So its been awhile...

Its now December 27th, and my last post was back in june. haha i did a real good job at keeping with this. :/ I guess i've just be so busy that i forgot about my blog. i'm not sure i'll be able to start it back up for awhile though, because i'm still pretty busy. I have piano and voice lessons, SCS touring choir, college stuff for next year, finishing up my senoir year of high school, plus having a blast with my friends. so i'm pretty busy, and i have to figure out how to get all of this done. oh boy.

I might make a post for new years tho, as a reflection of year 2009 and my thoughts about the next year. i usually that, in my journal anyways. though i don't think anyone really reads my blog anymore...cuz i kinda haven't posted anything for...*counting on fingers*...wow 6 months!
we'll see what happens. if you'd like to hear about my life, tell me. lol

Music Camp '09

So i'm back from Music Camp, and i'm now almost caught up on all the sleep that i lost, though i'm still pretty sore. But i had so much fun! We went rock wall climbing, and i am proud to say that I climbed to the very TOP! We also went cannoeing-- most of us got soaked with river water; And we played volleyball 3 of the 4 nights we got all sandy---both of those were extremally fun though!

here's the size of the wall, real rock too!

Apart from the fun activities that week we had 2 privite lessons (in my case voice lessons), a music theory class, and many 'practice' times when we would practice whatever we were going to do for the recital on friday morning or just hang out. We also had 'MasterClass' where we would listen to others perform and be cretiqued. it was pretty cool, and the people around me made it fun!

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Here is me and my new friend Kaylee. we sang a duet together-

"Praise You in this Storm" by Casting Crowns!

There were some other great performers too! a violin trio, flute duet, a piano duet and some amazing piano solos! my favorite vocal songs included "Only Hope" by Mandy Moore, "A Thousand Miles" by Vannessa Carlton, "For Good" from Wicked, and "You Raise me Up" by Josh Groben

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It was an amazing experience for me, that i will not forget! It was one of the best week ever, not only because i learned so much, and got to do some really fun stuff, but because i got do those things with some incredible musicians like me and amazing people who i hope to see again next year! Just being around these people and performing with them has improved my vocal skill and will continue to inspire me to grow musiclly and spiritually! thanks guys so much! because of you i will be "changed for the better"

My Summer Adventures (to come)

School is finally coming to a close, and you can smell summer in the air!

ahhh, it makes me happy :) Soon- this monday in fact- i shall start my

summer adventures of 2009.

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This Monday I get to go off to Cedarville University for Music Camp. I've never done one of their camps before or even been on they're campus, so i'm not going to know anyone there. But, hey, these are musicians like me- how hard can it be to make friends? I could go for my flute, but i decided to do vocals instead, since that's what i'm focusing on in collage. I'm not sure of what all i'll be doing there, but i'm sure it will be a cool experience! I also get to go cannoeing and rock climbing, so it should be fun!

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>That next week afterwards I will be going to Michigan to act in a film directed by A friend.

>The week after that i'll be helping out with our chuch's VBS.

>And the Week after that is Phyo Camp! WOO WOOO! It's the best week of the summer!

>Sometime in July my family goes back up to MI to go camping

>In the beginning of August i'm going on a mission trip to Tennissee

>and other fun stuff!

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And that's the current general 'game plan' for the upcoming summer. I shall post more details about these as they get closer. meanwhile, i'll be enjoying a song by Relient K.

The Mark of Ownership

Yesterday i noticed a small mark on my leg. it looked kinda like this--

To some this image means no more than a simple letter "t", but to me it means so much more. This is The Cross- symbolizing the two pieces of wood that the Son of God hung from over 2,000 years ago- the place where Jesus died so that all who believe in Him could be saved from their sins. To Christians who truly believe this cross means so much.

