So, have you ever had something coming up that you were nervous about, & then it turned out so awesome after that you couldn't stop smiling & even maybe felt like crying because you were so happy?! Well that's how I feel today.
I don't even know if that description makes sense or not. But, okay, I'll explain. It does have to do with this combined Choir this weekend. Our Stake President asked me to conduct it about 6 weeks ago. I thought he was a little crazy because I'm not a 'real' Choir director. So I've had a while to worry about it. Yesterday we had our only rehearsal. I mighta had a bit of a spaz attack Saturday morning. I was just stressing about it. So I really hated myself and felt bad for my friends in my car with me. It luckily didn't last very long. I didn't get there as early as I planned.
Choir members filtered in for a while and Kati was able to get some presets ready on the organ, she ran them through a bunch of warmups (I definitely don't know my scales well enough, nor any exercises) we tuned Andy's viola, and got started. It was AWEsome! They followed well, and they sounded great.
I just had to tell them to watch a couple things and I had to remember my cut-offs. Really, once we got started practicing I was fine, I didn't even feel all that nervous anymore. And it became fun. So today when we met I knew what was going on, and they sounded even better. Sigh. I am SO blessed!!
We sang 3 songs, and I directed for the 2 congregational hymns, and it was just so much fun and awesome. Both yesterday and today when they were over though I felt such a huge relief. The Spirit was so strong in that meeting, especially for the music. It was so clear how people felt from it. During the last song (Let Us All Press On) Elder Hillier (the presiding G. A. from the 70 who chose all the songs & wanted tons of music as a stipulation) turned around to look at the choir! That's a huge compliment.
I don't know if I've stopped smiling. It turned out so well and I'm just so happy--I am so blessed. All those prayers asking for help sure were answered. President Packard shook my hand after and told me, "See, you did it. And you did great." And I was able to genuinely thank him for giving me the opportunity. A few other people stopped me to thank me, and I really just felt so good, and so loved. It truly was a wonderful experience for me, and I'm impressed, pleased, and relieved that I did it!
One woman was super cute, she grabbed me on my way out and gave me a huge hug (thankfully I don't have a bubble, lol) and thanked me profusely for a while, she even went so far to say we sounded exactly like the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Hah, that's just too cute because we did sound awesome, but definitely not that good. But I'm sure to some people there may not seem to be as much of a difference between choirs as there really is. Haha. She was fun, Sister Lane.
I would write more, but I've been going for a while, who even knows how many people are still reading? And I've gotta go. The Conference was fun.
Ashley stayed with me since after Choir Thursday night, and we got up early Saturday to 3-barrel my hair for the Conference that day! I may have been (just) a tad vain about my hair yesterday...hah. But seriously, look at how awesome it looks!
Here it is from the back! ;) Oh, and Megan braided Ashley's Friday night, so hers was fun too.
Unfortunately I didn't take any pictures during the dance, but my hair stayed in pretty well, and the dance was a ton of fun! :) (I know that for many of you that's hard to imagine--me having fun at a dance.)
My friend Chanae graduated from Cosmotology School, and there was a surprise party for her Friday night, look at my friend the balloon that stuck to my hair from the static! It was funny.
Clearly I had a phenomenal weekend! What did you do?