It was like living, breathing Facebook

I loved every minute of Jr. High and High School.

I did.

Of course I experienced my share of heartbreaks, tears, and teenage angst, but as a whole, when I look back on those years of my life, I have nothing but fond memories. I had great friends, loving adult mentors, and carefree fun.

I was involved in many things as a student, but I only did a couple of things well...choir was one of them. I was the biggest choir nerd you ever did see. To this day, I get goose bumps when I see a well timed jazz hand. And I loved the scene in High School Musical when Ryan and Sharpay argued over using the jazz square in their routine.

I know every word to every Christmas carol and can sing the melody or the harmony depending on which part I feel is weaker at the moment.

See? I'm a nerd.

We didn't think we were nerds though. We thought we were the. coolest. singers. ever. There were about 10 of us that went through choir together from 7th grade through senior year. The hours we spent doing concerts, musicals, and show choir events, rehearsing, riding the bus, taking early/late lunches, TOGETHER, helped nurture friendships and bonds that got us through the tough teen years and beyond.

In my mind we were all still young and skinny, attending Sweet 16 parties and gearing up to go caroling at yet another bank.

When Bubba came home from 6th grade registration and announced that he'd signed up to take Choir as his elective, all of those thoughts came to a screeching halt.

Wait a minute.

My son is old enough to be in CHOIR. Real choir?

That can't be right?!

Maybe...we aren't as young as I thought we were.

When we sat down in the auditorium to watch his first middle school choir concert, I was not prepared for the flood of memories and nostalgia that hit me.

Then I volunteered at his first All Region Choir competition.

It was all just so surreal. Wasn't I just here to audition? Wasn't Bubba just 3 years old singing "Jesus Loves Me" in Bible class?

He made All Region Choir...as a 6th grader...that's a pretty big deal...there were only three 6th grade boys that made it. He got to wear a tux for the first time.

This is the only picture I got. He sent it to me from his phone. Then afterwards, he ran to change back into his regular clothes before we could even find him.

At his first concert, I watched him and realized that someone was gonna have to get ahold of that boy and teach him to plant his feet, stand still, and quit fidgeting while he's singing, and to look at the director during the song.

It's taken me a couple of weeks to justify it all in my brain. All of those wonderful memories I have from Jr. High and High School? It's Bubba's turn.

He spent all day Saturday rehearsing with the All Region Choir and the guest director. Then we went to the concert Saturday evening. They sounded so grown up and nothing like you might imagine when you hear the phrase "Middle School Boys Choir". They were good. And Bubba didn't fidget...and he looked at the director the entire time they were singing.

As it turns out, one of my old choir friends grew up and became a director, and he was the guest director for Bubba's choir. (What?! You're in charge now?! Weren't we just having rubber band wars in the choir room?) It was fun seeing him again and catching up with what's happening in his life.

Then my friend told me that he felt bad because he got on to Bubba at the beginning of the day because he wasn't looking at him during the songs. I grinned and told him somebody needed to show him how it's done.

If somebody had to do it, I'm glad it was my friend.

Is this what it means to come full circle?