At the beginning of the school year my son begged to join the school band and play the trumpet. 

We said NO.  Because for one.....he doesn't have a good record of following through on things.  And two....it was the trumpet.  It's loud. 

I suggested the flute.  Or even the triangle! 

However the trumpet is kind of a family thing.  His Grandpa plays and he was taught by his Father.  So we thought it would actually be kind of cool if Micah kept the tradition going. 

The trumpet is hard to play.  You don't just blow into it.  You have to purse your lips and  make them vibrate. 

I've tried it and I can make a sound but after awhile it hurts. 

Micah mastered the sounds, learned the notes and in no time at all was playing tunes. 

Fast forward six months.  We are invited to a 5th and 6th grade concert.  String Orchestra, Band and Chorus. 




About 500 kids participated.  Most of which couldn't play a single note or even hold their instrument properly six months ago. 

I was nervous. Nervous for all these young kids.  Nervous for the band teachers who had worked so hard trying to make something out of nothing.  Nervous for him. I had heard him play the songs over and over and sometimes....the notes were very loud and very wrong. 






Do you see him?  Green shirt and glasses.  He looks a little dazed.




He said he saw us right away.  That we stuck out.  I hope that was a good thing.  Maybe it was my green hair.



Bad lighting.

The string orchestra performed first.  I wasn't sure what to expect.

  Screeching?  Mass chaos?

The music teacher stood up on the platform and raised her arms.  The kids lifted their instruments all in unison. 



It was beautiful.

 They played a medieval song, the Jaws theme, a classical piece and  Smoke on the Water. 

Very cool. 

Then it was the band's turn.  I think I was holding my breath. 



And then. 

 The song that I had heard him practice over and over. The one that sort of sounded like a song and sort of sounded like something was missing.  The one that at times....I cringed when he played. The one that was his favorite. 

It sounded amazing. 

 The empty silences I heard at home, while he counted by tapping his foot, was filled with other instruments playing.

  The song came together. 
 
I think I grinned the entire time. 

It was a marching song.  The second was called Creatures in the Attic.  Next was Eye of the Tiger.  The last piece was called Let's Go Band.  

My kid totally rocked.

The chorus was next.  The kids did a beautiful job.  However I think that they should have done the singing first.  People started zoning out. 

I caught this guy playing solitaire. 



I looked at Micah.  He was holding two trumpets.  I think his buddy was in chorus. 




You can kind of tell by the looks on the kids faces that they were over it. 




Afterwards there was a mass decent down the bleachers and into the super crowded hallway. 

Everyone trying to find their kid. 

I found mine wandering around outside. 

 I hugged him so tight.

  He was so pumped.  He talked all the way home. He asked what  our favorite part was.  He talked about how nervous he was when he entered the gym.  And how loud the percussion's were.  How his lips hurt. 

How he wanted to do band again next year. 

I was so grateful to be there.   To not just be in the audience but to feel happiness.  Enjoyment.  Pride. 

He is my rock star. 

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