Heavy Metal and White Russians

One of my voice students is in a band, and I'd been wanting to go see one of her shows. She has a very pretty voice, kinda like the girl from Evanescence, and her style is hard rock 'n roll. They had a show last night at a bar down on Southside, so I went. Took my brother for moral support, as he is now legal, and Frank had to work. I like to support my students whenever I can...
plus I felt the need to get out.

It was pretty good. It was definitely head-banger music. I hate that the singer is always at a disadvantage with that kind of music--you usually can't make out the words because of the heavy metal sound, with the guitars and drums. And the singer generally has to yell, partly because of the style, and partly just to be heard. Sigh. There's just no way that the human voice can compete with that kind of electronic sound. Luckily, I knew the words to most of the songs because we've been working on them in voice lessons. My brother and I had a discussion about it; he goes to hear a lot of bands and sings karaoke every weekend (yes, he is a great singer and gets lots of requests! :) so...he said the band was very good, which made me proud of my student of course.

While we were there, I decided to try something new to drink. I like fru-fru drinks that generally have a hint of alchohol, and are mostly, well, you know, fru-fru. Like wine coolers and fruity drinks. With that in mind, my bro recommended a White Russian. Don't ask how he knows so much about kinds of drinks. Anyway, Bailey's, Vodka, mixed with milk and ice. Sounds yummy right? I asked him if they would think I was dumb if I asked them to hold the vodka and just double the Bailey's, heehee. (not much of a vodka fan). He said, um. yes. And looked at me like, please don't embarrass me. Oh all right. I was a little worried about the milk thing because I am lactose intolerant, but he told me that he also has a problem with milk, and that the alchohol mixed with the milk seems to take away the intolerant problem. So I decided to try it. It was decent, or so I thought. Then I let Phillip taste it, and he thought it was rather weak. (which was fine with me.) It WAS a little weak, mostly the taste of watery milk with a tiny hint of Bailey's in there somewhere. He declared that they'd completely left the vodka out. oh good. I was there for the music anyhow and wanted to buy one drink to support the venue. Plus, I was planning to drive us back home. Couldn't have afforded another one anyway, as the drinks were 7 bucks apeice, plus tip! Ugh. You can tell I don't buy drinks out very often. Phillip got a
Long Island Iced Tea, which tasted a lot better than mine, but had a lot more alchohol in it too.

Well, I am pleased to say that the White Russian didn't make my stomach hurt. Not immediately that is. Oh dear. Bout 6 o'clock this morning, it hit me. and I got to spend a lot of time in the library with the porcelain furniture...oh well, live and learn, I guess. I think I'll stick with a wine cooler next time. do they even serve those in bars?.....But, it was a lot of fun to hang with my brother, whom I don't see that often. And to see a pretty good heavy-metal show.

getting a little better

Today has been ok. I keep thinking about getting on facebook and doing the little comment: "Amber is..." but I am too many things...

So, I guess I'll blog instead.

Amber is...

1. Missing the baby kicking.

2. Glad that the baby is with Jesus. I like what Maja says: "that's my perfect child. I don't have to worry about that one."

3. Thankful for all the food. It has been wonderful not to have to worry about cooking at a time like this. Thank you friends!

4. Thankful to have so many friends who care. Who know that although they may not be able to understand, they know how to say I'm sorry and I love you. That is all that matters.

5. Thankful for a loving/caring mother.

6. Happy about the fact that I have my husband and 2 boys. I guess it IS a blessing that I seem to be able to carry to full term w/o too many problems. Dr. Adcock told me that my odds for being another statistic in the future are still slim to none. He is not worried about future pregnancies.

7. Going to wait awhile to have another baby. Although the doc is optimistic, I feel the need to give myself time to recover emotionally. This was different than a first-trimester miscarriage for a number of reasons. The baby was more real to me; I'd been feeling kicks for several weeks, and when we had the ultra sound, it LOOKED like a real baby on the screen. I've had 2 other miscarriages aside from this one, and let me tell you, they were not NEARLY as devastating as this one. And it was even more terrible because it was completely unexpected.

8. Sad they couldn't determine the baby's gender. I chose not to name the baby for that reason. I prayed God to name the baby instead.

9. Not going to take the anti-depressant medication. I'd asked for it, because I know that I suffer from post-partum depression, and I knew this situation might be worse because there was no baby to bring home. But, I feel your prayers. It HAS been difficult; it has not been unbearable. (although a couple days there were questionable.) I took the medication one day, and I swear, the side effects were worse than being sad/depressed. I didn't like the way it made me feel out of control, so I am trusting the Lord to bring me through this without medication.

10. Tired of being fat. Have been instructed to wait 1 week after surgery to resume normal activities due to surgery and extensive blood loss. I have been taking it easy, but am ready to get back to excercising. Which I know will help with depression too.

11. Glad for OBGYN South and Brookwood's Women's Center. All of those folks are great. Dr. A is the best, and the nurses especially ministered to me that day. It helped that they had all obviously read my chart and knew why I was there. Their kindness and compassion really made my hospital visit much more bearable.

12. Contemplating a career change and praying for God's guidance.

13. Reading John Piper's God is the Gospel. Great and encouraging read.

14. Is glad that the terrible headache is gone. I came home from the hospital with the worst headache I've ever had, and thought I was having a reaction to the medication. Instead it was caused by extensive blood loss. Dr told me to take 2 percocet and 1 motrin 800 at the same time!!! um, that definitely helped. Was really afraid that I'd get addicted to the percocet, but so far have not taken it in 2 days and feel fine.

15. Going to try to make it to Christmas Eve Service. Physically and emotionally was not ready for Sunday, but every day is getting a little easier, so we'll see. I miss you all.

16. Enjoying watching re-runs of "The Office" on Netflix. That is one funny show. I think what makes it so funny is that I've worked in offices before, and although the characters are a little exaggerated, they're not that far from the truth! It's been nice to sit with Frank and watch these stupid sit-coms...nice to be able to laugh at the silliness, and know that life still keeps going...

17. Worried about planning the boys' birthday party. Their birthdays are 12/30 and 01/01; Steven wants Pump it UP, and Frankie wants something to do with Star Wars/Clone Wars. Ugh. Just don't know if I have it in me to plan something big. We'll see. Maybe I should put it off a couple weeks into January? hmm...

Happy Anniversary

Today is our 10th anniversary. Been quite a day--week, actually.

But I wanted to say that I didn't forget, amidst all the other stuff.

