I am lucky.

(posted after the fact due to computer disaster)

Lucky to go to this school.

Lucky to have the opportunities I do because I go to this school.

Lucky to have friends like Taylor, Callie, Bruno, and Phoebe who teach me new things about myself, life and God with every conversation.

Tonight was beautiful.

I got a tweet from Taylor (thank you Jesus for phone alerts) about 4:00 letting me know they were here and headed to the dining hall, so I grabbed my stuff and headed down to Marshbanks.  Faithe Beam (the campus minister, and I still can't figure out why someone who came from such a religious family has parents who spelled faith unusually) came with them because she was paying for them to get dinner, and out of the blue, as I reached in my purse to grab my ID card (that is swiped as part of my meal plan) and she said, "Oh go on, Mallory, I'm paying for you."  No one would get that kind of treatment at a big public school.  :)

We spent all of dinner talking and catching up, and then went back to D. Rich to hang out till 6:00 when the show was scheduled to start.  D. Rich is one of the classroom buildings in the center of campus that also has a huge auditorium.  The boys were watching football (I think it's awesome that they have a TV hooked up in their van!), and Callie and I were hanging out in the "seminar room" with Bruno's computer.  She was checking Facebook and emails and stuff online because apparently she doesn't have her computer, and we talked about a million things.

But the most meaningful part of the whole conversation was when we started talking about things we had learned from each other.  I told her about how much of a good lesson she and the others had been for me, and how they'd helped show me how to live rooted in the Truth and unashamed of who I am.  How I don't have any strong Christians in my family, and to have not only people I know in person, but people who are from my generation is such a special thing for me to have.  How, even though I know they're still sinners like me, I have learned so much from them that I could never repay them for.

And then, she told me what they've learned from me.  How I've inspired them to find the joy in life even when they're frustrated because I find the joy in life.  How Bruno was practically speechless the day they left back in February because of what I'd told him.  How humbled he was, and how humbled they were when he told them about it.  How grateful they are to have met and know me. 

I was blown away.  It was just another instance of God granting my prayer to understand the reason He's given me the testimony I have.  Again, lucky.

And then, they played for almost an hour and a half.  A few songs I'd never heard live before.  (The next post is gonna be a bunch of videos I took. For your enjoyment.)  And it was just as spectacular as every other time I've heard them.

The last surprise of the night?  We were hanging out in the front hallway of the building where they were meeting all the people who came.  They are so sweet with all of their fans.  Even Taylor, who was visibly exhausted, still answered all the questions and signed all the stuff and took all the pictures he was asked.  I even made sure to get a picture with them.  How could I not? :)

I didn't realize how blonde my hair still is till I looked at this picture!

Then, after most of the people had left, I was looking at their merch table, and I saw they had two new t-shirt designs.  Bruno was standing next to me and asked me which one I liked, and I pointed to one with a cream background and blue writing.  He said "What size? They're a men's cut" just as I added, "But I don't have any money."  He looked over at me, grinned, and said, "You don't need any money."  I was unsure, but he asked me again emphatically, "What size?"  I finally answered him, and said I felt kind of bad taking something for free when performing and selling merch is their only income, and he told me, "You're kind of our most dedicated fan.  I want to do this.  Take it."  So once again, Bruno gave me something free, just because he's that nice.  And when Phoebe saw it, she assured me they all were fine with it, that Bruno never would've done it if he thought any of the others would have a problem with it, and that I deserve it.

Nicest. people. in. the. world.

I'm so lucky to know them.