Happy Halloween everyone. I am so excited to see the kids in their costume tonight. We don't live in a neighborhood so we are headed to my parents house to trick or treat there. And I hear my dad is smoking us some steaks in his awesome BIG GREEN EGG. That thing is awesome. While today is a fun day, I am also a little sad. Today would have been Brooke's 31st birthday. I have been avoiding blogging about her, I wasn't ready. But here goes. Everyone say a prayer for her parents today.
Brooke was/is my very best friend for 20 years. Brooke and I met in the 7th grade. We sat next to each other in science class. We dissected frogs together….well, I dissected and she "ooed and ahed, that's gross!" Earlier that year, I broke my ankle. Because we attended a very old school lacking an elevator, cafeteria in the basement and 7th grade on the 3rd floor, I was allowed to eat lunch in the classroom and of course the friend I chose to stay with me was Brooke. Everyday for 6 weeks we had 45 minutes to ourselves, left to our mischievous ways! Thus the inseparable friendship began. It wasn’t just a broken ankle; it was God’s higher plan. He used a broken bone for His glory. Although you cannot compare a broken bone to Brooke’s disease, in the same way God chose her suffering for His purpose, to show others He was in control.
John 9:
As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"
"Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.
Brooke was diagnosed when she was 14 with Neurofibromatosis, type 2, a genetic disease that causes spontaneous tumor growth on her brain and spinal cord. Over the years, she developed hundreds of tumors and only the ones growing and causing trouble would be removed. She lost her hearing at age 20 due to an acoustic neuroma. She lost eye sight and control of one eye a couple years later. She then lost her balance and could not get around very well. In the last year, she became a paraplegic and in the last months, a quadriplegic. It was very sad to watch. She should have been a healthy vibrant beautiful woman.
Brooke knew early on during her disease that God had a plan for her life, that she was being used for His higher purpose. The glory of God in her life spilled out onto everyone she met and they were never the same.....I will never be the same. She would tell anybody who would listen that Christ was number one in her life and that she served a God who loved her. She would also say that she had nothing to complain about...that she had a loving family and a warm home to be sick in. Wow.
She had more surgeries than I can count. She made into the Guinness Book of World Records for the longest Gamma Knife surgery (a type of laser). She once said, "When I asked God to be famous, this is not what I meant!"....lol! She never lost her humor. She also said "I probably will die choking on a cheerio than from this disease!" She was very clumsy! But it turns out, it would take her life. Actually, God had mercy and that's the only reason why.
I am honored to be called her best friend, blessed beyond words to be there with her the night she accepted Christ as Lord of her life. She went to church camp with me after our 7th grade year. I will never forget that night, when she looked over to me and asked if I would walk to the alter with her. I remember praying with her and our counselor. And her journey began....her favorite camp song was "Sanctuary."
Something happens in the life of a believer when they suffer on earth the way Brooke did. The Holy Spirit draws himself so close that when you are in their presence, you have just been in the presence of God. Since Brooke was never able to meet her soul mate here on earth, Brooke asked God if she could marry her savior when she got to heaven. She asked him to take her as His bride and for the wedding of her dreams in heaven. I know He granted this for her. I asked Brooke to describe her wedding to me. She said, “for starters, I’m beautiful of course! In a white flowing dress….” We decided it would be in an enchanted chapel with floating pillar candles like in the Harry Potter movies. And when she made it down the aisle to Jesus, He would say “I’ve been waiting on you a long time” and tell her how much He loved her. I am absolutely sure that this is the greeting she got when she entered the gates. A faithful servant like her deserves nothing less!
Recently, my husband wrote a song for Brooke. I wanted to tell you about the experience Brooke and I had that led Trey to write the song. About ten years ago, Brooke was getting a Halo, a contraption that stabilized her neck which was unstable due to the bone in her cervical spine that were removed along with her most recent tumor. She had to be awake for this procedure and it is very painful, and I promised I would pray for her. The morning of her procedure I had a class in college and when I arrived back in my dorm room, I immediately remembered that I had forgotten to pray for her at her procedure time. I was an hour late! Feeling horrible that I missed it, I sat down at my desk and not knowing what to pray, I simply asked God “please give her peace.” A couple days later, Brooke called me and said, “The most amazing thing happened. I was getting really nervous sitting in the waiting room because they were an hour late getting back to do the procedure. But as soon as they started, I heard the clearest voice say "I’ll give you peace, I’ll give you peace, I’ll give you peace". So I began to repeat the Lord’s Prayer over and over until they were done.” So the song is called “I’ll give you peace.” And in the bridge of the song, it says:
‘righteousness Adorns you my Bride” Words that the Holy Spirit gave trey to write because he was unaware at the time of Brooke’s bridal request. The song is truly anointed. Recently, Trey got to sing her song at radio stations all over the nation! I have added it to the blog, its the post right after this one "ECHOING ANGELS VISITS FAMILY FRIENDLY RADIO WIBI" Get the tissues. Its awesome. And it is projected to be the next single in the spring/summer. I am in awe at how God works. Her legacy might be on Christian radio for the world to hear!
I could sit here all day and reminisce about my friendship with Brooke, there is so much of her wit and charm I want you to know, but I would fail her if I did that. Because all she would really want me to say is how much she loved Jesus Christ. And if you don’t know Him as your savior, your healer, your provider, your friend, then you have missed what her life was all about. If you’re living an average, mediocre Christian life, not wholeheartedly running toward Christ, then you are missing the experience of lifetime, the experience of her lifetime. If she could insure that just one more of you came to know Christ through her life, then she would say it was all worth it. She was His most faithful servant, each day, running toward the prize and exiting this world boldly straight into His arms. Because of her, my cup runs over….
Brooke was/is my very best friend for 20 years. Brooke and I met in the 7th grade. We sat next to each other in science class. We dissected frogs together….well, I dissected and she "ooed and ahed, that's gross!" Earlier that year, I broke my ankle. Because we attended a very old school lacking an elevator, cafeteria in the basement and 7th grade on the 3rd floor, I was allowed to eat lunch in the classroom and of course the friend I chose to stay with me was Brooke. Everyday for 6 weeks we had 45 minutes to ourselves, left to our mischievous ways! Thus the inseparable friendship began. It wasn’t just a broken ankle; it was God’s higher plan. He used a broken bone for His glory. Although you cannot compare a broken bone to Brooke’s disease, in the same way God chose her suffering for His purpose, to show others He was in control.
John 9:
As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"
"Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.
Brooke was diagnosed when she was 14 with Neurofibromatosis, type 2, a genetic disease that causes spontaneous tumor growth on her brain and spinal cord. Over the years, she developed hundreds of tumors and only the ones growing and causing trouble would be removed. She lost her hearing at age 20 due to an acoustic neuroma. She lost eye sight and control of one eye a couple years later. She then lost her balance and could not get around very well. In the last year, she became a paraplegic and in the last months, a quadriplegic. It was very sad to watch. She should have been a healthy vibrant beautiful woman.
Brooke knew early on during her disease that God had a plan for her life, that she was being used for His higher purpose. The glory of God in her life spilled out onto everyone she met and they were never the same.....I will never be the same. She would tell anybody who would listen that Christ was number one in her life and that she served a God who loved her. She would also say that she had nothing to complain about...that she had a loving family and a warm home to be sick in. Wow.
