Hoosier Hospitality

We had a blast! Indianapolis is a wonderful, friendly city. There is a rich architectural history that is mixed so well with contemporary settings that you never feel as though there is a contrast. The people of Indianapolis were incredibly kind and helpful. They call it "Hoosier Hospitality" and I liked it.



We stayed at the IUPUI Hotel and Conference Center which was a 4-Star hotel. The amenities were fabulous and the room was quite ritzy. I love ritzy. Being a hotel snob, ritzy works for me. I was not sure about the hotel until we arrived, but then I was sure we had done well. This was the same hotel the kids were staying in, so that is how we came to stay there instead of the usual Marriott chain.



Now, the kids arrived at Lucas Oil Stadium on Thursday for Prelims and performed around 3pm. Then, after dinner and some more practice, they headed back home, about 3 hours away, arriving at 11pm. You see, if they did not attend school on Friday, then they would not be allowed to march on Saturday. Big Daddy and I stayed in Indy while Babs took care of the kids back home and made sure they made it to school on Friday.



Big Daddy and I enjoyed Indy so much on Friday! We shopped and toured and ate. I knew he loved me when he spent $23 on nothing but chocolate at the Chocolate Cafe. *smile* Now, THAT's love. We bought a few Christmas presents for the kids and took a lot of pictures. We ate some of the best food we have had and simply enjoyed our time together as we explored the downtown area. Indy is not only architecturally impressive, it is also quite pedestrian-friendly, which means a lot to someone who loves walking and sight-seeing as much as I do.



The kids attended school on Friday, all 200+ of them, so that they could drive back, yet again, to Indy for the Semi-Finals on Saturday. Friday had them in school all day, then they practiced until 6pm, loaded the buses at 7pm, and ate dinner on the way back to Indianapolis. These kids were tired, to say the least. There were some delays on this trip with road construction, so their arrival time was much later than anticipated. This was not good news for moms and dads worried about the lack of sleep and rest to begin with. The kids rolled into the hotel around midnight and went straight to their rooms. They looked so very tired...



Saturday morning came very early and the kids were awakened at 6:30. They had breakfast at 7am and were out at Carmel High School practicing by 8am. These kids are simply amazing. Their dedication and determination humbles me. As I mentioned, there are over 200 kids in this marching band and every one of them is 100% committed. It is something to behold.



The kids came back and started getting ready for their show. Now, the process of getting ready takes about two hours between getting into uniforms, putting on show makeup for the color guard girls, and doing hair. It is a s-h-o-w and everyone takes it very seriously. We have around another 100+ people who are volunteers. Parents and sponsors who work with the kids to make sure everything is taken care of. Without the volunteers, there would be no band. Food crews, chaperone crews, hair and make up crews, uniform crews, and the people in charge of logistics...it takes them all to ensure our kids are safe and where they need to be. In fact, this band is such a well-oiled machine that once we, the parents, check our children in, they are sequestered from everyone, including their parents. At first we did not like the idea, but through the years, we have not only come to like it but need it for reassurance. These people taking care of our show kids are veterans and know exactly what they are doing. We thank you!!

Semi-finals had us performing at 3pm on Saturday. The kids were dead on and their show was breathtaking. Everyone did a fabulous job. Finals would be announced at 6pm, so we watched other shows and waited. Considering we were at the Grand Nationals, we saw some of the most creative and interesting shows in the entire nation...and our kids were one of them. It was phenomenal. The talent being shown before us on the Indianapolis Colts stadium...wow. Again, ALL the kids participating were amazing. There was one show from Texas that literally took my breath away. It was simplistic and beautiful. The music resonated in my head for days. I could look through my mind's eye and see the colors of the flags as they perfectly complimented the uniforms of the marchers. It was like a fairytale coming to life. Simply beautiful. And so it was with other shows as we watched and enjoyed. We were having every sense stimulated as we watched show after show of those students who had made it this far...representing our fifty states. It was a wonderful, exhilarating time we were sharing with our friends in the stands and our children in the distance.

Finalists were announced. Our kids came in second place in their class. We were thrilled!! Second place in the nation...not bad at all. We were (and continue to be) so very proud. Of course, some seniors were sad because they did not come in first, however, other students were quick to point out that they had won the State competition last weekend and were heading home with a lot to be proud of. These kids build each other up because that is how they are. Band kids are special.

Big Daddy and I headed on home, stopping at Cracker Barrel so he could get some real old fashioned cooking that I am still incapable of providing twenty years into this marriage. LOL There is something about learning to cook "greens" that does not appeal to me anymore than learning to cook cornbread without sugar. So, I thank God for Cracker Barrel and the little old grannies with their cast iron skillets they must have stowed away in their kitchens.

The kids arrived back at school around 2:30am Sunday morning and we headed home. We did not see them until around 3pm Sunday afternoon. They were up long enough to eat and then went back to bed. Sounded good to us, so Big Daddy and I went back to bed, too. Monday showed up and the kids went to school and I went into surgery for my back. Alas, another post about that...but not before we thanked God for safe travel, healthy kids, and Hoosier Hospitality.