Another Opening, Another Show. I am grateful to my daughter Danielle for guiding me back into the world of performing. About 5 years ago, Danielle signed me up for a group called Basically Broadway, and encouraged me to start singing again. Then two years later she encouraged me to audition for The Reagle Music Theatre's summer shows. And now here I am today enjoying my summer by performing in my fourth Reagle Music Theatre show, Bye Bye, Birdie. I'm having a blast.
When I was 18 and fresh out of High School, I went off to College thinking that I was one day going to be on Broadway. But like I tell my children all the time....life has many forks in the road and sometimes you don't always end up going down the path you set out to go down. I went to one semester of College, got a lead in the Musical Grease, and had a great experience. But I wasn't a great student, and I knew College wasn't right for me. I was also very much in love with my now husband Donnie, so I dropped out of College, and we were married a year and a half later, and then six months after we were married, I got pregnant with Danielle. In the next ten years I had four more children, and I loved being a wife and mother. I never look back with regrets. I wouldn't change the path I ended up choosing for the world. I may not have made it to Broadway, but I shared my love of theater and music with my children, and for over 26 years now (Danielle opened her first recital at the age of 2), I have enjoyed watching my children perform in many musical productions. Danielle actually chose to follow the fork in the road that led her to New York to pursue her dream of Broadway. Is she on Broadway yet? No, but whose to say if that ends up being her true path in life....only time will tell.
Life is a series of Another Openings, and Another Shows, and they are not all theater related. When I am surrounded by my children, and I see them all laughing and enjoying each others company, well that to me is a show worth watching. When we drive to my sisters house for Easter all crammed into one car belting out the songs from our Godspell CD, that is a a show worth watching to me. I wish for my children many new Openings/Shows, may their forks in the road lead them down the path of Joy and Happiness, and that they live their lives with no regrets.
I am no longer 18 years old, and the roles for me to play are of a different nature, but I am back up on that stage pursuing my individual thrill of performing. For years, my kids were a great source of my joy and happiness and now that we all are older, we are all following our own dreams. Mine have me back up on stage where I also love to be. Thanks family for so many years and memories and thanks Danielle for pointing me back in the direction of performing, at this stage of my life.
Friday, July 13, 2012
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Independance Day
This week, my husband and I will be taking our youngest daughter and her boyfriend to the airport to see them off on a 18 day trip around Europe. If you asked me 28 years ago when I was expecting my first child if I ever thought I would let one of my children travel to Europe at 17 years old with her boyfriend....my answer would have been a resounding "Heck NO!"
After going through all the High School Years with my five children, I have seen and learned a lot! I have learned that children don't always tell the truth...(Surprise?!...Not!), that children make mistakes,and many more things, but mostly, that children need to live and learn. I have done what all the good parenting books say to do (even though I have never even read a parenting book). I have "Talked" to my children. There has been no subject, that I have ever not talked about with my children, and even with their friends. We've talked about drugs and alcohol, sex, STD's, responsibility, moral issues, religion, and you name it we've talked about it. My kitchen table has seen probably every subject the books tell you to talk to your children about.
What I learned from talking to my children over the years, is that as parents we lay the foundation....we teach them right from wrong, and as my Uncle Bobby used to say (by the way he was Chief of Police in our City for many years) , "You raise them until about Junior High, and then you just PRAY" He was right. We are given our children to us on loan from God, and then one day, you turn around and they are grown, and they are independent thinkers. If we have done our job right, and the foundation is clear, then hopefully they will make it through their teen years safe and sound. That doesn't mean they won't make mistakes and do things that we may not approve of, but I believe that if they at least have a solid foundation, then they will turn out just fine.
That is why I am okay with my youngest daughter heading off to Europe at 17. She has seen her 4 siblings before her, make mistakes, and falter through the years, but now they are all adults, and she sees that they are all still firmly planted on solid foundations, and they are all doing well. She too, has faulted from time to time, but in my heart I know her foundation is strong, and that Europe and College in the fall, are just the beginning of her journey into adulthood. I trust her, I love her, and so this year on July 5, a day after the 4th of July our Independence Day.....I will see her off at the airport for a trip of a lifetime, and know that this trip is in a way, Jane's own personal Independence Day....one of of many more to come.
After going through all the High School Years with my five children, I have seen and learned a lot! I have learned that children don't always tell the truth...(Surprise?!...Not!), that children make mistakes,and many more things, but mostly, that children need to live and learn. I have done what all the good parenting books say to do (even though I have never even read a parenting book). I have "Talked" to my children. There has been no subject, that I have ever not talked about with my children, and even with their friends. We've talked about drugs and alcohol, sex, STD's, responsibility, moral issues, religion, and you name it we've talked about it. My kitchen table has seen probably every subject the books tell you to talk to your children about.
