Lost in Sicknation

Goodness.

First of all... THANK YOU for all the prayers and well wishes. This is just ridiculous...

Yesterday before we left Chicago I went to a walk-in clinic to get checked out. When the doc said "Well, you don't have pneumonia... yet..." I thought. OH MY, glad I came in...

So yeah... bronchitis can be pretty serious, but I think we got to it early enough. It makes me glad I canceled the show. But I am well into my antibiotics now. (So don't worry Farm Boy! Thanks for putting in the good words with the biotics... cause the anti-agent seems to be working!)

Earlier today I didn't even feel like watching Lost... that's bad...

But now I am watching Lost episodes like a Champion and even ate a full meal... Actually, I attacked it like I hadn't eaten in weeks. YAY! Who knows what tomorrow may bring. Maybe TWO meals ;)

For now... I'll leave you with the first picture we've gotten back from the photo shoot. Lots more are on the way, but this is all I've got for now. The pic was taken by the lovely Amanda Van Sandt with hair and make-up by Lorena Lopez. My girls!


By the way... the good thing about being a performer is that I look EXACTLY like this after laying in bed sick for 2 days *wink wink*



Peace. Love. Fiddle.
~natalie

I Love You Parties

I fell in love with my photographer and make-up lady at the photo shoot. They were some of the most fun and approachable girls to hang around. I want to hang out with them all the time!!! :)

Lorena, who was my incredible hair and make-up sylist, told some of he cutest stories. One of them, especially, I want to share with everyone.

When she was a little girl, her mother would throw "I Love You Parties", if she (or anyone in the family) was feeling down, or seemed to have a rough day or week. Lorena's Dad would drag her to the store or something to get her out of the house, and when they got back her mom would have balloons and decorations, and a cake that said "I Love You" on it to cheer her up.

How adorable is that? Yeah, I'm stealing it for my kids. What a great idea. And I love ANY excuse to have a party :) But what a cute and amazing way to show someone you care.


Peace. Love. Fiddle.
~natalie

A Funeral, Graduation Party, and Birthday Party

Today began with the mourning of an incredible human being. My speech and drama teacher from High School passed away, Mrs. Sandra Davis. A beautiful memorial service was held today in her honor. I can't imagine there ever having been a better speech teacher on the planet. This was a woman who constantly defied the odds (the doctors would say she couldn't possibly overcome... and inevitably she would... :) MANY a time). And no matter how sick she ever was... her first priority was always the classroom. And she undoubtably had a God-given gift for teaching.

For as much as I learned in her classroom and under her direction in musicals...
One of the things I will never forget her saying had more of an "every day life" application. She was talking about relationships and though I know she said it more eloquently, she said something to the effect of:
"If you ever feel bad with someone MORE than you feel happy with that person... then you shouldn't be with them."

What a simple way to say that! There is so much wisdom in that statement. It may seem like an obvious one, but that isn't necessarily the case.

And for some reason, it resonated with me in a pretty big way.

The service was beautiful. And I had one of the strangest de ja vu moments. I sang a song with the choir... there were a few other alumni from my specific years in choir. I was watching my chorus teacher for queues, and I was looking out onto a room of my teachers and friends from high school while singing with friends. It just felt like a BGA performance all over again!! :) The song was beautiful, and I think we made Mrs. Davis proud. I hope we did.

I headed to a graduation party AND a birthday party afterwards. Both were a nice balance for the first ceremony. I felt like I was living Ecclesiastes, Chapter 3 all in one day. :)

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted...


I have a photo shoot tomorrow for the new record. I AM SO FREAKIN EXCITED. My photographer AND the hair and make-up ladies that we have hired are an all star team. My living room looks like the back room at a retail shop right now, though.... I have the steamer out... clothes hanging up... clothe on the floor... everywhere. Gettin all sorts of prepared. It's fun :) But it's 4am, so I am going to bed now. Don't need puffy eyes!!! ;)


Peace. Love. Fiddle.