
I just returned from five incredible days in San Francisco with Gabby's middle school choir tour. Sixty-six middle schoolers and 24 brave adults.
Being the tour co-coordinator, this was the fruition of months of planning. It is a sweet reward to see all your hard work come together in such a successful, fun trip. I was hopeful that all the details would come together fairly smoothly, but what I wasn't quite expecting was having such a fabulous time myself! It was almost enough to make me wish I was in middle school again....almost.
Do you understand what an incredible feeling it is to walk down the aisle of a charter bus filled with energized middle schoolers and have so many of them beg to have you sit with them, only to be superseded by your own middle school daughter wanting you to sit with her?
Living in Gabby's world and being so accepted was a gift that I will not soon forget. I am very proud of the friends she has chosen and the choices she is making. She is a beautiful girl, inside and out, and I count it a privilege to have had this unique opportunity to glance into her life in this manner. God is good.
Here are some photo highlights of the trip:
We spent a fun filled day touring the San Fran Wharf. Did you realize that there are several similar characteristics between a frenzy of sea lions and a bus full of middle school students?
Everyone loved the tour of Alcatraz Island. Plus, it was nice to threaten the possibility of solitary confinement to anyone who misbehaved.
I now know exactly how many teenagers can fit into a rather small hotel pool.
On the morning before their competition, they had a one-hour private session with the music director from San Francisco State University. This was a great experience for the kids and really helped their performance later that day.
Here's Gabby and her AMAZING choir director, Mrs. Kercher.
And here's the two most popular chaperons on the trip.
By the way, the Crossler Middle School choir took top honors at the San Francisco Heritage Festival Competition! They were phenomenal! The trip was phenomenal! And I am exhausted...in a good way!
14 comments:
Of course they all wanted you to sit next to them...you are definately the cool mom!
The picture of all the kids in the pool is crazy! How insane!
Congrats to Crossler Middle School Choir!
You and Ben are seriously the coolest! I rememberr going on a trip or two with you!
You have lucky lucky girls!
How fun!!! Great job Gabby!
Sharon...your hair is growing so fast. Looks great,but of course you always look great.
Oh my goodness! Your hair does grow fast! How come my hair grows so slowly?? (Urgh!)
I've been looking forward to this post. What a crazy, fun week...I'm sure! Josh and I used to live close enough that we'd go to SF for day trips. I loved SF. It's a great place to visit...VISIT. It's kinda crazy...I wouldn't want to actually live there!
I'm so glad that it all went well! Ah, great fruits of labor!
How sweet that Gabby wanted her mom to sit next to her! I hope your relationship continues to blossom and she continues to feel this way even into her teens. Mom and daughter bonds are so important, yet sometimes so difficult. I look back now and feel so bad about the times I gave my mom a hard time...especially since I'm a mom now and see a different since of this motherhood stuff!
You guys are so cool for going!!! My parents would not have gone any where near that bus ;) I think that is awesome. Way to go for being involved and way cool too!!!
Um, your hair is getting really long again! Amazing. I love it by the way....whatever you do with it.
Kay enough mushyness!
Welcome Home!
How fun!! Looks like your living life to the fullest... and enjoying everything that comes your way!!
Keep it up friend... it's GOOD!
I came, I saw, and now I comment. Sounds like you had lots of fun - I remember taking a high school choir trip down there in 1984 and it was a blast - and from the description you guys had even more fun.
BTW, if I can make a suggestion, having music start up from nowhere unexpectedly is a bit startling... esp. when I'm at work. Perhaps defaulting to "off" would be best, if it's possible?
Now to read the rest of the blog...
Sharon sometimes I think you should just teach a class on how to be a cool mom!
By the way, Gabby is BEAUTIFUL! It's been a long time since I've seen her.
I came back just to check the comments left after me (the comment thing where it emails you isn't working for me!) Any way..I was just looking at that last pic. You look like you could be in your early-mid 20s! And who's that scruffy old man with the wrinkles you've got your arm around? ;)
Wow, Sharon! I could say a million things here.
1. I agree with Jill - "cool mom" or more importantly "Godly mom" classes please!
2. She IS beautiful - but look at her mom - wow again. Ben is so lucky:)
3. What a fun trip.
If she ever does any solos at CSCC, I would love to be there listening!
Yay, fun! Fun pictures too. I'm glad you were brave and brought a camera along. I'm sure gabby will appreciate those pictures!
Loving the one of you and Ben. You have adorable dimples :D
Fun times, I'm so gald it was a great trip for all of you.
I will never forget the time Gabby placed me in the "cool mom club". What a sweetheart.
Thanks for a great trip friend!
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