So when i saw this cross indented on my skin in reminded me of a bible verse--

"So it is with you. When you heard the true teaching – the good news about your salvation – you believed in the Christ. And in Christ, God put his special mark of ownership on you by giving you the Holy Spirit that he promised." ~Ephesians 1:13

To see an actual "mark" of the cross on my skin was a good reminder, but that indent was gone the next day. when you become a christian you don't receive a physical mark. God's mark is on your soul- the Holy Spirit. I've figured out that being a Christian doesn't mean that you're going to feel the Holy Spirit all the time. But every once in awhile you can experience some very profound moments in your Christian faith. i can remember clearly so many powerful "Holy Spirit moments" in my life.

One of those moments was last Sunday. During Sunday-school we sat outside. It was a very pleasant, sunny day. Then later during our church service -during a prayer- i heard something like rain (or the AC i couldn't tell. haha), so i prayed "Lord, if that is rain, let it rain!" Moments later i heard the sound of pouring rain pounding on the roof. :)

Ha, no one expected it to rain, so during the "children's moment" many people got up and went to close the windows on their car, including me! When I got outside it was still pouring, but it felt so good! And it was like a voice was telling me "You are my child, and I hear your prayers." Its was one of those moments that makes your eyes fill with tears of joy. I could've stayed out there in God's glory for much longer...but i didn't want to come back into the church service totally socked. nevertheless it was a cool lil moment.

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I felt God there with me, in that moment i could feel "the mark" on my soul. I find it amazing that he would claim me- I am His and he is mine. Its moments like that that remind you of God's power and love!

Surfing YouTube

so how this goes is every once in awhile i will post some music video links from YouTube: one instrumental performance, one clip from a tv talent contest, one music video, and one funny music related video. here we go...

here is a bassoon ensamble playing the theme from Pink Panther. The bassoon has a really cool sound, i love it. click here for video

and for the TV show...well this is from Ellen. haha. I couldn't get a live clip off of American Idol, but so here is the same performance-Heartless by Kris Allen---the American Idol WINNER !

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Ahhh i love his voice and he's so cute! Anyways, here's the music video i promised- one of my favorite songs-- "Already Over" by the Christian rock band Red. video here

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And the funny music related video---Evolution of Dance

enjoy :)
hey anyone know how to actually post a youtube video on your blog?!

May 25th, 09

So right now i'm hanging out with my family, as we usually do every memorial day. Normally we would go to our nice cottage by the lake...but because of the "wicked witch of the west" my family no longer has the cottage in our possession. well its a long story. lets just say we strongly dislike her. because we all loved the cottage!

but anywho we're hanging at our grandma's this year.

And today i actually did homework during vacation! i'm so proud of myself!

random pics....

this is the beautiful sunset that we saw at the baseball game we went to a few days ago.

stay tune for some pics from "the cottage" ....Ah there were some gorgous sunsets...

Band Concert '09

Hey, its my first post! Sooo...i'm like really tired right now Soooo...sadly i don't think i have anything interesting to say. Rrrr...OK i'll think of something!

OK got it :)

May 14th was the Stark Co. Homeschool Band's 'Spring Concert.' The band is directed by Mr John Bridges and we practice and perform at Malone University. I am in the Advanced band with around 20 others.

My favorites from this concert were (1) a beautiful arrangement of 'Be thou my Vision' (which is one of my favorite hymns), (2) 'Music from Pirates of the Carribean' (one of my favorite movie music), and (3) 'Lord or the Dance' (which i have been wanting to play on my piccolo for YEARS!). All 3 of those, along with about 5 others, went pretty well! I think it was our concert yet! so is our best song for you to listen to. "Pirates of the Carribean"

This was my last year as a student, because next year--my finish-senior-year/"collage prep" year---i'm going to have lots of homework probably, a job, and plus I know the Touring Choir is going to keep me busy. It makes me sad that I won't be around as often, cuz i have some pretty cool friends there. And i'm going to miss playing in the band. I just love playing music, its a time for me to get away from my school work, and i really like that! Haha. I've been playing flute in the band for 8 years and piccolo for 3 years, and i've learned to get lost in the music around me and i've learned to love it!

i'm going to continue to play flute in college, though (I think) my major is going to be Vocal Performance/Worship leading. i'll talk more about that later....