What I learned from talking to my children over the years, is that as parents we lay the foundation....we teach them right from wrong, and as my Uncle Bobby used to say (by the way he was Chief of Police in our City for many years) , "You raise them until about Junior High, and then you just PRAY" He was right. We are given our children to us on loan from God, and then one day, you turn around and they are grown, and they are independent thinkers. If we have done our job right, and the foundation is clear, then hopefully they will make it through their teen years safe and sound. That doesn't mean they won't make mistakes and do things that we may not approve of, but I believe that if they at least have a solid foundation, then they will turn out just fine.
That is why I am okay with my youngest daughter heading off to Europe at 17. She has seen her 4 siblings before her, make mistakes, and falter through the years, but now they are all adults, and she sees that they are all still firmly planted on solid foundations, and they are all doing well. She too, has faulted from time to time, but in my heart I know her foundation is strong, and that Europe and College in the fall, are just the beginning of her journey into adulthood. I trust her, I love her, and so this year on July 5, a day after the 4th of July our Independence Day.....I will see her off at the airport for a trip of a lifetime, and know that this trip is in a way, Jane's own personal Independence Day....one of of many more to come.
Monday, July 2, 2012
Today's blog brought to you by my husband of 29 years
Those of you who know me, know that Kelly has had to put up with an 'engineer' for over thirty years now (29 married today). So, she has had to deal with a life time of solutions and odd questions about astronomy and crazy formulas to figure out how quickly the tub will drain, etc. You get the point. But, today we were talking about our relationship, our children, and how we deal with things.
I suggested that we compliment each other. I looked up the defintion for complimentary angles, and it says two angles added together to make a 90 degree angle. That is not us, we compliment each other to move in the same direction, not apart at 90 degrees. I think this has been one of the secrets of our sucess. Our individual strengths are in different areas so, where I have weakness, Kelly has strength, and where Kelly has weakness, I have strenghth. The result is that the road never gets too bumpy.
I can honestly say, that after thirty years, we have had our fair share of 'tests'. But, because of the way we compliment each other, we take turns pulling the other through the hard parts. We stop to celebrate and enjoy the good times. And we have confidence in our plan, but even more confidence in our ability to deal with 'what is' as we work toward seeing our plan get realized. I look forward to continuing to try to figure out this crazy world with the girl of my dreams by my side. Talk to you next time I take the computer away from Kelly. Happy 29th Anniversary to my wife. I love you, Donnie
I suggested that we compliment each other. I looked up the defintion for complimentary angles, and it says two angles added together to make a 90 degree angle. That is not us, we compliment each other to move in the same direction, not apart at 90 degrees. I think this has been one of the secrets of our sucess. Our individual strengths are in different areas so, where I have weakness, Kelly has strength, and where Kelly has weakness, I have strenghth. The result is that the road never gets too bumpy.
I can honestly say, that after thirty years, we have had our fair share of 'tests'. But, because of the way we compliment each other, we take turns pulling the other through the hard parts. We stop to celebrate and enjoy the good times. And we have confidence in our plan, but even more confidence in our ability to deal with 'what is' as we work toward seeing our plan get realized. I look forward to continuing to try to figure out this crazy world with the girl of my dreams by my side. Talk to you next time I take the computer away from Kelly. Happy 29th Anniversary to my wife. I love you, Donnie
Thursday, June 28, 2012
A True Gentleman
I was looking at facebook this morning and came upon pictures of one of my old high school boyfriends with his family. For years I have always wanted to write him, and tell him how much he impacted my life.
I started dating him the Spring of my Freshman year of High School. He was a Senior. I was a very naive and immature freshman, who loved the attention from the upperclassman. I can still remember one of our first dates, he brought me lilacs wrapped in tin foil, and we went to see Donna Summer in the movie "Thank God its Friday" On the drive home he asked me if I would like to go watch the submarine races with him....an in my naitivity, I said, "Sure where are they? and what are they?" he kind of shrugged it off, and said never mind and drove me home. The poor guy didn't even get a kiss goodnight. I was so young and innocent, and I had never kissed a boy before, so I didn't know what was expected of me.
