Always Watching

"Auntie Mel why are you doing that?"

I looked over from the bathroom mirror to see Christine's head cocked to the side analyzing what I was doing while holding her tooth brush and tooth paste in one hand. I couldn't help but smile at her puzzled face and looked back at myself in the mirror. I had dotted lotion all over my face, ready to smear it in. 

" I do this so I can spread my lotion on my face evenly. It's easier to spread it all over this way."

I saw the wheels turning as she thought through what I had said. "Oh" was her response than she walked away. 

Later on  during tour I had Christine again and went to check on her and the the other girls getting ready. Running late and trying to get them out to the breakfast table before we left to the church. I looked at Christine and smiled. The young girl had dotted lotion all over her face. 

"Christine what are you doing?"

"Dotting my lotion, it spreads easier." She stated back to me as a matter of fact. 

I gave them a five minute warning and left.

When I was a little girl I remember one of my favorite things to do was watch my mom do her makeup for the day. I would watch in wonder at how she would put dots of foundation all over her face then rub it in, carefully making sure it was even. She was so exact at how to do the blush, eye shadow, eye liner and lipstick. I would ask questions and she would answer each one patiently. How I couldn't wait to do the same things.

I thought about Christine and how she had changed how she put her lotion on when I got back to my room.It was a real eye opener to be careful with what I did because I had 18 sets of young eyes watching me. I am not their birth mom, but I was left in charge with 9 other chaperones to watch and guide these 18 kids. How I reacted, what I said, how I dressed, who I was would influence them.Whether it be good or bad. They were watching. 

                                  Christine and I goofing around in a Cinderella Carriage in Montana

                               Ephrance, Christine and I goofing around one night after a concert. 

Worth a Thousand Words

One day while I was in Northern Ireland I decided to go out and explore by myself. It was very rare to have a moment alone. The kids were busy with napping, set up was done. Everyone seemed to just go their own way. So I decided to do the same.

I remembered another beautiful church when we came into this little town and wanted to take a picture of it. So I decided to go off searching for it. It wasn't hard to find, being a small town. It was in the middle of the cobblestone town square. When it came into view I stopped and just marveled at it. So overwhelmed by the beauty of the church, the cobblestone street I failed to do one thing.... Watch my footing.

As I went to walk forward to take the picture I failed to realize the side walk had come to an end and walked off it, loosing my footing and falling in the middle of the cobblestone stone street on my hands and knees. Utterly embarrassed I awkwardly stood up, face red and in pain. I  dared a glance around my surrounding hoping no one saw. 

"Are you alright miss?!" Yelled a man from a bench next to a tree in the town square. Humiliation! Face red, I've been caught! "Uh yes!" Was all I could muster out while I made my retreat, first pausing to take the picture of the church. I was already there and dedicated. As I walked up the hill back in retreat with wet knees, bleeding palms and sore knees I shook my head. But was not defeated... I got my pic.

                                                     

Time to start

Home. I can not believe I have been home for almost 3 months. It feels so surreal. Looking back over the last 13 months on tour with The African Children's Choir I can't believe it's over. How fast it went by. Sometimes I wake up in the morning and think to myself, "right, time to get the kids up and ready to meet at the church with the others." Than I remember, the kids are back in Uganda and I'm home. No more rushing the kids to get ready, no more bracing myself for the unknow of what was to come. Where are my 18 hugs I get every morning!

Everything reminds me of the kids! Stories are constantly popping into my head of different times on tour. I know before I left with the choir I promised to keep y'all posted through a blog. Well little did I know how insanely busy tour would actually be! But now that I am home and have time, I think I shall share stories about the adventures of tour. 

So here is the first story...

This is a present from a boy named Trevor. Trevor sat behind me on the bus for the first part of tour, then infront the last part. One day when we were heading to a huge concert in Cardiff, Wales Trevor turns to me and asked what my favorite food was. A fruit bar? Bag of chips? Were the two options. I told him a fruit bar, though I'm not really a fan of either. Two minutes later I heard him say "auntie look over there!" He pointed behind me and I looked. Nothing was there and I heard a thud on my seat. Looking down at my seat I found this. Joshua (the other boy who sat in front of me) had been joking with me all day and Trevor wanted to make sure I knew and that they both love me. ❤️

                                             Joshua( with the gloves in hat) Trevor in the white

December

"You don't have to figure out how it will happen, all you have to do is believe."

December has shown up and has been speeding by faster than I can say my name. This seems to be the month of goodbyes...emotional, snot filled, blurry eyed goodbyes. I cannot remember a time that I have cried as much. I lay in bed and think, how is this really happening? Mind blown, tears streaming down my face and unable to find a good enough way to thank people. Nothing seems enough.

As of tonight, I have already completed my last Wednesday Night Kids Church and Sunday morning kids church,and moms notes babysitting. By the end of this coming weekend I will have cleaned after my last basketball game/tournament and door greeting at church. Things keep checking off the list and it feels surreal. I have spent many hours dreaming of this. Finally joining the African Children's choir, saying goodbye and moving on. But it has been so hard saying those goodbyes.
I was surprised by Pastor Cheri when she made an announcement with Levi that the kids church had saved up money for me. As I went up and hugged both of them, all the other kids ran up to hug me.  I have gotten to know each of them and love them. And have loved getting to know Pastor Tom and Cheri. They aren't just my  pastor when I was a kid attending kids church, but also great friends. I am truly blessed by them and the hard work they have put into the ministry.

