Klaira is in 3 choirs at school this year. They have the most talented, professional, loving teacher ever. I don't know if the kids really know how spoiled they are to have such an incredible director.
First some back ground...in the past few months...days even...a few of our students have lost love ones. (One of our girls lost her Father to cancer the Sunday before we left..another lost her Mother just a few months ago, another, her grandmother...it goes on..)
One of the songs that the kids have been working on comes from a man who wrote the song after he lost his baby in a tragic accident. So the kids have much emotional feeling for this song. (There will be Rest)
When we got to Anaheim, the kids had a workshop with a very talented Gentleman (I'm sorry I don't know his name) who knows the author of the song "There will be Rest" personally. This song has a place in his heart. The location for our workshop had beautiful acoustics and the song was very strong and emotional. Several of us were crying. He did not know about the emotions already at the surface with our kids and as we were working with him, as he told his ties to this song. Lots of tears that afternoon. Lots of hugs and love and support for everyone. I am so impressed at the love for one another in this large group. (This is two choirs..)
Cool Michael!Then, later that night we were able to go to a Jazz concert that our directors daughter was apart of at a college near by. It was a long day since we had already driven several hours just to get to Anaheim and then to go to the workshop and then to the college. When the concert was over, we headed back to the hotel.
About 10:30 one of our buses (heavy traffic, in the car pool lane, traveling about 70 mph) was behind a small truck. The truck swerved and hit something which then the bus also hit. The bus driver knowing that we were not far from the hotel, did not stop, but got all the kids back to the hotel. The kids were put to bed with the talk that it could have been anything, so not to get worked up until we had more information. We found out the next morning that indeed the bus had hit a man and he was killed. We talked to the kids and some insisted that we have a prayer for the bus driver and for the man who was killed and his family. (I was very impressed that the kids wanted to do this...) then, teary eyed, we drove our first choir to the festival to perform, and while we were warming up the second choir was bussed over. The kids sang the best I have ever heard them sing. It was perfect! Again, all of the chaperons were crying.
Chamber Choir 
Womens Coral
Amber and AaronAfter the choirs performed, we went outside to take pictures. They had a professional photographer, and there were signs saying that only that group could take pictures..of course I snapped a few of the whole choir but we are not able to see some of the kids and I have the back of the guy in my picture...a little bit away we found this great sculpture of a hand that the girls wanted their picture taken in...very nice! Then we loaded up and headed to Huntington Beach! YES!
Emily and Sarah 
Alex 
Alex, Kellie, Morgan, Bri, Ghiannah, Klaira, Haylie
Maria
Beach Baby!
Huntington Beach
Happy FeetAfter the beach we had a few minutes to clean up and head over to the awards ceremony. We had just enough time to eat and look around California park before the ceremony began.
Chase and Jessica
Bea and Amanda 
Just DONE!Both of our choirs took 1st with Gold in their divisions. They also won Judicator's award for both choir, Spirit award, and a special invitation to New York. In other words, they swept the competition!
They next morning we got up and loaded the buses and headed to DISNEY LAND/CALIFORNIA PARK! What a fun day to release from a VERY emotional weekend. The girls were finally able to get Klaira on "Tower of Terror"! (She got the T-Shirt!)
