Senior Recital

My senior voice recital is approaching.

This means that in a few short weeks I will be performing up on the stage of my college, just me and a piano.

Singing my heart out.

Alone.

It's strange to think about it. I've had solos in there before, but I was always able to step back and join my choir. Become a part of the ensemble again.

This time I won't be able to do that. No hiding if I mess up on something.

Completely exposed.

Not that I'm worried or anything. :P

I'm actually very excited. It's going to be fun and amazing and I just can't wait.

I went shopping with two of my best girls yesterday for recital dresses.

Megan already had hers, she was just getting it hemmed so she had to pick it up. But Rachel and I needed to find ours.

It's hard being a big girl and trying to look for a formal gown. They just don't make the ridiculously gorgeous gowns for size 16 ladies. (Not that I'm going to be a 16 forever, but that's just what I had to find for this go around.)

So after searching department stores, we decided to pop into David's Bridal. Which ended up being the jackpot. It was fun to search around for not only the style, but the color AND the appropriate size too.

I ended up being really drawn to red but I picked up a couple other colors as well. But red seemed to be the only way to go. I found a GORGEOUS one that I really loved. It was strapless and had a beaded detailing right at the bust and the skirt was long and flowing, empire waisted and it was chiffon or something. I dunno.

But then I found the dress that Megan and Rachel and even my Mom (I sent her pictures) said was the one. (Maurine liked the first one) And after some staring at myself in the mirror. I agreed. I also have a picture of that one on my phone but I won't post it. I want it to be a surprise.

I am super excited and I am going to feel so beautiful when I go out there in my beautiful red dress.

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Kelsey Page
“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” ~Matthew 6: 33-34

A Full Day

It's been a long day. Full of sunshine, grocery shopping adventures, an AMAZING dinner of quinoa burritos, a concert rehearsal and then homemade strawberry shortcake.

But now it's time for bed. I was up until four in the morning today. I will be going to bed before too long.

Good night dear friends and readers. Sleep well.

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Kelsey Page
“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” ~Matthew 6: 33-34

I Have Returned From Texas

I actually didn't take many pictures because my stupid camera doesn't always work. I took a few on my phone but the best one I think was this one.

Me, Emily, Amy and Anna

These were the three girls I spent the most time with on the trip. I didn't room with them but I sat with them on the bus and spent most of my free time with them. This is us in San Antonio. We bought those 'coonskin hats at The Alamo and decided to wear them as we checked people in on the bus. We got a lot of laughs, many "What the hell?"s and one "You have dead things on your heads" from our amazing director. But the most memorable thing that happened was when the bus driver, Joe, noticed that the cap kinda blended in with my hair and started calling me Davy Crockett. And he called me Davy Crockett for the rest of the trip. That's right. I was dubbed Davy Crockett. I even got called that by our director. On the bus. Over the intercom.

So the girls and I decided that we needed a group name. And we couldn't think of anything. But then I remembered the night before when we were walking back to the hotel after a margarita on The Riverwalk (Go to The Barriba Cantina. Amazing and delicious margaritas and great nachos). We were talking about just living in San Antonio forever just for the margaritas and we realized that it would be like Sex and the City. Anna would be Carrie, Amy would be Miranda, Emily would be Charlotte and I'm Samantha. That's when I suggested 'Coons in the City. And that was that. We are forever 'Coons in the City. So great!

So then by the end of the week all four of us had nicknames. I was, of course, Davy Crockett. Amy was dubbed Loosey Goosey after an interesting afternoon in which she tried to pay with her drivers license and had a hard time walking up a hill. Anna was dubbed Betty Spaghetti because of her ridiculously long limbs (which you don't notice until she's a little intoxicated and is waving them around). And Emily is Nine O'Clock. On our last night we went out on the town in Dallas and when we got back to the room Emily wanted to call her boyfriend. She was trying to figure out what time it was back here in Washington and even though it was midnight where we were, she thought it was nine back home (There's only a two hour difference). So after asking for help from us in the room with her, she finally proclaimed "I can't do the math! It's too hard!" Which resulted in way more laughter.

