Last post on Nashville ... I promise!

I don't have any pictures to share of the Sunday that we spent in Nashville, but I sure wish that I did.  On Sunday, we went to Grace Community Church.  I was a member of that church during my 4 years in Nashville.  When I started going there, it was a brand new church.  It was meeting on the campus of Belmont.  I loved everything about that church and met some wonderful people during my 4 years there.  One of the saddest parts about graduating from Belmont and leaving Nashville was leaving my church.  Since it's beginning in 1992, it has grown to a rather large church.  They now have 800 members and have also sent off people from their church to start 2 other churches in surrounding areas.  

So, on the Sunday of our trip, I took my 4 children to Grace Community Church to worship.  It was wonderful to be back among the people of Grace.  It was wonderful to see so many familiar faces.  I am so thankful that I was able to visit and see how they have grown and worship in their new building.  (new to me)

After the service, we went to lunch with my friend, Katie.  (I posted about her earlier)  She has been a member of Grace, from almost the very beginning!  We enjoyed a nice lunch and as much chatting as we could do with the children around to chat along with us!

After lunch, Rosalie fell asleep in the van, while we made our way to our next stop.  We went to a church on the other side of Nashville for a performance of Handel's Messiah.  I was so excited to hear from some Nashville friends of mine and fellow music majors from Belmont, that my former Chorale director would be conducting this performance.  2 of the people that I sang with in Chorale were in the performance, and the guest soloist was another fellow Belmont School of Music graduate. (who is now a Professor of Voice at the University of South Carolina)

It was rather ambitious of me take my 4 children to this performance by myself.  No back up.  Believe me, I had knots in my stomach over it.  My desire to expose my children to this wonderful music ... and my desire to see all of these wonderful people won out, though.  I felt confident that my children would do well at a performance such as this one.  However, we had just gotten through sitting quietly in church for an hour and a half that morning.  I just wasn't sure how they would do stacking it up like that ... and without Rich around to help them remember to be still and quiet.

They far exceeded my expectations once again.  Martin and Aaron rather enjoyed the performance - the beautiful orchestra and choir and soloists.  Jonathan struggled.  I have to be real here.  He looked up at me once and very quietly said, "I am not a quiet boy!" (through tears!)  He desperately wanted to run around and be loud.  Once I started giving him a countdown ... and he realized that it was not going to go on forever, he was great!  (I would say, just 6 more songs ... now 5, etc.)

Rosalie, stayed asleep when I took her out of the van, and slept through part of the performance and watched the rest of it.  She loved the music!

Although, I was very thankful to be listening to the glorious music, my stomach did remain in knots for most of the performance.  I didn't have a very easy escape, if I should have needed to take a child out ... and I couldn't leave some of the children there without me.  I am so thankful that we were able to sit and enjoy the entire performance without needing to exit.

A nice lady(whose husband was in the choir) approached me after the concert , and said the nicest thing to me.  Those of you who have children know how much a mother's heart needs encouragement, so her words were precious to me!  She said, "I just want to tell you that you have a lovely family.  I was watching you during the performance.  I was so impressed that your children were sitting quietly and listening to the music without having to be entertained by something electronic"

I know she did not realize that I spent the entire concert being nervous about the "what ifs", however, her words meant a lot to me.  She certainly didn't have to take the time to say anything at all.  It has helped me, though, to remember to offer words of encouragement to others.

If you have been following our trip to Nashville, thanks for reading.  It was a fun trip for us ... and I am thankful to have reconnected with so many wonderful friends!