tale as old as time

Two weekends ago Evaleigh and I got to go to the Fox Theater with my Dad and Grand-Jenny to see Beauty and the Beast.  She was transfixed the whole time.  She dressed up in her Belle princess dress and felt so special.  We ate at Mary Mac's Tea Room.

I am so grateful for our children's grandparents and the time they take to make special memories with our children.  My father always made special memories for my sister and I growing up.  He took time to teach us about the arts and creativity through giving us opportunities to see performances and I've never forgotten it.  The magic of those nights lingered for a long time and it is where my love for music and performing began to grow.  I know Evaleigh will remember this for a long time. 

When it was over we asked her what her favorite oart was and she said, "Everything!"

It was so fun to see her feel special. 

that felt good

Oh I love opera! I love it I love it I love it.  And I miss it.  

My mind races back to my college days quite often.  I loved learning and walking the streets of a busy city surrounded by tall buildings.  I loved learning how to manage my time and coping with the stress of long to do lists.  I was so excited and envigorated being surrounded by music in rehearsals, lessons, classes, and all of the concerts I attended.  

Music was one of my first great loves.  It is something that no matter what stage of life I'm in I want to be doing it in some capacity.  I have to.  Whenever I go long periods of time with out and then I come back I can't believe how starved I was for it.  

This weekend I got the opportunity to sing at a talent show.  Oh how it filled my heart with joy.  It was a simple low pressure situation and yet it felt so familiar and comfortable.  Although it took me a minute to settle down in to it.  Right around "felice mi fa" I let loose and just let it all soar right out of my mouth.  I've been singing this song since I was 12, which should not have happened but that is a story for another day! So it was nice to say hello to an "old friend".  I'm so grateful for a talent I hope to use for good all of my life. 

women who care

Last weekend I had the opportunity to speak alongside my friend Jenn Mack at the Atlanta Stake "Women Who Care" conference.  Our topic was "It's your divine nature, own it!".  Here is a 40 minute excerpt from the conference, the last 5 minutes included the song that Jenn and I wrote for the conference.  The first 10 minutes are missing in which we took one big group selfie and talked about the things we see when we look our physical selves and then we imagined what our "spiritual selfie" would look like, or how we look to our Heavenly Father.  After our song we both bore our testimonies and those are missing too but I'm so glad we have the middle documented, it was such a sweet experience to look in to the eyes of those young women and seeing them soaking in the message.  The spirit was so strong in that room.  I love sharing the gospel and testifying of its truths. 

composer

I've been making good on our anniversary chat.  I've written several songs in the past few weeks and it feels so good to be creating.  I read a quote a long long time ago and it has always stuck with me. "Don't give up on something you can go a day without thinking about."  For me, that is music. 

I know music will always be a part of my life and I know that at different times of my life it will play different parts.  Teaching, performing, competing, writing, creating, singing in the living room to the sound of my husband playing Hannah. I love it all.

These days music is just coming out of me.  I sit down at my dads childhood piano and I can expel a song in about an hour, it's like they've just been waiting to get out.  I love this.

Tonight I finished a song call "tender mercy love". It's one of my favorites so far. I've always had a dream to write church music and now I'm doing something's to make it happen.  We will see what the future holds but what is coming out feels good and sounds good. 

Still basking

Yesterday really was fantastic.  

John came home after school with lilies in hand and an anniversary gift. He said, "I've written you a poem. Do you want to read it or do you want me to read it for you?"  Of course I opted for him to read it.  "It's meant to be funny but It also might make you cry."  He sure knows me, I cry a lot and this was no exception. 

"Of the 5 years we've complied.

There are two things which make me smile.

1st being the children you've baked.

2nd of course the music we make.

So, here's to 60 more together.

Full of songs that last beyond forever."

I looked at him with tear brimmed eyes and lept up to wrap my arms around him.  "I love it!!" Then he handed me a leather sketchbook and a beautiful pen for us to write our songs in.

Since yesterday I've already written one song and I can't wait to fill it up with more.

