Before We Bid Farewell, Dude

I have recently witnessed the circle of life.

The first week of this semester, my grandma Bobbie Lou Hansen passed away. Two and 1/2 weeks later, my niece Avery Grace Hansen was born.

Grandma's passing was very difficult. I witnessed her last few moments at her house. I saw her put into the ambulance. I was at the hospital with my dad when we received the news that she had a severe cerebral hemorrhage and most likely wouldn't last the hour. I witnessed the blessing of release my father gave her. I stayed up most of the night in the ICU with dad. I heard the phone calls. I had to break the news to Tyler. I spent the next two days in the hospital.

I heard her talk to me one last time:

"Goodbye grandma. I have to go back to school."

"You have to go back to school?"

"Yes. I love you grandma."

"I love you too, honey."

Four days after she passed was Easter. I finally have an appreciation for Easter. Not that I didn't before. But our past Easters were filled with Easter egg hunts, Easter baskets, and hard-boiled eggs. This past Easter didn't have any of that. It was simply filled with the Savior and his Resurrection. I love the Savior, and I'm grateful for his Atonement. I know I'll see grandma again someday. I look forward to that day. I just regret I took for granted her presence while she was on this earth.

 

Grandma, I love you! I can't wait to see you again!

Last weekend, I had the opportunity to go home for Father's Day and see Avery for the first time.

She is really precious. But I had a hard time bonding with her. Probably because she spit up on me the first night. But on Sunday afternoon, I was really tired, so I laid her on my chest and we both slept. It was very comfortable and I felt like we bonded a little more. 

I think part my lack of bonding with her is the fact that she's still very newborn-ish. When she gets a little older, we'll get along much better :)

In spite of this, I still had tons of fun with my other nieces and nephew! On Saturday, I pushed Brinley in the swing and jumped on the tramp with her and Kinsee and Stockton. Then we all, along with mom, dad, & Joni, went to Rupes and got milkshakes. Joni went to Wal-Mart and bought Tangled  and about a billion movie candies in the boxes that you get at movie theaters. We then watched the movie on our big screen TV and ate the candies and popcorn. It was a magical day.

On Father's Day, I about fell over with laughter as I heard Stockton say to my brother (his dad) on the phone "Before we bid farewell, dad, I have to tell you something." What 7-year-old says that kind of thing? I felt like I was transferred back into a Jane Austen novel. It was great!

My weekend ended Monday morning with an awesome dance party with Brinley. I was almost late to class, but it was totally worth it!

I love those kids so much and was very grateful for the opportunity to spend a weekend with them. It was definitely worth it. In a time of much sorrow for my family, those kids bring joy. I was reminded of how sweet and simple life can be. With every hard or sad event comes joy. As Elder Uchtdorf says "...the love of the Son of God pierces all darkness, softens all sorrow, and gladdens every heart."

Hard times will come. But joy will soon follow if we stay faithful and look to the light: our Savior Jesus Christ.

Broadway Reuve

Ahh...bitter-sweet memories of Broadway Revue. Most were bitter, but I'll focus on the sweet :)


How it all began:
I was in Broadway Revue last semester and performed "All I Ask of You" from Phantom of the Opera with Kevin.

I knew I couldn't perform in this show again the next semester, but I really wanted to be involved. The show I performed in was so boring! I wanted to fall asleep. The performances were good, but that was it.

So, I applied for manager and got it. I found the news out in the middle of composing my 60 page thesis for Rhetoric. Allison and I jumped up and down in the kitchen over the news, excited that we'd get to be on Talent together. The one downfall: She wouldn't be my coordinater :(

The Process:
As this semester began, I started formulating ideas I wanted for the show. I wanted it to be very Broadway based (for I am a Broadway nerd--I know too many musicals for my own good.) I wanted the performers to assume the persona of the character they were portraying in their songs. Some did very well. Others treated how I wasn't particularly fond of--like a vocal concert. But what can you do? I encouraged them all and tried to set it up as best as I could.

I wrote the script (though the final version didn't get to emcee. Oh well!) and I tried to set up the scene of each performer so the audience could get a better idea of what the performers' songs were about.

The Show:
As a mother, you can't really be biased about your kids. I try not to be. My performers were all amazing. But I still had my favorites :)

 "Adelaide's Lament" from Guys and Dolls

Gotta love the 80's! "Almost Paradise" from Footloose

I just loved the fog machine on this one. The song was "Music of the Night" from Phantom of the Opera.

The funniest, and by far, most entertaining number! A favorite song of mine "Agony" from Into the Woods.

 

Brother & Sister performing "There Never Was a Time" from The Scarlet Pimpernel. 

What's ironic about The Scarlet Pimpernel number is it was probably the best vocally, but it is not technically from the musical. It was added after the musical created and put on an album titled something like "Music That's Not in the Musical." So, I had fun fibbing the scene for this one. I basically said this is where Marguerite discovers Percy in jail--right before he is about to be killed.

Best moment from the show: The emcee pronounced "Pimpernel" as "PIM-PUR-NULL" with the accent on the second syllable. The script had "Pimpernel" written in it 3 or 4 times, so each time the emcee pronounced, the audience laughed a little harder. That poor man! I would have been extremely embarrassed. But it made the show much more entertaining!

I wanted to end the show with a group number, so I had all of the performers learn "Seasons of Love" from Rent. 

 

I had difficulities zooming, so I stopped it and tried again:

Overall, the show was a success!

But, I can't forget my one supporter who, in my desperate moment, said the opening prayer:

 Me & Izzy (after the show)

The performers were fabulous and very kind to me! Some gave me hugs after the show and thanked me. I am so grateful to them for helping to make the show so amazing. Without them, it would have been impossible! They were my one saving grace. If every other memory I take away from Talent is tainted, at least I can relish in joy at working with these performers. They are wonderful people.