The Suite Life of Emma and Lexi

One place you should know that I come from is a big youth group from the 90’s.  And one result of that is I have loved DCTalk for oh, about 20 years. More importantly, I have come to love TobyMac who has since gone solo—quite successfully, I might add.

My girls have caught the bug for TobyMac’s music because *ahem* I might play it a lot at my desk. The cool thing about Toby is that he really, really loves Jesus.  In fact, one of lyrics that still follows him around is from DCTalk’s “Jesus Freak”. 

Several years back another Christian band NewSong started The Winter Jam Tour, a Christian concert targeted at all those youth groups. For as long as I can remember, TobyMac has been involved and often as the headliner. 

Winter Jam was scheduled for Charlotte this past weekend.  I really, really wanted to go myself and Lexi really, really wanted to go hear TobyMac. She has a special affinity for his latest radio hit, “Me Without You”.  It’s a fantastic upbeat song with great lyrics.

The problem with going to Winter Jam is that they don’t sell tickets.  You have to wait in line all day outside the arena.  If you manage to get in, it’s just $10 at the door.  Youth groups from all over the Carolinas come and sit outside together.  I’m talking 20,000 people.

Once you get in, it’s another hour until the show starts and THEN the whole show is over 4 hours long.  TobyMac is the last one to sing.  Add in parking logistics and cost and you can see why I decided taking Emma and Lexi was just not feasible. 

 

 

I probably could have forced the issue but it really wouldn’t have been pleasant.  I could have gone myself and gotten a babysitter but really, I wanted to go more for Lexi than myself.  Although, trust me, I wanted to go too.

Fast forward to Saturday afternoon of the concert about 2pm—you know, when all those 20,000 people are already in line—and my sister and I both get a message from a friend we’ve known since grade school, but haven’t seen in YEARS, saying her company owns a suite and they have several unused tickets—with a parking pass–do we want them? 

Sign. me. up.

The only hiccup to the plan was that I had to get Lexi early from a birthday party scheduled to end at 8pm and we were late but ya’ll…every single worry about going was solved. 

I didn’t have to worry about parking because we had the pass. 

I didn’t have to worry about being late because they were reserved seats.  

We didn’t have to wait AT ALL with the kids. 

I didn’t have to pay for a ton of snacks over all those hours because they were provided in the suite. 

We had a large, comfortable space in case the kids got sleepy—which they did. 

It was just the best. ever. 

I’ve gone to a concert in a suite before but I don’t know, I just didn’t appreciate it as much as I did with kids this time.  As you can see, the kids settled in just fine.

 

Poor thing, Lexi just about fell asleep during TobyMac’s set but you better believe when we heard the beginning of “Me Without You”, we were up dancing and singing along.  Turns out it was the very. last. song. of the night.  Being in the same room with TobyMac singing, a beat that you can feel, not just hear, 20,000 people singing along and your little girl in your arms singing with you?  The best ever.

I’ve heard that upwards of 2,000 people didn’t get in.  I honestly feel like crap I couldn’t invite the ones I knew into our suite.  All I know is to be SO GRATEFUL for what was given to us.  I can’t help but think once again God saw the desires of not just my heart, but Lexi’s little heart (and probably my sister’s too), and made it happen.  Jenny, thank you again so much for being part of that.  Great memories and SO THANKFUL.