The past two weeks

The past two weeks have been fun.  Last week John took Avett off to Colorado by himself, his grandfather passed and he went out for the funeral. (Obviously that was not the fun part)  Grandpa John will certainly be missed. ❤️ While Evaleigh and I were here at the house we had so many dates and did so many fun things together. I enjoyed being with her alone so much even though I was missing the boys. We made cookies did glitter nails went to target and bought a few new toys went on a movie date and to party city for birthday supplies for this weekend and read a lot of books and snuggled together for naps.

Sunday night I went on a midnight run to the airport to pick up the boys. I was so excited to see them and when they got here I got a huge surprise. John's Mom came for a visit! We were so happy to have her here since we don't get to be with her very often. We had a great time together and the children enjoyed her so much. She is the most incredibly helpful and wonderful Grammy! 

Last night was her last night here and John played guitar and we sang music for a couple of hours. It was so good to hear him play and harmonize together. Of course he played my favorite Avett Brothers song, Murder in the City.  I always tell him that I want him to play that at my funeral if I go first. If not somebody else better do it! 

"Always remember there is nothing worth sharing like the love that lets us share our name."

My mom and her husband left on their mission to Independence Missouri. We are so excited for them and so happy that they get to go off on this adventure and serve the Lord. We will miss them terribly but are keeping up with pictures and videos and face time.

passing it on

This weekend I had a recital for my vocal students.  We sang out under the breezy trees.  I was so proud of the hard work they did.  

I just love my job.

The best part is that is rarely feels like work.  Teaching comes so naturally to me.  I love passing on the knowledge I've learned in my vocal training.  There is nothing like that moment when you see the look on your students face when they finally grasp a concept or make the right noise.  I love being a part of the learning process for music. It is so satisfying. I love my students.

backwards with time

This weekend we went out for a little pre anniversary celebration. Back before Christmas John bought us tickets to see The Avett Brothers.  We love their music and John plays it all of the time.  Little Baby Boy was kicking all night, I think he either hated or loved the music because he was so active!  About half way through the concert it started raining and we got soaked, we felt like hippies dancing in the rain. 

Thanks to Lisa for keeping our baby alive while we were gone.  Thanks for teaching her how to eat honey suckle and putting her to sleep safe and sound with her muppis.

positive vibes for Grover

Our Uncle Grover has been very sick the past couple of months. He is now in the hospital and is heading towards having a lung transplant. He is one of the most positive people we know and his wife is as strong as they come.

Today it was our plan to go to visit him in the hospital and serenade him with some tunes but last night we got a text at midnight saying that he has been moved back in to the ICU and no visitors could come. So we went to the next best thing and decided to record a couple of songs for him and Sally. We did 'Wonderful Tonight' because that is what Grover sang to Sally at their wedding. So we hope they enjoy that song again like newlyweds. The other song we did is 'Don't Worry, Be Happy', if Grover had the breath to sing this one, he would. Because that is the kind of man he is...happy, carefree, and fun.

We love you so much Grover. As soon as we are allowed will be there in person to make music for you. Til then every song we sing is for you.

If anyone out there could send him positive vibes or pray for him we know he would appreciate it. Also if you'd like to upload some music for Grover send us the link and we will send it to him!  Music brings him so much joy!

a night that reminded me

This past weekend was a great chapter in my story.

I went to the Atlanta Symphony with my Father.  

It was a night I will never forget.  

The past few months I have been increasingly aware of how much my soul is hungering for music.  I knew there was a hole inside of my heart that wasn't being filled and it was causing an ever so slight pain that would rip through me every once in a while.

Friday night my heart was renewed.

We got to the Arts Center and on the stage I saw my former vocal coach from college who is the pianist for the ASO.  My mind instantly flooded with warm and tender moments of music that we made together.  Some of my most sacred musical moments happened in his small 8th floor office overlooking the streets of Atlanta.  He is a tough and brilliant man.  A man that I was once intimidated by but because of him I am a better person.  A man who was hard on me because he believed in me.  There is nothing but admiration and love in my being for him and I honor him.  I walked to the edge of the stage and the moment our eyes met I saw his face soften and he said my name.  He stooped down and we clasped hands and exchanged in conversation.  I was holding some of the most talented hands I know and I was grateful to see him again.