She had more surgeries than I can count. She made into the Guinness Book of World Records for the longest Gamma Knife surgery (a type of laser). She once said, "When I asked God to be famous, this is not what I meant!"....lol! She never lost her humor. She also said "I probably will die choking on a cheerio than from this disease!" She was very clumsy! But it turns out, it would take her life. Actually, God had mercy and that's the only reason why.
I am honored to be called her best friend, blessed beyond words to be there with her the night she accepted Christ as Lord of her life. She went to church camp with me after our 7th grade year. I will never forget that night, when she looked over to me and asked if I would walk to the alter with her. I remember praying with her and our counselor. And her journey began....her favorite camp song was "Sanctuary."
Something happens in the life of a believer when they suffer on earth the way Brooke did. The Holy Spirit draws himself so close that when you are in their presence, you have just been in the presence of God. Since Brooke was never able to meet her soul mate here on earth, Brooke asked God if she could marry her savior when she got to heaven. She asked him to take her as His bride and for the wedding of her dreams in heaven. I know He granted this for her. I asked Brooke to describe her wedding to me. She said, “for starters, I’m beautiful of course! In a white flowing dress….” We decided it would be in an enchanted chapel with floating pillar candles like in the Harry Potter movies. And when she made it down the aisle to Jesus, He would say “I’ve been waiting on you a long time” and tell her how much He loved her. I am absolutely sure that this is the greeting she got when she entered the gates. A faithful servant like her deserves nothing less!
Recently, my husband wrote a song for Brooke. I wanted to tell you about the experience Brooke and I had that led Trey to write the song. About ten years ago, Brooke was getting a Halo, a contraption that stabilized her neck which was unstable due to the bone in her cervical spine that were removed along with her most recent tumor. She had to be awake for this procedure and it is very painful, and I promised I would pray for her. The morning of her procedure I had a class in college and when I arrived back in my dorm room, I immediately remembered that I had forgotten to pray for her at her procedure time. I was an hour late! Feeling horrible that I missed it, I sat down at my desk and not knowing what to pray, I simply asked God “please give her peace.” A couple days later, Brooke called me and said, “The most amazing thing happened. I was getting really nervous sitting in the waiting room because they were an hour late getting back to do the procedure. But as soon as they started, I heard the clearest voice say "I’ll give you peace, I’ll give you peace, I’ll give you peace". So I began to repeat the Lord’s Prayer over and over until they were done.” So the song is called “I’ll give you peace.” And in the bridge of the song, it says:
‘righteousness Adorns you my Bride” Words that the Holy Spirit gave trey to write because he was unaware at the time of Brooke’s bridal request. The song is truly anointed. Recently, Trey got to sing her song at radio stations all over the nation! I have added it to the blog, its the post right after this one "ECHOING ANGELS VISITS FAMILY FRIENDLY RADIO WIBI" Get the tissues. Its awesome. And it is projected to be the next single in the spring/summer. I am in awe at how God works. Her legacy might be on Christian radio for the world to hear!
I could sit here all day and reminisce about my friendship with Brooke, there is so much of her wit and charm I want you to know, but I would fail her if I did that. Because all she would really want me to say is how much she loved Jesus Christ. And if you don’t know Him as your savior, your healer, your provider, your friend, then you have missed what her life was all about. If you’re living an average, mediocre Christian life, not wholeheartedly running toward Christ, then you are missing the experience of lifetime, the experience of her lifetime. If she could insure that just one more of you came to know Christ through her life, then she would say it was all worth it. She was His most faithful servant, each day, running toward the prize and exiting this world boldly straight into His arms. Because of her, my cup runs over….
I received a phone call from a lady in the property management company for our homeowners association. I finally had a chance to call her back today. I had talked with Nini on a couple of occasions this year and became friends. She left a message wanting to see how our pregnancy was going because she had been praying for us and for this little miracle. Well, after talking with her for a bit she asked me about our baby room and things we had gotten so far for Lacey. To my surprise she told me that if we didn't have our pak n play yet that she had a brand new one that had never been opened and she felt like she wanted to give it to us for free. Really? Wow! I was so shocked! I have never met her in person just only talked on the phone. She made a preggo women cry! So, Josh and I are going to head up on Tuesday to meet her and pick up our new pak n play. What a true blessing this is! God is so amazing!
We survived week 3 which was pretty easy since I was off. I had worked the weekend, 2 - 16 hour shifts on Saturday and Sunday. Despite having done that after a very long 40 hours already, it wasn't so bad. Now we are almost winding up week 4!. However, poor James is so anxious these past few days about who is coming and watching him or taking him to school. It really makes me feel bad. We have had a variety of friends helping me out. This week alone, if you include me, there are 4 different people. He has come into my room at 4 in the morning two nights in a row asking who will be here when I leave, and why aren't they here yet.:( Yes, here comes the mommy guilt.) This morning, he never went back to bed. I found him in the fetal position outside my door! I scooped him up, he had actually fallen asleep there with the cats, and put him in my bed. He watched cartoons while I got ready and we waited for Natalie, our wonderful babysitter, to get here. Once she arrived, he was totally fine. I made sure he knew he could come sleep with me if he was lonely. (He gave a sheepish grin, so that will probably back fire on me) but I don't ever want him to feel insecure. Eliza seemed ok with everyone. And I got all smiles when I picked her up from daycare, usually she falls to pieces as soon as she sees me.
So, yesterday I came back to work after 7 days off. I returned to all the drama. Yesterday I escaped most of it because I was assigned to the surgery center and not at the main hospital, the mothership. We all got yearly evaluations from our MD supervisors and my boss decided to choose a top 5 with the highest scores and email us with that list and tell us those people were up for a bonus. Um....I obviously am not on the list or I wouldn't be blogging about it. That's not true, I would have problem if I was on the list too. It has started quite a fire here. We have an awesome group I work with and we all work hard and are team players. I don't think any one person is better than the other and to do this list makes me feel unappreciated and not valued. It intentionally sets apart a group of people who don't want to be. It has started arguments over why these people were chosen and why they don't deserve it. I have no problem with the people chosen, I have a huge problem with the "list". It causes division in a group of friends. It's ok to have people with higher scores than others but you discuss that individuallly and privately tell them their reward. This isn't a sales department where we compete. I admit, this infuriated me at first. It comes after a long list of other infractions and I have just about had it with the intimidating, divide and conquer leadership style. But I have since cooled down and I know that my worth is not weighed by a piece of paper! I am valuable in the eyes of God and will continue to work as unto the Lord. I will do my best to be gracious and thankful for the job I do have.
Enough about that. Trey gets home Friday night and we have Saturday and Sunday together as a family before Trey heads out again. I am looking forward to trick or treating! I can't wait to see the kids in their costumes.
