"Bring it in."

The words that ended every marching band practice, the words that sent us on our way to every performance. These are the words that will close another chapter in life, and words that I'm dreading to hear next year. I would only be able to spend three years with the band family of the Power Sound of the South, and I would have to say goodbye to the wonderful people I've met, marched, laughed, cried, sweat, worked, and had so much fun with.

These are also the words that tell me to brace myself because every time G makes a speech, I cry. All the dang time -__- I cried during the last game last year too. It bad =\ this year, I cried when he made the speech on the practice field, and I struggled to pull myself together playing the alma mater for the seniors during halftime. So many memories. So many goodbyes. Next year, I'm going to be bawling during halftime.

Time is cruel and relentless. It moves, no matter what, and forces us to learn to appreciate what we have, or we would be forced to appreciate what we had. This year, I've spent a lot of time being afraid of the future, afraid of next year because for sure, next year will be the last I'm going to spend at NC State as an undergrad student, and will most likely not be coming back for grad school. It's my last year to march, last year in pep band, last year just being a college student and enjoying life before "going out to the real world." I love it so much, and it just seems so unfair...so unfair because marching band saved my life, and I would get three short seasons with it.

Yes...band saved my life. The past two years, at my absolute lowest, God gave me band, and band saved my life. Being a part of the band allowed me to have some sort of belonging on campus; I wasn't swallowed up by the enormity of university. I was involved. I met so many amazing, phenomenal people, and was/am so blessed to work with them and be friends with them. On a bad day, band practice would always bring my spirits back up, no matter what. I made lifelong friends, and they haven't let me down. I got closer to Kristine, I met Elora, who is now one of my amazing best friends; I met Taylor, who I can always count on, I  met Deion, who was basically like a dad to me in college even before I started marching, I met Michael Ellison, one of the absolute sweetest boys on this planet, I met Alec and Caleb and Nick and Matt and Peter and Kelly and Simon, who are ridiculous and hilarious at the same time, I met the Savage twins, who always sends me awesome snapchats, I met Katie, who is one of the most creative, cat-loving, and sweetest girls ever, I met Jackson and Maddie, who never fail to make me laugh and one of the cutest couples ever, I met Sam and Aurelia and Gabby and Cole, who I know will always be there for me if I need them, and I met Josh, who is so incredibly patient and tolerant and gentle and sweet it is unbelievable. And these are just a few of them. I am so blessed.

And then there's G! He really is like a father to everyone in the bandamily, and he does make the band seem like family. Not just because we spend so much time with each other, but because he sets the atmosphere like family. He does so much for us and I really appreciate getting the opportunity to get to know this man as my band director. He wants to push us to work hard, but to have fun. He pushes us to be practical, responsible, respectful, and to make an impression on the people we meet. It's evident when I see people in the stands while doing traveling band. Everyone, every single person I have seen at least cracks a smile when they see us climbing up or down the stairs in the stadium. They're always excited about the band, even if they're not excited about the game. The little kids always laugh and run up for a high five or they're so shy they just kind of sit there and smile until you go give them a high five. It is one of the best feelings in the world. We make that impact because our director makes that impact.

I also don't usually post mushy-gushy stuff, but I do like to dump out my feelings, so I find it necessary to talk about this last bit.

Joshua Rhodes.
Honestly, I was super scared at first. Anyone can ask Elora; he asked me out on a Tuesday afternoon, and that night, if I wasn't playing basketball, I would have had a full-blown panic attack because I was so anxious and scared. There were so many things to be scared about. I was too uncertain, too afraid. Things were so different I just didn't really know how to handle it all at once. But...he is the absolute best to me. He does all these little things for me even though he knows I can take care of myself. He is so sweet and gentle. He is patient and tolerant, and I am so blessed to have him because people tend to run out of patience dealing with me. He makes me feel special, and there isn't a day that goes by without him doing or saying something to make me smile. He makes sure that I know he is always there for me. I know whole-heartedly that I can trust him, and that really means a lot to me. There's a security that I've never had before, and it is amazing.

Thank you God for band and for the many blessings that stemmed from it.
Blessings all mine with ten thousand beside.