Emily’s Middle All State Choir
After the kids got to school Emily and I packed and headed up to Denver for her Middle School All State weekend. She auditioned back in the fall and was selected as one of two girls in her school (and three boys) to participate in the event. Kids from all over the state came to Denver and were positioned in one of three different choirs. 150 kids in each: All Girls Choir, Treble Choir (girls and boys with unchanged voices) and Male Choir (with boys with changed voices). Emily was an ALTO 2 in the Treble Choir – not because of her range but because according to her choir director, “she can read music like nobody’s business.”
We left frosty Colorado Springs with bags full of treats and listened to Hamilton the whole way to Denver. Emily told me it is her life’s goal to memorize every word of every Hamilton song --- and visit Australia. We checked into the Magnolia Hotel downtown and relaxed for a little while before heading to the Colorado Convention Center to check in.
I sure love this girl. She’s conscientious, organized, determined and silly. She is fourteen, after all. She’s a lot more interested in her clothes these days, and her hair, and her mascara. She’s been talking about a haircut for awhile and we spontaneously cut it late one night last week. She’s pretty fun to hang out with. She does have her challenges but she approaches them with resolve and humility – and for that I’m grateful.
We went out for pizza at the Pizza Republico by the Convention Center and then I dropped her off for rehearsal from 2:00-4:30. I bundled up and walked around Denver. I wish the skies would have been blue and the weather warm, as I am still pretty anxious to explore around Denver, but it was cold and windy. I shopped a little, bought a black dress at Banana Republic and then went back to my hotel to relax. I’m glad we decided to stay at the Magnolia. It was just perfect and only a couple blocks away. I met up with Emily to go out to eat for dinner and then dropped her off for rehearsal again from 7:00 - 9:00.
After rehearsal we walked past 16th Street to our hotel. It was fun having some time just her and I. Back at the Magnolia we grabbed snickerdoodle chocolate chip cookies and milk from the hotel lobby and ate them in a comfy little alcove and then headed upstairs. {Mike and Carly had their baby at 7:30 at night – A little girl named Whitney Mary Walton. It was fun to be receiving updates and pictures all day on the Walton group text. So fun! }
Friday's rehearsals started at 8:15. Emily and I got up early and had a Denver omelet and fruit at Harry’s – the Hotel’s restaurant and then we dashed over to the Convention Center. I watched them do a series of fun warm up activities and then spent most of the morning back at my hotel, (darn it winter weather) but I spent the afternoon listening to Emily's choir perform for the High School All State mixed choir (and vice versa) and then hearing a concert by an A Capella group from a nearby college. A fun afternoon. Dad and the kids came downtown in time for her big performance at 7:00. It was fun to be there to support her and I think she had a great time.