To Frank:

Thanks for being there for me, babe, through thick and thin, sickness and health. Thanks for being my rock. I am sorry from one grieving person to another the loss we have suffered this week and the ones in the past. I am glad that we've had each other and that we have the boys. Maybe through God's grace we'll get through this one too, and live to celebrate our 11th, 12th, 20th--well why not? let's just shoot for 50 or 60. Thanks for being my Edward. Who else would get up every 4 hours and make sure I had my meds and some food to take it with in case my stomach was upset? Who else would help me clean up after surgery, ugh? Who else would hold me while we both cry and fall into exhausted sleep? Nobody but you. I love you. Happy Anniversary.

going to the hospital now

I'd also wanted to post on facebook before we leave, but it is "temporarily unavailable due to site maintenance and will be back on in a few hours." argh. Don't they know that people need to post at 6:30 a.m.? I guess I have nothing to say, since it is a FREE service, haha.

Just wanted to say thank you for your love and prayers. We've gotten so many phone calls, fb postings and emails. We love you too, and we are thankful for the Body. It IS a hard time, but God will bring us through it.

We are leaving for the hospital now. Wow. Had no idea I'd be going to the hospital 4 months early. Dang. It is so hard not to bring a baby back home! why do I have to have meals brought to me now? I wanted them the first week in May! I keep seeing my baby on that screen and wishing/praying that he would have moved, just a little. He was like a perfectly formed doll...head was already headed to the right proportion to the body, with legs and arms curled just so. I like to think that it was a boy, but only the Lord really knows. Dr. Adcock warned me that we probably would not be able to find out gender, even after it's over. Nor will we be able to definitively say exactly how/why he died. I may only find out after this life, and by then, it probably won't matter.

I may never know... Only God does and he has not given it to me to know. I keep trying to trust that he is good and loving and I know that we live in a fallen world. It still sucks though.

To God be the glory.

Sad News

Just wanted to let you know that we received some sad news today. We went for our ultrasound appt and found that the baby is no longer viable, and has been gone since 16 1/2 weeks, even though my dates say 19 weeks. The doctors are not sure what the problem was, only that it was probably not genetic, but an issue with the umbilical cord being tangled or knotted. Needless to say, we are grieving pretty hard; also, we were not able to tell the gender, which I was personally sad about as well. I go in for surgery Thursday morning. I would appreciate your prayers. Thanks. Love you all.

Return to the Land of the Living

Ok, I'm back. (Cousin Kevin, this is for you). And for all the people who've posted a link to my blog on their blogs. I kinda owe them, you know? Plus it's just time.

Lot going on. Most of which is: I am NOT SICK ANYMORE, YIPPEEEEEE. Part of my haitus from blogging is that I have been pregnancy sick. but no more--going on 19 weeks now and feeling pretty good. We find out gender on Tuesday 9 a.m. I will post on blog and FB as soon as I can get to a computer and the internet. Just so you know, I am predicting a boy based solely on the heartbeat. No, not because it is a specific rate unto itself, but because it matches the heartrates of my other 2 boys. This one is 156/minute and the other 2 were in the 150's. But I guess we'll know for sure on Tuesday. We already have the names picked out; one or the other, but I'll share after we know. Due date is May 12, but I also predict that I won't make it to that date. My experience with labor is that it gets faster each time. With the first it lasted 8 hours, the 2nd was 4 hours....so....if we stay on the present course, does that mean the next labor will be 2 hours? I would like to think so, except please let me make it to the hospital in time for some pain meds. My kids also come about 10 days early. I never make it to 40 weeks. We'll see.

Been working a lot. I have a great job teaching voice and piano. If I have to work, I'd rather do that than anything else in the world. It is draining, yet energizing at the same time. I come home tired, and some days are better than others, but it is what I am made to do. I'm also doing a p/t data entry job where I drive around the greater Birmingham area, collect building permit information from all the city halls (13 in all) and data enter the information, which is then compiled into a report, and the report is sold to companies like Home Depot and Lowes. Then these companies can know how to market to their target areas. Pretty interesting. But another reason to keep me from the internet world. I added it up, and between the 2 jobs, I am working 40-45 hours/week. But it is work I enjoy, so it's not so bad.

Recently set up a facebook account. Wow. how addictive is that. But, a lot of fun!

Got LOTS to do during Christmas break. It's my last free 2 weeks before the baby comes as I want to teach until about 2 weeks before the due date....which means at that point I could come anytime. But Kim and Crissy are going to come over and help me get it done. thank God for friends who help pregnant friends get their lists accomplished! if you are reading this and are in the area and aren't doing anything Monday the 22nd, feel free to come on over...

Frank is working as a patient care assistant at St Vincent's East (aka Medical Center East). It is interesting. I think he likes the job ok, but it can be stressful. It's weird to have a 7 on/7 off schedule. He works the night shift, so on his "on" week, he pretty much works and sleeps. But on his off week, he basically has a week off. Pretty neat, although I think he's going to look for some p/t work to bring in a little extra $$.

We joined Community Pres a few weeks ago. Yey! Finally. Just took us a little while to work thru the doctrine, as neither one of us were raised with reformed theology. But after 16 months of attending the church, along with Bible studies and sunday school, we really believe this is where God wants us to be. And I LOVE the church family. None of us are perfect, but they really come alongside us and encourage us in our growth. Now we are wanting to help with a church plant in Springville, which is where Frank and I would like to one day live. (after student debt is paid off, of course.)

ok there's prob a lot more catch up to do, but it's not going to happen tonight. Going to bed now....

Still here but not all there

Just wanted to let you know that I have not abandoned the blogging community forever, just for a season. Lot going on right now, and a lot that has gone on these past few months. Too much to share, so I have, and am taking a break from blogging. Little bit too much emotion going on and I have absolutely zero drive to share over the internet. But have no fear, when I'm ready, I'll come back, don't worry. See ya around...If ya need me, call or email.

Tough love sucks.

Thanks for praying for me, friends. Thanks for pointing me to the Gospel.

Strugglin'

Struggling to see God's hand in my life.

Struggling with my stupid pride and unbelief.

Struggling with trusting Him with the things I don't understand and can't control.


God, I repent of my arrogance, un-righteous indignation, distrust, and selfish need to defend myself. I am completely loved and forgiven in Christ. You delight in me and claim me as a daughter. Demonstrate your perfect love through my horribly imperfect self--whether it be through compassion and/or tough love. Help me to preach the gospel, first to myself, then to those around me. Help me to trust. And Lord, help my unbelief.


I know the Lord is nigh,
And would but cannot pray.

For Satan hears me when I try,
And frights my soul away.

I would but cannot love,
Though I endeavor oft.

The stony heart can ne'er relent,
Til Jesus makes it soft...
Til Jesus makes it soft.

Help my unbelief.
Help my unbelief.
Help my unbelief--my help must come from Thee.

fun

We went to Burt and Anita's for lunch to host visitors at our church. It was a lot of fun and the first time I've ever really visited the Boykin family. (I had been once before but only to the pool). Well this time I got the grand, 3-hour tour--thanks Anita! It was very cool and the company was good too. We got there and Laura was already chopping veggies, so we all just jumped in and helped, made ourselves right at home. Anita is so laid back--she was handing us stuff to do and somehow we got lunch on the table for about, oh 30 or 40 people including children. Or that's what it seemed like, anyway. I made coffee cake, brownies, and bread. Laura and Anita did salad stuff, fresh garden vegetables and dip, and Crissy did mac/cheese and hotdogs for the kids. We talked about the education system in St. Clair Co vs. Jefferson Co., the book "The Catcher in the Rye" (strange, btw), the probability of starting a group of CPC'ers in Springville, being a firefighter, and the rising cost of gas. Think we covered just about everything.

Well, now that Camp Cornerstone is over, I really must get down to business. Time to start thinking lesson plans and teaching schedules.
Now that it is the 2nd year of homeschool, we are adding to the list of subjects. We'll see how well I do with that, much less Frankie. Steven will be going to ClearBranch's k-4 program. We've decided to let him experience school--he is so social, and we want him to have a fun time, like Frankie was able to do in CA. Also, it will help me be able to focus on Frankie and get some structure established. Last year, being the first year, was a teensy bit challenging with the whole 2 kids in 2 different learning ages/grades. I am hoping (*wink, wink* fingers crossed) that I can get Frankie trained to be more independent this year and then be able to start homeschooling Steven next year. We'll see. It would be nice in a perfect world.

Got another gift from my secret pal. Wow, whoever you are, you sure are generous! 3 gifts in 2 weeks! 2 last week and 1 today! 'Course it could be that I always forget to check the table and those gifts may've been sitting for a while... Really good gifts to0--a great cd, cookies, tea, 2 shirts(!) that I really like and some other stuff that I can't remember!!! Wow! thank you secret pal. Agh. trying to assuage the guilt of not being nearly so thoughtful to mine. Must try to do better.

Tomorrow Frankie has a dentist appt. Poor Steven is sick. Again. That poor boy, he has been doing so well for the past 3 months or so, but here we go again. I thought it was allergies, but thinking now it may be a cold. Probably something he picked up at CC. I swear he has no immune system. And Frank looks at me and says, "and we want to put him in school 3 days a week?" ugh. I say to him, "well, maybe it will help strengthen his immune system". To which hubby replies, "yeah, so's licking the floor".
sigh.

I am tired. Got up today, early, and excercised. Had not excercised since Monday of last week. Darn it. I was doing real well with the whole eating and excersing thing. Made it all the way through the 1st day of CC without being bad, but went down hill from there--shot to you-know-where. Probably had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that I helped with the food for CC... Oh well, back on track starting yesterday, with a video workout this a.m. I like videos the best, because I can excercise in the comfort and privacy of my own home. I find that as hellishly hot as it is right now, excercising outdoors is NOT going to happen. I do also like the treadmill if I've got a good movie that needs watching.

Speaking of good movies, stayed up til 11 the other night watching Jane Eyre with Kim and Melissa. Who are now my Jane Eyre buddies, along with Crissy Sharp and all Sr. High girls.
Yippee. Just about the best chick flick ever made. Even if it is 4 hours long. When we were watching it at the pool house, I did feel the teensiest bit guilty for keeping Kim H up so late past her 9 bedtime--I kept watching to see if she was falling asleep. But she never did! Then I felt completely guilt free when at the end, when it was almost 11 p.m., she said, "That was a really good movie." Sweet. You know it had to be good if Kim stayed awake through it. It was a lot of fun.
Speaking of more good movies, Crissy and I watched "Girl with the Pearl Earring". Strange but pretty good. Although, she had to keep stopping the movie and explaining what was happening. She calls it the girl version of "the Good the Bad and the Ugly." I agree. Not a lot of dialogue happening in that movie. Although it does have Colin Firth, who does very well playing a spineless man with very little character. I do like him better in Bridget Jones. Then Kim came over and we talked about co-op. Which I may do this year as it is our 2nd year of homeschool. But I have to be careful not to commit to too much--I do have a regular job, I have to keep reminding myself. And I am real good at over-commitment.

Well, speaking of over-commitment, this post is done. Must needs go to bed now.

new blog link

As most of you know, my mom and I have a garden. Well, that is, she has a garden and I help. (Look mom, it's "shake 'n bake" and I helped!). Anyway, she is always telling me neat gardening tips that I will never remember, and I am always telling her she should start a blog w/all her good info. Well, she did! So I added her link to the left. Check it out when you get a chance. Now I am trying to talk her into doing a gardening workshop at our next ladies' event.
Like, "Beginner gardening" or "How to have a garden if you don't have a lot of time". Or something like that.

Good Times

Remarks heard between my child and the pastor today at Camp Cornerstone:

Set-up: John W. had asked Burt how to get to heaven. From what I could tell, Burt was explaining to all the 4-year-olds how Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sin. To which my son piped up and said loftily, "Oh I've already seen that movie." And Burt, without missing a beat, replied, "Well there was a book first."

Guess I might better get that one for him from the library huh? chuckle, chuckle.

I love Camp Cornerstone.

This is my first experience with it. I am helping Kim P. with the food. It is very fun to do the food. I think our job is the best. Here are my reasons why:

1. Elizabeth comes to see us and brings us funny email print-outs to make us laugh.

2. We get to see and talk to everyone.

3. Kim is so good at organizing. She has me, Mary Gill, Melody, and Tanner running around getting it all done--and she makes it fun!

4. We get to hang out with Mary Gill. She is cool.

5. We got to choose the food for the kids.

6. We got to choose the food for the teachers and helpers--even better.

7. We get to man the teacher table, and run off hungry teenage guys who like to eat too much. All the brownies got gone in the first hour.

8. We get to see all the kids play the games at game time, and we get to hear them all sing at opening assembly and closing assembly.

9. We get to eat.

10. We get to serve.

I love my job.

And for those of you who might be interested in the food job for next year--too late, Kim and I have already put in the bid--we get first dibs, hehe.

Closure

Well, I have good news and bad news no matter how you look at it. I got an email from Disney and didn't get the job. But, they kindly let me know that I am still on the list, hehe. Good news b/c we don't have to leave, yippee! Bad news, b/c we don't get to leave, boohoo.

Seriously though, it is God's will, and I am glad. Steven cried. He was so sad we weren't moving to D-land. I wanted to cry a little on the inside, not only because he was so pitifully sincere in his sadness, but b/c I could feel a little of his sadness too, as I realize it is somewhat of a death of a dream. I don't mean that in a fatalistic way....but, you know how it is--every one of us has secret desires, dreams, or goals that would be SO cool to do--usually they consist of worldly ideals or pleasures that are not necessarily good or bad, just not what God has for you at that point in your life. Like, an injury preventing you from playing college ball, or not getting the dream job you thought you'd be so good at, or not getting that perfect house you always wanted, or not going into the type of ministry you'd always imagined you'd be so good at. So, yes I am slightly disappointed as I come to realize that it may never happen--I may never get paid to sing professionally (aside from teaching voice lessons, that is). But I can still work in AL, pay off debt, live my life and most importantly, share the gospel where I am right now. And know that I am in the palm of his hand.

thoughts on gardening

I am helping my mom with her garden, with hopes that our combined effort will produce enough produce for us to eat pretty good all year. Here are some things I've discovered:

1. Gardening is hard work.

2. Ants like mulch.

3. Ants like people too.

4. Fish emollient stuff (fertilizer) smells terrible--like dead fish. But reminds me of going camping/fishing when I was a kid. That and the smell of gasoline.

5. Compost is very disgusting but very good for the garden.

6. Gardening is hard work.

7. But it is worth it.

8. It is hot in June in the summertime.

9. Working at 6 a.m. is early. But not hot.

10. Trying to teach your child the value of a hard-earned dollar at 6 a.m. is difficult, if not completely impossible.

11. Older children usually pick up the concept faster than younger children.

12. If you don't use gloves, you will develop blisters.

13. Sweat drippage will begin to occur no later than 8 a.m.

14. Frozen water takes longer to melt than you think it will.

15. Even if you put it in the sun.

16. Children are sooooo much fun to have around when working in a garden.

17. Wheel barrels are heavy and tip easily. Do they have any with 4 wheels and a swivel? Good grief.

18. One should stop and rest periodically.

19. Baby corn looks like baby weeds.

20. A shower is so nice after working in a garden.

21. Air conditioning is a good thing.

22. Gardening work is never done.


Truly, it was a good day--fairly productive: we've gotten almost everything planted and are to the point of doing the "upkeep". It is amazing how there's always something on the list to do. But it is a rewarding feeling to know that you are doing something good for yourself and the family. If I come up with any more gems of wisdom, I'll let you know.

Biola on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno

Here's a pretty cool recording of Biola U on the Tonight Show. This is the school Frank attended to get his Master's in Philosophy. They are only about 25-30 miles away from L.A., so they are able to get fun opportunities like this:

Baby--Angel--Cricket

The little white kitty has finally been christened her for-real name. When the sharp kids got home (yey, we missed them so much! and we miss the Hills even more!!), white kitty got a new name--Angel. But it became grossly obvious that this cat is only an angel when she's asleep. She is showing some promising aggressive tendencies that are putting her in the running for first place for staying at the Sharp/Ellis bunker. Namely, she can catch small creatures and eat them. This morning as I was cleaning up from breakfast, I looked down and saw the kitty eating/gagging on a stick (?) hanging out of her mouth. The gagging part stopped and she swallowed the "stick". Then I looked over and saw one of those humongous crickets--you know the fat brown ones that are speckled, and have HUGE legs? And they usually jump AT you, not away from you? We called them hoppy bugs when I was a kid, and they were my least favorite of all insect pests (not that I have any favorites, except for maybe lady bugs b/c they are pretty and they help farmers). I've heard some folks refer to these hoppy bugs as camel crickets. Anyway, the cricket was missing a leg and was in dire straits indeed as it was lying kind of lop-sided at a crazy angle, with the whole weird reflex/jerky motion going on that happens when a bug is slowly dying. Anyway, the little kitty finished off the leg and then went back for the rest of it. She had the WHOLE thing eaten in about 2 minutes flat. YESSSSS!!! That was the whole point for getting another cat--that we wanted one that could catch and kill vermin. So I made an executive decision and dubbed the cat "Cricket". Of course I pulled my "I paid for the food and the litter, and I am doing most of the work to take care of these kitties, so I get final say on what to name them" card. But it worked. And I think it is a nice name and shows her character. And it doesn't fit into the normal plethora of names for cute white cats, such as snow ball, whitey, or Angel. We gotta get Stripey to catch up. I told the kids if she catches a mouse, maybe we can call her mouse.

My little Steven woke up this morning throwing up. He got up, got a drink of water, and immediately went to the garbage and threw it back up, along with last night's supper, poor baby. And this is after 2 of the Sharps and Ellas spent the night with us in the living room floor. Great. Now we will prob pass it to everyone. If anyone is going to get sick, it'll be Steven--he seems so susceptible to stomach bugs and respiratory virus's (virusi?) This past winter, I think he got sick about once a month, ugh. He started asking for food a couple of hours ago and said he's feeling better, but I bet we will be up in the middle of the night puking. That is just his way. So if you don't see us at church in the morning, you'll know why.

Practiced piano for 2 and 1/2 hours yesterday morning. Got a lot done. I love this whole being off work thing. At least I have time to practice piano. Oh, and to blog, hehe. Aren't you proud of me? 4 posts in 3 days. I may even set up a playlist.

Pride and Prejudice and Pianos

Yippee!!! It's here. The "free" piano cost us a tank of gas ($42--it was in Arab), and the manpower of 4 people including me. But, it is a spinet and a nice little piano. Thanks to Jacob and Tansy for letting me borrow it!! Sat down and played through some Beethoven and Clementi, and actually made it through most of it--a little rusty but not too bad. The groove came back faster than I thought it would. It doesn't even really need to be tuned either, the pitch almost matches the pitch on my electric keyboard. Which is good, b/c I didn't really have the $$ to pay a piano tuner to drive out to Odenville to tune it. Some of the left hand keys stick a bit, so I gotta get online and see if there's any way I can fix it w/o calling a technician. One website said sticking piano keys is most likely attributed to humidity. Oh dear. I may just be stuck then.

Finished Pride and Prejudice. I realized Mr. Darcy did mention that he ardently loved Lizzy--I guess his delivery was so pompous that I didn't catch that part. But the second half was even better than the first, and of course everyone lived happily ever after. It is Jane Austen after all. I think one of my favorite characters was the mother--she was so sincere. yet completely over the top--think that would have been a very fun character to play. I love the way folks in 19th century Britain talked too--takes them forever to get to the point, but they do it so eloquently. Anyway, if you haven't seen it, you should put it on your blockbuster queue and get it. Or borrow it from Crissy like I did. Just don't plan to keep it long, b/c I think she watches it at least once every 3-6 months.

Hating me some junk mail. And the bad thing about it is, I signed up for most, if not all of it! Airline tix, real estate quotes, ways to save money, Webster's word of the day, etc. etc. etc. Agh!! stop the madness!! the last few days have been spent UN-subscribing myself to all this stuff I've signed up for. I only want to get mail from people I know!!! So, I figure that the 2 hours or so that I've spent getting rid of this mess will be worth it in the long run, right? Though, I think I will keep the Michael's ad and Webster's word of the day....

Don't forget Friday night at my place. Bring something to eat, of the potlucky sort. I will prob make a main dish of some kind? who knows, whatever strikes my fancy. We'll eat maybe round 6ish?

couple more things

K, now that I've got all that huge important stuff off my chest, so to speak, here's all my random stuff I wanted to say.

Went up to Crissy's while they are gone and raided their movie closet. Haha. thanks Crissy. I am now immersed in the 6-hour mini-series of Pride and Prejudice. I knew it was good b/c she said it was, but I mean it is SO good!! I am glad they took 6 hours to get in all the details and everything. I just reached the end of the first disc, and am trying to make myself wait til I get on the treadmill again, since that was the idea in the first place--to watch it while walking on the treadmill. Sigh. I know how it ends, but it's killing me how Mr. Darcy declares his admiration for Lizzy--against his better judgement no less, but never says anything about love. And Lizzy's indignation and rage is very palpable. I am feeling it right along with her. It will be so delicious to watch the last half. but alas, lunch is waiting to be cooked, a unit study is waiting to be studied and a piano is desperately calling to be moved. And I would never put my husband through the agony of watching it with me tonight. sigh....so I probably won't get to it till tomorrow, agh. Ok, trying not to think about it.

We have been needing to catch up on LOST. Thank goodness for internet and missed episodes posted on ABC. We'd just gotten too busy to watch it, but now we only have 2 episodes left til the finale.

We got two little kitties. My mom's cat had a litter, and Crissy and I'd been talking bout getting a another cat, as Bert d' cat is gettin' old. Although he did get me a dead chipmunk for mother's day, laid it right in front of the porch steps. We are only supposed to have one, but I couldn't decide, so took both, and will let the Sharp kids decide. They are so fun, and have been entertaining my children since the Sharps are not here to entertain them. I predict that there will be twice as much fun to be had when the Sharps get home! Anyway, I am *hoping* that Crissy will say we can keep both, b/c wouldn't they be lonely without each other? but, if not, we are in the market to get rid of one of them....hint hint. One is all white and the other is a striped tabby. They've already been named Baby and Stripey. Let me know if anyone in the blog world is looking for a fun, potty-trained play mate.

Just lazin'.........kinda

Been a pretty good day. I have Crissy's playlist going while we are working on school. We are starting a new unit study on space today, and I am reading through the material. It is so interesting. Did you know that all of the planets can fit into Jupiter many times over? And that if Earth were the size of a mini-van, Jupiter would be the size of the earth? Hard to wrap my mind around it. We are planning a trip to the Huntsville Space Center sometime this summer while me and Frank are working less. (I refuse to say unemployed teachers, haha.)

I went through a funk in the winter where I did NOT want to homeschool again. Thus, we did not get a lot done and I got very discouraged: why am I doing this? I am no good at this. I have no motivation. I am not smart enough. blah. blah. blah. Looking back, I attribute this attitude to a couple of things.

1. It was my first winter back home after living 2 winters in the land of eternal sunshine and very little rain, a.k.a. southern California.

2. Crissy said it's called the "february funk". And every homeschool parent goes through it at some point or another.

So for awhile we talked about public and christian school alternatives. But I think we are back to the homeschool groove. Frank is not going back to his teaching job next year, and is thinking of getting a part time job (Starbucks is at the top of the list b/c they offer benefits for part-timers), and going back to work on another degree part time. Thus, he would like to be more involved with the boys' education. Which is totally good with me. Also, something else I think will help us is to keep doing school for part of the summer (yes we will still take a break, don't worry!). But summer is so laid back for us b/c neither of us are working, and we can get more done, i.e. cool field trips and unit studies. Frankie asked me the other day when are we done with school, b/c he was tired of reading. I made a snap decision and told him we would be reading every day of the year and would never take a break from it! Nor would he ever take a break from it for the rest of his life. Thankfully now, he's starting to really enjoy reading and his growth in that area is taking off exponentially.

I have this tendency to underestimate my children, you know, like thinking they aren't smart enough to learn this or that yet...know what I mean? But the more I teach and interact with children (such as in music lessons), I realize how smart my own two are. I mean they aren't necessarily genius material or anything, but I'm beginning to think they will definitely be able to hold their own in the world. We started both of the boys taking piano and I am delighted at their progress and level of understanding. No, I am not teaching my own children piano. I do that all day every day, so my sister is teaching them, and doing a marvelous job.

Speaking of piano, I have really been wanting to brush up on my own piano skills. Yes, I can actually play (took for 5 years), just have a huge complex about playing in front of other people. I know, you would probably never know it based on my singing, haha! Singing just comes easy for me, but playing takes a lot more work and I never felt very good at it. But that is about to change. With Kim H. leaving, I'd very much like to pick up the students she left behind. They are all folks I know, and I would enjoy teaching them tremendously. Since this summer is sorta free for me, I've been wanting to just take this time to get going again with piano. I have a friend who will give me lessons over the summer--she is amazing, having played every day of her life since about the age of 4. The only thing standing in my way is that I need a real piano--not a 61-key keyboard, which I have already. I began praying for a piano, as being unemployed, we have no money to buy one. Low and behold, it only took a week! My sister-in-law's mother has a piano she wants to find a good home for!!!! It belongs to my sister-in-law, so I would actually be borrowing it, but since they live in CA right now, I can probably use it for awhile. Yay. God provides.

I know you are probably thinking, what is she going to do if Disney offers her a job? I've been thinking about that too. I don't know if they will call or not--but I can't put life on hold, b/c what if they don't call? We have to keep living life regardless, so I am not counting on anything. If they do call, yes, I will take the job. But if they don't, I won't be crushed. We are happy here and would be fine staying in AL. I think the Lord is mainly teaching me how to trust and be content wherever I am.

I love our church. We get the gospel intravenously fed to us. It is the central focus for every sermon, every song, every announcement, every act of love. I've never been to any other church that combines life and Christ so well. You know, when I was growing up, church was about separation of life and church--almost like separation of church and state. You had your times of dressing up to go to church, times of soul-winning and evangelizing, and times of youth gatherings and bible studies. And these things are not bad. But Community is the only place I've been where the gospel is lived, breathed, and interwoven into every aspect of your life. I am learning how to live and breathe the gospel every day. Not just for church day, etc.

Goodbye to Kim and Quinn and Fam. I am ok though, b/c having been there done that, I know it is not forever. We had a good-bye party for them on Sunday at the church. I tend to not get real emotional until it's over, after they've been gone awhile. Like, I'll start missing her in about 3 weeks, when I can't just call and come over. sigh. But, looking on the bright side, nothing lasts forever, and Lord-willing, they'll be back. I know Kim too, and she will make some good friends while she is there--friends that God provides that she'll need and that will need her. Chris and Crissy are with them in MS helping get them set up. Yet another example of the gospel. Speaking of which, we are still getting together on Friday night, though not at Crissy's. Just come to my place. Kim Poston and I will be there--come on over and be here to welcome the Sharps when they get back home. Then we can hear the low-down about Kim and Quinn's new house and how they are settling in. See ya there!

Orlando update

The audition went well. I made it through all the cuts. There were about 80 people to start with, and there were maybe 12 or 15 left at the end. It almost felt like American Idol or something...They just kept cutting people throughout the audition until there were only a faithful few left. The suspense was terrible every time the directors would come out of their little discussion room to let us know who would be staying. After singing an initial solo so they could get a feel for individual sound, the audition mainly consisted of group singing (naturally). The music was glorious--we had to learn an 8-part arrangement of "Oh Shenandoah". It was very fun to sing with so many talented singers. AND! I never got cut!! Yippee!!! There were 2 other soprano 1's left besides me, so maybe I have a 1 in 3 chance? But then one of the girls told me that Disney will now negotiate contracts with their current cast to see who they're losing, and then fill in the empty spots from the audition pool. hmmmm. So it might be a long shot if they don't lose any sopranos. Oh well, it was a very fun experience, and the trip was great too. So I will be glad either way. I won't know til the middle of June, so I'll keep you posted...

Pics, updates and domesticity

Sorry it's taken me awhile to post these.

I hate posting pics with my computer, as it takes FOREVER. I started this on 4/1, as you can see, but didn't get back to it til today. Oh well, it is worth it I guess. Thanks for your patience. I was Jack's Mother, and a bit of a nag--that is why I have my hands on my hips so much. I was either berating Jack for something (he was a little dim-witted), or nagging and/or patronizing other characters in the show. In the last pic I am yelling at the giant right before I get beaned in the head with the steward's staff and die. Good times.

It really was a fun show and I don't miss it a bit. So glad to have my life back and ever thankful for the experience of working with the other very talented cast members, director and staff.

Good news: have heard from Orlando!! I don't have to attend the open call (cattle call) audition on 4/18 for Voices of Liberty. I'd been checking online to see when they'd post the info about this audition, as this is the show the folks in CA told me I'd be good for. Orlando posted 2 dates: 4/18 and 4/24--a call back date. So I contacted my CA contact and asked if he was still willing to put in a good word for me and send my recording. He was quite accommodating, and said that he'd send the dvd asap, and had ALREADY called to let them know about me. yippee.
On Monday, as I was having an already good day at Jan's hanging out with all my friends to celebrate Kim's b'day; my phone rang and I looked down to check the number. I saw it was a 407 area code and immediately knew who it was...haha. (I don't know if y'all remember those old Disney commercials about booking a vacation there where they posted the number as 407-wdisney.)

I answered and the lady identified herself as part of the casting department, who wanted to let me know that they'd received my info from CA and were letting me know that this was my callback and I could attend the 4/24 audition. "And please learn the second soprano of the music we are emailing to you and here's your appointment time of 10:45 sharp." Sah-weet. She just saved me an extra trip to FL, as I'd originally planned to go down there for both dates if needed. But had really hoped that my CA contact could get me through the first round. It was so fun getting that call that day at Jan's --we had a little celebration right there. Jan said I shoulda held out for a plane ticket. Hahaha. Naw...I want the job too bad. So they emailed the music and it is "Summertime" from Porgy and Bess. It is a cool arrangement--check it out on youtube here.

Not the Fantasia Barrino version, but definitely right up my alley.

So, Frank and I are leaving the kids with grandparents and are going to head down there for 3 days. If the audition goes well, we will check out living info. We are also going to catch a baseball game, so that should be fun. I'll keep you posted.

On another note entirely, I love domesticity--to be at home as much as possible. I don't know what it is about spring, but I get in the cleaning mood and have completely purged our home. I got rid probably about 20 garbage bags and boxes full of stuff. It was so bad, I got rid of stuff we shoulda gotten rid of before we moved to CA. It is so nice to have an organized place. Free of clutter and looking more and more like home every day.

Another love of mine just recently discovered is making my own bread. I caught up with a good friend, Karen, about a month ago, who told me at our next get-together, she was bringing "bread". okay. So Karen's bringing bread. LOL! I had no idea what kind of BREAD she was bringing. Anyway, she brought quite possibly the best bread I'd ever tasted--whole wheat and completely home-made. Hand-kneaded even. I was hooked and she told me how she buys her own wheat and has a grinder and everything. I learned that wheat in its whole form retains all its nutrients, but once ground, it loses 90% of its nutrients within 72 hours due to oxidation. So, it's safe to assume that the bread you buy at the store probably does not have all the nutrients of a loaf of bread made from FRESH ground wheat. So, Frank let me get a mill and a bucket of wheat (my mom went in with me on the cost), and now I make all our bread too! It is SO good and good for you. I will never go back. I am a believer. It's really not that much work either. You mix the bread ingredients, knead it for 10 minutes, let it rise 2-3 hours, and bake it. Basically you just have to be at home for 3 1/2 hours or so. Also, the wheat is too dense to use a regular bread machine to knead it, so must either buy an industrial mixer or do it by hand. Which is actually quite a work-out; I think I am building upper body strength. haha.

Anway, to help off-set the cost of the mill, and if you want to try to homemade bread, I am selling it by the loaf for $1.50. So let me know if you're interested.

Pics from the show

Found my phone!!!

After much prayer, agonizing, turning the phone off, and more prayer, we found it! It was buried in a bunch of hoop skirts on the dressing room floor, and had no signal, so it wouldn't ring when I called it. Thank you Jesus!

The show is going great. Will post more soon...peace out.

Opening Night

Went great, btw! My mom, dad, little sister, a friend, my grandmother, my aunt, and my cousin all came--plus a couple of family friends whom I haven't seen in probably 10 years! It was a good show--not too many slip-ups for the first night. I could hear my mom laughing during one of the serious (melodramatic) scenes, and it was so hard not to burst out laughing! But I managed. I must say that Sarah really got into character and made an excellent granny as well. I hope to have pics very soon--we had a lady come in and take pictures during the final dress rehearsal, and she'll have those ready sometime next week.

The only black mark on the entire evening is that my phone has disappeared. Since we don't have a home phone, it is the connection to friends, family, and of course, all my students. I was certain I had it last night as I got out of the car and entered the dressing room to prepare for the final dress rehearsal. But as I was leaving 5 or 6 hours later, I couldn't find it. One of my friends called it while I went to the car to listen, but it wasn't in the car. The building of course had been locked by then, sigh. So we called it today when we got to the dressing room, and it went straight to voice mail. Hmmmm. Meaning the phone's been turned off. Even though I had it on the last time I had it with me. And I charged it up just yesterday morning. And it's set on the loudest ring. Which makes me think that it's been found by someone, just not someone who knows me. Neither the theatre staff nor my fellow cast members have seen it. So, worse case scenario, I dropped it, someone picked it up around Highland Avenue, and doesn't plan to give it back. Sigh. This is only 3 months after the last phone fiasco, and I've just gotten 175 numbers stored on my sim....

So pray that my phone turns up. If it doesn't by tomorrow night, I plan to contact Cingular and cancel that number just in case whoever has my phone is trying to call Timbucktoo. Which means I will need to get a new phone and a new number. So I'll let you know when you can call me.

Catching up

Into the Woods is seriously taking up a lot of time. But I am not regretting one minute of it--it is so much fun! If you are in or near Birmingham, you should totally come see it. You could come see me have a hysterical fit and die onstage! I have such a fun character. If you are interested, check out the website here. Tix are a little expensive, but if I can get a group of 10 or more to commit, I can get them for you for $15.

I am sad...I've been so busy, I feel like I haven't seen any of my friends in forever. And now Kim Hill is leaving me so her husband can go to seminary in Mississippi. Slacker. I can tell she is totally not committed to our friendship. huh. I must go see her and try to explain the repercussions of moving out of the state to pursue education. I must make her understand that I will be lost without her. Maybe she will change her mind...
see you thursday Kim!

Speaking of folks moving, so are Shane and Amy, Kelsey and Shayna. Bum! Why does everyone have to leave? Don't they know I need them? lol. (btw, Shane is Frank's brother). No, actually, we are very excited/happy for them--Shane has a great opportunity/job in Nashville, so they are in the process of moving. But at least they're not moving 36 hours away. not like some people we know...
It will be easy to see them--only 3 &1/2 hour drive, not too bad...

Burt's sermon today made me uncomfortable. How does he do that? By telling me to be missional--leave my comfort zone and share the gospel with everyone around me--believers and nonbelievers alike. thanks for the kick in the pants Burt. Btw, I am excited at the possibility of a Community Pres campus in Springville! I will be praying.

I have been working hard to get in shape--part of it is getting ready for the show, another part of it is just knowing I need to lose 20 or 30 pounds to get in shape. Well, happy to say, after 7 weeks of counting weight watchers points and excercising, I've dropped 9 pounds. yey! Slow and steady wins this race. There are several things I like about weight watchers: counting points--it seems tedious I know, but the way they have the system set up, you follow your specified points and you can earn extra by how much excercise you perform. So, I feel like I can "spend" my extra points if I excercise that day. Also, I think it is kind of fun to try to figure out how to make my points last as long as possible. Which basically pushes me to eat as healthy as possible, b/c the healthy foods have the fewest points, of course. Then at the end of the day, if I have any points left, I can "reward" myself with something sweet. And I definitely have a sweet tooth. So, it is a good system for me.

I just visited Rebecca and Keith's little boy, Jonathan's blog. He is adorable! I am so happy for them...and will continue to pray for them as well.
Speaking of babies, Tracy is due any time--please say a prayer for her as well; for a healthy, uncomplicated delivery. We are excited to be getting another little cousin hopefully very soon.

Ok, gotta go get the kids in bed. later,

Star Wars and the Chronicles of Narnia

I love Star Wars. I remember when VCR's got really popular when I was a kid...about the 4th grade for me, and one of the things my dad did was buy up some movies, among them, the original Star Wars trilogy. (The others that stick out in my mind are Dumbo and The Little Mermaid, which contributed to my love for Disney and its music.) But I remember Star Wars as this cool epic story of good vs. evil, and for awhile I even wanted to name my first girl Leia. She was such a great character. We watched those movies over and over again and probably wore out the tapes. Well, now my children are in on the Star Wars craze. My dad watched it with them one night during a grandparent spend-the-night party, and now they are hooked. Star Wars this, Luke Skywalker that, Darth Vader's breathing, 'I wanna be Darth Maul for Halloween'. We have 2 Star Wars PS2 games, 3 light sabers, a Vader helmet, a Vader cape, and own/or have seen all 6 movies.
Here are a few comments I've heard over the past few weeks:

"I'll name my kid Luke Skywalker, and you can name yours Darth Vader."

"Mama, which one was the one that got his arm chopped off by Obi Wan Kenobi?"

"Mama, which robot is it that can't get over anything?" (Steven, trying to remember C-3PO)

Ah to be a kid again and in love with Star Wars. I still love to watch the movies even as an adult.

Speaking of epic tales of good vs. evil, and I am sooooo ready for the next Chronicles of Narnia movie, Prince Caspian, to come out. May 16th baby!!!! I am not generally a huge movie fan--I don't even really like to go to the movies. I'd rather sit in my own living room and eat my own way cheaper, fat-free popcorn, and not have to pay a babysitter. But this movie is different.

While we lived in CA, Biola brought in C.S. Lewis's step-son, Douglas Gresham, as a guest speaker for chapel one day. He was promoting The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. He was a fun speaker, telling us all about the audition process in finding the 4 children; and that they really did act like brothers and sisters on the set. He told us a little of what it was like to have C.S. Lewis as a step-father--he thought it was cool and loved Lewis very much. Gresham also encouraged us as the Christian community to support the film and christian films in general, because he said, what sells hollywood is money. Meaning, if we support these films and go see them and pay out money for them, then hollywood will keep making family-friendly movies. During the question/answer time, one of the students asked Gresham if Walden/Disney would make movies of any of the other Narnia books, and he replied that only if the first one did well. Then (I quote), he said, "Go see the movie! Take all your friends to see the movie!"

