You Missed Me???

I'm BAAAAAACCCCKKK! Oh, so many good memories from Phoenix 2011. The Big Monkey Man (I'll explain that later), Tracey the Tree (that one will need some serious explaining later), performing, and swimming... good memories that just can't fit in one blog post. They just can't.

It's crazy. I woke up this morning in Phoenix, Arizona. I ate lunch in Denver, Colorado. Right now I am blogging from Dayton, Ohio. Some crazy stuff.

I didn't blog all week because:

1. I desperately needed a break
2. I was too busy having fun with the acquaintances whom I now call my friends
3. Wi-Fi wasn't working the first day
4. Time change was really messing me up...
5. Performing and attending service.

See! Those are all legitimate reasons! Here's some sad stuff, though.

Relient K. My hotel. The day after I leave.

Who loves Relient K? This girl! Well, this fan of the band found out that they walked the same halls that their favorite musicians are about to walk. Josh was wearing a Relient K shirt and well, Nathan saw some hotel lady and she was like, "Were you wearing a Relient K shirt?" and he was like, "No, that was my brother" and she was like, "Well, those guys are coming [to San Carlos hotel] after the Warped Tour for a little after-party on Sunday." 

So, Nathan told me about this. "You know, the Relient K guys are staying in OUR hotel---" (I gasped...) "On Sunday." (...I sighed.) Problem with that? We left the hotel today. No Matt Thiessen for this girl *whimpers*.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T!

Some airport guy called me "sir" today. I may have really short hair, but I'm pretty sure I look like a girl.

Waiting for a train....

You know I love my "Inception"! Well, downtown Phoenix has a lot of urban trains (kinda like subways, but above the ground) that are always going. Every time one passed, I was like, "You're waiting for a train. You know where you hope it will take you. But you can never be for sure..." Trains passed so often, the last time I said it, it was, "You're waiting for a train. You know---"

"HOPE!" People cut me off before I could finish. Told ya, I get annoying after a while.

"The History kids are coming, they're coming down the street..."

The History kids song. Brings back amazing memories. Well, it's always been an inside-the-History-club thing, but when I took my seat on the plane next to Nathan (who was not in the club), I heard him start singing:

"The History kids are coming. They're coming down the street. There's Robbie, Mark, and Jonathan and Hope and Hannah and Maria and Caitlin and Faith".

I was just like, how does he know that song??? Turns out, Mark was singing it on the escalator and that's how Nathan knew it.

The National Fine Arts Festival Diaries.

Want more? Can't get enough of Phoenix 2011? I'll spill two things:

1. Fine Arts (Nationals) will be held in Louisville, Kentucky next year. Come on... why not Honolulu???
2. Next year's STL/FAF theme will be "Relentless".

Still need more? Don't worry, more is coming--- more is coming, and you will hear everything from a day-to-day basis--- exactly what happened on each particular day (including a Matthew West performance). You'll just have to wait and see.

I already miss Phoenix. I spilled lemonade on my pants back in Ohio today and was thinking, "If only I were still in Phoenix, my pants would have already been dry within three minutes". I was at a county fair and passed something that smelled just like San Carlos, the hotel I was in. Then, me and Drew were watching the Disney Channel on the plane today and some kid was standing in front of the U.S. Airways Center--- where our Fine Arts ceremonies and services were held! Then I unpacked my bag today. Looked at some photographs. I couldn't help thinking about the festival and couldn't deny the feeling: I miss Phoenix already, and I haven't even been home for twelve hours. Arizona, I will come back for you!

Last but not least...

Never forget "Excuses".

This song makes me sad now. Not because our band didn't get called back (oops, wasn't supposed to tell you until I posted the diaries), but because it's over. No more Sunday band practices. It makes me sad because of how it united six teenagers plus one twelve-year-old (me) to become a band and maybe even great friends.

It makes me sad because all those memories are no longer being lived.

They're now locked away in a suitcase, ready to be unveiled when the time comes to hopefully ignite a spark, bring back a laugh.

I greatly enjoyed going to band practice every week (no matter how bad practice was). Even if I had the most terrible week, something about band practice lifted my spirits and I never missed a practice, never left one without a smile on my face or joy in my eyes (or tiredness). I could just go to band practice and all the emotions that were holding me back from being my happiest were gone.

Music unites people in a special way. That's why it's wonderful how we can worship God with music. How we can use something we've all grown to love for Him. The FAF band practices are over. But we can continue to use our gifts way past Fine Arts. There's a worship team and so much more.

Everyone has a gift.

Everyone has to ability to DISCOVER, and the determination to DEVELOP. But do you have the courage to DEPLOY?