Ok, so I just had the most amazing weekend ever! I went skiing with my mom and dad at Wolf Creek, and my dad and I did 20 runs in one day!!! My mom was close with 17… but it was pretty stinkin’ awesome!

Other than feeling yucky, yesterday was actually pretty cool. It was a day of going through yearbooks… and I had this weirdo dream this weekend, which is why I started going through my yearbooks. I dreamt about people from middle school , I haven’t even thought about in years. A long story short, I ended up calling two guys ON THE PHONE last night. One was a guy I “dated” for 2 weeks and 2 days.. he remembered that actually. His name is Danny, and i honestly never thought i would ever talk to him again. He had Jimmy’s phone number (a guy I had the hugest crush on in 8th grade) and I ended up calling him and getting caught up with him too.

I can’t explain the awe I was in after talking with these guys. It’s like talking to someone you knew you’d never talk to again. Most times when I remember people from my past, I am forced to think ” wow I miss them, and I wish I could talk to them, but oh well.” and I have to get over it. Last night, I did something about it. You know, it took probably 3 hours to get information that ultimately led to getting Danny’s phone number. And Jimmy had fallen off the face of the Earth to everyone else I’d talked to. God is awesome! I found out they are both still single… ok, that’s the girl in me.

Who knows why people come into and out of our lives. I know that I actively put myself back in Jimmy and Danny’s lives last night, and I don’t think I would ever undo that. I plan on going to Virginia this summer. It’s been too long anyway. Only God knows.

That’s all for now.. time to get to work.

Real life suddenly seems so boring .

It’s over…

We got back Thursday night at 6:30 pm. Now, let me tell the story…

After that last Xanga entry, the tour REALLY began for me. I went with Janet and Megan to Walmart that was just across the street from the hotel. We ran into Andy, who was on his way out of the store… and asked him to come with us. We had SUCH a fun time!!! The kind of fun that you are supposed to have on tour. Andy found a Spiderman® that said different phrases. Two phrases that struck us as really funny were: “I shoot web” and ” Even super heroes need hugs” We used those phrases more times than I can count for the rest of tour.

Megan and I had a homestay that night with the cutest couple ever! They have been married for 50+ years and had been missionaries on a Navajo reservation for 33 some years. They had so many stories.. and I found it very interesting that when they met, they JUST KNEW the other person was “the one” for them. So awesome.

We ate really well on this tour… usually we are provided with spaghetti or lasagna dinners, most churches did a pot-luck type of thing with huge amounts of desserts and carbs 🙂 It made sticking to my diet non-existent.

We spent almost three days in Albuquerque, including our free day. It was great, it was not  Chicago my sophomore year, but it was still pretty awesome. I got to hang out with Hannah, Ben and Trim, (and Arianna and Chris)… more than half of the Japan mission team that went last summer. We played 6 person Spades ♠ for 3 hours! Dinner was cool though… we ate at some Mexican restaurant, and that was the first time I spoke with Jared. Jared and I ended up hanging out a lot on tour, which was really cool. He’s not a person I thought I would ever get to know. He’s pretty hilarious.

From there we drove to El Paso, where Megan and I stayed with Sarah and her family! It was so cool! We played this video game where you sing and the goal is to stay on beat and pitch.. pretty fun! Sarah’s brother Caleb came home… he was pretty cool too. We talked till 2:30 AM… he’s so extroverted with so much energy.

Our day in Juarez Mexico was AMAZING!! It started out kind of slow. Megan, Andy, Chelsea and I all walked around passing out candy to kids in the neighborhood that surrounded the church. After lunch, I helped teach Go Fish to two girls and their mom, with Matt, Sarah and Pat. The two little girls hung out with Sarah and me for the rest of the day.. It was so cool. The concert that we held that night… could have been a disaster. The wind was harsh, it was cold and dusty… but we had our best performance, despite conditions… that we had all tour.
It was hard to leave those little girls… they were so fun! And left more of an impact on me than I ever could have had on them.:) It was pretty amazing that I was able to remember any of the high school/college Spanish I’d learned. God is good. 🙂

The next few days were pretty laid back. We did a lot of driving and only three more performances. Before I knew it, we were driving home. I have never felt the reality of the end before. Mr. Dorn read through the names of the seniors that would probably not be with the band next year. 8 of us total. Most of us seniors cried for at least an hour! Even Daniel!

As we pulled into Denver, and unloaded the bus for the last time, and as I drove home… the minutes increasing between when band tour had finished and the present time… I took a deep breath and thanked God for bringing me to this place. It is a sad thing for good and happy times to be over… but, a good thing to remember that I got to live those times. How blessed I am.