And then, the first one was SO GOOD!!! Very well made and believable. He said that they added the war part in the first part of the film even though it's not in the book, to give some believability to show how badly the 4 siblings NEEDED to get out of London. But for the most part, he was proud that the movie remained true to the book.

So, it's almost as bad as waiting for Star Wars Episodes I, II, and III; or the LOTR Trilogy to come out. And, it doesn't hurt that the guy who plays Prince Caspian looks a lot like Atreyu from The NeverEnding Story. Oh yeah, love me some epic adventures....

Check out the trailer here.

Update #2

Ok, finally got THE call. Out of only 2 demos (mine being one of them) sent over, Tokyo chose the other girl. Sigh. Well, I'm actually not too disappointed. The guy called me Tuesday night late and broke it to me, but then was very complimentary. So much in fact, that he acted very sorry that they didn't choose me, and wanted to know if I was ok with his sending my demo to Disney World in Orlando, b/c he felt that I might be a good fit there. He told me I had a "perfect Disney princess voice" and he would really like to see me work for Disney. Um yeah, I think I'd be ok with that!!! I was actually rather relieved--he also told me that normally they give singers 5 months to prepare, like getting work visa and passport, and the only reason that there was a 6-week time crunch is that the original girl had dropped out. He said that it would have been very hard to get all the arrangements for me and my family to get over there in such a short amount of time. I know that with God all things are possible, but apparently this is not what He has in mind right now. And I am totally ok with that. My dad summed it up nicely: "Good. I can drive to Orlando. "

So, I am not holding my breath per se, but will just keep on living life and wait and see if they call. Oh yeah, and Billy Blanks and I will be getting together every day, believe me!

Update

Ok, here's the scoop so far. I don't know if I got the job yet, but I did make it into to the top 3!!!

Here's what happened:

I got into town Wednesday afternoon and met up with Alison, who kindly let me and mom stay at her house. (thanks Alison!) We had a good time catching up and then we were so tired we went to bed at 9:30 (11:30 cst), but I set the alarm for 7:30 in hopes that I would get 10 hours of sleep. I actually slept pretty well and got up about 7. My appointment was at 11, so we allowed ourselves a couple of hours to get there. It's only 35 miles away, but with California traffic, we wanted to be prepared. I was bummed b/c mom didn't bring the gps, and I am nervous about driving in CA. But Alison helped me google it, and we got there w/o too much mishap--I only took east instead of west once, haha. Mom was great help too--she helped navigate, and she didn't laugh when I did all the silly vocalises/warmups in the car on the way there. Thanks for being there for me, mom!

We were still so prepared that we got there an hour early. So I had to sit and and be nervous in the car until I couldn't stand it any longer, and went in at 10:25. They were already accepting folks at the sign-in sheet and I was second. I waited for about 20 minutes and then they called me back. I sang my song for them (30 seconds anyway) and then they gave me another song to learn. I was nervous, but the song was actually easy, and very pretty. It took me about 20 min to get it, and they were patient. Then they recorded me, which I didn't realize they were going to do, but it made since b/c they needed to send a demo to Tokyo. They gave me another song to learn, and sent me out with a cd to learn it, while they went on with more auditions. That song was really pretty too, and I came back and recorded it as well. Then the head guy asked me a series of questions; I guess this was kind of the "interview" part. He wanted to know if I had a passport, did I want to go to Japan to perform (um, yeah), and did I have any tatoos? Hahaha, that one kind of threw me, but they were looking for unmarked bodies, and I was happy to oblige. Then he asked me to speak into the camera and tell a little about myself and why I wanted the job. All in all it was easy. The people were so nice, the pianist was good, and the longer I was there, the more I enjoyed myself and quit being nervous. The head guy gave me a little info about the job, and I was able to ask some of my own questions, like, can I bring my family (yes, but we would have to find a different place to live), can I get passes for my children for the park (yes), etc. They would also help me get a work visa.

Then I asked him, "well, I kind of need to know if you think this will be a go, as I'd like to let my husband know so he can start making arrangements." He told me that they will send the top 2 or 3 demos to Japan by fedex, then those folks will decide who they want. Then he told me, "you are definitely in the top 3--your demo is going over; then it's up to Tokyo Disney to decide who they want." Whooooooooh! Yippeeeee!! But how nerve-wracking!!!! Anyway, they thought they could have an answer for me that day, but of course it would take longer. So they told me I'd know something by next Tues or Wed; and that they'd call and let me know either way.

It looks like a great show--I went to Crissy's last night, and we googled it til we found a recording of the show!!! I am so excited b/c its the real thing. And of course it has the 2 songs that they had me record. You can check out the show here. I have to warn you though, the show lasts about 20 minutes, so make sure you've got time to watch it. Also, the first number is only instrumental, and the vocalist comes on later.

I'm ok either way: if I don't get the job, I still had a great time in CA, visiting with friends and jamming with the folks at Disney--and I get to stay home. If I do get the job, it will be a fun, hassling, educational experience. As soon as they call, I'll let you know.

Cali, here I come

Ok, booked my flight and I'm gonna do it! I am nervous but excited. I will leave next Wednesday, audition on Thursday, and fly back on Friday. I think it is a win-win situation. If they like me and offer me the job--great! I get to go to Japan for 8 months with my family. If they don't offer me the job, I get to stay home and NOT leave comfort zone--which is also great! we'll see...

Oh, forgot to mention in all the excitement that I got a role in "Into the Woods". I got Jack's Mother. It is a great character role and will be a lot of fun. Unfortunately, if I get the job at Disney, I will have to leave the show, bummer. So, life will be um, exciting, either way...

Check out the audition info here.

Out of the blue...

Ok, just got an email from Disney, CA; requesting me to come and audition for Tokyo Disney--they need a Celtic vocalist. Agh! how cool is that? I think I might do it (audition that is..)
who knows? I might just get it.
Here are the details: Thursday, 1/17 in North Hollywood. They even offered me an appointment and greeted me by name in the email! I can't believe they kept my info for so long--I auditioned for "Aladdin" in June 05! They had told me "thanks for coming; you're not quite right for Aladdin, but we'll keep your info." Well, I guess they did...

It would be an 8 month run from March to Nov if I got the job. But I could sing "celtic woman" all day long. and homeschool my children in a foreign land. How cool would that be?!

I'll let you know if I decide to go...