So basically all I have told you about so far includes alcohol. But there were for more sober things that happened. 'Coons in the City was just a highlight.

Other great events.

• Having Pinkberry for the first time. Chocolate and Pomegranate flavors. (Houston)
• Going to The Houston Space Center and taking a tour around Johnson Space Center, where Mission Control is. (Houston)
• Having our first concert in a church that completely deadened all sound because of the carpeting. (Katy)
• My roommate Laura discovering her love for decorative pillows at our first homestay. (Katy)
• Vistiting an Old Ghost Town and having a great afternoon with friends. (Gruene)
• Going back to San Antonio and remembering the great time I had during the National Youth Conference when I was in high school. (San Antonio)
• Visiting the Alamo! (San Antonio)
• Going to Buc-Ee's, a glorified rest stop and buying a Pecan Log, which reminded me of my childhood. (On the road somewhere).
• Having a great second concert in a church that wasn't completely dead. (Can't remember where....)
• Watching Toddlers and Tiaras with my roommates. (A couple times actually.)
• Having a laughing fit so bad that Lily and I had to leave dinner and go to the bathroom so we wouldn't disturb everyone else. (Austin)
• Having another homestay that was so much fun complete with two dogs (one that we played with for a long time) and more decorative pillows. (Austin)
• Having a great venting session and then promising to not vent anymore for the rest of the trip. (Austin)
• Eating ice cream and popcorn and watching The SAG Awards with the 'Coons. (Austin).
• Having our final concert and having all but two songs completely memorized. (Plano)
• Having our final concert in Texas and having to suppress a coughing fit in the middle of our last set. (Plano).
• Examining the giant pile of Beanie Babies in the last homestay. (Plano.)
• Going to The University of North Texas and having an amazing clinic with Dr. Jerry McCoy. Then presenting him with my business card and realizing that I might want to go to grad school there. (Dallas).
• Doing a choral exchange with a high school choir on our last full day and seeing where my director used to teach. (Highland Park)
• Visiting The Sixth Floor Museum and seeing all of the information about President Kennedy. (Dallas).
• Seeing the spot where Kennedy was shot. (Dallas)
• Concluding that our conspiracy theories could be accurate. (Dallas)
• Dressing up and taking my director out for a drink with the 'Coons. (Dallas)
• Realizing that my director likes good scotch after all four of us paid $4.50 each for his glass of scotch. (Dallas)

It was a great trip. Seriously. So amazing. I love my choir and we grew so much. I am so proud and I wouldn't have wanted anything else for my final tour of my undergraduate choral career.

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Kelsey Page
“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” ~Matthew 6: 33-34

Hanging Out Before Texas

This is me just hanging out at home before the choir goes to Texas.

Clearly I am being super productive.

It's been a crazy past few weeks. Since January started I have:

• Done yoga many many mornings
• Learned many many new pieces for choir tour.
• Memorized many of these new pieces for choir tour (more or less)
• Lost a friend.
• Spent time with new friends.
• Been cooped up inside my house with Harmony and Jon because of a big snow/ice storm that blew through. For two days straight.
• Watched all of the Miyazaki movies in our house.
• Watched The Neverending Story for the first time in a long time.
• Spent more time in the living room than I have since I moved in a year and a half ago.
• Played in the snow.
• Worn my slippers to choir rehearsal.
• Become obsessed with Tumblr.
• Consumed an obscene amount of waffles.

My January has been so fun and I love it. This is what being in college is about. The random and ridiculous things that happen to you. I couldn't be happier. And on Wednesday I leave for Texas with my choir, who I am so glad and proud to be a part of. It's amazing what we have done over the past few weeks and I cannot wait to show it off when we are in Texas. It's going to be so much fun! I'm sure I will have many many things to tell you when I get back.

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Kelsey Page
“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” ~Matthew 6: 33-34