originally emailed July 2, 2008, 11:01am
I'm sure you all got the email about us being in the newspaper! We learned today that there are additional pics and video online: http://www.statesman.com/search/content/news/photos/07/070108choir_slideshow.html
Yes, that is us singing and thank goodness they recorded one of our best songs!
Yesterday morning, we left Austin and headed south to New Braunfels where we performed at Eden Home Retirement Community. The kids did a fantastic job! And the residents were so glad to see the kids. It was like a wheelchair parade of residents coming to/from the chapel where we sang. Apparently, Eden Home has had four choirs come through their doors in the last month or so, and you know who they said was #1? :-) VIP. Now, maybe they're just saying that but I don't think so.
We went to eat lunch and after we had finished, the skies opened up and the rain fell in huge drops. We raced from out outdoor pincic tables to the safety of a covered porch. As residents around us questioned what had brought this rain, experienced VIPs smiled. I explained to the residents that every time this choir goes on tour, we bring rain. It just happens. When we were in Orlando in 2002, it rained so much that our hotel was flooded, the water park closed, and we came up with a daily "monsoon plan" to handle exiting the park at an unexpected time. Texas has been in deep drought so the rain was a welcome relief. And no big deal to us becase we spent the afternoon toobing on the Guadalupe River!
Toobing was a lot of fun and it was nice to see the kids have fun together. There were several series of rapids that had to be negotiated and the VIPs did a good job of looking out for one another. Caitlin Fowler, one of our seniors, stayed at a rapid to make sure that our 6th grade girls (Maddie, Madison, Jenna, and Ellie) got through it. (Scott Dean was w/ them to!) And Jamie Wood brought Adam Kratz into her tube to help keep him warm. The water temperature was in the low 60s and the air temp was somewhere in the low 80s. (Where is the Texas heat we were expecting?!) Adam was blue from the cold! There was a lot of swimming and splashing and I am plotting my revenge against one Mr. Jeff Myers who dumped me in the river, with some help and encouragement from Blaire, Kerry, and Mary Brooke. I put up a good fight but was out-numbered.
We checked into our hotel and had a quick taco dinner, and then it was off to sing a concert at the Dwyer Center, a homeless shelter. As we did at the Children's Home, we passed out instruments and asked the audience members to play along. They did an awesome job! The audience really responded to VIP and lots of people came up to talk to me and the kids. One man said, "I was expecting some little kids who'd do a few songs. YOu all have absolutely blown me away. I can't believe how great you are." And a few people even asked for my autograph. haha One shelter resident writes songs in her spare time and asked if I'd take a look at them. Another one, asked for our mailing address so he could write. The choir sang well (and did a good job correcting some minor musical mistakes) and had fun.
Then, we made an evening run to Sonic for ice cream. We've all seen those Sonic commercials but there's no Sonic near home! The kids stood in the drive-in spots and ordered their ice cream. It was pretty funny. And now we've all had a good night's sleep and it's off to Six Flags!
Love,
Holly