We continued to go on dates, and I'm not sure we ever even held hands. At 15, I think the term they would use for me back then would have been "Tease", but I didn't even know what that meant. I had a nice figure, and I was a huge flirt, but I had no idea what being a "tease" really meant. What I do know is that in this Seniors infinite wisdom, he saw beyond all that, and always treated me with the utmost respect and dignity. We dated on and off for about 2 years, and in all that time, we never did go to "The Submarine Races". We spent alot of time just watching movies, and talking, and writing letters when he went off to College. In those letters I would write that I loved him, but even back then, I was so naive, I didn't really know what love was.
What I did love, and now know, understand and appreciate, is that this man of 18 was my first real High School relationship, and he was a" True Gentleman." He could have taken advantage of my naitivity, he could have been more aggressive, and pushed the boundries, but he didn't, and because of him, I learned so much about what I wanted from a relationship.
In my Junior year of High School, I met my then boyfriend (now husband), When we began dating, we only held hands at first, and I remember being so nervous for our first kiss. I learned alot from the "Senior" and that was that I should never do anything until I was ready.....so when I kissed my boyfriend my Junior year in High School...I was ready for that kiss. My boyfriend (now husband Donnie) and I talked about everything, and he too was a real "Gentleman" and never pushed the boundries. We took things slow, and I never felt any pressure to do anything I wasn't ready for.
I was a truly lucky teenager, to have had two true gentlemen in my life. When my daughters and sons were old enough, and getting into their teenage years, I would share with them the story of my first real High School relationship with a Senior boy, and how much he respected me. I would also share with them the story of how their Dad and I came to be, and how much their Dad respected me. I think it is because of my first relationship, that my relationship with my now husband is what it is today. I learned at the young age of 15, that I was worth respecting, and when Donnie and I started dating at 16, that sense of self respect stayed with me.
Respect is a hard thing to find in this day and age, but I know that my 24 year old son is a respectful and True Gentleman to his wife, my 25 year old son is a respectful and True Gentleman to his girlfriend of 8 years, and I wish for my daughters to all find love and respect with their own future True Gentlemen.
In ending, though he may never read this.....I am grateful to you (my Senior boyfriend) for how you treated me a young and naive 15 year old with kindess and respect. I can see by the pictures you post, that you are happy and have a great family today. They are truly lucky to have you....a True Gentleman.
I started dating him the Spring of my Freshman year of High School. He was a Senior. I was a very naive and immature freshman, who loved the attention from the upperclassman. I can still remember one of our first dates, he brought me lilacs wrapped in tin foil, and we went to see Donna Summer in the movie "Thank God its Friday" On the drive home he asked me if I would like to go watch the submarine races with him....an in my naitivity, I said, "Sure where are they? and what are they?" he kind of shrugged it off, and said never mind and drove me home. The poor guy didn't even get a kiss goodnight. I was so young and innocent, and I had never kissed a boy before, so I didn't know what was expected of me.
We continued to go on dates, and I'm not sure we ever even held hands. At 15, I think the term they would use for me back then would have been "Tease", but I didn't even know what that meant. I had a nice figure, and I was a huge flirt, but I had no idea what being a "tease" really meant. What I do know is that in this Seniors infinite wisdom, he saw beyond all that, and always treated me with the utmost respect and dignity. We dated on and off for about 2 years, and in all that time, we never did go to "The Submarine Races". We spent alot of time just watching movies, and talking, and writing letters when he went off to College. In those letters I would write that I loved him, but even back then, I was so naive, I didn't really know what love was.
What I did love, and now know, understand and appreciate, is that this man of 18 was my first real High School relationship, and he was a" True Gentleman." He could have taken advantage of my naitivity, he could have been more aggressive, and pushed the boundries, but he didn't, and because of him, I learned so much about what I wanted from a relationship.
In my Junior year of High School, I met my then boyfriend (now husband), When we began dating, we only held hands at first, and I remember being so nervous for our first kiss. I learned alot from the "Senior" and that was that I should never do anything until I was ready.....so when I kissed my boyfriend my Junior year in High School...I was ready for that kiss. My boyfriend (now husband Donnie) and I talked about everything, and he too was a real "Gentleman" and never pushed the boundries. We took things slow, and I never felt any pressure to do anything I wasn't ready for.
I was a truly lucky teenager, to have had two true gentlemen in my life. When my daughters and sons were old enough, and getting into their teenage years, I would share with them the story of my first real High School relationship with a Senior boy, and how much he respected me. I would also share with them the story of how their Dad and I came to be, and how much their Dad respected me. I think it is because of my first relationship, that my relationship with my now husband is what it is today. I learned at the young age of 15, that I was worth respecting, and when Donnie and I started dating at 16, that sense of self respect stayed with me.
