I love to sing!

Last night was our long awaited Youth Cultural Celebration in honor of the Twin Falls Temple for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. We had a performance Friday night and 2 on Saturday that were technically dress rehearsals since we haven't really been able to get 14 stakes (give or take 40 towns) of LDS youth (12-18) together for practice very often. Even though they were labeled dress re-rehearsals and we used them to iron out the kinks, we conducted them just like the real thing and each stake had a designated time when the family of participants and others invited could come and watch. The Filer Fair Grand grand stands were almost maxed out ever time.

I loved it! Even though I had seen it start to finish 4 time, I would still cry when 2500 youth and leaders were waving their flags and singing carry on, or when one of the narrators said (in reference to the 90 miles of canal they built in 90 days to save the water rights for our valley) "100 years from now do you think people will know what we've accomplished? When they have irrigated fields and running water will they know how hard we worked?" Those somewhat cheesy little lines started the water works every time. i truly am grateful for my heritage. Oh no...here they come again. I was so filled with love and pride as we stood and sang the patriotic song "Let Freedom Ring" and I hooped and hollared (it turns out I have know idea how to spell that word) as the kids danced their little hearts out.. Even at 26 I'm still a big goof ball who gets all animated and cheesy when she sings and If I allowed my self I would have been embarrassed, BUT why would I want to feel that emotion, instead I chose to enjoy bopping around with a smile on my face as I sang "Rock n robin".

At times I felt a tad bit out of place. I'm the adult now, it's still surreal. But, I love my life, I love then, now and am thrilled to think of the many things I'll get to do and be in the future. Not only am I excited to see all that I and my handsome husband become, but the thought of my kids conquests ahead is exhilarating. I hope I'm singing through all of it, even if I get the "old lady voice". Hooray for the gift of song, hooray for a temple in Twin Falls, and hooray for the future!