What Time Is It?*

Four years ago this month, for a period of six solid weeks, there was one answer to nearly every question you could ask me. The questions ranged from "Why isn't your homework done?" and "Why are you so tired?" to "Where on earth did you learn those strange lyrics to popular songs?," "Why are you spray-painting bow ties with silver glitter on the Gardner dorm lawn?" and "Can you explain those strange hand motions you're doing in your sleep?" The answer, of course, was two words: Sing Song.

The season is here again. The answer is the same, though the questions are different, at least for me. They include "Why don't you ever see Jeremiah?" "Why is Betsy walking around mumbling about 'being the ocean'?" "Why are there groups of students singing and dancing in random classrooms around campus every night of the week?" "Why is Bethany coming to Abilene on Feb. 16, even if the plane fare depletes her bank account?" And perhaps most importantly, "What will be the occasion of your family meeting Jeremiah's for the first time?"

Ah, Sing Song. T minus 15 days until performance #1 (the Thursday night show, technically a dress rehearsal but also a performance for faculty and staff). Two more weeks. We can get through two more weeks, right? Two weeks of him coming late to Lifeteam, sleeping just enough to get by, living on granola bars and cheese crackers and smoothies before rehearsals, and trying to fit in classes, choir, working at Highland and in the chapel office, AND rehearsing 4 or more hours every night. My dear friend Frankie at Lifeteam keeps telling both of us, "You can do anything for one more week!" Oh, I hope she's right. I need to hear it every time she tells us so.

Come Feb. 17, Jeremiah will have his life back, and I will have him back, and we'll both be grateful. For now, it's a whirlwind of singing and dancing and memorizing and bonding and hectic fun. I miss him like crazy, but I know it's an experience he'll never forget. After all, there's truly nothing like it. And come Feb. 15-17, I will be the proudest girlfriend in Abilene.

"Life is a highway...I want to ride it all night long..."**
(**from the opener to this year's show)

(*from the "get pumped" routine created by the guys in our freshman class act, which involved a large group of them standing in a circle, jumping up and down, and yelling, "What time is it? SING SONG TIME!")