"Like Waking Up..."

"...from the longest dream, how real it seemed, until your love broke through. I've been lost in a fantasy, that blinded me, until your love broke through." ~Keith Green

So now that my blog has a wonderful new make-over (don't you just love owls?), I'm going to begin making over it's contents as well...

Once a week (I'm thinking Thursdays...), I want to post about one thing I am thankful for.  I have been in quite a rut lately, and not a good one. I think this will really help me remember the countless blessings that I have been ... blessed with!

I also want to do a literary post once a week.  It's been a while since I've read anything new, so I want to use this as a challenge to find something different to read and to make a post on my thoughts whilst reading.  What book do you think I should begin with? 

Harry Potter (book 1)

Frankenstein

Gulliver's Travels

The Time Machine

The Adventure's of Sherlock Holms.

PS-if you're going to vote for Harry Potter, I need someone to lend me a book...

And my third post for the week?  Updates on life, new pictures, random thoughts, or whatever I feel compelled to share :O)

And I will finish this post with a little bit of everything 

*deep sigh and holding of breath*

Here we go!

Thankful - 

The other day a friend of mine posted a quote by Keith Green on Facebook (if you don't know who he is, click here!) I suddenly had the urge to listen to his music - his wonderful, straightforward, honest, simple, music.  Having none of my own, I looked him up on YouTube and listened to several of his songs - my favorites are "Your Love Broke Through" and "Make My Life a Prayer to You." ...all I can say is that God really spoke to me ... through someone who died 5 years before I was born, via YouTube.  Yes, my God is awesome, and I've really been thanking him lately for the blessing of Keith Green's music. Like I said, it's so simple, and so honest, every word is felt in my heart.

Literature -

About a week ago, I began reading Jane Eyre (for the second time), and I must say I like it much better the second time around.  It does get a little dry in some places, but I now know what places I can skim over and not be dragged down by Charlotte Bronte's minute description of every detail.  This compelling story is set amid a whirlwind of illusions, much symbolism and gothic style.  It's for the truly romantic, as well as down-to-earth, as well as literary-nerd, at heart.

Current Happenings -

This Easter, my husband had to work all weekend! So rather than being stuck home alone, my in-laws adopted me for the day.  I went to church with them Sunday morning, had dinner with them and went to visit some family that evening. I also made my husband a wicked-sweet Easter basket that he came home from work to, Sunday morning:

Then, the day after Easter, our friends Chris and Katie came to visit with their yorkie-puppy Mario (oh yeah, our friend Ben was there too :P )

and he fell asleep in my arms <3 

I seriously miss this girl...and now her puppy too!

...then, yesterday, I went to the Tigers'-Mariners game at Comerica Park with my wonderful husband and his brother, Jake.

 Jake and Adam

LOVE!

Okay, the Tigers' may have lost, but we still had a fun time!

That's all for now, 

Much Love to All!

I've Been "StageStruck!"

So as I mentioned in my previous post, my husband and I visited Spring Arbor this past weekend to watch the debut of "StageStruck."

....At this point you're probably asking yourself, "what in tarnation is StageStruck?"....

Well, let me enlighten you - 

A couple/few years ago, a couple friends of mine had this idea to write a musical about the parts of theater that the audience doesn't see - namely the techies.  

(For those of you who have not done theater - you should probably know that for about every actor seen on stage in a play, there's usually at least one backstage: stage managers, sound techs, lighting techs, costumes, props, hair and make up, backstage crew...and they put in A LOT of work).

Anyway, these friends of mine (David and Liz, to be precise) had this idea for "Techies the Musical."  Then they made the decision to hire on a script writer - so they asked Breinne, and she took on the job.

It was about this point in the process - after Breinne was "hired" on (in quotes due to the fact that she was not paid), and David disappeared into the wonderful world of Disney for a semester internship, that I moved into an apartment for the year with Liz, Breinne, and some other pretty amazing ladies.

Through - much - toil, and many deadlines, Breinne had the first draft of the script written and Liz had about half/two-thirds of the music written.  The basic story had changed much since it's first vision, mainly due to the absence of it's visionary - David, but that was not necessarily a bad thing - it was actually quite the opposite.

To shorten this already lengthening story, the script went through - many - read-throughs for the theater professors (Paul Patton and Jen Letherer), and I was extremely blessed to be a part of this process.  Both Adam and I sat in on, and read for several of the beginning re-writes.  A typical day that year would see me walking into the apartment with Liz at the piano writing yet another song.  The Spring semester ended with a rather intense read-through.  Liz and Breinne had to find readers who could actually sing their parts as well, teach them the music, and have them read/perform for the professors and a very small audience.  It may not sound like a huge deal, but it was quite the obstacle - especially since they were trying to keep everything on the DL - and news like a student-written musical spreads like wildfire in Spring Arbor.

