I'm Back, Baby!

Doesn't that make you think of Seinfeld - when George says it in that crazy screaming voice? I feel I have been very neglectful of my blog - my new project - so don't worry...I'M BACK, BABY! It's been a very busy past week, and other stuff has had to take precedence over updating my exciting life. The weekend was good, mainly spent worrying about playing the piano in the Sunday evening service. I think that's what I want to focus on updating you about - because it's probably the most entertaining. I played in the morning service, just for the orchestra, so that was no big deal - it does make me somewhat nervous, but knowing the night service was coming helped me to not be so afraid about the morning.

I had to be at church at 3:30 Sunday afternoon to rehearse with the orchestra. First of all, let me say, it's a WAY privilege that they would let me do ANYTHING music wise at our church because of how crazy talented the people are. This is why I get so worried when I'm going to actually play for something real besides a rehearsal! The afternoon went well rehearsing, but then I had to learn about the ear piece thingie and the click thing on the computer. This is what I had been nervous about all along. But, there was plenty of time, and they were so patient with me - it was great! They showed me exactly about the ear piece, how to use it, how to choose what I wanted to hear out of it, and then exactly how to do the click - I really appreciated their patience with me! So...I'm all set, after I figure out how to attach the little click pack thingie to my pants and thread it up my shirt, etc.

The service begins. I play while men come to the altar to pray, and while the prayer is going on, Scott White comes over to talk to me about something. Well, I am so crazy. I have that ear thing in my left ear (the ear he is talking to me) and I have it turned up really high because I was so afraid that when we did the song with the click, I wouldn't be able to hear it - and goodness knows I must hear it! So, he's telling me something, but I honestly have no idea what - I can hear a few words here and there - like, "chord", and I'm not sure what else. I deduce from this one sided conversation that he is telling me that when they finish praying to just play a chord and we'll sing the song again so they can sit down. Geez, I hope that is what he was telling me - I just nod my head like I understand. When he walks away, I'm like, "B, you crazy idiot, why did you act like you just understood what he said when you didn't!??" I just was so nervous! So, I play the chord, and that seems to work okay. Next obstacle, baptism time. During this time in the service, I am supposed to play quietly while almost all the lights are out and they are doing baptisms. Well, for a normal person, that would probably be the easiest part of the evening for him or her, but oh no, not for me. I can play lots of stuff you put in front of me with music, but if you just tell me to "play something" uh, you can forget it. That's definitely not my forte - uh, that's not even in my realm. So, I brought a couple songs that were in the same key as the song we'd just sung so that I could play those pieces instead of just "playing something". Well, dang it, it was really dark. Like so dark I am hunched over the music just trying to read it. It started out okay at first, I was able to see, but as time went on and we baptized like a million people (praise the Lord, of course), my eyes just started to get crazy and give out - like all squinty and blurry. I felt like that baptism was never going to end. After that was over, there were several other times in the service that I was supposed to just "play something" during prayers, announcements, etc., but I just could not do it. The baptism had spent me in this area. Oh, the only other excitement for me was when the congregational song began - I started the click just like Scott asked me to and began playing the song - well, in my haste to turn the little ear thing up so that I could definitely hear the click, I didn't realize how loud all of that would be when it all came together - so my ear is like crazy falling off and the sound coming out of the ear piece is like that scratchy noise that happens in your car when you are about to bust your speakers. But, can I do anything about it...like reach down and turn the thing down a little bit? NO WAY. I am too afraid I'll lose my place or do something crazy - so, by the time that song ends, I am like, basically deaf. Which does not help the fact that I already think I can't hear very well.

All in all, believe it or not, I think the night was pretty successful. I was not perfect, for sure, but I tried my very best, and for the most part, especially for the orchestra songs, I really enjoyed the opportunity to play. I like playing for their rehearsals the most though and being able to help teach our Sunday School class. I so appreciate everyone's patience with me and for the opportunity to play during that service. We went to Cracker Barrel with Eric and and Kelli afterward to celebrate - I was SO GLAD that day was OVER!!!! Landon even brought me some balloons - you know how I love balloons! He was a great husband this past weekend...not only doing special stuff for me, but just supporting me, in general, because I was pretty nervous and pretty crazy acting! A few pictures: