“Organ Favorites” - Lynne A. Lauderdale

Hello Everyone, I don't have anything new for y'all but I wrote something earlier in the semester and have been disappointed that I had no use for it. I was trying to write a concert report for one of my classes but I realized that his one wasn't valid because it was merely a recital with only one person playing. If  there had been at least one other person performing in the recital I would have been able to use this bit for academic purposes but alas, the recital did not fit the criteria for the assignment. I have been so peeved about it all this time that I have finally decided to publish this as a blog post here on Experience. Enjoy. :)

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I have been looking forward to attending Dr. Lynne Lauderdale organ recital because the instrument has always held a special place in my heart and because I have never been to an organ recital before. She played six pieces, three of which I took special notice of.

True Will by Liturgy - Review

As many of you know, I love classical music. When I was five years old I had already decided that I was going to be a concert pianist and tour the world playing my favorite song, Beethoven's Fur Elise. Well It's been fifteen years now and although I am no where near touring the world as a concert pianist, I have long been able to play Fur Elise. I am going to college now as a major in piano performance. I am surrounded by classical music every day and I love it. Almost every CD I own is classical music and my first purchases on iTunes were of the same ilk. When I was fourteen my ring tone was the opening lines of Beethoven's 5th. As you can see, classical music is a defining factor in my life. However, there are many other kinds of music I enjoy listening to, such as jazz, Gregorian chants, pop, indie, hymns, bluegrass, 20's and 30's music, classic rock, country, and rap.

This photo is not mine, here is where I got it from.

One of the things I am really enjoying since starting college is the music club that a friend of mine started. Every week we pick out songs and send it to my friend and he puts it on CDs and passes them out to everyone in the club. On Friday we meet at ten o'clock with snacks, tea, and coffee to talk about the music. We love exploring new artists and styles of music and try to pick out the most obscure ones we know of. Consequently almost every song is one that I have never heard of before and I love it! This weeks CD had a lot of good songs on it but one in particular I found especially intriguing.

Wearing Shoes Every Day: College

As many of you know already, this was my first week of college. As fewer of you may know, this is my first real weekend in ten years. Why do I say that? Well, I've been home-schooled all of my life except for half a semester in third grade about ten or eleven years ago. It may not have occurred to you before, but I have never relished the weekends like you non-home-schoolers/working people do. What, it's Friday? Last day of school? Nope. Not for me. I did school on Saturday too. Mayyybe I went to the beach on Wednesday... but that's besides the point. I just never got it. What is so special about Friday and Saturday?

Keeping it real here. My first day of school pictures for the first time since 3rd Grade were put on hold while my brother and I gathered up all the chickens that had gotten out and put them back in their yard. 

Well, yesterday... I got it y'all. I left my last class in the rehearsal hall at 2:15 eager to chunk my backpack in my car and hurry up and relax. When I sat down in the chairs in the lobby of my favorite building, The Center for Fine and Performing Arts at the University of West Florida, I sighed in relief. I'm done! It's the weekend! Yay! That my friends, is a feeling this home-schooled girl never imagined she would feel. Yes. I've jumped on board. I love the weekends too. I promise, I'll stop making fun of all a' y'all now. ;)

I've experienced some other new things this week besides just the weekend though. Like a daily alarm clock setting; wearing make-up every day; having to find decent clothes everyday; packing a lunch or at least making sure I have enough money to buy lunch so that I don't keel over dead in the middle of the day.; carrying my water bottle around and not losing it (although I haven't been the most successful with that.); wearing shoes all day every single day; and here's the million dollar question I know y'all have been waiting for... how did I deal with all the people?

Untangling Knots and Tying Strings

I woke with a start.  I scooched to the edge of my bed and squinted my eyes as I tried to make out the numbers on the clock.  The digits glowed a dim orange but it was still a few seconds before my tired eyes adjusted to the light.  Still, it wasn’t time.  I continued to stare at the clock and tried not to fall asleep. 

I don’t believe it was every night but in my memories it seems like it was.  I was about nine years old.  I would stay up and wait for my favorite radio program to come on.  It probably started somewhere around ten o’clock.

After what seemed like ages it was finally time.  I readjusted my pillows, my blankets, and tried to shove our big dog away from me.  I turned the volume down low so that my sister wouldn’t wake and laid perfectly still so as not to make the tiniest noise.  Out of the speakers came the eeriest of sounds.  Outer space music.  It made me feel small and made my young mind ask questions.  What is out there? How big is God? Where is Heaven? Are aliens real? The surreal sounds would take me to an entirely different world; Sometimes it was frightening, sometimes I would get lost, and sometimes it was breathtaking – Always, it was filled with wonderment. 

Starry Night has always been my favorite Vincent van Gogh piece. This painting expresses exactly the way the outer space music made me feel.

Biblical Horizons, 2015

Last week, July 20-24th, Mom and I had the privilege to attend the Biblical Horizons conference in Valparaiso Florida. It was a week long event that started at 8:30 in the morning and concluded at 8:30 in the evening after a long break during the afternoon. 

Our esteemed speakers this year were; Jeff Meyers, Uri Brito, Richard Bledsoe, Peter Leithart, and James Jordon

The topics considered this year were:

The Book of Joshua by James B. Jordon
Wealth Management in the Gospel According to St. Luke by Jeffrey J. Meyers
End of the End: Orientation to Revelation by Peter J. Leithart
The Christian Counseling Movement by Uri Brito
A look into psychiatric drugs based on experiences as a chaplain at his local hospital by Richard Bledsoe (This one didn't have a title so this is the best I could come up with)

I had a good time, and although the lectures were a little beyond me I did manage to glean some good counsel and being exposed to new ideas is almost always a good thing. I met new people and had good conversations in addition to spending some quality time with my mother. I learned new music as well at the nightly Vespers services both by singing and, although it wasn't planned, playing the music because their original pianist had to leave town suddenly. We ate lunches with people, spent time at the beach, did a little shopping, and stayed late in the evenings at the fellowships/meals/parties afterwards.

Although it might not be exactly descriptive of the conference itself, here are some pictures of our adventures during our breaks in the afternoons.

Orientation at University of West Florida 2015

I must warn y'all before you start reading this post that it is going to be pretty long. I just couldn't help myself this time!

 Okay.... what the heck Jamie!? Why are you turned backwards! Anyways, this was my group for orientation. 

These last five days have been super busy for me. It started out as a normal weekend on Friday. I drove myself to piano lessons, then went to teach a piano lesson. I filled up my gas tank, went to the bank and ran a few errands... I don't remember what they were but almost every Friday without fail I have something I have to go do. Saturday came and I woke up at 5 am to get ready to volunteer at a run that was going on in Pensacola called the Run 4 Hope. All proceeds from the run go to Christian charity organizations. My younger brother Levi decided to participate in the 5K run so he slapped on his boots and blue jeans and came along with us. My mom and I were working at a water booth at the one mile mark with other folks from our church. I've never volunteered at a run before so this was a fun new experience for me.

After the run there were food and drinks available for everyone and booths with information about the ministries the run was supporting. There was also a chin up bar where a competition got started to see who could do the most. I had fun cheering and watching everyone's neck muscles bulge and their faces turning red. The highest count was twenty two! Levi did eleven.

After the run I went to the farmers market and bought zucchini, cucumber, a cantaloupe, corn, and a spaghetti squash. After the market I stopped at Reynold's Music House in downtown Pensacola, did a little shopping at Target and TJ Max, then met up with Mom, Dad, and two of my younger brothers to go to the same adoption picnic we attended a year ago before we had met my four foster brothers. (I mention it briefly in this post here.) This time it was at the beach so we had a lot of fun.

After the picnic I was dropped back off to my car because I had to pick up some contact solution which I had forgotten to get earlier in the day. When I finally got home the day was almost over but I spent about an hour going through the music for church the next day.

Sunday morning came and I accidentally got up a half hour earlier than I needed to. *sad face*. Sunday's are normally pretty tiring for me but this Sunday was especially exhausting. After church everyone rushed out of the building as quickly as possible because everyone was going to head over to the Smith's house for a big summer fish fry/going away party for the Anderson family. The food and drinks were delicious, and we had all sorts of fun playing in the water. I went kayaking, swimming, paddle boarding and jet skiing. There were other things to do like playing ring toss, giant hula hoops, knee boarding, and getting pulled behind the boat on the biscuit and trying not to get knocked off. I pushed little kids on the swings and showed them interesting creatures you could find in the rocks and sand/muck of the bay.

This is downstairs at the Smith's house. Their home is raised up on stilts so there is plenty of space below for ping-pong, foosball, pool, a mini basketball hoop, Mr. Ron's shop, and plenty of storage for water toys and floats and what not.

When the party was over we didn't leave... my parents kept on talking. The sun had long since went to bed and I desperately wanted to follow. Alas, I was stuck there with no bed in sight. I mean, I like a good party, but you can't stay forever! When we finally got in the van to head home I said in a pitiful voice "I sure hope I don't have orientation tomorrow!"

Hello 2015,

I am excited to meet you!

This past year has been such an eventful year. I think I say that every year but it's true.

I don't use the web cam option on my computer that much but, I have to admit, it is pretty cool

Here are some questions:
What is the most memorable thing that has happened in 2014?
What is the biggest thing you have overcome this past year? what have you learned?
What are you looking forward to most in 2015?
What are you planning to accomplish in the upcoming year? what is your New Year's resolution?

Halloween 2014

This picture looks kind of creepy...

Well, here we are. How have y'all been? It's been a while since I've posted anything. Life is really crazy right now. Adopting four boys really shakes things up.

Three of my little brothers go to two different schools in the morning and come home at three and four. They have a good time in school and right now its what's best for our family. While they are gone we scramble to get as much work as we can before they get home. Because when they do... well honestly most days, from the moment they walk in the door till they fall asleep at night our whole world revolves completely around them. Not always in a good way. It is very difficult but I love them all the same. Love them to pieces. I wouldn't go back to just the five of us kids again. Nine is a good number. We'll get through this. For everything there is a season.

I thought I would share with y'all some of the fun we've been up to lately. There was a local festival that we went to but I'm not going to share pictures from there this time. But, I did make a video for my brother so I guess I'll share it with y'all too.

Road Trip with Grandma: Henry Ford Museum, Canada, Visiting Family

You may have heard this already but in case you haven't, my Grandma and I went for a road trip up to Detroit, Michigan. Grandma was keen on visiting family and I was looking forward to exploring the old places my Dad grew up in. I have been back for a while now but I haven't been able to find the time to write this post. Actually right now I really want to go to bed but I figured I had to get this out. In that light, this post won't be as detailed as I want but here we go.

Grandma and I left Wednesday, September 10 and stopped for the night in Kentucky. At one of the rest stops we saw a horse track with a bunch of people standing around. We didn't see any horses though just people and cameras. We arrived in Michigan the next day and stayed at a nice hotel in Troy, about thirty minutes from Detroit. Dad grew up in Royal Oak, between Troy and Detroit.

First Day of School

I am standing out by the mail box about five feet from the road. My bare feet in the cool wet grass are antithetical to the sweat that I can feel beading up on the back of my neck. The sun shines down and I am glad I am wearing my hat on this warm August morning. My eleven year old brother and I are waiting for the bus. This is his first day in middle school. I watch him wandering about the grass, stooping down and watching little creatures in the dirt. His backpack looks like a turtle shell; he is entirely too close to the road. "Come here, don't be so close to the road." I tell him. I put my arm on his back.

Waiting for the bus!

Mom has already left to take the twins to their Headstart school. When I woke up this morning it was because Mom came in calling for reinforcements. There was a missing shoe crisis. The two year old has this thing about shoes. He takes any shoes and all shoes and puts them on his feet, "Dese mine." He will say. And they get lost. So we three, Mom, Savannah and I, looked frantically all through the house for the missing shoe. One boy kept saying his tummy hurt and he was hungry, "You're going to eat at school" we told him, then the moanings increased when he saw his older brother eating a bowl of cerial. (He doesn't eat breakfast at his middle school) The two youngest kept declaring that they wanted to go to school, or asked for food, or asked to be held. We never found the shoe but got a new pair instead. "I want socks!" whined the shoeless boy when he saw his sandals. Finally though they were ready to leave. A hug and kiss for each and they were headed out the door.

We're Adopting!

Today was the beginning of a totally new part of our lives. We're adopting four little boys! I know I haven't said anything on my Facebook account, or in person, or on the phone, but yes it's happening. Three months ago we started the adoption process - home study, meetings, Mom and Dad had to go through adoption classes, phone calls, paper work. Before we knew it, all the preparations were made and we just sat back and waited. Before we knew it, we were matched with these boys.

        Today the paperwork was signed and we were matched to the boys officially and today we met them for the first time. They came straight from daycare to our house. I was so worried before this that they wouldn't like us. I was afraid they wouldn't like me because I was so much older than them. They pulled in a mini van with the case workers and Mom, Dad, and Savannah went out to meet them. I realized Jubal wasn't with them so I looked and found him with his face buried in his pillow and his eyes squeezed tight. He has been so wild with excitement today about meeting his new brothers, he has been singing songs lately about getting more brothers. "Today my new brothers come!" he says. Well, now of course he was shy. I took him out to the back yard where everyone was. He clung to me and kept his face mashed against my shoulder with his eyes closed. It wasn't long though till he got brave and started to play with the boys.

Setting Brush Lines on the Blackwater

Saturday I decided to treat my Saturday like a Saturday. I slept in and woke with the intention of having some fun. I sounded off some ideas to the boys but they didn't go for any of them. Then Zachary suggested going fishing.

So Saturday we went fishing. First Zachary and I went to town with Jubal to pick up some supplies. We bought chicken livers, hooks, line, nets, a fishing pole for Jubal, and I picked up some groceries I had forgotten to buy the day before. By the time we got back home it was noon. We dropped Jubal off to take his nap and the rest of us four went to the river to set some brush lines. Here are the pictures for that.

First we look over our gear.

Then the fun part, setting the lines. First you tie the line onto a hook. In this case both the hook and line are big because we are going for catfish and it has to be strong enough to hold the fish there for several hours until we come back to check it. After you tie the hook on you take a piece of chicken liver and put it on the hook for bait. You have to be sure the liver is hooked securely otherwise the strong current will wash it right off. The chicken livers have been left unrefrigerated for a while with some minced garlic which makes it smellier and helps to firm up the livers.

PSAT

          Yesterday morning I got up at five-thirty to get ready to take the PSAT at Trinitas, a private Christian school. I started to wake up at 4:00 and woke up in intervals of thirty minutes until it was finally time to get up. I held up my phone and let the glow light the room. Jubal was sound asleep in his sleeping bag on the floor. During the night he had woken me up three times sleep talking and fussing. I crept around him and turned on the lamp. The morning went as I remember the early mornings in South Carolina when I went to a public school; just now I had a little more concern with my appearances than my nine year old self had back then. That's why there was a hurried hair washing that almost made us late. Details, details, anyways...

           Levi, back from Alaska, ate breakfast with me as he was coming along as well. As we two walked out the door Mom and Dad sent us off with well wishes. "Have a good time!" "Show those questions no mercy!" I answered "I won't!" and "Those questions aren't going to show me any mercy!" (Or something a little better than that. Just think of something clever and that is what I said.)
           I was definitely not ready for the test and was concerned about the math section; although I had no worries about the writing section. I had spent the day before studying and the day before that worrying myself and moping in my room. Levi on the other hand seemed confident with his academic ability.
           On the way there, to finish off our breakfast, we stopped at McDonald's and bought two bacon egg sausage mcgriddles in addition to one small coffee for myself. Levi and I enjoyed each others company and talked about nothings and laughed at silly old jokes from "back in the good ol' days". We often take to reminiscing with each other. It is good to have him back from Alaska. (Soon I will type up a report about all of that.) The morning was nice. A bit chilly for my taste but in reality most people would find it pleasant. When crossing over the bay I looked at the calm water and was pleased with the peachy color from the morning sun reflecting on its surface.

