Happy Birthday to me!!! :)
So, in one hour and 20 min I’ll be 29 years young! WOW! I don’t know where time goes, and quite frankly it freaks me out. I was lying down trying to get my adorable 2 yr old son to sleep and was thinking about my 20’s, since this will now be my last year in it! ha ha. And WOW so much has happened. I feel like doing a timeline, for myself, and just to share. I was just thinking about all that’s happened during my 20’s and it was just interesting to me what little, and big, things stood out.
20 years old:
Enrolled at Berklee College of Music and begin recording my first album.
Have an on again, off again relationship with my 1st love I met right after graduating high school.
Finally starting to find myself and really loved Berklee- it was really that whole year! So blessed I got to go
21 years old:
Starts off with a bang getting the stomach flu and my boyfriend (still the 1st love) had come to visit me and held my hair back, literally. We still decide to give this another try
Finish recording my first album, “Solicited” with my then awesome band and also get my first website (Thanks to Doug Bull for all of this) and first CD!!! :)
Find out my love had started seeing someone else, it wasn’t meant to be anyway, but it hurt all the same.
First Heartbreak.
Get asked out by a cute stranger at an audition. Date him for a couple months and he cheats on me. NOT cool, thankfully NOT in love!!!
Take 22 credits my last summer semester at Berklee and almost go crazy- but sad and excited to leave.
Graduate from Berklee and Steven Tyler speaks at my graduate. I remember 2 things he said: He told his mom, “Mom, when I grow up I want to be a musician” and she replied “Honey, you can’t do both”…I still always find that hilarious, and kinda true! And the 2nd thing he said, “We’re all here today, because we’re not all quite there!” lol…also true!
Drive Cross Country from Boston to Los Angeles by myself!!! Only had $600 when left and then $300 when I got to LA LA Land. But as always, God Somehow provides.
22!!!!
Finally got a music job after being here 9 months. Felt very blessed.
Started my own band with a cellist (Ellen Frolichstein-one of my first and best friends in CA), violinist, drums, and bass. Got to record a couple songs towards next album, “Star”
Still finding my way through the crazy business and figuring things out.
Went on an amazing long weekend road trip w/ my sister, friend, and mom up the coast and then across to Yosemite. It was a truly magical and amazing long weekend that I’ll always treasure.
23!!!
Still teaching music and performing. Don’t remember much. A lot started changing. Moved in with a fickle friend (never do this) and things took a downhill spiral.
My other guy “Friend” and I couldn’t figure out what we wanted to be. I loved him, but it wasn’t meant to be. Still glad I had him as a friend through the years.
With everything seeming to fall apart and no open doors as a musician, I decide to pursue my dream of mission and humanitarian work and leave in a weeks notice to do training in Lubbock, TX.
August I leave for Lubbock and once again drive by myself from LA to Lubbock loaded up in my little Saturn. I meet KELLI!!! My dearest friend ever who literally keeps me sane!
24***
When Kelli and I are almost done with the program- we travel to Nebraska and she introduces me to Kyle, someone who would also be working with us in Ukraine. Kyle and I hit it off. I call my friends the day after meeting him to pray for us, as I think I’ve found my dream man. I DID!!!! :)
Kyle and I start dating in March! :) He flies out to see my parents and I drive back w/ him to meet his family and work in Wyoming while we prepare to leave for Ukraine.
Kyle and I get engaged, but then he gets scared. We stay together and still leave for Ukraine- the same day my sister leaves for a 2 year teaching job to Guam.
I fall in love with the Ukrainian people and my whole life is changed. I will always respect foreigners and have great respect for all humans. We’re all made in image of God.
Learning Russian is HARD!!!!
25****
Best Birthday party ever!!!! Kyle takes me out and I had NO Idea all our Ukrainian friends were at my apartment decorating and throwing me the best bday party ever! I’m so blessed. They even made little maps and hid my presents for a treasure hunt!
I go on the best trip ever with my friend Kelli and new Ukrainian friend Jenya! :) (who I helped set up with her current Husband. :) . A 10 day tour from Kiev- 2 days on train to Poland, and then a bus ride to Prague. It was SO incredible and SOOO fun.
I had to move back to CA in Jan. And without Kyle. Wasn’t sure when he’d come.
Kyle left a month after me and came out to CA after going home to WY. He drove out by himself and had never even visited. I knew he must love me! :)
Mom and Dad move out a month after Kyle and get a job out here. My prayers are answered!!!
Kyle proposes in August 2007 and we’re married 9/8/07 on the beach in Newport Beach. It was magical.
26***
After our 6 month anniversary road trip to Monterrey Bay and back, we find out we’re expecting our first child. Mommy is scared and kyle says “You married me, and now you’re giving me babies!” and was so excited! ;)
Pregnancy is amazing. So emotional and so hungry, but SO awesome! All I can say is “FEED ME PANCAKES!!!” I was obsessed! :)
Nov. 20th, 2008 our son Weston is born, the happiest day of my life.
27***
Just enjoying being a mommy and getting a hold on this new life. Having a child really taught me a lesson that’s been years in the making. But that
EVERYTHING HAS IT”s OPPOSITE. The joy of being a mother, the joy of being a wife comes with those extreme opposites of exhaustion and sacrifice. But it’s so worth it and SO amazing! ;)
Start writing Songs again and feeling so inspired.
Get a new manager, Judy Stakee, and she pays for and makes possible my 3rd album/ep “Room To Grow”
28***
Start really pursuing my music again, all while balancing being a mommy. It was hard at times, but I want my son to know to pursue his dreams. I’m still a major “Stay at home” mom and couldn’t do this without help from my parents, loved ones, and of course my amazing husband.
I continue writing, performing, and finish the album.
Big CD RElease Party March 2010 with huge turnout. Feel very loved.
Went on first tours! To Colorado and back with radio, library, and cafe stops! Packed in my car w/ all our luggage (our is me, mom and Weston). Saw the Grand Canyon for the first time. We drove all the way to Grand Canyon and then up to CO past Denver and then back to CA! WOW! All in 9 days. It was Crazy but awesome! On our longest drive day (the Grand Canyon to Grand Junction, CO) day- it poured the WHOLE day, Thunderstorms forcing us to go extremely slow- but we saw 8 rainbows in one day!!! It was incredible!
Went on 2nd tour to Central CA with Weston, Mom and friend Melinda. Total blast! Got to play on Central Cal’s largest Pop Station. Dream come true! :)
My Birthday is in 56 minutes now!!!
So interesting the things that stand out. Our lives truly are but a vapor. That also reminds me of a saying that’s stuck with me from the trip I took with Kelli to Prague and back. On the way back we stopped at a Building that had built a huge weird buildings made of human bones underneath the main building. There were all these huts made out of human bones. As well as Chandeliers and tons of things. It was so weird. And written in human bones on one of the sides of the wall it said…
“We were once as you, and you will be like us.” It’s so true.
For the next day, month, year, years…I guess I just want to not take any moments for granted. I want to love more, forgive more, laugh more, and live in the moments and just get through the hard times with love and acceptance, and gratefulness.
And I actually feel this huge desire to move to Europe. Not sure why. I haven’t been in a few years and I just feel like life is so short, why not go live there for a while and get to explore all these places I dream to see! :) But that’s for another day…
Aw. Love. Life.