So, yesterday I came back to work after 7 days off. I returned to all the drama. Yesterday I escaped most of it because I was assigned to the surgery center and not at the main hospital, the mothership. We all got yearly evaluations from our MD supervisors and my boss decided to choose a top 5 with the highest scores and email us with that list and tell us those people were up for a bonus. Um....I obviously am not on the list or I wouldn't be blogging about it. That's not true, I would have problem if I was on the list too. It has started quite a fire here. We have an awesome group I work with and we all work hard and are team players. I don't think any one person is better than the other and to do this list makes me feel unappreciated and not valued. It intentionally sets apart a group of people who don't want to be. It has started arguments over why these people were chosen and why they don't deserve it. I have no problem with the people chosen, I have a huge problem with the "list". It causes division in a group of friends. It's ok to have people with higher scores than others but you discuss that individuallly and privately tell them their reward. This isn't a sales department where we compete. I admit, this infuriated me at first. It comes after a long list of other infractions and I have just about had it with the intimidating, divide and conquer leadership style. But I have since cooled down and I know that my worth is not weighed by a piece of paper! I am valuable in the eyes of God and will continue to work as unto the Lord. I will do my best to be gracious and thankful for the job I do have.
Enough about that. Trey gets home Friday night and we have Saturday and Sunday together as a family before Trey heads out again. I am looking forward to trick or treating! I can't wait to see the kids in their costumes.
So the one craving that I have had this pregnancy is a chocolate milkshake from Chick-Fil-A. Yes, it has to be from Chick-Fil-A. Today on my way home from work I had to have one. So, I stopped at the CFA to get one. The drive through was slammed with cars wrapped all the way around the building. So, I decided to park and go in. I went in and the manager came up and asked me if I had been helped. I said no and so she said she could take my order. I said I just wanted a small chocolate milkshake. She started to punch it in and stopped. Then she looked up at me and said that a lady had ordered some oreo cookie milkshakes and decided that she didn't want them and left. So she offered one to me for FREE. Granted it wasn't a chocolate milkshake, but, it was FREE. AND it had oreos in it. So I said sure. And she gave the last one to the guy behind me for free too. So, I left with a FREE shake and thanked the Lord for blessing me. I know it's silly. But, I really was grateful!
Tomorrow is our 30 week checkup. Can't believe it's only 10 weeks til our due date and Lacey will be here! Going by fast and am so excited!!!
Tomorrow is our 30 week checkup. Can't believe it's only 10 weeks til our due date and Lacey will be here! Going by fast and am so excited!!!
Our Lacey will be here in less than 10 weeks. And we are so excited and cannot wait to meet her! When Lacey gets here she will have a wonderful big furry sister. Our firstborn. Yes, I'm talking about our dog Gracie Bear. I actually got Gracie Bear about 6 months before Josh and I started dating. She's been with me through soo many things...good and bad. She's been a constant companion and is my baby girl. For those of you who have pets you will understand this love. She is a HUGE part of our family. We love to do things for her and take her places to have fun. Every year we always take her to the PetSmart HOWL-oween Costume party. Josh is always telling her she needs to earn her keep and work. So, we go to these types of events in hopes of winning gift cards. So far, she has done pretty well. The first year she came in 3rd place and last year she came in 2nd place for the costume party. She did win the Pet Birthday party best party hat. 2 years ago. So she has won gift cards which helps in purchasing food. This past weekend we took her again to the HOWL-oween party. This year we dressed her as a Home Depot employee. In the parade her Grandpa was her escort and wore a Home Depot hat so we had a great team. In the end, she won first place!!! Josh and I were such proud puppy parents! Josh took so many pictures. It was just a lot of fun.
Trey leaves this evening at 7 pm for Seattle. It is a 6 hour flight and I know he is still exhausted from the last two weeks. We have had fun yesterday and today but I don't think the kids really get that he is leaving again. This time he will be home late Friday night. Again only for a day or 2 and then off the kentucky for a show. We were thinking about tagging along, but I am not sure about the room/travel situation yet. But Thank goodness this is a paying trip. Maybe we will see a little extra money in November.....maybe. We need to start thinking about Christmas. That is scary! The last 3 weeks have actually gone by fast and I pray this one will too. I have a friend coming to take the kids to school for me one day and their regular babysitter to do another day and then my mom for 2 days. So far, the household has been running pretty smoothly, only by the grace of God! It should be interesting adding Trey back into the mix full time in November. We have gotten into a routine without him here but I WELCOME him back!!! And I know the kids will too!
Eliza's costume turned out great! I only ironed it to the ironing board once and started completely over once....so that's not bad. I underestimated measuring an 18 month old who was completely not interested in trying it on for size! So, probably on Halloween it will be completely crooked and look silly but oh well!
I have one more day off until it is back to the work grindstone. It went by SOOOO fast and it almost makes me sick to my stomach to think about it. We have had so much fun this last week. And I love being with my kids and I really don't want to go back to the drama at work. There is so much crap going on and I just want to ignore it a little longer! BLAH!
Ok, well, back to the redskins game and a little more time with Trey.
Eliza's costume turned out great! I only ironed it to the ironing board once and started completely over once....so that's not bad. I underestimated measuring an 18 month old who was completely not interested in trying it on for size! So, probably on Halloween it will be completely crooked and look silly but oh well!
I have one more day off until it is back to the work grindstone. It went by SOOOO fast and it almost makes me sick to my stomach to think about it. We have had so much fun this last week. And I love being with my kids and I really don't want to go back to the drama at work. There is so much crap going on and I just want to ignore it a little longer! BLAH!
Ok, well, back to the redskins game and a little more time with Trey.
Jon finally made it home last night after 2 weeks of being on the road. He has our one and only computer, so that is why you haven't heard from me in a while. Anyway, I am so glad he is home. While these past two weeks have allowed me to spend some quality time with my boys before I go back to work on Monday, they were also a little stressful. Journey- my 7 week old- has had some tummy issues for several weeks now. We tried everything to get him settled. We switched his formula three times, took him to the doctor, tried two different medications and mylicon drops and nothing seemed to work. I thought I was going to die!!! I had a break down one Sunday as I was getting ready to go to church. I got up three hours early to begin getting ready. I fed Journey, straightened up the house a bit, got their bags ready, and got a shower myself. After I had fed Journey, he just started screaming and would not stop. I tried to burp him again, rock him to sleep, feed him a little more, anything I could think of to make him feel better. Nothing worked. I felt so defeated and was frustrated because he had thrown up all over me and over himself- we were both dressed to go to church- I just sat down and sobbed. I was beginning to also get really frustrated that no one was there to help me. I absolutely could not get out of the door. I desperately wanted/needed to go to church. I feel like I can not get through the next week without my spiritual refilling, so I finally broke down and called my mom to come and help me.
I had to just let him cry because by this point she was coming to get him and Jayce, and I had to get myself together to get to church. I am so thankful I was able to go because when I left I felt so refreshed. I had a sweet friend pray with me and had many, many people tell me they had been thinking of me and praying for me because they knew Jon was away.
Journey ended up staying the day and the night with my mom and literally came back a different child!! She has raised 5 children and has 11 grandchildren, so she has a little more experience than me and she knew just what to do. Apparently, I was the cause of his tummy issues. Every time he would cry, I assumed he was hungry so I fed him. Come to find out I was overfeeding him. In one day she got him on a more manageable schedule. Now we are only feeding him every three hours and only four ounces- no more, no less and it works! I have not touched any medication in over a week!!!
