finally...

Yo! I haven't really been doing much with this so far (obviously) but I have a lot of fun pictures from tour and such that will probably go up once I get home on Sunday night.

Firstly I want to say CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! to Nick and Tricia for successfully graduating and being cool (not particularly in that order). You guys rock. I'm sorry I couldn't get a hold of you. I'm having a hard time finding reception with my phone right now.

If you didn't know already (I'm so bad at remembering to call people) The BYUI Symphonic band is on tour of the Southern states. We've been going for about two and a half weeks and we're having a blast! We're all pretty worn out... the last few days have been heavy traveling days and tomorrow we get going at 5 in the morning to get back to Louisiana for out last concerts. Right now we're in Jackson, Tennessee staying the night at a member family's barn. Their farm is huge!!!! The "barn "we're staying in comfortably fits all 12 of us girls that are here tonight. Usually it's only two or three of us in a home, but these good people were generous to put up with us tonight even though they have sick horses and a big storm rolling in.
The members are so awesome. They have hearts and testimonies bigger than Texas (IF that's even possible!!!!) and have made sure we are well to over fed. It's really good food though, so what can I do? It's delicious and we don't want to be insulting, so we eat it. I call it missionary training. Anyway - the moral of this story is: if Danielle comes back extremely fat and has a southern accent, you should love her anyway.
As far as performing goes, we've played a concert every night except for Sundays, and then we did firesides for the stake members we were with. Probably my favorite concert so far was a couple days ago in Mississippi when we played for a Performing Arts Elementary school (kinda like a magnet school) for the kindergarteners through 3rd grade. They were so cute! and really, really, REALLY enthusiastic. There were a lot of talented kids there - we got to talk to some people after the show, and one little boy we talked with played like 5 instruments and he was only 7 years old! Of course I realize that they're not mastered, but it's still impressive nonetheless. I hope he doesn't burn himself out too quickly on music so he can enjoy it his whole life.
We haven't really done a lot of sightseeing aside from what we could see on the way in the bus, but I did enjoy free time in New Orleans. The French Quarter of town was SOOOOooooo cool! The architecture was amazing, and there were live bands everywhere. We didn't get to see a lot of the good stuff jazz wise because that's down Bourbon street, and nowadays thats a BIG no-no. Over all though, we had the cleanest fun we could find.
It's been a few years since Rita and Katrina hit, but everyplace that we have been has huge damage still. It was really sobering to see the effect it had on the people, but most we talked to had a positive outlook. I was really grateful that we're donating everything that we're getting paid on this tour to help these people. I felt pretty helpless at first, because I didn't feel like I could really do anything to help, but I realize that I don't have to be directly and physically involved every step of the way to help. I'm grateful to have had this experience.

Well, it's pretty late, and we have an early start, so I'll check in again when I'm home, and post some pictures too!

Love y'all!