There you stand in your Dungarees

I have an eternity with Mr. Murphy.  

I like to dream about what it is going to be like.

This song evokes so many emotions for us. 

It takes you through the life of a young husband and wife and then the years pass them by and when they are old they realized that they never had the time to dream.

What are our dreams?  

What do we do to really accomplish them?

Not to be totally sappy here, but a few weeks ago Mr. Murphy took me on a date to go put-put golfing in 30 degree weather and then we went to go see Tangled.  If you haven't seen it yet, go now.  Close your computer, put on some pants (because i'm sure you're not wearing pants), grab your keys, and go.

Flynn Rider said something to Rapunzel that I will never forget.  She had a dream her whole life to see the lanterns rise in the sky and when she was right on the edge of fulfilling that dream she said this:

Rapunzel: I've been looking out of a window for eighteen years, dreaming about what I might feel like when those lights rise in the sky. What if it's not everything I dreamed it would be?

Flynn Rider: It will be.

Rapunzel: And what if it is? What do I do then?

Flynn Rider: Well,that's the good part I guess. You get to go find a new dream.

Brilliant right?

I hope we are always searching for new dreams and trying our best to see them through.

We are living our dream right this very second. 

It is everything we hoped it would be. 

How sweet it is.

Dremes do come true

Traditions.  

We all have them.  

Especially around this time of year.

In my family we have always written letters to Santa and my parents have kept them in an old tin can.  Every year I love going back to the old can and reading all of my letters from childhood.

This year since I am now an old married lady, my mother thought I was responsible enough to have my tin can.

When I brought it home John and I decided to read through all of my old letters.  We also came across some old Santa pictures.

Every Christmas I read the letters.

And every Christmas I can't believe the things I used to ask for.

John and I had so much fun reading through these.  Of course he laughed at all of the silly things I asked for as a little girl.

  Here is one of my first Santa letters.  I didn't even know how to write so Daddy wrote it for me.  Apparently I didn't know how to speak well either...

Then we got to a set where I asked for the same thing...

3 years in a row.

The board game Dream Phone.  

Oh, how I remember it.  I wanted that game so badly.  How I longed to know who my secret crush was.  I coveted that huge hot pink telephone with the voice on the other end whispering clues to me about my crush.  

The first year I asked for it...it didn't come.

(Would you like a few translation tips for this letter? I believe "brieb" means barbie.  Prisaess= princess...

dreme= dream.  

Believe it or not I won 3rd place in my spelling bee in 3rd grade.)

The second year I asked for it...Santa let me down again. At least I learned how to spell dream.  Also apparently I had a thing for ying-yangs that year.

The third year I asked for it...nothing, again.  My little girl heart was broken.  I gave up.  I grew up. And soon the desire for a fake pink phone grew in to the desire for a real cell phone.

After John and I finished reading through the letters I placed my childhood desires carefully back in to that old tin can.  I sealed up the can and rested it in my box of old Christmas things.

Two nights ago after I got off of work, I drove to my parents house to see the Christmas decorations my mother and sister put up while John and I were in Colorado.  John decided to drive from work and meet me out there.  We spent the evening catching up and meeting the new puppy that momma got.

When the night was drawing to a close John said, "Santa Claus came to visit my office today and he left something for you.  He wants me to give it to you now"

I asked him if "Santa Claus" just wanted to wait to give me the gift on Christmas day.  

He said, "No, Santa thinks you have waited long enough for this gift."

He went out to the car and brought back an embarrassingly large brown box.  I had NO idea what it could possibly be.  I am always amazed at John's ability to give the most perfect of presents.  As I struggled with a butter knife to open this mystery gift my eyes caught a glimpse of the contents inside.  

I was speechless.

Seriously, did I marry the most thoughtful person in the world? It was so heartfelt and I sincerely felt emotional about it.  I couldn't believe that after years of  longing for this silly game as a child, it finally was mine.  It was almost as if a portion of my childhood came back to me.  I felt giddy, happy, and nostalgic as I cradled this lovely gift in my arms.

So, now I am going to have all the fun that I can with this amazing game.

Dremes do come true.

By the way, the hot pink phone whispered to me, "John Murphy has a crush on you."

My goal in life is to never grow up but to have stellar wrinkles when I am an old woman.  Let's be children for forever.

Let's Review

Oh my. 

Has it really been a week?

We have been quite busy.  So much has happened.  I have been swamped with trying to...you know....graduate...from that crazy thing called college.  Oh, no big.