 (My African Children's Choir page in my Dream Journal)

 I have so many quotes on following after your dreams and doing something with life. So many dreams in my dream journal that i have pored hours in to staring at them, crying over them and thanking God they would come true. And they are, in time I am able to check them off and put a date next to them. Being able to check off my biggest dream has been emotional, fantastic, amazing, jaw dropping, a testimony... the list could go on.

Again I want to say thank you to everyone for the support they have given me, whether it is money or prayer. I am so grateful and appreciate it all.
And I would like to encourage you to follow after your own dreams.  No matter how big or small or different they seem, they are still your dreams. And that makes them important.
Go get em! And enjoy the pursuit of them! It sure is an adventure!

~Auntie Mel from Choir 41

Fundraiser

Words cannot express how grateful I am and how blown my mind is. I have grown up in the same church since day one of my life.I was practically born in the pew. Not only did my parents raise me but so did the  pastors, elders, leaders, school teachers and every one else in the church. I love my church and the older I get the more I realised how good I had it while growing up in this generous, spirit filled, crazy, loving church family! I have seen it go through so many changes and shift and it has only gotten better over the years. 

Sundays fundraiser left me speechless. Trying to find the words to express how appreciative and thankful I am is difficult because nothing seems to fit how thankful I really am. I have only felt everyone back me up on joining the African Children's choir since day one of the dream. From the standing ovations and the seed given to me the previous Sunday when I tried to give a speech about the ACC to the actual fundraiser this last Sunday my mouth has been left open...unable to actually process what is happening.

I am so grateful for my church family. There generosity and kindness has not only made me an emotional wreck but extremely grateful that God has placed me in this loving environment. Even as I write this I am tearing up. I have only been encourage to follow after my dreams and I want to do my best and make everyone proud. 

Thank you to everyone who has seeded into me. I am so humbled and grateful for your generosity and support. Thank you for trusting me and believing in me. I will never forget this...for one my love language is gifts and two you have all made a huge impact on me and I would not be the person I am today if it wasn't for you and God of course. lol

Thank you so much!!!!!

Love, hugs & kisses,

                                     Auntie Mel

Doug O Lug flippin patties....

There is always a little time for goofing around!

 

My saxy beast of a friend supervising the soda!

 

 

My family rocks!!! thank you for all your guys' help. I could never have done it by myself!

One stack of pies..... there was a total of 78 pies!!!! and we got more orders!!!

 

The parents snoozing away afterwards! They soooo deserve that nap!!!

Friday...shopping day!

Anytime I can hangout with my mom I always welcome it. (especially because the countdown is coming to a close for when I leave). She has become my shopping buddy and one of my bestest friends. Little did we both know of what we were actually getting ourselves in to when we embarked on this adventure....Fundraiser Shopping.

Never doing this before, we took all day friday bargin hunting...always ending up at Costco!

Then Winco, Cash &Carry and Safeway(who donated whip cream for the pies. Thank you Safeway!) My old boss from Safeway even bought 2 pies from me!

Trying to figure out how many pies to make, how many hot dogs and hamburgers to buy was definitely a challenge. Buy enough but not too much to where I'm left with a lot of product. Found some really good sales to make us giggle like little school girls. 

Fridays shopping trip was definitely a high light of the weekend. Roaming the isles of different stores loading up on tons of chips, soda, hamburgers, hotdogs, buns (hehe) and baking goods. People asking us why all the BBQ stuff. Obvious its not summer. Being able to share about the African Children's Choir is always something i love doing.

 

Thank you so much Marmy for another wonderful adventure and a fun shopping trip! I could have never done it on my own. Even though it was as cold as the North Pole, well maybe not that cold, but you are a trooper! I love you and appreciate you so much!

An adventure of my own

This last summer I had quite the adventure. For the first time in my 26 years I finally got to travel by myself. It wasn't very far, but a great warm up for the near future.

I traveled by train to Bellingham, WA. First, I must say traveling by train is the way to go! Comfortable and able to walk around and meet new people sitting around me or in the lounge. 

On the way up to Bellingham I had a slight "lay over" in Seattle ( first time ever in Seattle) then took the Greyhound Buss to Bellingham. Nerves and excitement filled me. I was on my way to hopefully be an Auntie with the African Children's Choir. I was in the last stage of interviews, one more than a dream could possibly come true! 

I made friends with a lady who was on her way to visit her friend in Bellingham.  A travel budy! We talked and I told her what I was up to. And she told me all about her family back home and her friend that lived in Bellingham.

When we arrived she wished me luck and we both went on our way. 

I remember as a little girl dreaming about the first time I would travel on my own. No parents, no one familiar, just new and exciting! Find adventure in the great unknown! Meet royalty, or perhaps Prince Charming( that was just a do gooder), discover a lost land (I was always a big dreamer lol).

Who would have known it would be the start of a new adventure, I had no idea about! As I reflect back to that head always in the cloud girl, I can't help but smile! Thankful that I live in a family that always backs me up, will tell me when I'm wrong, encourage me and loves me even though sometimes I am crazy and ridiculous. 

Here's to you Poppy, Marmy, Aimers, Scotchy, Doug o lug, and my minions!

Love you guys! (My minions are at the babysitters in this pic,MIA) lol!