I am so thankful Journey got "fixed" before Jon came home. We can both now enjoy him.
I am enjoying my week off SOOOOO much and it is flying by. UG, its amazing how much you can get done when work doesn't get in the way! I am pretending to be a stay at home mom! HA! I have gotten tons of laundry done, organized the kids closets for winter clothes....I haven't cleaned yet, I think I'll put that off another day. I am getting ready to start working on Eliza's costume. Say a prayer.
This week has also been a real bummer for my in laws. My sister in law has been in a long ongoing battle with her Ex-husband over multiple abuse charges. This week, the judge sided with him saying that her 10 year old daughter lied about what he had done to her. What?!!! And he has abuse charges, evading child support, and several misdemeanors all in his record. And now he is taking her to court for full custody later this month. PLEASE pray. Satan is running rampant and he must be stopped, once and for all. He is an abusive man and has hurt my sister and her girls so much and it seems that justice is not on our side. God HAS to come through in a big way or life will change as we know it! Those girls are the best sweetest kids and I am blessed to call them my nieces.
The guys are doing well on the road. I think they are in Indiana somewhere. Trey will now be home sometime on Saturday and then leaves again on Sunday for another week. I am thankful for the 14 hours I can spend with him. Everything is going so well. God has poured out His favor and blessing and protection and I am so thankful for that. I miss him SOOO much. But this has not been as difficult as I thought it would be. God has given me mercy too. So many friends and family have checked in on us and that has been really cool to feel so loved! The phone calls and cards are priceless, thanks everyone! Well, I'm off to create an elf costume....
This week has also been a real bummer for my in laws. My sister in law has been in a long ongoing battle with her Ex-husband over multiple abuse charges. This week, the judge sided with him saying that her 10 year old daughter lied about what he had done to her. What?!!! And he has abuse charges, evading child support, and several misdemeanors all in his record. And now he is taking her to court for full custody later this month. PLEASE pray. Satan is running rampant and he must be stopped, once and for all. He is an abusive man and has hurt my sister and her girls so much and it seems that justice is not on our side. God HAS to come through in a big way or life will change as we know it! Those girls are the best sweetest kids and I am blessed to call them my nieces.
The guys are doing well on the road. I think they are in Indiana somewhere. Trey will now be home sometime on Saturday and then leaves again on Sunday for another week. I am thankful for the 14 hours I can spend with him. Everything is going so well. God has poured out His favor and blessing and protection and I am so thankful for that. I miss him SOOO much. But this has not been as difficult as I thought it would be. God has given me mercy too. So many friends and family have checked in on us and that has been really cool to feel so loved! The phone calls and cards are priceless, thanks everyone! Well, I'm off to create an elf costume....
It's been a few days since I've blogged so I thought I would try and catch up. So many things (good and bad) have happened in the last few days so lots to talk about.
Saturday, the sweet women of my parents church Radiant Life Assembly of God threw Josh and I a baby shower. My parents church have been such prayer warriors for us this past year during our 2 miscarriages and then throughout this pregnancy with our miracle. We had such an amazing time. And I was so thankful that Josh was able to be at home so he could come and open presents with me. It's been awesome to share the baby shower experience with him. Anyway, we just felt so loved on Saturday by these women. Thank you so much for all that you did and for the amazing presents for our little Lacey.
Sunday morning I learned that a friend of mine, Jennifer Cunningham Kimbrell, passed away after a year long battle with breast cancer. She wrote a blog this whole year keeping everyone up to date on what was happening. Her faith in the Lord never waivered even during this difficult time. She was such an inspiration to all who knew her and all who read her blogs. This year, she met the love of her life and was able to marry him this past August. Even though it was a short marriage, her love for him was just overflowing. What a special thing! The sad thing is that Jen was only 35. She was so young. But, knowing now that she is in heaven rejoicing with the Lord in her new glorious body free of cancer makes me happy. We'll miss her here on earth, but, know that one day we will see her again.
On Monday, I found out that a guy I grew up with decided to take the life of his ex-wife. His two kids were in the house at the time. This made me sooo sad. I just can't even fathom why he would do this. I know that sometimes things don't happen the way that we would like them to. But, to go to this drastic measure doesn't make sense. My heart just breaks for his kids who are 15 and 12. So, if you would, please pray for this family. Pray that God would just help these kids through this difficult time.
Tuesday night Josh and I took our furry baby Gracie Bear to go pick out a pumpkin for our porch. Every year she does such a great job picking one out. And this year, she didn't let us down. It's so much fun just watching her walk around all these pumpkins trying to sniff out the best one for us. It's just so cute. Now that we have it, I can get started on putting up our fall decor on our porch. We like to leave this up through Thanksgiving. So, I'm very much looking forward to decorating this afternoon.
So as you can see we've been very busy this week. Tomorrow we're going on a tour of the women's center at the hospital to see where everything is at. Lacey will be here in just 10 short weeks. We cannot wait and are so excited!
Also, don't forget that Echoing Angels new single "Say What You Believe" is out. Call your local radio station and ask them to play it. You can also download it at itunes and amazon for $.99. I know the guys so appreciate your support!
Cami
I am finally nearing the end of my 68 hr stretch. For all those who work those kind of hours in 5 days normally, I praise you. I am exhausted. I feel like I have a hang over. I am an 8 hour of sleep kind of girl and this 5 hours at night is for the birds! But I am pushing through because the reward is great! 6 days off, just the kids and me. I am not sure I have ever had that kind of time without going on a trip. No plans.....hmmm. Well, I do have some: watch movies with James, bake cookies, play, play, play. Oh and work on Eliza's costume. James wanted her to be an elf, yes, one from Santa's workshop. He is going as Bumblebee, the transformer. When I suggested Eliza be Optimus Prime, I got an emphatic "no....maybe an elf!" I thought the idea so so cute that I decided to make her a costume. I am NOT a sewer, I don't even have a sewing machine. But I'm creative and have an iron and stitch witch. So, we'll see. I might be running out the night before to buy the last tinkerbell costume at Target! But I made James a woody cow vest a few years back and it turned out great, so my hopes are high. I can't wait to see her in it. Now, if I could just get her to let me puddy on some elf ears...yeah, never gonna happen.
We have entered week 3 of the month long radio tour. I am really starting to miss Trey. And the kids are starting to wonder too. Eliza asks me " where'd daddy go?" with her little hands held up in question. Last week that didn't bother me. Now it makes me a little teary. But Trey will be home Friday night and we get him for a whole 24 hours before he leaves for Seattle. I know he is ready to see us too. A HUGE thank you to treys aunt and uncle, Leigh and Larry who came down to help me last week. I could not thank them enough. The kids loved them and miss them already. I do too. The company was nice. I have been in the family for more than 10 years, but I know them better after a week! They are such great people and its awesome that we have a deeper relationship now. They, and my mom and dad, helped us survive week 2. My parents are bringing the kids back today after I get home from work. They have had them for 4 days. They have such a great time together but I am ready to have them home and I'm sure my parents need a break too. Speaking of break, mine is over....surgery is calling my name....
We have entered week 3 of the month long radio tour. I am really starting to miss Trey. And the kids are starting to wonder too. Eliza asks me " where'd daddy go?" with her little hands held up in question. Last week that didn't bother me. Now it makes me a little teary. But Trey will be home Friday night and we get him for a whole 24 hours before he leaves for Seattle. I know he is ready to see us too. A HUGE thank you to treys aunt and uncle, Leigh and Larry who came down to help me last week. I could not thank them enough. The kids loved them and miss them already. I do too. The company was nice. I have been in the family for more than 10 years, but I know them better after a week! They are such great people and its awesome that we have a deeper relationship now. They, and my mom and dad, helped us survive week 2. My parents are bringing the kids back today after I get home from work. They have had them for 4 days. They have such a great time together but I am ready to have them home and I'm sure my parents need a break too. Speaking of break, mine is over....surgery is calling my name....
Have you ever had one of those days that you swear "Please give me a hard time" is tattooed on your forehead? I had one of those days... every day this week. I had something happen to me at work everyday this week that made me question why I work where I do. For those of you that watch 30 Rock (on of mine and Neil's favorite shows!), I have felt like Liz Lemon everyday! At a dance studio, you are working with the public's two most important things: their money, and their children. I'm finding that it is almost impossible to please every customer.
People who know me know that I am a people pleaser, and I absolutely try my hardest at work to help everyone. I take it personally when someone gets angry or upset, and I am trying my best to learn not to take it home with me, or let it effect my teaching. It's hard to go from dealing with the office all day, to teaching in the studio at night. I try to think of them as seperate jobs. I absolutely love teaching and choreographing, so I try not to let a bad day effect the way I treat my students. This week has made it especially hard on me.
This morning Neil had to get up extra to play at a church, so I stayed home and watched NorthPoint Online. It was one of those sermons where you felt like God was speaking directly to you. It was about God's plan for your life, and keeping focused on him through everything that is happening around you. So many times this week I have felt like someone's personal punching bag, and have been feeling sorry for myself instead of staying focused on Him. I should be praising God I have a job at a place that I actually enjoy, or praising Him because I have a job at all. I have been focusing on the negative, and it has been bringing me down. I have to remember to be gracious and thankful in all that he has blessed me with! I cannot control what may happen to me, but I can control how I react to it. For a Type A planner sort of person, it is hard for me to remember that God is in control, not me. After trying to deal with things myself for some time now, I finally have fallen to my knees and asked Jesus to take the wheel!
Yesterday and today I have had the privilege to fill in producing for Kevin & Taylor at The Fish. Always so much fun when I get to do that. Only downfall is that it means an even earlier wake up time (3:30 am). But, it's worth it, because, we always have a good time. Yesterday they had me on with them to talk about the baby shower that the station had for Josh and I the day before. It's always a good time being able to spend time with my friends.
Today while I was at work, Josh, along with my Daddy and Father-in-Law Steve have been working hard around the house trying to get it ready for Lacey's arrival in 11 weeks. Here is a picture of Lacey's room in progress. Pink walls with white beadboard, chair rail and crown molding. I can't wait to see it completed! Then the fun part of putting up the crib and decorations begin. That I'm REALLY looking forward to. That's always fun to me.
Josh and I have a baby shower tomorrow. My Daddy is a pastor and the sweet ladies in their church are throwing us one. We just love them all so much. And we are very much looking forward to it. They always make awesome food and my friend Terri is making the cake for the shower. I cannot wait to see all the decorations and eat the yummy food and cake! I love me some good cake! LOL!
Josh and I feel so blessed to have so many amazing friends and family! Our little girl is going to have so many people who love her. They've all been praying for this little miracles arrival. So, it's been so much fun to share our joy with them.
In Echoing Angels news...don't forget that their new single "Say What You Believe" is now available on itunes and amazon.com. Let your local radio station know that you want to hear them. Either call them or email their program director. Thanks for your help!
We are almost to day 4 of the mid-west radio promotion tour. The guys are doing great on the road. It sounds like things are going as good as possible. They are getting great reviews and feedback from all the stations and are having some fun along the way. They found an unlocked door to the Dallas Cowboys stadium and had a look around. Its a good thing they didn't get arrested or something. Can you imagine? They are running on very little sleep so keep them in your prayers.
We are well on the home front. Trey's aunt and uncle are here this week from Virginia to help me out, and what a blessing they have been. The kids have taken to them and they are having fun! They have also cooked and cleaned for me...what a treat. I have enjoyed their company so much. I began a long stretch of hours today. I will work almost 70 hours in the next 5 days. Its going to be long but in return I get a whole week off. So next week I will be able to spend a lot of time with the kids.
The single, "Say What You Believe" is now available from itunes and Amazon. Please download it and support us. Wouldn't it be fantastic if the song of the week on i-tunes was a christian rock one? That all depends on the number of buys...the song is definitely worthy! Please call to request it on your local stations! The more plays we get, the more people will be aware of these fantastic musicians! Please join the Fish Advisory Board on www.thefishatlanta.com. This is a board of listeners that takes quizzes about the music played every month and the results determine what music is played. Echoing Angels music will on these surveys soon! You do not have to live in Atlanta to join, just have an opinion of Contemporary Christian music. But having EA fans on the board is priceless so join today!
Everyday, I have such mixed emotions about all that is going on. I have some awesome girlfriends that constantly remind me how exciting this is, not allowing my anxiety and sometimes doubt creep in. I am really learning to lean on others right now in every aspect of my life. Its good for me, my independent spirit needs a does of humility every once in while! Well, I am off to bed to do it all over again...
We are well on the home front. Trey's aunt and uncle are here this week from Virginia to help me out, and what a blessing they have been. The kids have taken to them and they are having fun! They have also cooked and cleaned for me...what a treat. I have enjoyed their company so much. I began a long stretch of hours today. I will work almost 70 hours in the next 5 days. Its going to be long but in return I get a whole week off. So next week I will be able to spend a lot of time with the kids.
The single, "Say What You Believe" is now available from itunes and Amazon. Please download it and support us. Wouldn't it be fantastic if the song of the week on i-tunes was a christian rock one? That all depends on the number of buys...the song is definitely worthy! Please call to request it on your local stations! The more plays we get, the more people will be aware of these fantastic musicians! Please join the Fish Advisory Board on www.thefishatlanta.com. This is a board of listeners that takes quizzes about the music played every month and the results determine what music is played. Echoing Angels music will on these surveys soon! You do not have to live in Atlanta to join, just have an opinion of Contemporary Christian music. But having EA fans on the board is priceless so join today!
Everyday, I have such mixed emotions about all that is going on. I have some awesome girlfriends that constantly remind me how exciting this is, not allowing my anxiety and sometimes doubt creep in. I am really learning to lean on others right now in every aspect of my life. Its good for me, my independent spirit needs a does of humility every once in while! Well, I am off to bed to do it all over again...
I can't believe that we have FINALLY made it to the third trimester! After the long and difficult road to get here it's so surreal! But, we are very excited and cannot wait to meet this little girl. I had heard that in the third trimester your energy level tends to go back down and so far that is true. I have been soooo tired the last few days. I take naps almost every day now and try to go to bed early, especially since I have to be up at 4:30 am to get ready for work. But, still am alway so tired. Lacey has been VERY active this week too. More than she has been. Such a great feeling. But, I think she's using what little energy I had left. LOL. Josh and I sit on the couch at night and marvel at my jumping belly. He actually hadn't seen that happen before until this past Sunday night during small group. His eyes got so big in amazement. It was so cute. Now we just sit and stare at the belly for fun.
We're also trying to work on Lacey's room too. The painting part is done. Now we're going to put beadboard, chair rail and crown molding up. So hopefully that'll happen this week. Then the fun part of decorating and putting the crib up and stuff happens. That's what I am most looking forward too. I can't wait to see the final product.
We're also trying to work on Lacey's room too. The painting part is done. Now we're going to put beadboard, chair rail and crown molding up. So hopefully that'll happen this week. Then the fun part of decorating and putting the crib up and stuff happens. That's what I am most looking forward too. I can't wait to see the final product.
Well, the time has come for the guys to leave again. I have really enjoyed the time I have been able to spend with Jon this weekend. We were able to spend a lot of quality time together and with our boys. However, I am fighting back tears as I write this blog. I am really going to miss Jon as he is away. It has been a long time since he has been gone this long. I am used to long weekend runs, but I can't remember the last time he left for such a long consecutive amount of time. Please pray for safe travels for the guys. Also, please pray that lives are touched by their music and testimony. We have waited and prayed for such a time as this. We have been through such a tough season and have often wondered where the Lord was going to take us. He is so faithful and over the past year he has revealed to us where He wants Echoing Angels to be. This season of growth has been a real faith-builder for me as well as a testimony to God's faithfulness. Now if I can only get through the next few weeks. We ask for your prayers as we juggle work, taking care of children, and easing our hearts as our husbands are gone.
So I have my hubby home for a day or two, so we decided to spend as much time together and with our boys. Last night we went to Jon's high school football game. It was alumni night, so we got to see lots of old friends. I teach at the middle school that feeds into the high school so it was good to see some of my past and present students as well. The weather was amazing so we decided to take the little guy. He did great! He actually slept the entire time we were there and Jayce loved seeing the band- especially the drum line.
We woke up this morning and went to Jon's parents house where my mother-in-law had made a yummy breakfast. This morning we had biscuits and gravy, chocolate syrup ( if you haven't ever had this let me know and I will give you the recipe- it is amazing), bacon, cantaloupe, tomatoes, and of course sweet tea! We left there and came home to get ready to go to the pumpkin patch. We have a fruit farm just up the road from us so we took the boys and picked out a pumpkin to carve. While we were there we just had to get boiled peanuts, homemade peach preserves, and an apple pie. With it being such a beautiful day we decided to just drive around a while enjoying this fall weather. With our bellies full and it being later in the day, we all came home and crashed. Tonight we plan to carve our pumpkin and continue to spend time with Jon until he leaves again late tomorrow night.
Although I hate to think all of this fun is about to end because the guys go back on the road Sunday evening, I know we are exactly where God wants us to be. He continues to move and reveal opportunities for Echoing Angels to play music for His glory. I am excited about what all God has done so far and what He continues to do and I can not wait to have him back home even if it is for a few days. I have learned to keep myself really busy while Jon is gone so these next few weeks are going to be filled with spending time with friends and family.
The first week of the radio tour is over. And we all survived. It was a long week for me, busy with long hours. A big thank you to my mom and Sarah who made this week function! The guys had an awesome run. They have gotten great responses from the stations. They have been added to the playlists too at many of them, which is the goal. It officially went to radio today, so start calling to request it! They are 10 stations into their 67. Ironically Trey is home now and I am not. I made plans with a girlfriend for dinner and scrapbooking tonight. I didn't know their last stop today was going to cancel. I am excited to see Trey, but REALLY looking forward to my girl night. I am so thankful that I have a girlfriend as nerdy as me that is willing to spend an evening an Archivers! I love you Melissa! She is truly an awesome person and I am thankful for her. Today I am also just so thankful that God is leading us down this path. He never let us go, even when our faith wavered. We could never have done this ourselves. Only He could do something this big. I stand in awe...
Last week Josh and I went to my doctors appointment and I had to do the lovely glucose test. The next day I found out that I had failed it and was going to have to do the 3 hour glucose test. So this past Monday, I went to a lab to have this testing done. Josh went with me in the beginning and was so glad to have him there because the glucose drink they gave me was warm and was just thick and syrupy. So I was gagging it down. Gross! I was so glad to get it down and keep it down. Anyway, last night I found out that I do NOT have gestational diabetes. I was so thankful to hear those words. I know that it's very common among pregnant women and that it is managable. But, I was still so thankful to not have it!
On a different note, the guys are on day 3 of their radio promotions tour for their single "Say What You Believe". I was actually just able to watch them online when they were on Total Axxess. They did such a great job! I was so proud of them. I believe that they will have this posted on the Total Axxess website if you want to check it out. Go to www.totalaxxess.com. You can see JP having to headband like a metal rocker to get enough head bangs to play another song. He did a great job! Shannon told a funny story about hitting a rabbit. Neil showed off that he's just not a keyboard player but that he can play a mean percussion. Trey's vocals were awesome as usual. And of course my baby Josh played an awesome bass and just looked hot! LOL...sorry...you know I had to throw that in! At least in this interview he didn't say that he was helping me through my labor pains. ;-) I was just soooo proud of all of them and all they are accomplishing. God is doing a great thing with their ministry!!!
Well, I need to get back to the laundry and cleaning. Now doesn't that sound like fun???
On a different note, the guys are on day 3 of their radio promotions tour for their single "Say What You Believe". I was actually just able to watch them online when they were on Total Axxess. They did such a great job! I was so proud of them. I believe that they will have this posted on the Total Axxess website if you want to check it out. Go to www.totalaxxess.com. You can see JP having to headband like a metal rocker to get enough head bangs to play another song. He did a great job! Shannon told a funny story about hitting a rabbit. Neil showed off that he's just not a keyboard player but that he can play a mean percussion. Trey's vocals were awesome as usual. And of course my baby Josh played an awesome bass and just looked hot! LOL...sorry...you know I had to throw that in! At least in this interview he didn't say that he was helping me through my labor pains. ;-) I was just soooo proud of all of them and all they are accomplishing. God is doing a great thing with their ministry!!!
Well, I need to get back to the laundry and cleaning. Now doesn't that sound like fun???
Well, the guys kicked off their radio promotions tour here at 104.7 The Fish. They were on the morning show with our friends Kevin & Taylor. And I have to say, they did a bang up job. I was soooo proud of them! They debuted their single "Say What You Believe" live and also did a live version of "You Alone". The response on Facebook from this interview has been so positive. Please keep the guys in your prayers as they head out to 67 radio stations across the nation. Pray that it is well recevied and pray for the safety of the guys. I know that I can speak this on behalf of all of the wives...Guys...we are sooo very proud of you! It's been an amazing ride already! We are so excited to see all the doors the Lord is going to open for you! We love you very much!!!
