Lia Guest-Hosts

Hi you guys, this is Lia. Dad isn't putting anything in, so I guess I'm going to have to do it for him.
Well. Berrett and I went on marching band tour about two Saturdays ago, down to Red Rocks in  St. George. Our first competition we got first in our division (3A, based on size of band) with three caption awards (outstanding music, outstanding visual, and outstanding colorguard). I think it was after that one that the band started freaking out. You see, at all of our other competitions, we only got second or third with one or two caption awards. But now, at Red Rocks, we finally got first. Afterward at the bus, everyone was so excited that I seriously thought they were going to tip the bus over. O.O  (scary)
Second competition, we got first in our division (2A this time) again. We were just getting over the excitement of that when the announcer said that we had made it to the top ten finals. Now, that's cool, huh? Here's what's even cooler.  Out of all of the other bands from around the west, we were the only band from 2A to make it into finals; the smallest band there! So we marched our show yet again and came in seventh out of the ten bands. Among them was the mighty American Fork Marchinig Band, who, of course, won first. Not that that's bad or anything, I mean, they had only won first at every single competition they had marched that year, won all of the caption awards, and recieved the sympathy of every band in Utah, but that's beside the point. Just on a side note, in case you hadn't heard, the AF band was driving home from a competition a while ago when the driver of one of the buses fell unconcious and collapsed over the steering wheel. The bus veered out of control and started rolling. The clarinet instructor who had been sitting at the front grabbed the steering wheel and managed to gain control of it somewhat before it started to roll. She was thrown out the driver's side window and was killed. The only other injuies were broken bones and noses. Now at the very end of their show, they have a memorial to Heather Christiansen, the clarinet instructor who gave her life to save the lives of her students. It's extremely touching; the first time I saw it, I started to tear up.
So that's band season. Woo! Well, not really woo since this year was my last one. I told myself I wouldn't cry about it, but right before our second to last performane, my freind Kim walked up to me, put her hands on my shoulders, and said, in the most serious tone possible, "Well Lia, this is our last performance." then walked away. After that, when I put on my uniform I thought, This is the last time I'm going to wear this... and sniffed. I picked up my hat, last time wearing this, too... sigh. Assembled my saxophone, this is the last time I'm going to pick this up to march with it... soon I was crying, trying to wipe my tears away on my sleeve before anyone saw them. At least I was able talk to people without choking on my tears. Another one of my friends, also a senior, started crying also and couldn't stop. It was only after I patted his shoulder and gave him a hug that he managed to swallow up his sobbing.

Well, I wish I could write more, but Mom and Dad are telling me that it's time for prayer and dishes and bed. Yay.
See ya!

(I'll try to guilt trip dad into writing more, so you can hear more about everyone else....)