The Road Trip.

May 31st I picked up John Paul from the airport. He threw his backpack in my back seat and we started driving to Colorado!

I am proud to say that JP was shocked at how well my car was packed -- you could see completely out of the back window. As a chronic over-packer, this was a huge accomplishment for me. For my move, I was unable to keep my home in Orange County. I was renting a room from a roommate that I absolutely adore, but I couldn't afford to hold on to the room. So I had to completely move out. It was incredibly emotional and difficult, and a LOT of work -- I had lived there for almost 2 years. It was seriously incredible how much STUFF I accumulated in 2 years, and how much stuff my little room was holding. It was like a clown car -- boxes and boxes coming out of my room... I literally have no idea how it all fit in there. But I put most of it in storage and only packed what I needed and was on my way with JP!

After not seeing him for a few weeks, it was so nice to spend an entire road trip with him. We got to stop in Vegas and see Alan, one of my best friends from college -- which I didn't get a picture of -- but I was so happy to have JP meet such a dear friend. Nevada's landscape was nothing noteworthy, and I slept through half of Utah -- but I managed to get a few pictures of how beautiful it was.

But when we got to Colorado, it absolutely took my breath away.

God is truly an incredible artist. I am so glad JP drove, because I just got to stare out the window and bask in God's glory. The mountains, the rivers, the trees... I don't even have words. It's gorgeous.

JP pulled over for me at one point, because I was just so in awe. We found a spot where I could put my feet in Colorado water and just enjoy God's glory!

And JP got a picture of me enjoying the Colorado air. I was like a little kid! So happy.

We got to Colorado and settled me into my apartment where Colleen had already set it up to be waiting for me when I got there. She already had pictures of us hanging in the kitchen, in frames in the living room, and there were sunflowers on the kitchen table. It made me feel at home right away.

And my boyfriend had these waiting for me on my dresser! I'm a lucky girl. (And yes that's a little honey bear. It makes it even more endearing.)

Still happy. Missing home. Love you all!

COLORADO. The Basics.

Hi friends,

So I just moved to Colorado for the summer as most of you know. (For those who don't, sorry for the surprise, but don't worry, I'll be back!)

I thought I would start up my blog again so you could all keep tabs on what I'm up to and how I'm doing, because as we all know, I'm horrible at the phone and to top it off, I'm living in a new place with a new job and things have been a little crazy. So here it is. The beginning of the story... just to catch you all up. Here are the basics!

I'm dating this guy.

His name is John Paul. He is pretty great. He lives in Denver, Colorado. I live in Orange County, California.

I like him so much I decided I wanted to be closer than 1,000 miles apart. So I took the opportunity to move to Denver for the summer and experience 3 months of living in the same place as him.

We decided in March that this would be a good idea -- and it took the entire months of April and May to set up all the plans. It was insane and many, many tears were shed over the stress (by me, not him) and well, let's face it, I'm horrible with change. I love stability. I love my job, I love my house, I love my friends, I love my students, I love my family. I know it's only for the summer, but I've never done anything like this before!

So here it is, my big adventure.

I got an apartment with one of my best friends in the whole world.

Her name is Colleen. She is also living in Denver just for the summer, and as God would have it, her previous living plans had fallen through just as I decided living in Denver was a good idea. So we got a 2 bedroom apartment, rented some furniture, and have been nesting and just spending time together all week. I couldn't be happier to be living with one of my best friends and such an amazing woman of God.

We live here.

It's 5 minutes away from my boyfriend, which is novel to me. And it's right by a creek. With trees. I love it.

I got a job here.

This is The Magic Playhouse, home of Rocky Mountain Theatre for Kids where I am their summer music director. We are doing 3 summer camps and one full musical per camp. The kids are 8-16 years old and we play games, have theater/voice/dance/etc. classes, and rehearse and perform all in 2-4 weeks. I was very scared of the transition from working with mainly 15-18 year olds to mainly 8-12 year olds, but so far I have loved it.

I hope that answers everyone's questions so far. I guess the most important thing everyone wants to know is if I am happy and well. And I am! I am so happy to be here. I know in my soul that I am supposed to be here right now and I have such a peace about it. God brought me here -- he lined up this job, this apartment, my beautiful roommate, all at the right time. It has been a very bumpy road getting here (and there will be more to come I'm sure!) but for now, I am so peaceful.

More to come, soon. I have pictures of the road trip in getting here and will tell you all about my new job soon!

Love to you all and miss you.