October is here and moving right along. The concert Saturday night was a huge success. The people of Winder are so great and supportive. The band was awesome. They played the new versions of all their songs and it was so good. It had so much personality! The single "Say" was awesome. And there was even a surprise in there for me. They transitioned from one of their new songs into "shower the people" by James Taylor. Such a great song. They even came back up for an encore. The crowd loved them. I don't think the guys thought it was their best show though, but they are perfectionists. You see, the original sound of the all the songs on this new album morphed and changed during the recording process. That's a natural progression when you work with other musicians and producers. That's what you want to happen....for each song to take its rightful sound. Everyone usually welcomes the change. But it does mean the band has to relearn the songs! So Saturday, they played the new versions, which we, the audience, loved! But the guys said they made a few blunders which only they know happened.
Tomorrow, the radio tour begins! It snuck up on me! But thanks to my awesome mom, Treys awesome aunt and uncle, my wonderful friend Sarah and my very understanding boss, all is worked out for the children. I have peace about it. I will miss him. The wives have a slumber party planned! I can't wait!
Listen in the morning to 104.7 the Fish at 8am! They are kicking off their tour in the Atl, our hometown. You can listen online at thefishatlanta.com. You will get to hear the single live!
Tomorrow, the radio tour begins! It snuck up on me! But thanks to my awesome mom, Treys awesome aunt and uncle, my wonderful friend Sarah and my very understanding boss, all is worked out for the children. I have peace about it. I will miss him. The wives have a slumber party planned! I can't wait!
Listen in the morning to 104.7 the Fish at 8am! They are kicking off their tour in the Atl, our hometown. You can listen online at thefishatlanta.com. You will get to hear the single live!
The last year has been a crash course for me about the music industry. Actually the last few months have been the most schooling I've gotten about this whole process since Trey began with Echoing Angels. Its amazing how much goes into putting a record together. There are 3 versions of the new single! Wow, I had no idea. There is the album version, which is full length. There is a Christian radio version, which is much shorter and has a lot of electric guitars edited out and then there is a Christian Rock radio version where the Electric guitars are turned up a lot! I just think that is so interesting. Some of the financial aspects of this have been interesting too....who gets what percentage of what, etc. Most of it has to be explained to me in the kindergarten terms so that I can follow the conversation. Maybe when the next record rolls around I will be hip and know all the music industry terminology! I thought it would be fun to compile a list of what I've learned. So here is your guide for today's music industry terms (what I've learned so far anyway):
Record: Yes, we've reverted back to 1960. this is the CD
Drop: "the single will drop on the radio next week" Means "start" or "arrive"
Spin: when a radio station, or anyone else, plays your song
P.D.s - Also PDs. Short for "per diems," which means "per days." This refers to the stipend paid daily to band members and crew on a tour (or sometimes when out of town for recording) for their personal expenses, such as food and drinks.
One Sheet - The info sheet for a release - can contain info about the band, the recording or anything else significant about the release. Also gives the release date. One sheets are used by labels and distributors to sell a new release. They get their name from the fact that they are (or at least they should be) one page long.
PR - Technically means "press relations" but is also used in a slang way to refer to a person who works in press relations. PR is also known as "publicity." PR companies/PR people are usually hired to work on a campaign basis to promote a new album, single or tour. Some PR people only promote to print media, some only to websites, some only to TV and some to a combination of mediums. Some PR people also work in radio plugging, but often radio is treated as a separate entity.
Mechanical Royalties - Royalties paid to the songwriter per album pressed (or sold, depending on the deal). Also sometimes called "mechanicals."
Publishing - Essentially another level of copyright control for songs, publishing deals simply put a person in charge of making sure the appropriate amount of royalties are collected for a song, in exchange for a portion of those royalties and some rights to the song. Most publishers go further than that and actively try to place songs in revenue generating positions, like advertisements or with other artists for cover version, etc.
Session Musician - A musician who contributes to a recording or a live performance but is not actually a full time member of the band.
Promo Package - A package used to promote music, including a promo CD and any appropriate press releases, one sheets, photos and other information. Also known as press kit or press pack.
A & R – Artist & Repertoire, the department of a label that is responsible for signing artists and “assisting” them creatively in such things as the selection of a producer and song material.
Airplay – Time on the radio. Airplay sells records.
Clicktrack – Metronome-like device to aid timing or rhythm that is heard through headphones during a recording session or heard by the drummer during live concerts.
Copyright – A bundle of exclusive rights granted by law to the creator of an original literary, artistic, or other intellectual work, including songs and sound recordings.
Crossover – A song originally promoted in one market which “crosses over” to be a hit in another market. A country song may crossover to the pop market, for example.
Demo – A CD done for presentation purposes usually to try to secure a label, publishing, or management deal.
Downtime – Time when work is halted in a recording session due to equipment malfunction or time when a studio has not been booked for use. Or time the band has to do what they want when on the road.
Dud – A song that flops. Also, a person who flops.
Ears – The ability to recognize a hit song or act after only hearing it a few times. "in ears" are special ear buds that are connected to the sound board so the musician can hear himself or other players......or
in the anesthesia world, its a stethescope :)
Fader – Control on a studio console which regulates input or output of sound level.
Gig – Job, especially a club or concert performance
Gold – Award presented for sales in excess of 500,000 CDs.
Grammy – Music industry award presented by the NARAS (National Association of Recording Arts and Sciences).
Headphone Mix - the blend of sounds heard through the headphones in a recording session.
Hook – A musical or lyrical phrase that stands out and is easily remembered.
Hype – Publicity used to feed the promotional machines of the music business. Hype may or may not be true, but it should be “sensational.”
Image – The public’s impression of an artist or product
Master – A recording done for release as a CD album project.
Mix – Blend of sounds. The mix is particularly important in multi-track recording.
Multi-track recording – Recording a multiplicity of audio tracks which allows you to isolate sounds and record them at different times.
Overdub – In multi-track recording, any element that is added after the basic track.
Platinum – Award for sales in excess of one million CDs.
Production fee – Fee paid to the producer.
Riff – A particular group of notes which form a short melody.
Roadie – Person in the employ of a musical act who is usually responsible for moving and setting up sound equipment.
Tracking – Recording basic tracks.
Vamp – an ending to a song that repeats over and over while gradually fading to silence.
Yes I live in another world. It can sound like everyone is speaking a different language, with all of their demos, promos, one sheets and whozits and whatzits. What did you say? What's that? I must ask Trey that once a day. One day I will be a music biz pro....but for now, I'll stick to anesthesia!
Record: Yes, we've reverted back to 1960. this is the CD
Drop: "the single will drop on the radio next week" Means "start" or "arrive"
Spin: when a radio station, or anyone else, plays your song
P.D.s - Also PDs. Short for "per diems," which means "per days." This refers to the stipend paid daily to band members and crew on a tour (or sometimes when out of town for recording) for their personal expenses, such as food and drinks.
One Sheet - The info sheet for a release - can contain info about the band, the recording or anything else significant about the release. Also gives the release date. One sheets are used by labels and distributors to sell a new release. They get their name from the fact that they are (or at least they should be) one page long.