My theme song for my present state of mind…

It’s been a long road
Getting from there to here
It’s been a long time
But my time is finally near
But I can feel a change in the wind right now
Nothing’s in my way
And they’re not going to hold me down no more
No they’re not gonna hold me down

Cause I’ve got faith of the heart
I’m going where my heart will take me
I’ve got faith to believe
I can do anything
I’ve got strength of the soul
And no one’s gonna bend or break me
I can reach any star
I’ve got faith
I’ve got faith
Faith of the heart

It’s been a long night
Of trying to find my way
And through the darkness
Now I’ve finally had my way
I will see my dream come alive at last
I will touch the sky
And they’re not gonna hold me down no more
No they’re not gonna change my mind

I know the wind’s so cold
And seem the darkest days
But now the winds I feel
Are oly winds of change
I’ve been through the fire
I’ve been through the rain
But I’ll be fine

I’m going where my heart will take me
I’ve got strength of the soul
And no one’s gonna bend or break me
I can reach any star
I’ve got faith
I’ve got faith
Faith of the heart

It’s been a long road

-Rod Stewart
“Faith Of the Heart”

Here I am! The first day of band tour!! We are currently in Cortez, CO and will be here until tomorrow morning when we leave. We’ve had one concert so far and it was.. well… not so good. It was actually SO BAD that the only positive thing Mr. Dorn could encourage us with, was that we all looked really good in the debut of the tour shirts. (Polos that were designed by MEEEEE. ) Sad huh? But we have an evening concert tonight, so hopefully we will redeem ourselves.

In our defense, most of us only got about 4 hours of sleep. We were supposed to arrive in Cortez around 11:00 pm and we got a flat tire on the truck carrying all the percussion and sound equipment. Which delayed us, causing us to get in at 12:30am. Blah.

But HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my Mommie!!! She’s old today… just kidding. She’s 45 years young. Love you Mommie 🙂

Onto more tour!!! I don’t know when the next time I will get to update is, but know.. I will as soon as I can.

It’s crazy… no matter what time of year it happens to be, there is NEVER condensation on the outside of a cold glass in Colorado. It is THAT dry here.

I noticed this and felt the world needed to know.

I bought my cap and gown today. Graduation never seemed more real. It’s weird because I don’t feel old enough to be graduating COLLEGE!

As I was staring down at what my $27.18 had just bought me, I wondered….

Who the CRAP designed these outfits? I mean REALLY! They look weird, you’ll never see someone outside of the ceremony or graduation day wear the gowns. I paid THEM $60,000
and they get to make me frolic around in a huge black robe- I wouldn’t be caught dead in- and a cardboard hat that has this weird elastic stuff that makes a little pouch in the back of your head, so it looks like you have a growth or something. The only redeeming part is the tassel, cause EVER SINGLE TIME you move your head it tickles your ear, which isn’t fun… but keeps you awake during the 4 hour long ceremony.

Don’t get me wrong, I am looking forward to sitting in the seats that have been sat upon for at least the last four years… I’m sure the butt-indentations of those who have gone before me will make me feel… really uncomfortable. Cause, to think about that… is kinda disgusting.

In 2 months and 3 days, I will become a CCU graduate of 2005. WOW, that’s soon. And I will sit there, black robe, cardboard hat, and tassel… proud of what I have accomplished, and entertained by the tassel tickling my ear.

Alas, I am afraid I have procrastinated again.

I must apologize for my late update, as usual it’s been a hectic week and eventful weekend.. Allow me to explain:

The JET interview went WELL! I was so nervous parking downtown and walking to the Adam’s Mark hotel… so many business people EVERYWHERE. I’ve never seen downtown Denver at 8:30 AM. I arrived almost an hour early for my interview… but as my dad and mom said, better an hour early than one minute late. I had 3 Japanese people interview me, an older gentleman, and a younger woman and younger man. They were really nice and we laughed throughout my interview. Overall, I walked out of the room with a sense of peace, and I am anxiously awaiting the first week of April, when I will find out which path God has set before me.

The rest of the week finished in a blur and I don’t exactly remember everything. I do remember being really busy and performing the song I wrote on piano with Daniel, who dressed as a woman Viking and sang about Helga the Viking. It was hilarious, and it was the most fun I had in a long time!

Unfortunately, I woke up Friday morning with a stuffy nose. I had hoped it was only allergies, but it was in fact another cold. I had just gotten over the last cold not FOUR DAYS BEFORE! That just doesn’t happen! Getting sick like that So soon after. I went home so that I could focus on my 8 page paper on Civil Religion, which in case anyone wants to know, I will probably be the most knowledgeable on this subject until Wednesday, when it will fade into oblivion with the rest of the useless junk I am been fed and then forced to regurgitate. I finished my paper, 8 pages exactly. And I’m still sick. I also finished the two programs for these next two weeks, one for band tour and one for the jazz concert Friday. I hate programs.

But the day, oh the Monday… was not without a ray of sunshine. The pure fact that I turned in that paper and am done with that class after Wednesday makes me SO HAPPY!
I also finished all of the music programs until after tour, which also makes me very happy.
And last but not least, when I go to bed tonight… I get to sleep in. It’ll be great.

Ok, I am now going to bed.