Either you're gonna be thrilled that this is the end of my 40 Somethings, or your going to looking forward to when I turn 50 (though I'm not sure what that might be, perhaps I'll only need to add 10 more somethings!)
**let's step aside, shall we? I left my underwear showing last night! Oops! Sorry about that! I wrote this big post and it accidentally got deleted and I was so frustrated that I walked away and didn't realize I'd left the teeny part of my post that I hadn't erased! Sorry again!
Now, back to our regularly scheduled post**
#30
Shortly after my mom decided I was grown up, which, if you figured out, meant to her that she was free to leave this world, she fell into a diabetic coma. Her doctor said her time was close and that I should call my family.
My sister, who lived in another province at the time, took a leave of absence from her work and was there by the next day. She had been there periodically to care for mom during the duration of moms' illness and I have to say I harbored a bit of resentment toward her. And she felt the same about me. She felt I was to selfish and didn't really care what was happening with our mom.
But my mom's illness, her dying, was a precious gift to my sister and I.
I dropped out of school so I could be with Mom. Heather and I worked side by side every day for almost two months, caring for Mom.
She was weak where I was strong, and I was weak where she was strong. Together, we took great care of Mom. And caring for Mom, we came to truly love and respect each other.
Mom died on December 12th, 1987 and the best thing she bequethed us was a sister, a friendship to last forever.
#31
Fast forward through a couple long, dark years and I went to Acadia University in Wolfville, Nova Scotia (which, I realized, I put the insignia for under Guelph. Oops!) I auditioned and was accepted into the Vocal Performance program. It was awesome and I was so happy, finally.
#32
The missionaries tracted into me while I lived in bright little apartment at the top of a hill on the shores of the Bay of Fundy. Actually, there's a whole story there, but hardly appropriate for my Somethings.
When they found me I was into the occult. Not the dark arts, but I was a healer.
I gave it all up to join the Church. I investigated for three short weeks and the day I entered the waters of baptism was the happiest of my life.
#33
I began to have such pain in my jaw. It was hard to talk even, to smile. I saw a doctor and after a great deal of testing it was determined that because of a fall I took when I was one year old in which I had dislocated my jaw (and it had never been repaired) my jaw was in serious trouble. I was told I had to stop singing or I wouldn't even talk within five years.
My doctor even called the Dean of Music and informed him of my condition, but still I refused to quit. Then my voice teacher broke my heart. She told me I didn't really have any talent anyway and I should just quit. I was wasting her time. I believed her, and so I quit. I gave up singing altogether, barely singing in Church, even.
Instead of my days being filled with music, I filled them with political science and philosophy.
#34
I met my hubby while going to school at Acadia. He was serving a mission there--trust me, it was strictly platonic and all that good stuff! He even encouraged me to go on a mission.
But when I saw him off at the airport at the conclusion of his airport, we shook hands and something was different.
He knew. I knew. Even the mission president's wife knew.
We were to be married.
#35
David called me on July 12th and asked me if I would marry him. Like I said, I already knew.
We enjoyed five months of long distance phone calls and many, many letters.
I flew 5,000 miles and showed up on December 18th, all by myself, wedding dress in hand and we were married on December 27th in the Logan, Utah Temple.
#36
I was Co-Chairman of Acadia University's Student Council in my graduating year (the year I married David.)
I loved sinking my teeth into the school's constitution and discovered a real love for constitutional law. I decided that's what I wanted to do with my life, since I couldn't sing.
#37
When I graduated from University in the spring of 1992, David and I threw everything into the back of our little staion wagon and drove from Nova Scotia, Canada, to Rexburg, Idaho, USA.
I cried when we drove in Idaho. Everyone told me I would love it, but it was so barren and brown.
#38
Rexburg wasn't quite as bad as I thought it would be, but Boise was much, much better. We moved there when David finished his associates at Ricks'.
We lived in Boise for about five years and it was wonderful.
(I'm cheating now ...)
#39
In Boise, on my way to work one day, I passed by the Idaho Arts building and saw a sign posted on their billboard. They were having an open call for singers to audition for the Opera Chorus.
I called to ask some questions ... after all, I couldn't sing, right? I had no talent, or so I believed. The receptionist said they had a new voice coach who had just joined them also, and so I made an appointment with her.
I wasn't in pain anymore, the dry heat of the west coast seemed to have banished the pain in my jaw. But still, I knew I had no talent.
When I met with DeNice Jensen, former principle artist for the Metropolitan Opera in New York City, I asked her if she would be totally honest with me. I needed to know if I was awful, or if I could audition for the Opera Chorus.
She worked me hard and put me through my paces, but in the end I felt hope once more.
Singing is my life. It's where I really, finally, come alive. And for the first time in a long time, I saw a chance that it might be part of my life again.
I auditioned for the Chorus and got in.
#40
Here we go! The very last one! And I'm going to end it on the music, I think, since it makes me happy.
I enjoyed five years singing with the Opera Idaho. I worked my way up, so to speak and left the Chorus to become a principle with the company. Oh what joy that was to me!
I sang the Queen of the Night in Mozart's Magic Flute, Nannetta in Verdi's Falstaff, Guenivere in Lerner and Loewe's Camelot and the role of my life, Baby Doe in Moore's The Ballad of Baby Doe.
I gave up my career when my belly was too full of my twin boys to sing any longer. After their birth, I didn't have the heart for the long hours away from the loves of my life.
I hope you enjoyed my 40 Somethings. Tomorrow I'll announce the winner of my Awesome Birthday Greeting contest!