I went back to my seat and sat next to my father in anticipation of the beginning of the concert. The stage was an ocean of performers.  The lights dimmed and the orchestra began to play.  

The strings pierced my heart and instantly I felt something. 

I closed my eyes and the choir joined in.  Tears welled up concealed behind my eyelids, my breathing deepened.  

It was like I was hearing music for the first time and I couldn't keep the dam from bursting.  Trails of tears blazed my cheeks one after another.  

I longed to be on that stage.  A twinge of regret coursed through my body and I was painfully reminded of my talent.  I missed being a part of something bigger than my self.  I missed my life as a performer and a singer.  I thought of my voice.  

I listened and I was lifted to a higher place.  It was a place that you can only go to through music.  I took in every moment of that evening and every one of my pores soaked in the music traveling through the air.  I experienced one of the moments that you live your whole life for.  I was taken away and my soul left my body and went on stage, or maybe to heaven...I'm not sure.

After that night this is what I was reminded.

I still have songs to sing.

I still have stories to tell.

I still have ears to reach.

I still have hearts to touch.

I still have dreams to live.

Here is a song from that night.

here's my heart

This weekend John and I got to play at Ponce Unplugged in Atlanta with a few friends. I love being married to someone who loves music just as much as I do. Some others who performed were Sam Crowley, Jenna Kimble (soon to be Zimmerman!), and Jenn Mack. John and I did two songs. The first one was a funky arrangement we wrote ourselves of Come Thou Fount, I'm in love with it. Then we did our original To Be. It was so much fun and we are going to try to make it a regular thing, so if anyone wants to come perform let me know, we are trying to get people together from all different denominations of religions to perform.

This song means so much to me. It reminds me of my freshman year of college singing the Mack Wilberg arrangement with Alan Raines and the University Singers. This song was a great comfort to me at that time, we had just found out my father had cancer and I thought of him each time we rehearsed that song and would pray for him as we sang it. Thank God he is ok now, but this song will always remind me of my father and my personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Enjoy our version of a beautiful classic.

i just want to bust it out

Yesterday I had the beautiful opportunity to join in with the Hotlanta Vocal Posse and sing parts from the Auratorio Americana by Stan Satlin.  It was at a Benefit concert to raise money to buy a piano for the Salvation Army School for the Blind in Jamaica.  It was pretty great, to say the least.  I love singing and I have missed it dearly.  I haven't had a voice lesson since Evaleigh has been born and I am so ready to get back.  

Lately I have just had to urge to belt out high opera notes at the top of my lungs!  I want to sing Je Veux Vivre or Glitter and be Gay and pour out my soul in my voice!  I want to sing high notes and feel the rush that only that vocal release and expression can give!  Its been bottled up for a little too long and yesterday shook me up and I am ready to let it out.

The beautiful part of it all was having my little family out there in the audience.  Evaleigh has been listening to this music since she basically existed.  I ran across this today in her journal.  The first time I ever felt her kick was while we were in the recording studio singing the very music we sang yesterday.

I loved looking out in the audience while we were rehearsing and seeing my sweet John bouncing Evaleigh in the baby Bjorn.  

It gave me tingles.

My father also came to the performance.  This morning I received this text message from him,

"I enjoyed being with you all yesterday. Thank you for singing again. That is what you are suppose to do along with being EJ's mom. I am glad you take her with you when you sing. She needs that from you always. I like it when she smiles at me. That gets her all the chili dogs and ice cream she wants."

I was made to sing. I love taking my little girl along with me and having her ears fed with beautiful inspiring song. She responds so much to music. I got my wish, she loves it just like me.

I just want to bust it out.

Right now.

But my baby is taking a nap so I will have to wait a little longer.