Fall, fall, fall!

I'm so excited that fall is finally here! The weather is still sticky - humid, no cooler than 68 degrees at the lowest - but just knowing the fact that soon, I'll be able to bring out my peacoat makes me so happy!

I'm also excited to announce the births of Aeralind Grace and Bronwyn Hope, on September 11th 2009!!! Congrats to Mommy Melissa and Daddy Derek Aldrich on two beautiful baby girls! I'm hopefully going to visit and spoil babies (and Mommy!) during our fall break in October. Please visit the blogs "Bumblebee Grace" and "Derek and His Women" to find out more about these blessings and their parents!

I'm often amazed at how music affects me so emotionally & so much. There are days when I have the opportunity to sing/hear music and I'm filled with SO much joy that it comes out through tears. Today was one of those wonderful, joy-filled days. On Tuesdays & Thursdays, I have a voice lesson at 10:55AM and concert choir directly following at 11:30. I study with the PHENOMENAL Dr. Ann Benson, who I adore both on a professional and personal level. She reminds me very much of Beverly Sills - whom, consequently, has become a favorite of mine, after reading her memoir "Bubbles". Anyway, Dr. Benson helped me pick out my junior recital rep about two weeks ago. Among that rep is the ridiculous "Ah! Je veux vivre!" from Romeo et Juliette by Charles Gounod. It ranges from a D below middle C to a D above the staff, and it's going to take an inordinant amount of work to make it performance-ready. I discovered the aria when I was 14 and have been slowly but surely working on it ever since. I've always done bits and peices of it, just as scales or what have you, but I've never sung it completely through, with accompaniment.

Until today.

Today, Dr. Benson and I decided to give it a go. She played, I sang.
It was one of the most amazing three and a half minutes ever.

It was difficult to finish, seeing as how I'm still getting over the flu I had last week, and it was MUCH faster than I thought, and I wasn't exactly singing with my voice. However, it. was. amazing. I'm so excited to be able to sing it!

After my voice lesson, I went directly into concert choir. Most of our rep is alright, but there's one peice that we're doing that is my absolute FAVORITE of it's kind. It's the Biebl "Ave Maria" - one of the ONLY "Ave Maria"s that I like. I've been trying to get Dr. Sinclair to let us do it since 2005. She FINALLY decided to do it this year and I couldn't be happier! I'm also priveledged enough to be singing the soprano part in the "trio", with Samantha singing the alto and baby Laney (one of my favorites ever!) singing the tenor. It sounds phenomenal and I feel so blessed to be singing it. Today, when we worked on it in class, I was so joy-filled that I got teary-eyed. Seeing as how I was in the front of the room, singing with the trio, I quickly tried to hide my weepies and continue singing, which I did successfully.
I feel so close to God when we sing that song. I love it.

Well, it's been quite a day. I'm looking forward to sleep that is SO close!
...and enjoying another episode of "18 Kids and Counting". I adore the Duggars! they are such an inspiration to me. I'm trying to model the way I'm training myself on the way that they live their lives - completely and totally for the Lord. Right now, I'm focusing on living with a servant's heart, and always praying for guidance and strength!

That's all for now - love to all!