They've "Carved" Out a Future for Evel

I opened my email and almost peed my pants today. No, really. I almost peed.

BUT IN ORDER FOR YOU TO KEEP READING, YOU MUST SWEAR YOURSELF TO SILENCE ABOUT EVERYTHING YOU SEE OR READ UNTIL AFTER CHRISTMAS! IF YOU BLAB, I CURSE YOU TO HAVE THE FLEAS OF 1000 CAMELS INFEST YOUR BODY.

A couple of weeks ago Big Daddy and I entered a contest through Carved Records that was called "Carve a Future, Give a Guitar." We nominated Evel as the recipient of one of the guitars because of the HUGE interest he has taken in music since he joined the school band. Well, that and he has been bugging us for a guitar for the past two Christmases.

The recipients were chosen last Friday and we didn't hear anything so we figured we would just get him some cheap little thing from Amazon. So we ordered it and started praying that it would show up intact and without a warped neck (which was a huge complaint on the website).

I decided to check my email today (which I do about once a month) and to my surprise, there was an email from Carved Records. It turns out that they sent the letter about how Evel would benefit from a guitar to B&J Guitars (the people that were donating the guitars for the contest) and they decided to give him a guitar! I was (and still am) freaking floored. I cannot wait until Christmas morning to see my son open that guitar and then be able to tell him the awesome story about how it came to be his. The only thing that Carved Records is asking in return is that we send them pictures of Evel on Christmas morning with his new guitar.

I am so happy that they chose him. For a long time, Evel has been kind of floating through life without a passion for anything except video games and Funyuns. We all but had to drag him to football signups and after he broke his wrist while jumping ramps in the backyard, he has done little but ride his bike to school. When he started playing the baritone in the school band, I actually saw a spark of interest when he talked about band class and performing in front of the school and in parades. He has also been very interested in learning to play the guitar so he could have jam sessions with his Pap Pap (Big Daddy's step-dad). I am hoping that the little spark of interest in music will ignite and he will find something to be passionate about for life.

So THANK YOU to Carved Records and B&J Guitars for giving this kid a shot (and getting him off of our backs about getting him a guitar). You will not regret your decision. I feel that in my bones.

Oh and as for the cheap guitar that we bought from Amazon, Big Daddy is going to check it out and maybe keep it so he and Evel can learn together and have their own jam sessions. Everyone wins in the end.

Here it is! Evel's future.