Band Camp v 4.0 complete

So my daughter's final band camp is finished. She has 2 rehearsals next week (Monday and Tuesday 6-8:30 on the field) then they will settle into their normal rehearsal schedule once school starts.

How do I feel about it? Well, kind of bittersweet. This year, for some reason, took a lot more out of me. As I drug myself through the grueling routine of driving to school to drop off and then to work and then back to school to pick up and then home and then back to work and then back home to pick up and back to school to drop off and back to work and then back to school to pick up and then home and then back to work and then home and back to school and back to work and back to school to pick up and then back home 4 days straight....yeah it was rough, not to mention freaking expensive. As I drug myself back and forth from my car to work, sometimes being confused as to whether Hailey was at school or at home I kept saying to myself "I'm never doing this again!" ...then I realized that I was absolutely right. This is the last time. I will NEVER do this again. So I'm thankful that I was able to pull it off.

Sure, I could have forced my daughter to bum a ride and it would have saved me a ton of money and time and pain in my feet...but she would have missed out on the driving time and I would have missed out altogether. I LOVE the buzz at school when they dismiss...the kids are so pumped and now that I'm literally counting the days that I'll be at that school and around the band, I want to experience everything I can.

Grueling as it may have been it was very rewarding. Hailey got LOTS of drive time. We had to pick up and drop off two other Seniors who also don't have cars and, as Hailey drove us all we talked in the car about the songs and the show and I got to listen to them talk about their marching steps (which I totally don't understand but it fills my heart with joy to listen to my daughter beam about something that she is passionate about!). After field practices they are all red in the face and their shirts are drenched in sweat...but do they complain? No! They are pumped and talk about the songs and the marching steps. Hailey especially since she's a section leader. She is so melding with this position and I can see her growing into her role and owning it. How rewarding is that?

Band camp, our last band camp, was awesome!

ps: I'm going to try and get some photos of them next week during the evening rehearsals...the show is shaping up to be phenomenal!