I met a group of talented teenagers from Montgomery Central High School last night who had gathered together to raise money for MDA on behalf of Andrew and Little's League. How unselfish is that?! The school's National Honor Honor Society puts together a talent show every year where the proceeds go to charity.
After reading about Andrew, one of the school's english teachers, Maggie, suggested to the group that this year's charity be the Muscular Dystrophy Association. I am so honored that they agreed. You have to know that I am always shocked when people step out of their way for me. I don't think it will ever make sense to me when people give of their time/energy/hearts/whatever to me (or Andrew). I feel like that's what I'm supposed to do for you - so when it is the other way around, it feels like the Twilight Zone. It feels undeserved. I don't ever feel entitled to any sort of generosity because I'm not doing anything special or out of the ordinary. I'm just so out of my element when the giving tables are turned. But do I ever appreciate it! You just have no way of knowing how deeply humbled and thankful I am that you chose to donate to an organization that is trying to save Andrew's life.
Here's the piece I wrote for the program. You can click on it to make it bigger if you'd like to read it.
Little and I arrived with just a minute or two to spare and were ushered down front so we could watch the show up close. I brought Little 2 different snacks, a sippy, and some quiet toys - I've been involved in school talent shows before and I know that they can stretch on and get a bit tedious when you are on your 4th rendition of a Whitney Houston ballad - and settled in for whatever was about to pop up on stage. I am happy to report though, that none of the distractions were needed and no off key versions of "I Believe the Children are our Future" were shrieked at us through a microphone. The acts were great! And there were only 10 of them! Maggie should teach seminars on how to run a talent show because it was just the right length and however she ran her audition process was spot on, because everyone who performed was entertaining. I didn't envy the judges their job of picking the winners.
First up was Rust and a guitar only version of Ozzy's "Crazy Train". I (and probably most of the audience) had to stop myself from standing up and shouting "Aye aye aye" at the appropriate time. Or is it "I I I"? Curious. Anyway, very talented pickers. I grew up around guitars and I can assure you that those boys have talent.
Sorry about the fuzzy photos - I took them with my lo-tech cell phone.
Second up was LC who sang "You're Gonna Love Me" from the "Dream Girls" soundtrack. I thought she looked beautiful and has a voice that might get a chair to spin around on The Voice one day.
Then was the first of 2 piano players, Jill. She was fantastic and rightfully took 2nd place.
Then we had Vanessa, who sang "All of Me" by Evanescence. Very Emo.
Jordon played.........I have no idea what song on the guitar, but he was great! :)
And here is a very blurry Alex, hoofing it around the stage. Don't worry, there's a better picture of her standing still in a minute. Alex took 3rd place.
And then we had Chris and Matthew with my personal favorite act of the night. You can hear how much I and the audience laughed on the video. I had tears in my eyes from how funny it was. I bet you can figure out what they were doing before you ever hit play.
Oh, I do love some Napolean Dynamite. I'm guessing the judges hadn't ever seen it or these 2 would have placed.
Our second piano player of the night was Cheyenne (love her name). My dad would have liked her because she played "Beautiful Dreamer", a song my dad has played on the piano more times than I can count.
Emily, Lexi, and Ryan will no doubt grace a coffee house stage near you in the future, if they aren't doing so already. They have some serious potential and were so comfortable on stage. If they were nervous at all, they sure didn't show it.
The final entry was a dancing duo who took home 1st place for the second year in a row - Bailey and Derrion Jeans..........oooh wait, that's not his last name, those are Beyonce's pants. B&D were fantastic. I don't know if they choreographed it themselves or not but it was very clever the way they made their bodies seem to flow with the waves of the music.
Right before the winners were announced, this little cutie named.........ummm.........phhhhh......drat. Well, I'll call her Princess. So Princess called me and Andrew up on stage and presented us with a present for Andrew and big fat check for MDA. I've always wanted to get one of those huge checks, lol. I bet this is only the 1st of many more to come over the years of fundraising we have ahead of us. At the time the check was written out, the National Honor Society had received $674.00 in donations but by the end of the night, that number had jumped to $756.00!!!!!!!! I will hand that money over to the Nashville MDA next Saturday at the Music City MDA Muscle Walk 2012. So in only roughly 2 hours, these kids raised over half of what it took me weeks to get for last week's Muscle Walk in Little Rock!! Little's League is doing some serious damage to Duchenne with all the research hours we are funding! Oh, and Princess, it's doo-shen, but it was super cute to hear you try to pronounce it without ever hearing it. I thought it was doo-shayne until I heard Little's neurologist pronounce it.
All of the contestants waiting for the results
Bailey and Derrion, the winners
Me and Little with 3 of the 5 winners (Jill had already taken off). Bailey was a sweetie. Really they all were - one kid even carried my super huge check, diaper bag, and other loot out to my car for me!
with Maggie and her family
Little Bit decided to explore the cafeteria. He was much more into this event than Saturday's. I think he just wanted to go home. Note to self, 2.5 weeks is too long for a Terrible Two to be away from his dad/crib/toys/home.
Once we got home, Andrew opened his present while snacking on some nuggets.
How much do you love your truck, Andrew?
Thiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiis much!
So an enormous THANK YOU to Maggie and her family, the members of MCHS NHS and to all the students and faculty who lent their time and talent to this show in support of Andrew and Duchenne research. You guys really warmed my heart and impressed me both with your talent and your desire to help find a cure for DMD.
I caught Little dragging around the check this morning.
I guess he thought there was a bank down the hall.
And this post's Little's League photo, the Sampsons! They came to the show all decked out in their Little's League gear - don't they look fantastic?!?!
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