wandas max it out photos 2

One of my very favorite quotes is "Some things only happen because someone cares."

For starters --
In our life with my autistic son, for 18 years, we struggled, not only with a wise old soul trapped in a body with a "hurt brain" (as my son, David calls it... He types on a letterboard to communicate, but even THOSE moments are only do-able, and clarifiable, when he has someone who truly knows how to FOCUS and LISTEN, with their heart AND their mind and body AND their gut
-- just like KEITH DOES!! --
because it can be a tedious process keeping him on task), who desparately needed real comrades...
but we also struggled with a horribly broken SYSTEM that created countless barely-surmountable obstacles (kind of like an ongoing version of the mess at the Chicago airport...but we won't go there).

So --
When I finally was able to rejoin the world last year, when David finally got a fighting chance, thanks to a director in a distant school who UNDERSTANDS(!),
I needed a similar sort of helping hand in re-acclamating to this cyberworld!

You sweeties here who reached out to help me know you are -- and one in particular allowed me the opportunity to come to MIO!! Little miracles popped up all along our path, but the final one of course, was that INCREDIBLE show Saturday night!

I have to say that, for me, the hugest miracle of all was meeting Max's dad. Like really does attract like, because the heart and soul of that man matches Keith Urban's. And his little Max spoke STRAIGHT into my heart from that video. And that, I know now, is the biggest reason I needed to BE tHERE. He and David are kindred spirits, if I ever saw them.

As for Keith Urban, and the light that pours from every single inch of his amazing self, "the SUUUN was SHININ'" for 6 1/2 hours!!
As we all know, to see him right up close (first time for me) IS like watching the sun rise, and he IS truly, completely present, comfortable, and focused on what's directly in front of him, EVERY single moment. When something is working, he's 1000-watts-shiny -- and when it's not, his honed, immediate, witty, truthful manner of steering things RIGHT back on course to where things just feel good and right is perfect -- and there's NEVER an iota of rudeness or self indulgence.
Like when the husband hung up on him (calling the chosen chopper winner) for the SECOND time, and the "Woman In Charge" (don't make me go THERE!) handed him the phone, trying to get him to call the winner's house AGAIN, he said "Let's choose another ticket. Maybe it'll teach this guy to not be so rude to his next wife." (Thanks Lisa, for that reminder!!)

Or the time the auctioneer was getting a bit too windy between bids for the carpet -- and Keith took up his guitar, softly singing in the background, this quick, bouncy little tune,
"SELL the dam* rug so we can move along
Let's SEll the rug so we can sing the song,
Oh Sell the dam* rug so we can move along..."

Or the other time, when the auctioneer tried to cut OFF Keith's song (he'd just really begun getting into "You'll Think of Me" when the guy abruptly begins introducing the next auction item), and Keith muted the guitar strings saying "I've gotta finish the dam* song!"

and the cute, swift way he blurted "I was in the bAHthroom" as he sprinted back to the stage at one point (from which he hardly disappeared all night)..

Of couse all it took for the auctioned items to skyrocket in price was for Keith, who was constantly on hand, to suddenly appear, and touch/play/lie on/sign/wear the item!!!

The easy joking responses to Richard Marx's razzing him about how he's so sorry his "career is in the sh*tter" and his fine aplomb when Tim McGraw kept teasing him about how "dam* pretty he is, "I mean, LOOK at the guy. Just LOOK at him, I HATE him!"

And his perfect way with words (sorry -- I've just been LONGING to hear the man talk for so long!!) -- once when he paused a moment, checking his memory with the crowd if there was a "feminine form of comaraderie?" (yes, but only in the spelling, Keith -- I checked -- "camaraderie!")

And it's this natural, light way he has, this love of just getting things right --never flaunting or hogging or exaggerating anything, and never misleading you ...
Speaking of which, sorry for this endless gushing stream, but these are just the things I'm remembering, beyond that wonderful, generous show filled with fun, joy, tears, surprises (you've probably already read about all those guests, such as Faith Hill, who was so sweet and wonderful), hope, and great acoustic music --
speaking of which, hearing Keith play SLY solo on that guitar the first time (as he put it, "That was HARD! With the band, I can coast!") was awesome!! (He also played SLY last.)

In that great setting, hearing all that "unplugged" music, where you were free to wander all around and check things out behind the scenes, and still see seamless, yet relaxed show!! Keith Urban had the love of all the other artists, the kids, everyone -- and I felt so grateful to SEE it all happening firsthand, from every angle. And I'm left MORE warmed and amazed than I felt 2 years ago, that first time I "saw" him doing SLY on CMT.

And still, after working for hours and hours, Keith is standing backstage for the countless photographs -- always with his beautiful easy smile and genuine, loving hugs for everyone...

Comaraderie (camaraderie) indeed!!!!

Some things only DO happen because someone cares.
This whole event only happened because one very dear father cared enough to ask another very dear artist to help create a gathering where awareness could be raised about their son's disease.

And I only got to BE tHERE to witness this whole wonderful thing
all because someone cared...

xoxo URBANMOM... CONNIE DEMING