Tender Mercies: Jumble and Marching Band

Recently, Jumble declared to us, her parents, "You better not even THINK about moving back to Arizona!" Rather than feeling irritated that our offspring was ordering US around, I think we both almost burst into tears of pure joy. Because this is the same child that was writing us persuasive essays about why we should move back to Arizona just 6 short months ago. This is the same child that was giving us lists of reasons why she hated Utah. This is the same child that we were fasting and praying for in late July because her anxiety level was causing her to reach a non-functional level. This is the same child that I had set up a Dr. appointment for because we were seriously thinking that she had reached the point that she needed some kind of medication, as much as we hated the idea. This is the same child who couldn't sleep at all at night and couldn't get up in the morning even when she wanted to. This is the same child who, in her mind, had no reason to get up in the morning because there was nothing worth getting up for. This is the same child that burst into tears when she found out that the house we had made an offer on meant that she would be going to a new school where she had no friends, AGAIN--for the second time in less than a year.

So what changed? Why is she so happy in Utah that we are not even to THINK about moving back to Arizona? (For the record, we aren't thinking of moving back.) What has changed is a tender mercy that we call marching band. When I went to Minnie's end-of-summer-band-camp concert in June, they had a special surprise at the end of the concert. In marched the American Fork High School Marching Band. I knew in that moment that marching band was exactly what Jumble needed. I felt in that moment a confirmation that we had somehow managed to end up where we needed to be because Jumble would have a chance to be in that marching band and it would be exactly what she needed. She would make friends--and they would be good friends--kids that knew how to work hard and who understood the importance of being dependable, responsible, committed. These would be kids that would be examples to her of working hard, not giving up, striving to do their best. She could feel a part of something, she could belong. She would learn that hard work can be fun and rewarding. She would feel a desire to work harder and to become a better musician. She would have a reason to get up in the morning, something to look forward to, something to work toward.

And I was right. Marching band has been everything for Jumble that I knew it would be. One of the big parts of the tender mercy was that we didn't have to muddle through a year before the opportunity came. When Mr. Arnold, the Jr. High band director, and high school marching band assistant director called us because he had noticed Janna's name on his roll, I knew it wasn't a coincidence. It was divine intervention. It was an answer to our prayers. He wanted to know what instrument she played and how long she had played. Divine intervention that in our school district in Arizona they started band in 5th grade, the same as American Fork students. Divine intervention that she chose to play the clarinet back in 2004 and that the marching band was in desperate need of one more musician--someone who could play the bass clarinet. We met with Mr. Arnold and that evening Jumble attended her first marching band practice. There are about 250 people in marching band and Mr. Arnold introduced Jumble to the whole group. He told them she had just moved from Arizona and was filling in their missing bass clarinet spot. He told them to be extra kind and helpful to her and to make sure she felt welcome. Everyone cheered and many came up afterwards to introduce themselves and to tell her how glad they were to have her in the band. Gone were my fears that she would be lost in that sea of 250 students and no one would know who she was. We felt strongly at the time that a loving Heavenly Father had worked all of this out in the plan for our Jumble. These days Jumble has a sparkle in her eyes and a glow on her face. Of course her life isn't perfect and there are still challenges and difficulties. But she is happier than I think we have ever seen her. The anxiety attacks and the insomnia have almost entirely disappeared. We recognize that Jumble's opportunity to be in marching band this year was a miracle. We are grateful every day for this. It has been one of the highlights of our time here in Utah so far.