What Happens in Vegas...

 So here's the deal about Las Vegas. My friend Joni and I work with high school music students every day. We teach them how to sing and they teach us how to say cool, teenagery words, like, "beast". Or the catchy phrase, "I know, right?" As in, "Those shoes are so beast!", to which I should reply, "I know, right?"

It's not very often that someone I know makes it into a big time show, let alone someone I have seen grow through her high school years. When Joni and I heard that one of our former students got the part of Nala in "The Lion King", we knew we had to make the trip to see her.

I had never been to Las Vegas before.

Joni had to show me how to run a slot machine. She gave me some of her dad's money to gamble with. I guess I had beginner's luck because I won 6 bucks! Then I quickly lost it. We froze our butts off watching the pirate ship show in front of  Treasure Island. We walked. We shopped. We walked some more. Then we rode on a crowded double decker bus for what seemed like hours. The bus driver was entertaining though, and I wasn't walking anymore, so it was great!

It's all about entertainment there. I like Elvis.

Everything is larger than life.

There are many beautiful things to see.

Girls and glitter.

Casinos and gambling.

  And then there was The Lion King. As I sat in the dark auditorium packed with people, I wondered how I would react to seeing our girl...our young woman on the stage. Would I cry? Because, I'm emotional like that! The show started with bright colors and singing. The boy playing Simba was adorable! The costumes and animal props were so fantastic. I got a close up look at some of them as they came right past me, down the aisle! A wonderful sight indeed! Finally, the second act began and our Nala appeared in her lioness costume. Her familiar, strong voice carried across the crowd. I waited for the tears to come. But you know what? I didn't cry. I just grinned from ear to ear. Seeing our amazing girl up there on the stage, doing her thing, just made me so proud. My favorite part of the trip? Spending some time with her the next day, catching up on what's happening in her new, exciting life. Realizing that she has come so far and grown so much. Knowing that she is happy. Now that's beast.