lots of stuff happening right now...(see multiple blog entries over the past year)...

today...started to see the light...

good...

Tonight's the big night...American Idols LIVE Tour 2007...Arco Arena!

A preview...

OMG! OMG!

BLAKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Eeewwww Sanjaya!!!!!!

JORDAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

More to come :-)

FRIDAY UPDATE - 7/20
Lucky went to his regular vet today and was prescriped anti-seizure medicine to help manage the source of the issues (likely brain related). We are hoping that he responds well to the medicine, that it helps manage his problem and prolong his life, and that if this is a tumor or swelling that it won't manifest any other issues.

Through conversation with the vet we realized that he has probably been having minor seizures for months. If they can be controlled, and the medicine doesn't have a bad effect, he may actually bounce back for a while. That is certainly where we are going to put our prayers and positivity!

Thank you for your calls, emails, texts and prayers. This has been one heck of a week...once again...and you've all helped us so much!!! We truly appreciate everyone.

-j/r/a/s


Thursday, July 19
we had a pretty hard night last night...our very precious Lucky had two seizures and had to be rushed to the hospital. we've known for a while that he is getting more and more frail...comes with the fact that he's 12 1/2, but we're now faced with some very serious decisions...and the reality that this very important part of our family is reaching the end of his time with us is heartbreaking.

he is home and resting right now. we'll be taking him to his vet tomorrow to talk about what he thinks is happening to cause the seizures. the hospital vet says it's most likely a brain tumor. once we know for sure, we'll start making decisions. we hope that we can have some more time, without causing him undue discomfort or pain...we'll continue to pray for guidance.

we're so truly lucky to have had him in our lives so far, and will cherish our time together whether it's for another day, week or longer. we know he means a lot to a lot of people, and would have liked to have been able to let folks know in a more personal way. we just can't do that right now, so we'll keep you posted here.

and they're gonna get married....

we're off to Monterey to sing/play at the wedding of some friends...07/07/07...pretty cool. i think anything at the beach is lovely. a wedding right on the beach sounds divine :-)

we really like a couple of the songs we're doing, so i thought i'd share the lyrics:

ocean...ten shekel shirt
Lately, I've been thnking about You
And lately, I've been dreaming of You
And lately, I can't get You out of my head
Get You out of my head

Something about the ocean
Makes me rise up and praise
Something about the heavens
Makes me stand in awe again
Something about the sunrise
Reminds me of Your faithfulness
Something about the ocean
And I'm lost in love again

I'll sing until I sense a smile
Upon Your great and lovely face
And till I know Your glory's in this place
Your glory's in this place

hanging by a moment...lifehouse
Desperate for changing
Starving for truth I'm closer to where I started
Chasing after you I'm falling even more in love with you
Letting go of all I've held onto
I'm standing here until you make me move
I'm hanging by a moment here with you

Forgetting all I'm lacking
Completely incomplete
I'll take your invitation
You take all of me now... I'm falling even more in love with you
Letting go of all I've held onto
I'm standing here until you make me move
I'm hanging by a moment here with you
I'm living for the only thing I know
I'm running and not quite sure where to go
And I don't know what I'm diving into
Just hanging by a moment here with you

There's nothing else to lose
There's nothing else to find
There's nothing in the world
That can change my mind
There is nothing else

(repeat chorus)

I started piano lessons when I was five. I had a pretty intense teacher names Florence Showell. Many of her students went on to play in conservatories, a couple earned full rides to Juilliard (clearly she didn't have the same affect on me :-). She taught out of her home on a tucked away street, in an older part of Missoula, Montana. She would charge me 25 cents when I didn't have my nails trimmed, and an additional 25 cents if my practice record wasn't completed. I had to practice and hour a day, and it was the rath if I didn't. I'm not sure if she was a cornerstone of my ability to work and focus...or of my anti-authority issues :-)

While piano has never been my passion, I managed to gleen some important fundamentals from my 7 years with Mrs. Showell. Even 20+ years later, I can sight read...work out complicated chord progressions...have fairly good relative pitch, etc...And it's just in the past few days that I've really, truly appreciated it.

I've been very blessed to be able to write music for the first time in my life over the past few months, and play that music (as well as a lot of other really cool tunes) in our band. For whatever reason, over the past few weeks my playing has started to open up. I'm beginning to have some confidence and willingness to risk and try things. It has been very cool, and as only whetted my appetite for more. I'm even going to learn the synth part on YYZ (steve, dale, rich) :-)

Have you ever had something like that happen? Have you ever sat on a gift or skill for a long time, or had a desire in your heart to do something and then waited until later in life to try it? How is it working out for you? Why did you wait? If you haven't even tried yet...why not now?