Happy Birthday to my wonderful husband!

New York City, The Big Apple, The City that never sleeps...

New York!

We've just arrived from New York on a week long trip with 30 students. Tiring? Yes. An unforgettable experience? Yes.


It started out with a red eye flight and everyone was so energetic-so energetic that they talked most of the flight there. Anyhow, we got there at 6am NY time, which was 3am our time and it was go go go! Along the way we saw Times Square, a Broadway Show, lots of shopping, and of course Carnegie Hall!

The whole reason for this trip was because we were invited to sing at Carnegie Hall-a great honor! So our call time was 8:00pm, and our bus was supposed to arrive at 7:40pm. I gathered up all the students, we went outside and there was no bus. So I waited for 3 minutes, then called our tour guide who was busy running a festival in another part of NYC. His phone died and I couldn't get through for a good 10 minutes which made me nervous. Finally he called back and frantically I said, "our bus isn't here, please call to find out if they're on their way." It was now 7:53pm, and we had 8 minutes to get to Carnegie for the performance! He called back 2 minutes later (7:55) and said the bus driver went to the wrong hotel but is on his way and will be there shortly. Yes I was incredibly stressed and upset. At 8:00, our call-time, I called the tour guide back and said, "I need the bus drivers number." I called the bus driver and said, "You were supposed to pick up my group 21 minutes ago. Where are you? We are singing at Carnegie Hall-this isn't just any concert, we're singing in Carnegie Hall. Get here fast!" The response was, "I'm sorry ma'am I was parked somewhere else and now I'm stuck in traffic." My response, "I know there's traffic but you need to find a way to get here now. Our call time was 3 minutes ago. Drive fast." So he finally gets to our hotel at 8:11pm (the concert started at 8:00), the students run on the bus. Patrick is the last to board and he says, "Get us to Carnegie Hall fast. Drive fast. We cannot miss this concert, so do what you need to do to get us there." That driver tore up the streets, and it's a good thing because I was so angry I was shaking. The thought that went through my head was, "if my students don't get to sing in Carnegie Hall, the whole reason for this trip, because of this stupid bus driver someone is going to get fired or they're going to have to get a restraining order for me." So we got there at 8:23pm (really good time for a bus through all that traffic) and the students literally ran off the bus all the way up the stairs to where everyone was waiting. Lucky for us there was a group that began the concert and we were second. I went around to the house and we were just in time to hear the final piece of the Wind Symphony that played before us. Just by the hair of our chinny chin chins! Had he taken just 7 minutes more I don't know if they would have been able to sing! So I sat in the audience with Patrick and the other two chaperones and tried to calm my heart from racing. It was very stressful and I can honestly say I have never been more angry in all my life. Well, the concert was great! I cleaned up Carnegie of all their programs and brought a ton back with me! Now I can look back on this experience and laugh a little. I'm glad it all worked out in the end. It certainly was an experience to remember!

Overall I think the students had a great time, the chaperones had a blast and we all got to know one another a little better. I'd do it again......just not tomorrow :o)

ACDA stands for A Choral Directors vacAtion

Going to conventions are always refreshing for me. I learn, I hear, I get ideas-it's great. I just came back from the ACDA Western Division Conference and had a blast!

Melanie was my roommate and we stayed at one of the nastiest hotels I've ever stayed in. The paint was coming off the walls, the tile in the shower was about to fall at any moment, the lady at the front desk had one tooth...well, come on you know that just weirds you out too! But I wasn't going to ask to take her picture! So we get in our room and immediately start laughing at where we were supposed to stay.

There were some great memories made this week, and I gained a lot of advice/wisdom/introspection about this career and my game plan. Don't get me wrong, there were lots of "receptions" and "teacher therapies" too :) If I learned anything this conference it is: This line of work is grueling, hard and emotionally draining, but with supportive friends who believe in you and God's wisdom and guidance, it can be done (and with a little passion and understanding, it can be done well). I'm ready for the future.

Afraid of the frog

For Valentine's Day, Patrick bought me this hilarious frog that dances . You'll see in the video that the frog is wearing a robe and boxers, and dances to the song You're Unbelieveable. The best part though, is the reaction my dogs have when they see this frog. It really freaks them out. Just watch...


We're bad parents I know.

I was not alone

These past two years have been a very trying time for me. No, it's not Patrick-it's my work. I have been challenged in ways I never dreamed of. It's hard to imagine that your dream turns out to be the thing that makes you depressed, anxious, sick, over-ridden with frustration and anger. Since I was in junior high-yes-junior high I knew this is what I wanted to do. But maybe that's the thing...this is what I wanted, and what about God's will for my life?

I've really been wrestling over that thought, "God what do you want for me?" It started out as a mere question and has now become a crying plea. I've agonized, searched (in probably all the wrong places) and all but given up, except that I have grown so much along the way. I've been promised a role reversal and change in destiny (late first semester) and I've even heard a clear sign of "wait." All the while I continue to remind myself that my God is indeed the creator and is in control of this very small situation.

I went to a prayer conference at my church and James McDonald was the keynote speaker for the weekend. Let me rephrase: God was the keynote speaker and James McDonald was the merely the voice. I learned countless things but one thing that I keep hearing like a voice in my head is, "Cry out to the LORD! No, not in a whisper. Not in a way that proves you can pray intelligently in front of your friends. Cry out to the LORD!" As James said it so well, "Lord forgive us for our tiny little whispery prayers where we're distracted with a million things and can't stop long enough to hear what you have to say." In that very moment I realized I never cried out to God. Not until tonight.

Tonight the weight of the world was on me and I couldn't stand up on my own two feet. I sat on my couch and cried out to my God. I cried out loud to the LORD. Never have I felt so broken, so humble, so close to my Savior. Never. There's something about being at the very bottom that makes you realize you can't start crawling out with your own two feet. Beautiful Jesus was right there in my hurt, in my pain, in my desperation, in my utter brokenness to reach his hand in and say, "Daughter, I am right here, and I love you." I am dearly loved by Jesus, and he cares enough about me to walk beside me through it all.

Don't try to do things on your own. Cry out to the LORD. He will meet you, and he'll pick you up off the floor, and into his precious loving arms. Try it, you won't regret it.

2 years down, and a lifetime of love to go

Patrick and I celebrated our anniversary in Colorado this year. We went skiing, hung out in Downtown Denver and had so much fun!






This journey of marriage has been so much fun. Don't get me wrong, it takes work, selflessness and sacrifice, but wow it's worth it. Here's to a blessing of a lifelong partnership with the man I love most.

The last of the weddings?? Nope, there are more in sight.

We went to Adam and Christina's wedding last night and had a good time. It was a little bit of a nostalgic moment to walk into the same place that we were married-the Regency Garden. Attached are some pictures we took. We pray that Christina and Adam have a blessed and wonderful marriage.







And almost two years for us! They have been the best two years of my life :)


Their vows...