My #1's Weekend Being #10

This last weekend was a big one for the little boy.  I don't think he'd take too kindly to me continuing to call him little boy, so I really should stop.  My firstborn, the #1 in the family, was the #10 bassoon out of both All-Northwest groups this past weekend!  The All-Northwest groups are formed from auditions submitted by kids from six states.  A pretty nice honor, whether he's my son or not. 

He left town on Thursday afternoon to spend a long weekend in Bellevue.  Long hours of rehearsals, buffets for every meal, the honor of performing with his high school group at a Friday morning exhibition concert, attending a Seattle Symphony concert, attending the All-Northwest Jazz Band concert, more buffets, hanging out with good friends, making new friends, sizing up potential competitors at the State Solo competition, being in a hotel room of 4 boys (3 of whom are named Alex!), and ending the weekend playing a concert in Benaroya Hall!  What a whirlwind, and from all accounts he was challenged, inspired, and had a blast. 

His high school group was the only high school band selected to perform at the conference, so that group traveled together Friday morning.  The All-State kids and Alex were already up there, but had to get to a different venue for the concert.  Long story:  but because Alex was the only one in a particular hotel, he had no transportation to the Westin.  So Brad and I drove to Bellevue Friday morning to drive our son a half mile for a concert.  And I'm so glad we did.  That son of ours will not let us bicker without turning it into a comedy schtick.  We almost always bicker when we are trying to find a new place.  Well, I guess maybe it's me who bickers.  But I think I'm entitled when, for example, Alex is insistent that "there's a room on the 3rd floor where I'm suppose to leave my case" and I say, "Yes, but that's on the third floor of the Westin, and right now we are in a mall," and they think I'M the one who's not making sense.  And, for the record, if I had followed them "to the theater, which is NOT the way to go!!!!", we would have walked right into the breezeway that led us right to the ballroom they were to perform in.  When I'm wrong, I'm wrong.  And I'm almost always wrong when it comes to directions and finding new places.  And yet I somehow still delude myself into thinking "I cannot imagine these two trying to find their way anywhere by themselves!".   Which I may or may not have said outloud to them.  Which may or may not have provided more material for Alex's comedic timing. 

Yes, if we had decided to let Alex find his own way uphill to the Westin, in his tux, carrying his bassoon, we would have missed all that.  So glad we didn't.

And the concert was really all worth it.  They played something crazy that had stressed out their director a bit and caused extra rehearsals and I hear was very ambitious...but they played it like champs.  It moved me to tears.  Again.  So proud of all those kids.

We then delivered him back to his hotel in time for the next buffet rehearsal, and then Brad and I went out to lunch ALL BY OURSELVES!  It was yummy.  The food, yes.  The company?  Yes.

The rest of the weekend was great for Alex.  I missed him.  He pretended to miss me.

Sunday we had the immense pleasure of hearing the All-Northwest Band and Orchestra play at Benaroya Hall.  Oh, my.  Really, I am at a loss for words to describe how beautiful it was.  The setting is gorgeous, the music was amazing...all of it was too much for words.

Two proud parents

Two proud sisters

Will, Alaina, Alex

After a dinner out with some friends, it was home again for all of us.  Alex had a great night's sleep back in his own bed, then up the next morning for:

THE REMOVAL OF THE BRACES!!!

He timed this very purposefully, waiting until after this weekend.  As immediately after this weekend as he could arrange, which turned out to be less than 12 hours after he arrived back home.

His one food request when the braces came off was a caramel apple.  He thinks he has never eaten one before.  I can't imagine that, but then again this kid knows his food.

Braces, no braces; bassoon, no bassoon....you're a fabulous young man!