Respect is a hard thing to find in this day and age, but I know that my 24 year old son is a respectful and True Gentleman to his wife, my 25 year old son is a respectful and True Gentleman to his girlfriend of 8 years, and I wish for my daughters to all find love and respect with their own future True Gentlemen.
In ending, though he may never read this.....I am grateful to you (my Senior boyfriend) for how you treated me a young and naive 15 year old with kindess and respect. I can see by the pictures you post, that you are happy and have a great family today. They are truly lucky to have you....a True Gentleman.
Monday, June 25, 2012
Pot to Pi** In
This past weekend, My husband and I attended the wedding of our daughter Danielle's Kindergarten best friend. It was a beautiful wedding, and I couldn't help tearing up as I watched this girl I have known since she was 5 years old marry her college sweetheart (who by the way was also my daughters 9th grade crush).
I talked to many people in the course of the evening, the wedding had over 300 guests and it was like a Newton reunion of sorts. Two of the conversations I had stayed with me.
One of the conversations I had was with one of Danielle's college roommates boyfriends. We were talking about love and relationships in the church while waiting for the wedding to begin, and he said, that there was no real right or wrong time or age for when people fall in love. We talked about how, my husband and I were High School sweethearts, and how my son at 23 married his high school girlfriend, and that when the right one came along, then that was the "right" time. He spoke lovingly about loving his girlfriend, and for them, I hope that their "right" time is now. They are adorable together.
The other conversation and it pertains to title of my blogpost today, was with a girl that went to elementary school with Danielle. I taught her religious education when they were in high school. She got married only last month, and when I saw her at the wedding she said, that she never forgot something I said when I was teaching her religious ed. I told my students that Donnie and I didn't have a "Pot to Piss In", but what we had was Love! She said she has never forgotten that, and that she remembered it right up to when she married her husband. I told her at the wedding, that after 29 years of marriage, Donnie and I still don't have a "Pot........", but we still have an abundance of Love, and as I hugged her, I wished for her and her husband to always have an abundance of Love.
I don't think that money makes a marriage. Danielle's kindergarten friend and her new husband have started their marriage already owning a home, and they both have great jobs. My son and his wife are living with her parents to save money, so that he can get his Masters in the fall. My cousins son who got married last year after only knowing his wife for six months are expecting their first child and live in army housing. Couples today are getting married with huge college loans, many couples start their married lives off in various stages of financial circumstances. None of these financial things are what truly matter. What truly matters is the Love, and who is to judge which couple is doing it right? If the Love is real, and the relationship is strong, then the couple is truly blessed in abundance. There is no dollar sign to the gift of an abundance of Love.
I may still not have that "Pot....." but I am rich beyond measure, and I wish for all newly wed couples, that they too find their abundance of Love so that they too, can be rich beyond measure.
I talked to many people in the course of the evening, the wedding had over 300 guests and it was like a Newton reunion of sorts. Two of the conversations I had stayed with me.
One of the conversations I had was with one of Danielle's college roommates boyfriends. We were talking about love and relationships in the church while waiting for the wedding to begin, and he said, that there was no real right or wrong time or age for when people fall in love. We talked about how, my husband and I were High School sweethearts, and how my son at 23 married his high school girlfriend, and that when the right one came along, then that was the "right" time. He spoke lovingly about loving his girlfriend, and for them, I hope that their "right" time is now. They are adorable together.
The other conversation and it pertains to title of my blogpost today, was with a girl that went to elementary school with Danielle. I taught her religious education when they were in high school. She got married only last month, and when I saw her at the wedding she said, that she never forgot something I said when I was teaching her religious ed. I told my students that Donnie and I didn't have a "Pot to Piss In", but what we had was Love! She said she has never forgotten that, and that she remembered it right up to when she married her husband. I told her at the wedding, that after 29 years of marriage, Donnie and I still don't have a "Pot........", but we still have an abundance of Love, and as I hugged her, I wished for her and her husband to always have an abundance of Love.
I don't think that money makes a marriage. Danielle's kindergarten friend and her new husband have started their marriage already owning a home, and they both have great jobs. My son and his wife are living with her parents to save money, so that he can get his Masters in the fall. My cousins son who got married last year after only knowing his wife for six months are expecting their first child and live in army housing. Couples today are getting married with huge college loans, many couples start their married lives off in various stages of financial circumstances. None of these financial things are what truly matter. What truly matters is the Love, and who is to judge which couple is doing it right? If the Love is real, and the relationship is strong, then the couple is truly blessed in abundance. There is no dollar sign to the gift of an abundance of Love.
I may still not have that "Pot....." but I am rich beyond measure, and I wish for all newly wed couples, that they too find their abundance of Love so that they too, can be rich beyond measure.
