The Big Band Era

Just over a week ago we saw the end of an era.

The end of the Band Era in our family.

Our four sons have been playing the

trombone,

trumpet,

drums,

and guitar

in various middle, junior, high school, and community

concert and jazz bands for the past 14 years.

That's a lot of band concerts, let me tell you.

This is Jake doing jazz improv on his trombone

for the jazz band.

To be in the jazz band the kids have to be at school

1-1/2 hours early every M-W-F all year long.

That's a lot of years we've had kids going to school early

three days a week all year long.

Not doing that is going to be a bonus.

Except I'll probably still wake up early even though I don't have to.

That internal clock re-wiring thing might take awhile to un-do.

This is Jake playing the trombone in the concert band.

Yep. All the boys did jazz and concert bands.

And this year Jake was also in a wind ensemble.

You might say we like music.

It fills our hearts.

It fills our souls.

It fills our house.

It fills our electronic devices.

Seriously.

We make it.

We sing it.

Some of us (Nick) produce it.

All of us play it in some form or another.

But now?

Now we are finished with this era.

Somewhere I have a picture from 4 years ago

of Jake with his friend, Jeremy, at their first concert

in their freshman year.

Here they are 4 years later

at the end of this era.

It's kind of sad