The time of my life

My recital is over! In fact, 9 days have past since. I kept meaning to blog after it was over, but kept getting distracted.

It was fabulous. When it actually came time to perform I had the time of my life. My best friend Bi came in Friday morning, February 25th. Blakeley and I ran to the airport to pick her up... my family got there later on Friday night during my dress rehearsal. I ran out to meet them with Bi and Zach, and my voice prof. My uncle Phil and Aunt Barbara came too, which was wonderful. I hadn't seen them in years, so it was awesome to see them.

The fam went out to eat, and came back to watch the last bit of my rehearsal. It was absolutely hilarious to see such a long train of people filter into the room.

I was such a diva, going to bed so "early" even though I had my sister and Bi in my room. I just had a jolly good time beefing up the Diva stuff.

Saturday finally came, and I tried to sleep in as late as I could. But to be honest, it was like I was a child knowing Santa had come. I could not sleep. It was hard falling asleep the night before Bi came. And now that my whole family was in Greenville, I wanted nothing to do with sleep.

A bunch of friends came over to Zach's apartment, which was such fun. And soon the primping started. Caleigh and Bi curled my hair, and Trina painted my toenails. Ali came later, and did my make up and last minute hair touch ups. I tried on my dresses again to make sure everything was alright, and headed over to Whitlock where my recital was.

Ahhhh what can I say? I was so blessed by everyone. Everyone I worked with, everyone who helped me and sang and played and ran sound.... gosh I had the time of my life.

I got to get all pretty, and wear pretty dresses, and sing some of my favorite songs for a few hundred people. Come on! Fab.

There were a few moments that I was really conscious of what was going on when I was performing. Some moments that stink in my memory. To be honest, I was a little bit mechanical. I had to concentrate on singing right so I didn't lose my voice by the 13th song or something. Gosh, it was so much, but went so fast!

Number one, I wore my black and white dress I wore for my Junior prom. Hilarious! But pretty fun to wear it again.

During Nur Wer, my German piece, also my favorite out of the classical pieces, I just felt like I was the only one who ever sang that song. Like it was my song. Like I was the one it was made for. I just felt solid in it, and enjoyed myself when I got to sing it. The kind of solid feeling when you just ate a really good meal, and the food is settling very very well, and you just drank a glass of water, and you definitely feel heavy, but very good about it. It's a good feeling when you're singing and the song is settling well:)

I also loved blowing out the candle after The Crucifixion. That was a fun moment, even though I wasn't totally sure if it was a beautiful moment to the audience or not.


Anyway, when the quintet sang It Is Well With My Soul... I just loved the moment in the last verse... we were so in tune, and so in the moment. It was beautiful.

Ahh, and when Jake and I sang Come What May and didn't laugh at all when we met in the aisle-- even though we had smiles that weren't exactly saying "I'm acting like I'm gonna love you till my dying day because we're acting right now and this is the real thing" and really seemed to say "Your mic is about to fall off your ear but it's still fabulous and this is fun so let's get er done!" Yes, my mic almost fell off... but that's because I had to take my earring off as I went behind the set to meet Jake in the aisle filled with rose pedals, because my earring kept banging into it making an annoying sound... but it was wonderful.

So that was the first half!

Oh! And it should be noted that my little sisters Olivia, Lena and Melodi were my "flower girls" and christened the aisle with bright red rose pedals at the beginning of the recital before my dad opened it in prayer.

So! Intermission. I changed into my red gown, and the crew changed the stage, and my sisters brought rose pedals onto the stage as well. Kirstie lit the candles that I borrowed from St. Pual's down the street, and it was go time.

Zach, Rob, Shannon, Blakeley, and Nicole came out on stage with me, and we started Because of You by Kelly Clarkson. Ok, candles lit and glowing, rose pedals on the floor, everyone in their red and black ensembles, and a string bass, viola and violin, guitar and cajon.... just kill me with beauty. Please. It was like a dream to sing like that. And I loved my dress. Sue me for being a girl who loves my dresses... and I went barefoot. It just seemed right to do that. I left my shoes behind, sat down, and sang the song, and had so much fun.

Then went over to the piano, and waited for my people to adjust and move their order around before we started.

I played the intro, and realized something so exciting, and so just utterly fabulous. A few hundred people in the audience... my people on stage waiting for their cue...

This was exactly how this song had to be played.

I was so in the moment, and appreciating every single aspect about it.

It could have made me laugh. I Dare the Rain. It was a song I wrote over a year ago. I was in the most romantic mood when I wrote it, and recorded it. And then there I was, in this long flowy red dress, with my hair all curled and make up done. Bare feet. Rose pedals. Candles. A gorgeous grand piano. An intimate strings section, a guitar and a cajon.

And I thought to myself, "This is exactly how I dreamed this song in my head."

And I got to sing and play that song the way it looked and felt in my head when I wrote it.

It was absolute bliss.

I was dying, having the best time.

Then singing Superhuman with Mike... a dream come true because I love that song, and because Mike came back to Greenville to sing with me. And I know he's going to be famous someday. For real. He's in Nashville this semester, so it was awesome to see him again.

The last set was full band... and I got to wear my red boots. That was reason enough to have a good time. But I got to sing some of my favorite songs. And Away with a full band made me just love life all over again. And with all the strings at the beginning! I was in La La Land.

And then... the finale... the song for which I saved every last ounce of energy and stamina I had left. Bring Me to Life by evanescence. I just sang as hard and well as I could. And I just had the time of my life.

Yes, I realize I said "time of my life" all together too many times, but that's because I don't even know what else to say. I really did have the time of my life.

And I learned a very important lesson after my senior prom, when I changed into normal clothes too soon after I got home. If you buy something you know you may never wear again, get your money's worth out of it Darlin'! So I kept my red boots on nearly all night. Even though they were slightly too big and very uncomfortable by the time I had them on for hours.

It was an awesome time though, hanging out with my family eating chips and dip and scrambled eggs and cheese with everyone and the friends that came over after the reception.

It was fab. And yes, I had the time of my life.

But. I'm glad it's over. My life can move forward now. Thank you.

Butreally... I did have the time of my life.