Graceful

On the 7th of May, we performed a benefit concert in Ballina, Ireland for the Mayo Cancer Support Center there. This concert took place with another choir and so we only sang the first half of the concert, they did the second and we did a piece together at the end of the night...

Unfortunately, about 3 pieces into the concert, one of our members fainted 3/4 of the way through the piece. It was the first night we had performed Agnus Dei in front of an audience and we followed up that song with Eric Whitacre's Waternight. It was Waternight that witnessed this event, right on the line that reads "If you close your eyes". Talk about perfect timing, huh?

If you haven't already guessed, that choir member, was me. It was the first time I ever fainted in performance and I still haven't heard the end of it, and today is several nights later. I began blacking out, and thought that I could make it to the end of the song, and then go sit down, but, this did not happen. I have no memory of what happened approximately 8 measures before I went down, and I've heard several versions of what happened from almost every member of the choir.

Here's the basics: I took about 2 1/2 steps out from the choir (I was standing in the front row), I looked up at something on the ceiling, and raised my hand like I wanted to grab something, then kind of staggered to the ground in what's been dubbed a "Princess Faint".

When I came to, apparently I was smiling, but I didn't know what had happened or why everyone was asking if I was okay, until Chris looked me in the face and said "You fainted." Then, I was so embarrassed that I started to cry, and Willy Ray took me over to the front row on the side to sit with him for the rest of the concert. Up until then I'd been thinking "why are you waking me up, I was sleeping!" and "Why am I on the ground?" and "Where am I?"

They all took really good care of me, Garrett even asked if I'd eaten anything since falling and got me some brown bread from the hotel bar (yum!). I did not have a concussion, thank goodness, I have a non-visible bruise on my eyebrow from where my head hit the dance floor, and a visible one on my thigh from where my hip hit the floor. There's some smaller bruises on my arm and leg, but I'm totally fine, and nothing major has happened since that would give me pause or a cause to worry.

It is nice, however, to know that when I faint, which isn't often, I do it gracefully and simply slide downward to the floor (the last time I fainted was in a Presbyterian church service and I slid out of a chair!)

Galway to Ballina

Hello again!

Today we left Galway and headed to Ballina, County Mayo, Ireland. The trip was grand, I got sick on the bus the other day, but today was much better. Ali introduced me to a fun new band, and I'm quite excited about getting home and purchasing things on iTunes!! :-)

Our hotel has a spa/pool/health center, and I went and hung out in the jacuzzi tonight and also a steam room, which was wonderful...I haven't been sleeping well, I've been waking up with a cramp in my shoulder for the last couple days, and while sitting in the steam room, a friend massaged my cramp out of my shoulder, which was fantastic, I feel so much better now.

Tomorrow we're going to a secondary school to talk to the students about life in America, etc. and it should be fun. Tomorrow night, we will be giving a benefit concert with, um, let's see if I can get it right... Cor Maigheo. They're a "professional" (i guess) choir here, and our concert will be to benefit the Mayo Cancer Clinic here in Ballina, or County Mayo.

"May you live as long as you want, and never want as long as you live"

Quick Update -- Compliments

Hello! It's currently 10pm in Limerick, Ireland and we're on our way to see a "session" at one of the local pubs...basically this means we're going to watch people perform traditional Irish music!!! (which, if you've never heard it, it's great stuff!)

I am so overwhelmed by the number of comments I receive when I sign during our concerts. Chris has me interpreting one of our songs in American Sign Language, and everytime I do it, at least 2-3 people come to me and comment on how gorgeous it is. What can I say? The language is beautiful and not enough people get to experience the joy that can come from the blending of two seemingly different things -- one used by those who can't hear, and another by those who use their voices and ears equally.

Also, tonight, I was reminded why I sing. A man came to our concert tonight that was simply needing a lift. He was expecting to pray at the church we were singing in, but instead was stuck listening to our singing. He was so touched and moved by us that he even purchased one of our CDs at the end of the concert. THAT is why I sing. To touch people's lives and allow God to speak through music to people's souls. How powerful is this beauty that is music?

With that, I will leave you to think -- how does music speak to you?

IRELAND!

We're in Ireland! We finally made it, I never thought we'd get here, or that we'd actually board the plane, but we did, and tomorrow morning we're on our way to the third city on our tour! It's been such a great experience so far, and I'm so glad to get to have it with the awesome people in Chamber Singers! There will be pictures when I get back to the states and my own computer, but for now, suffice it to say that Ireland is entirely beautiful. It reminds me a little of home, with how green it is! Tonight, I was called after by an Irishman outside a pub asking why my skirt was so long (we were walking back from a concert, so I had my choir dress on, of course.) The girls I was walking with found it hilarious, at the time, I did not...It was more embarrassing than anything else.

Well, super early morning tomorrow...at this rate it'll be about 5 hours of sleep...eew. I better sign off, I'll probably use my roommate's computers more often now and try to keep updated on what's happening here!

Till we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand!

Home, Sweet Home!

I made it back into Salem at 1:45am on August 1. After a tearful goodbye at the end of project banquet, a night in Littleton, and adventures in the Denver and Las Vegas airports, I was ready to be back.

Our end of project banquet was a "tacky prom" so this meant we were all supposed to have gone out to a thrift store and purchased a tacky outfit. I did not have the resources to go out and get something, so I just ended up in a dress I'd brought with me. It was a lot of fun, and our emcees were absolutely hilarious! Everyone was dancing to crazy music and waiting for their turns to jump in line for dinner...which was an adventure in itself. I was definitely not expecting for the goodbyes at the end to be as tearful as they were. I was glad to be on my way home, but not glad to be leaving some of the people from project.