PR - Technically means "press relations" but is also used in a slang way to refer to a person who works in press relations. PR is also known as "publicity." PR companies/PR people are usually hired to work on a campaign basis to promote a new album, single or tour. Some PR people only promote to print media, some only to websites, some only to TV and some to a combination of mediums. Some PR people also work in radio plugging, but often radio is treated as a separate entity.
Mechanical Royalties - Royalties paid to the songwriter per album pressed (or sold, depending on the deal). Also sometimes called "mechanicals."
Publishing - Essentially another level of copyright control for songs, publishing deals simply put a person in charge of making sure the appropriate amount of royalties are collected for a song, in exchange for a portion of those royalties and some rights to the song. Most publishers go further than that and actively try to place songs in revenue generating positions, like advertisements or with other artists for cover version, etc.
Session Musician - A musician who contributes to a recording or a live performance but is not actually a full time member of the band.
Promo Package - A package used to promote music, including a promo CD and any appropriate press releases, one sheets, photos and other information. Also known as press kit or press pack.
A & R – Artist & Repertoire, the department of a label that is responsible for signing artists and “assisting” them creatively in such things as the selection of a producer and song material.
Airplay – Time on the radio. Airplay sells records.
Clicktrack – Metronome-like device to aid timing or rhythm that is heard through headphones during a recording session or heard by the drummer during live concerts.
Copyright – A bundle of exclusive rights granted by law to the creator of an original literary, artistic, or other intellectual work, including songs and sound recordings.
Crossover – A song originally promoted in one market which “crosses over” to be a hit in another market. A country song may crossover to the pop market, for example.
Demo – A CD done for presentation purposes usually to try to secure a label, publishing, or management deal.
Downtime – Time when work is halted in a recording session due to equipment malfunction or time when a studio has not been booked for use. Or time the band has to do what they want when on the road.
Dud – A song that flops. Also, a person who flops.
Ears – The ability to recognize a hit song or act after only hearing it a few times. "in ears" are special ear buds that are connected to the sound board so the musician can hear himself or other players......or
in the anesthesia world, its a stethescope :)
Fader – Control on a studio console which regulates input or output of sound level.
Gig – Job, especially a club or concert performance
Gold – Award presented for sales in excess of 500,000 CDs.
Grammy – Music industry award presented by the NARAS (National Association of Recording Arts and Sciences).
Headphone Mix - the blend of sounds heard through the headphones in a recording session.
Hook – A musical or lyrical phrase that stands out and is easily remembered.
Hype – Publicity used to feed the promotional machines of the music business. Hype may or may not be true, but it should be “sensational.”
Image – The public’s impression of an artist or product
Master – A recording done for release as a CD album project.
Mix – Blend of sounds. The mix is particularly important in multi-track recording.
Multi-track recording – Recording a multiplicity of audio tracks which allows you to isolate sounds and record them at different times.
Overdub – In multi-track recording, any element that is added after the basic track.
Platinum – Award for sales in excess of one million CDs.
Production fee – Fee paid to the producer.
Riff – A particular group of notes which form a short melody.
Roadie – Person in the employ of a musical act who is usually responsible for moving and setting up sound equipment.
Tracking – Recording basic tracks.
Vamp – an ending to a song that repeats over and over while gradually fading to silence.
Yes I live in another world. It can sound like everyone is speaking a different language, with all of their demos, promos, one sheets and whozits and whatzits. What did you say? What's that? I must ask Trey that once a day. One day I will be a music biz pro....but for now, I'll stick to anesthesia!
The single has been chosen! After much prayer and fasting (thank you to those who fasted with us) "SAY" has been picked. I really feel like this is the right choice! It is the riskier choice and I am glad to watch God work. It's already gotten some great reviews by many different music industry people! The song was sent to radio stations today and will hopefully be in play rotation next week. So I ask you to continue to stand with us in prayer, that God will prevail and bless this song.
You will love this song...it rocks. Shannon rips an awesome solo in it (which you will have download the mp3 to hear it though, because it will be edited out of the radio version. Of course, he rips the electric all through out the song too but the download will be worth it so you can hear the full version). What's more awesome is the guys all played on this album themselves! No studio musicians like a lot of other artists use. These guys are so talented. The drums sound great and the bass line is fantastic. You can really hear Neil's creativity in the way he plays the keys and hear Trey's passion in the vocals. It's an upbeat song that will knock your socks off. It has a great message....what do you believe? You know what your heart says, so shout it out loud, and live it, its time! One thing is FOR SURE! You will want to put this one on repeat play!
Check the bands post today on facebook to read more about it! And hear it for yourself on their page!!!
"http://www.facebook.com/notes/echoing-angels/single-announcement
You will love this song...it rocks. Shannon rips an awesome solo in it (which you will have download the mp3 to hear it though, because it will be edited out of the radio version. Of course, he rips the electric all through out the song too but the download will be worth it so you can hear the full version). What's more awesome is the guys all played on this album themselves! No studio musicians like a lot of other artists use. These guys are so talented. The drums sound great and the bass line is fantastic. You can really hear Neil's creativity in the way he plays the keys and hear Trey's passion in the vocals. It's an upbeat song that will knock your socks off. It has a great message....what do you believe? You know what your heart says, so shout it out loud, and live it, its time! One thing is FOR SURE! You will want to put this one on repeat play!
Check the bands post today on facebook to read more about it! And hear it for yourself on their page!!!
"http://www.facebook.com/notes/echoing-angels/single-announcement
The last 24 hours have been such a whirlwind. Yesterday, we learned that my Grandpa Poe was not doing well and that the kids needed to get to Michigan as soon as possible. He has been suffering from Parkinson's diseas for many many years and has been in a nursing home for the last several years. This week he had gotten pneumonia and was having some heart issues. Well, at 2:30 am this morning he finally received his complete healing and went to be with the Lord. Today I heard Mercy Me's "I Can Only Imagine" and it made me smile because I was thinking about how my Grandpa was running down the streets of gold shouting at the top of his lungs that he was home. Reuniting with my Grandma Poe who went to be with the Lord when I was 8 years old. And thinking about how they are hugging each other and Grandma Poe is probably introducing him to our 2 angel babies that are up there in Heaven. What a glorious day that is! While we mourn here on earth we are also rejoicing that he is no longer in pain. I have so many memories from my childhood. The one memory that lasts with me the most is when I ended up staying with my Grandma and Grandpa Poe for almost a month while my parents went back to Iowa to pack up and move us to Michigan. We would go to Big Boy's after church. We would talk with their neighbor Mr. Martin while calling each other Mr. Turkey's. I remember him taking his 2 nubs and pinching me under the arm as I squirmed to get away. I remember playing Scrabble and asking him if he wanted to play and he would say that all he could spell was CAT. I also remember the time that I went to stay with my Grandpa during the summer. We went to church and the little old man behind us was burping all the way through song service and through the beginning of the sermon. We got to laughing so hard we were crying and ended up having to leave church because we couldn't stop. I remember him graciously opening up his house so myself and 10 of my college friends could stay there as we drove from Minnesota to go to a classmates funeral there in town. So many great memories of my Grandpa Poe growing up. We will miss him but know that we will see him again someday soon!
