Noah received a full ride to Bagpipe Camp, North American Academy of Piping and Drumming from the Scottish Heritage Society. We were very grateful and surprised by this generous scholarship. It was a great experience for his first time away from home on his own. He enjoyed company with fellow Charlotte band members from Loch Norman band and Queen City band, Liam, Taylor and Kyle. He also enjoyed the instruction of Bill Caudill, Sandy Jones, Jim Dillahey  and seeing Nick Hudson perform. I think the best part for him was the loads and loads of buffet food each day! I think he gained a few pounds by the end of the week!

I’m not sure where the photos are from the week of camp, so I will leave you with other photos. This is what was going on at home while Noah was away….

The week before he left, my grandmother, 96 years old, was getting sick. She went to the hospital for a swollen leg and never came home. She died while Noah was away at camp. We broke the news when we picked him up and it was a little weird. Bittersweet ending. This was her the Sunday before we left for camp.

Here is the story I emailed to friends and family, it was a very sweet experience.

July 13, 2016 (Ruby Kathleen Hamlin Corse, almost 97)
9:48 am
Hilary, Maia, mom, Nicole and I were all standing and sitting around grandma Ruby and the hymn Blessed Assurance was playing and mom, Hilary and Maia were singing the hymn softly as they were holding grandmas hand. And Nicole and I were talking about Heaven and how we have such a comfort in death. And grandma opened her eyes a little, raised her brow, and slowly, steadily lifted her right hand into the air. And took her last breath. It was so beautiful. She saw her Savior. We saw her spirit leave her body and enter into glory and it was so beautiful. Thank you for that beautiful gift God.