Anyway, we have since left Spring Arbor, and Breinne and Liz have continued to labor over the script and music.  Since the story was not the same as the original "Techies" vision, it was renamed "StageStruck."  I cannot even fathom how much work was put into the continuing re-writes, read-throughs, chopping, and editing.  Neither can I fathom the work put in writing and re-writing melodies and lyrics, AND writing out all of the orchestration for all of the instruments.  Their sheer talent alone astounds me.

And this is no typical student-written production, it is FABULOUS. The music is catchy, fun, and breathtaking.  The story and character development are realistic, meaningful, and will keep you on the edge of your seat at some moments while dying laughing at others.

It's the story of the last few days before a play's opening night.  The techies are tired of being walked all over and unappreciated, so they retaliate by locking up the actors backstage and trying to run the show themselves.  Of course this is unsuccessful, and they discover that they need the actors just as much as the actors need them.

The mere fact that - students - wrote this play, and that they actually brought it together, directed it, choreographed it, PRODUCED it - is absolutely remarkable.

I have played but a very minute part in this process - I've really been more on the sidelines than had an actual part in it.  But to see it in it's infantile stages, and then to see it all come together and be performed fully and beautifully was a feeling I can't describe. What Liz and Breinne felt, I can't even pretend to know.

So congratulations, from the very bottom of my heart, to two beautiful, talented young ladies.  To see how much your cast and crew loved the story and the music, and how dedicated they were to it, is a true testament to the hard work, love, and devotion that you have put in.  I love you both and truly hope that you will be able to get this work published.  I will be praying for you!

Breinne Reeder - writer

Liz Sutton - composer

(T-shirt made by Breinne for me last year, during the big read through at the end of the semester <3 )

Well there you have it, the very rough story of StageStruck, how it came to be, and why I've been so ecstatic about it.

Please be praying for Liz and Breinne - they need to get StageStruck copywritten as well as published, which costs money.

Much Love to All,

Here's to hoping that some day, the rest of the world will get a chance to be "StageStruck."

Cheryl

ABC's of Me

I actually stole this from my sister-in-law's blog, who stole it from someone else...

age: 25

bed size: Queen

chore you hate: Taking out the trash

dogs: Someday! I want a puppy SO bad right now :(

essential start of the day: Coffee and breakfast

favorite color: Greens, purples, and blues :O)

gold or silver: White gold!

height: 5' 7"

instruments I play (or have played): Flute and a little guitar

job title: Currently unemployed, but I like to go by "house wife" :O)

kids: Ask me again in about 3 years, then you MIGHT get a response

live: The very tiny, yet quaint, town of Dundee MI

Mom's name: Janet

nickname: depends on who you ask - Cherio (Kathie), Cherylyn (Katie)

overnight hospital stays: Once - I had a concussion when I was 9 yrs old.

pet peeve: Bad grammar, use of the word "ain't"

quote from a movie: Hmmm....I have waaaayyy too many of these...let's go with:

"Life is short, if you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it" -Ferris Bueller's Day Off

right or left handed: Left

siblings: 3 sisters, 1 brother, 1 sister-in-law, and 5 brothers-in-law...

time you wake up: I've been spoiled lately - whenever my body decides it's time

underwear: preferably cute ones - I like lacy ones...

vegetables you dislike: green beans :P

what makes you run late: My husband, haha. Just kidding, I don't ever run late - it's actually another pet peeve of mine...

x-rays you've had done: head (c-scan), foot, and teeth

yummy food you make: mostly baked goods - cookies, apple pie, cake

zoo animal: Elephant!

So what else is new in life? A LOT lately...

The other week I went home and visited my family, including all my ADORABLE nieces and nephews, here's the most recent pics of them:

Sophia (7) and Gwen (8) dressed as their favorite book characters: Juney B. Jones and Fancy Nancy :D

Isaiah (3) and Eleanor (2) reading books :D

...aaaand...

....drum roll please...

...the newest addition to the family...

...my FIFTH nephew/niece...

 Okay, stop a sec - isn't there a gender neutral term for this? Like there is for siblings and parents? ... someone should invent one...

 ...ANYWAY....

Here he is!

Jackson Henry Matthew! Just sittin' there looking adorable :O)

Other than that...

Adam and I went to a Tiger's game on Sunday afternoon with his family and the two of us went back Monday afternoon to see Verlander pitch!

True, the Tigers lost both games, but we had fun regardless!

After Monday's game, we had dinner at Fuddruckers - BEST burger I've ever had,

then we saw Adjustment Bureau - I highly recommend it, excellent movie,

and then we grabbed some Cold Stone before heading back home.

QUITE the awesome day, I must say :O)

Other than that...

I had my job interview at Cabela's yesterday, and once my drug test/background check come back, I'll have a job! I should be hearing back from them in about 2 weeks.

Other than that...

This weekend I am going to see a musical at Spring Arbor that was written and directed by two of the most amazing girls I have every known/lived with, but more about that next week, after I actually see it :O)

THE END!

finally...

Love to all!

Cheryl