Late Night Thoughts

I just started reading the blog of a woman who is in the process of adopting a baby girl. It is such a beautiful blog, so honest and so heartfelt. I have been reading it as if it were a book - so compelled by her story, so invested in her family, so inspired.

 But what inspired me the most was not her heart for adoption. It was her fire and passion for God. Something that I have greatly lacked in my life as of late. This young woman writes constantly in her blog of falling on her knees in prayer, surrendering to God and wanting only to do His will. This is the kind of woman I long to be, but I know I fall so short.

 I couldn't help but read her story and wonder what it is that God wants from me, specifically. What gift do I have to offer to this world that is special? That only I was created to give?

I want to do what I alone was meant to do and I want to be the woman God wants me to be. I just have no idea how to start. I feel this desire of my heart burning so intensely, and I know it is what God is calling me to.

I just have no idea where to put my foot down for that first step.

 Time to pray.

2011 in Review

It's taken me almost 3 weeks to get around to doing this, but I have to do my annual year in review!

JANUARY:

I spent New Year's Eve at home with my mom reading my journal, so we'll skip right over that into my big trip to New York. I spent a week in the city with my best friend Deidre, and got to see all my lovely UCI friends. It was absolutely wonderful.


I spent the next week in Pennsylvania with my amazing family and experienced an absolutely ridiculous snowstorm... I got the experience of shoveling the driveway in 3 feet of snow and had to help push my uncle's truck out of a snowbank. It was quite the adventure!

FEBRUARY:

Beautiful Natalie got married!


And I joined the cast of MTW's CATS as a pit singer. I had to learn the score in a day and perform it that night... I absolutely loved it.

MARCH:

Colleen and I took a road trip up to Sonora to see our Natalie in Hairspray at Sierra Rep. Katie (another friend from UCI) was also in the show and it was great to see her, too. So fun taking a road trip and spending time with such dear friends.

APRIL:

I music directed West Side Story at SOCSA with a cast of almost 60 kids. This is the entire cast at our closing night lunch, all doing their "Shark" pose. The cast was amazing and the experience was a blast... and it was the most difficult music I have EVER played on the piano.


I also wrote and produced my show, Never Alone. It was one of the most incredible experiences of my life. (See previous post!)

MAY:

I got to sing at my friend Jordan's Caffeinated Cabaret in Riverside. It's always so much fun to get to be on stage again with amazing friends!

JUNE:

Many summer nights were spent with my favorite girls out for karaoke...Never a dull moment at our GNOs!

JULY:

I got to spend time in the studio recording for Jordan & Jonny's new album, "Cousins: The Songs of Beck and May".


This is literally only about 10 minutes of my entire year but it made me so happy I have to include it. I got to feed a giraffe named Betty Lou! It was so amazing!


I music directed Seussical for our summer show...I got to free style rap for the audience but there aren't any pictures of that :)

AUGUST:

I went back to Pennsylvania for a summer trip with my family! And my family actually convinced me to go kayaking on the Schuylkill River...And it was an absolute blast. My family is incredible... We ended the kayaking adventure by singing the national anthem under the giant bridge. Amazing.


And I went back to New York to visit my best friend! Deidre took me on a harbor cruise, it was absolutely gorgeous to look at the entire city at night from the water. The cruise went all the way to the Statue of Liberty which was breathtaking.

SEPTEMBER:

As we were holding auditions for The Secret Garden, there was a giant blackout. When we realized it was a blackout that literally reached Arizona, Mexico, and all of Southern California, we had to come up with a plan to continue with our auditions... So we pushed the piano outside and held them in the parking lot. Seriously an adventure.

OCTOBER:

Every year I have to include my obligatory choir retreat photo! I was with cabin 8... the sophomores this year. They were the best. We told scary stories and then when everyone got too scared, we told love stories. So much laughter... I love my job!


And my beautiful college roommate Courtney got married! First UCI wedding :)

NOVEMBER:

More Caffeinated Cabaret singing! I got to sing at a Movie Soundtrack Cabaret that Jordan produced a couple of times this year...Allen and I got to sing everyone's favorite - "Somewhere Out There".


And my sisters and I spent Thanksgiving together and had a blast just loving each other and laughing. And playing with Emily's new iPhone.

DECEMBER:

I performed in a dance show at Irvine Valley College! I was in the traditional African piece called Lamban, in which I was a featured dancer and soloist. It was honestly one of the most amazing experiences of my life. I made a new family (our tribe) and learned so much. African dance is so full of joy and I am still taking classes because I love it so much!


Kelley and David got married!

And finally...


This guy became my boyfriend on New Year's Eve.

:)

2011 was incredible. I am so, so blessed.