Andrea Hylen

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July 7, 2009

Concert 10- Omaha, Nebraska

As I write this, I am sure that Hannah is laughing because I just acted totally like a teenager. I feel like I want to speak like a Valley Girl right now. Not that all teenagers talk like Valley Girls. I just feel like it would fit my mood.

Finding the venue and parking was relatively easy. A major road to the Qwest Center was closed and the detour signs ended without warning, but I used my navigational skills to find an alternative route.

The Qwest Center is so beautiful. It has all kinds of windows and a sleek curve to the top of the venue and art. Beautiful sculptures everywhere, like people in a circus, and mimes on stilts and big round geometric shapes. It is festive and modern and fun.

If you ever go there for a concert, the arena is on one side and the convention center is on the other. There seemed to be alot of confusion in the convention center. Look for the arena.

The Verizon Wireless staff that travels with the band was leading a contest to win meet and greet tickets with Honor Society. You had to do the honor roll, a dance to their song called, “See you in the Dark.” (I love this song!) Hannah entered the contest and was one of 30 people who won!

I went in search of the Will Call office to pick up our tickets. I was beginning to get frustrated because all of the ticket windows were closed and I couldn’t find anyone who knew anything about the location. There were groups of teens sitting on the floor everywhere and I figured I must have stumbled into the meet and greet and sound check waiting area. (I later found out that this was the convention center and the arena was on the other side.)

I decided to go outside again and see if anyone could help me. As I approached the doors to outside, the Wonder Girls walked through the doors. The Wonder Girls are a group of five young women from Korea. They are HUGE in Korea and China and Japan. Big, big stars. They have been traveling with the Jonas Brothers band since Portland. Their first single in the US was just released called, “Nobody.”

So, I see them entering the doors and I become totally star struck. I pause and I do a little jump up and down saying, “oh, oh, oh!” My brain goes numb. I don’t know what to do, just jump and oh, oh, and point. Finally I say, “You’re the Wonder Girls. I love you!” I go back into my numb state of bouncing. I think I was even clapping my hands.

They were so cute and were giggling. I could see that my star struck moment is making them happy. Finally, I ask if I can take their picture and they say yes, with more giggling.

One of their entourage took the picture of all of us. I kept telling them how wonderful they are and how many times I have seen them. As I walked away, I turned and did one of the steps to their song, “Nobody,” and they broke into more delight and giggles.

I was so excited, I ran out of the building to find Hannah and to tell her I met the Wonder Girls and go quickly because maybe she can meet them, too.

The doors were locked, but I pointed to where they were and I pointed to the door where I entered. She met with them and even took a a short video of them saying, Hi to Rosie, a friend of Hannah’s.

So, now I have pictures and met the Honor Society and the Wonder Girls. I hope that Hannah drives on the East Coast so I can have time to blog and finally upload pictures. I know the dance to “Nobody” and the Honor Roll dance to “See you in the dark.” I love dance routines to songs.

All of this happened before the concert. I had so much fun in this concert, too!

There were three girls behind me who have been viewing Hannah’s videos on YouTube. This was their first concert, ever, and they were here to have fun! There names are Abigail, Rachel and Kendra. That made it so much fun for me, too. I was sitting on the end of a row, and a Mom, Susan, with her two daughters was sitting next to me. She had spontaneously bought the tickets that day. She was born and raised in Nebraska, lives in Las Vegas right now and was visiting to help her parents move out of their home and into a retirement community in Texas.

We had great floor seats that night. The tickets were released the day before.

I has so much fun with Susan. We shared our philosophy about traveling and exposing our kids to as many opportunities as we can out into the world. We love our daughters, our family, and we both want to enjoy the ride of life. I think we were inspiring each other all night.

How perfect that this was the first concert where I was foamed. Well, I was foamed at another concert this summer, but it was only a few drops. During the concert, Kevin and Joe get into a mechanical arm contraption with huge foam shooters and they go around half of the crowd and shoot a watery foam at them. The Mom and I were laughing as the boys “flew” over us and then splat! A huge wave of foam came that covered everything! We were dripping wet with the stuff and laughing and laughing.

Susan and I hugged not once but twice and probably would have kept hugging each other but it was time to go. We had fun and the crowd was sweeping us into the after party called, “find your car, and weave into the traffic to go on home.” The fun and all that we had shared in that evening is still in my heart.

One more thing…Hannah won a kickball signed by the Jonas Brothers!