Alaska

I know y'all have been waiting for a while, do you remember that big news I told you about?
Well now, the time has come to tell it all.

Levi is in Alaska!

My little brother is off on a big adventure.

It all started earlier this year. My older brother is doing so well in Arizona with our cousin doing construction work that I guess word got around in the family. Now I am a little fuzzy on the following details so don't quote me but I believe it was that our other cousin in Alaska had heard what a great worker Zachary was. Someone mentioned that Zach had a brother and bam there you go, with a little more collaboration Levi was hired. So June ninth my little brother hopped on a plane headed for Anchorage to do commercial salmon fishing in Alaska.

Wine and Psalm Roar 2013

I didn't take any pictures because I had forgotten my camera. This one was taken by Pastor Stout.

Click here to read what Pastor Uri wrote up about it.  :)

The Psalm Roar was last night, March 8. It was really great. I loved the singing. There was food and wine and plenty of laughs and smiles. We got home around ten o'clock that night. There were three churches that came together that night to sing praises.

Fifteen Pumpkins

We got these from my grandma's church when they were through using them as fall decorations. You may remember reading about that here.

 

 

The following will be several pumpkin related pictures and I will try to get as many of the recipes I used as I can into this post as well.

Home in Florida

So by now all of y'all have had time to learn about our move to Florida. If you're friends with me on Fcebook you know that I love this new house. And I absolutely adore the pantry. Well now here are some pictures so y'all can get to know our new place a little better.

I must warn you though before you proceed. These pictures are in their raw form, no editing and no sprucing up of subjects before the photo was taken. What you see is what you get. Please be understanding of this as I reveal to you our new home. We are still in the process of moving in and I can tell you at this very moment exactly how many pieces of furniture we have. Not counting metal folding chairs or my keyboard we have eight. Please take this as the explanation as to why there is so much stuff on the floor and oozing out of boxes. (As you read this paragraph please chuckle.)

Now, disclaimer aside - Here it is!



The view from the road.

Are We There Yet?

[Here is a collection of recent Facebook status's]

February 6, 2013

An answer to prayer today. It looks like we will be moving into a rental in Florida this Friday. I am a little nervous. Actually a lot. What does this imply for our lives? Is this God's leading? It is hard to tell since we were so grossly mistaken just a few months prior to this. But why was I praying for this in the first place if I am going to be doubtful of it now? I am excited about this though. It has been a while since we have had our own house. The questions is, will it be home? Sometimes I wonder, will this ever end? Will we ever know, or at least have a general idea of, what lies ahead? Surely God must be behind all of this - He never fails to have a reason or a plan. Tell me that there is no God? Well then I would go mad if I ever were to believe it.

"All things must work together for my [continued] salvation." [addition mine]

Like this rental house in Florida. My life needs salvation not just my soul. If this is going to be part of my life, it will be part of God's salvation and His blessing in my life.

Our Baby's Second Birthday

I am so excited to share these pictures with all of y'all! I am very proud of my mother for doing such a great job on this project.

 

Thomas the Tank Engine!

Mom worked two days on this cake, the kitchen was a wreck. It was awful. The fondant had to be made and remade at least three times. After the cake was made it unfortunately had to wait two more days for the party. Mom did not put Thomas' face on because she was afraid it would slump before it was ready to eat.

Solar Oven!

Our camera has been lost for a while but my brother found it yesterday when he was cleaning out the truck. We are very glad to have it back and now I have no reason to not post about the solar oven I made. I've got pictures and everything. :) So, here it is!

First I looked around online and found a blue print for one. I printed out several pages...