We spent Thursday night at Mia's house in Littleton, and it was so nice to sleep in a bed that was not in a dorm. It was wonderful to have breakfast (which I'd pretty much given up on by about the third week of project) and to spend a morning not having to feel rushed about getting to work on time. Brooke and Joe left for Colorado Springs and Salt Lake City shortly after breakfast, and I spent the morning with Mia packing and repacking my bags to make sure everything was going to fit.

The board showing my delayed flight to PDX

When I got to the airport in Denver, I was 5 hours early for my flight. And, I didn't know this, but you can't check bags prior to 4 hours before leaving...so...I was sitting in the airport reading for just over an hour, waiting for my turn to check baggage for the flight home. When I was finally able to check my luggage, I was informed that my flight from DIA to Las Vegas had been delayed enough that I wouldn't be able to make the connection flight (the last one of the day) to Portland. I was placed on standby for an earlier flight, in hopes that I would not have to spend the night in Vegas.

I didn't think I'd be able to get on the earlier flight because it was completely sold out, but Lo and Behold, about 5 minutes prior to departure, my name was called and I got one of the very last open seats on the plane. Thankfully we landed in Vegas without a problem, and I was able to get to the right gate for the flight to Portland, which was supposed to depart at 9:40pm.

It didn't.

I found out when I got there that the flight had been delayed 15 minutes. Not a big deal, right? Right. Then, as I was waiting for the call to board, an announcement came on stating that we would not be leaving until 10:30pm, putting us in to Portland at 12:30am. This was not part of the original plan. I was supposed to be home 10 minutes before my sister's 16th birthday, but unfortunately, it was much later. The flight did leave around 10:30 from Vegas without any further delays, thank goodness.

I know it may not sound as bad as some other airport stories you may have heard (or experienced), but after 7 weeks in another state and only two weeks in between a 7 month absence and a 7 week absence, I was ready to be home, and exhausted from travel, so this experience was definitely unexpected, but a lesson in patience and flexibility.

Carissa's birthday was great, we spent the day in Lincoln City at the beach and outlet stores, which was really fun. I'm so glad that she got to have a great day, and we've continued to celebrate through today and possibly even tomorrow. It's been great being home, though not very relaxing...yet. We'll see how things continue. :-)

Seventh

The seventh and final week of project is already upon us and I'm not quite sure how to feel about it. I'm excited to be going home, but also I'm just now getting to know some people really well, and wish that the connection would continue to grow. We only have three more days of work, one day of packing, and then we're on our way back to our respective homes.

The explosion of children at Kids' Camp was everything they told us it would be, and more. My class went from seven students to twenty-one, though the last couple days it's only been about seventeen. They're crazy, but so much fun. They make me laugh, and make me frustrated, but they are such a joy to have and to be able to see them even in the last few days making friends and being so kind to one another is enough to make the times I'm frustrated to the point of exhaustion disappear. They're the perfect thing to make you appreciate all sides of life.

This weekend was super exciting! Tim Hawkins, a comedian came to the Crusade conference, and he was so funny. I love to laugh, and having the opportunity to get away from what was happening on project and at camp to laugh with hundreds (maybe thousands) of other people was wonderful!

Saturday night, the band Tenth Avenue North played a concert at the conference, it was one of the most powerful and fun experiences this summer. They are a great band with a wonderful vision and sense of who they are, and who God is in them. I most definitely bought the CD after the concert and it's been the only thing playing on my iPod for the last couple days.

Here we go, plowing into the last three days of work. It's going to be an adventure traveling back from Colorado and transitioning back into life at home for the short time I'll be there. My sister and best friend have birthdays within two days of each other and they're right when I get back so there will be lots of celebrating to look forward to!

Grand Anticipation

So, as of today, three of the kids I've had for the last four weeks are no longer in my class, and the class will grow substantially between now and next Wednesday (I've got seven now, and will have close to twenty next week). We have a four-day weekend starting today, and then start again on Wednesday morning thirty minutes later than we have been! Oh how wonderful those extra few minutes of sleep will be!

Recently, project has been very eventful, and though tiring, it's awesome! I went camping for the first time ever last weekend, and loved it! I want to experience camping with a smaller group before going with a large group again. Some pictures from camping and our hike in Rocky Mountain National Park are below.

My first camping trip -- six person tent!

Absolutely Beautiful Scenery at RMNP!

That's probably one of the biggest things that's happened in the last few weeks, besides the gigantic Independence Day Bash that we had, that was fun. Although, I wished I could have been celebrating with my family because it was my Grandma's 90th birthday, and I wasn't able to be with them, for the first time that I could remember.

At the end of our camping trip, all of the staff members who had been directing the project's many areas: ministry teams, Bible Studies, Financial things, etc. left!!! They passed on the leadership of the project to the students and gave us responsibilities in each of the areas they had previously been leading. There's a group of 5 students that are working as directors, associate directors, and operations leadership. Then twelve students, two boys and ten girls are leading small group Bible Studies, and all the ministry teams have two co-leaders for each group working to make all the rest of our events run smoothly.

About a week before the staff members left, my Bible study leader approached me before a project training meeting and asked me if I'd be willing to lead my Bible Study group. We had our first "sans staff" small group on Monday night and I loved it! It was so great to be able to facilitate a discussion about spiritual things with girls who I feel connected with, instead of it being just a random group of strangers getting together to have awkward conversations. Even when we'd get off track, we were always able to bring it right back to what we were initially talking about. I love watching God work in that way. It's been awesome to be here and be so challenged to grow and lead. Yay!

Now it's time for a restful and fun weekend before starting back up on Wednesday!