Thursday, June 7, 2012
Commencement
Commencement means to begin. As our youngest daughter graduates from High School, she gets ready to begin a new and exciting adventure as she enters College in the Fall.
Me and Donnie get to celebrate Commencement as well. We will begin the new phase of our life now that all of our children are out of High School and moving forward into their adult life adventures.
What does all this mean? I have no clue, because life is a succession of commencements. Birth marks the commencement of life, Kindergarten marks the commencement of Elementary school, and then their is the commencement of Middle School and High School. These beginnings lead towards College, First jobs, Marriages, Children, Grandchildren, and so goes the Commencement of the Circle of Life.
So as Janie commences the next stage of her life, I look forward to whatever new commencements (beginnings) lie ahead for me and Donnie.
Me and Donnie get to celebrate Commencement as well. We will begin the new phase of our life now that all of our children are out of High School and moving forward into their adult life adventures.
What does all this mean? I have no clue, because life is a succession of commencements. Birth marks the commencement of life, Kindergarten marks the commencement of Elementary school, and then their is the commencement of Middle School and High School. These beginnings lead towards College, First jobs, Marriages, Children, Grandchildren, and so goes the Commencement of the Circle of Life.
So as Janie commences the next stage of her life, I look forward to whatever new commencements (beginnings) lie ahead for me and Donnie.
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
The Last Prom?
Last night we watched our fifth child get ready and go to her Senior Prom. She looked beautiful, but then again, I'm her mother and I am biased. All five of my children looked beautiful on their prom days, and between the five of them, they went to a total of 10 proms, 5 junior proms and 5 senior proms.
It seems like only yesterday, that I went to my junior and senior proms with their father. I can close my eyes, and still see Donnie in his white tux and peach ruffled shirt to match my peach prom dress for our junior prom as we took pictures by my parents lilac tree. For our senior prom he wore a black tux with pink to match my pink princess prom gown. (On a side note, I totally hated my hair for senior prom, who ever thought a big bun on top of your head was pretty.....it was awful....but Donnie still thought I looked beautiful, and that is all that really matters ). I think every boy and girl looks beautiful on prom night.
I thought I would cry last night, as I watched my baby getting ready for her prom, with her two older sisters there to support her, but the tears didn't come. I kept thinking....this is the last prom for my children, shouldn't I be sad. I wasn't sad, I was filled with love and joy, because I know that this isn't the last prom. Donnie's 100 year old grandmother was there to see Jane off to her prom last night, and she has seen her two daughters proms, her 9 grandchildrens many proms, and including Jane, she has now seen 16 of her 21 great grandchildrens proms. I wonder if she ever thought she saw the last prom when her baby (my mother-in-law, who by the way went to both her proms with my father-in-law) went to her senior prom. Well if she did think that, we now know that that is not true. In the circle of life, the proms never end. I hope to see many more proms, as I someday become a grandmother, and with gods blessings, maybe a great grandmother too!
I am so grateful and blessed to have Donnie's grandmother in my life and in my childrens lives, she reminds me that there are no last proms....only many more first proms to come.
It seems like only yesterday, that I went to my junior and senior proms with their father. I can close my eyes, and still see Donnie in his white tux and peach ruffled shirt to match my peach prom dress for our junior prom as we took pictures by my parents lilac tree. For our senior prom he wore a black tux with pink to match my pink princess prom gown. (On a side note, I totally hated my hair for senior prom, who ever thought a big bun on top of your head was pretty.....it was awful....but Donnie still thought I looked beautiful, and that is all that really matters ). I think every boy and girl looks beautiful on prom night.
I thought I would cry last night, as I watched my baby getting ready for her prom, with her two older sisters there to support her, but the tears didn't come. I kept thinking....this is the last prom for my children, shouldn't I be sad. I wasn't sad, I was filled with love and joy, because I know that this isn't the last prom. Donnie's 100 year old grandmother was there to see Jane off to her prom last night, and she has seen her two daughters proms, her 9 grandchildrens many proms, and including Jane, she has now seen 16 of her 21 great grandchildrens proms. I wonder if she ever thought she saw the last prom when her baby (my mother-in-law, who by the way went to both her proms with my father-in-law) went to her senior prom. Well if she did think that, we now know that that is not true. In the circle of life, the proms never end. I hope to see many more proms, as I someday become a grandmother, and with gods blessings, maybe a great grandmother too!
I am so grateful and blessed to have Donnie's grandmother in my life and in my childrens lives, she reminds me that there are no last proms....only many more first proms to come.
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