  I'm just a little freaked out that in just 6 short weeks I will be wearing blue and black and that funny square shaped hat and I will be singing the Alma Matter in the Georgia Dome for my very own college graduation. *gulp* Can this be?

This picture was taken on the first day of my freshman year of college. I was in front of the School of Music with some of the loveliest of people.  I remember feeling so mature and proud of who I was becoming.  Was I REALLY living on my own?  Could I really make my own schedule?  I had the chance to be who ever I wanted.

I went to college as a vocal performance major doing classical opera.  That means a lot of singing.  A. LOT.  I couldn't wait to grow and learn and soak up whatever I could about music.

Being in the city made me feel brave and strong.  I felt the comfort of the tall buildings around me and the vibrations of the energy of the city.  It was bliss, because despite growing up in the country, I had always been a city girl at heart.

I remember my freshman year of college with this lady as my roommate.  Although we had gone to high school together, our bond solidified in college.

We used to watch the Food Network laying in Jessi's twin dorm room bed and I would lay my head on her chest and she would play with my hair.  We had a passion for Project Runway and Wing-nuts.  I don't know that I have had many people love me as much as she has.  I have felt unwavering love and support from her throughout my life.  When I gave my Senior Voice recital, there she was in the crowd with tears in her eyes, she has always believed in my talent even when I have not.

This is how I spent my college years.  Get ready for a PLOG to the extreme!

Choir with Doctor Raines.  That was the only year that it was genuinely fun for me.  That man knew how to bring a piece to life and push it deep in to your soul.  I've always wondered what has become of him since he left after my freshman year.

a benefit concert I gave

Albert Herring

"Blimey jelly, pink blamanche, seedy cake, seedy cake with icing ooooo on."

opera scenes...who knows what this one was, I think I did about 50.

Choir Tour Sophomore Year.  I remember I didn't shower that morning...

the weirdest thing I have ever been in.

We were asked to do the World Premiere of Milton Granger's "Bluebeard's Waiting Room".  It was a 7 woman opera...it was estrogen to the extreme.

We flew to LA to premiere it in front of the National Opera Convention.  At 19, I felt on top of the world.

Getting ready for my Junior Recital.  

Oh the BUTTERFLIES WERE SWARMING MY TUMMY!

Despite what my sister may say about disliking my singing (because she has heard it her whole life) she always seems to know all of my lyrics better than me.  I know she secretly loves it.

Understudy for Cunegonde

Kaitlyn's beautiful Savannah Wedding

A new stop in the road: Opera on Tap

My FINAL RECITAL.  My mother made my dress.  It was the practice dress before she made my wedding dress.  Other than my voice teacher, I learned the most from this guy, Dr. Marshall.  I love that angry little man, what a genius.

As my years of college come to a close I hear the same question over and over again, "So. what's next?"  

Really...

I have no clue.  

But I am so excited to make my own path doing what I love to do and I'm going to try my best at it.  I feel so blessed to have been touched by all of my friends and teachers in college.  There have been times when I have felt completely and utterly incapable and there have been times when I leave the classroom feeling over-the-moon happy, elated, and fulfilled.

"Get over the idea that only children should spend their time in study.  Be a student so long as you still have something to learn, and this will mean all your life."  

~Henry L. Doherty

Growing Young and Playing Dress-up

Tonight I washed makeup off of my face two times.

The Mr. and I were getting ready to go to bed after an amazing night of vegetarian cuisine and then the music hit us. (spontaneity gets the best of us every dang time.) I looked in to my bag of headbands, bobby pins, and tricks and I spied the two pairs of old people glasses that I got for wedding picture props.  We never used them and now I am glad we didn't.  I was disappointed when we forgot to use them for wedding photos but tonight these glasses filled the measure of their creation.

John and I put on our best "old people" wear, I reapplied my makeup, and we learned a special song.  

I wore my great-aunt Annelle's real fur mink coat.  It is in perfect condition and was handed down to me by my Nanny (my perfect mother's perfect mother).  On the inside on the right her name is embroidered.  (Annelle S. Julian, such a beautiful name, they just don't make em' like that anymore.)  This coat is the classiest thing I own.  I can't wait to wear it to an opera someday.  Oh Mr. Murphy, won't you take me to see La Boheme?

So, here is our treat for you.  Our spontaneous midnight dress-up party.  We have fun and we don't care who sees it.  Life is perfect and we can't wait to grow old with each other. (though being young together is pretty awesome too!)