Weekend in Virginia

Virginia!!! That's where I spent a few days this past weekend. A trip originally planned around my Nana's 80th birthday, but definitely shifted in focus as my Bubba has pneumonia and will soon have a permanent feeding tube... there are few people as courageous, stubborn, and genuine as my grandparents... they are amazing.

And so I flew home as a birthday surprise for Nana and to spend some time with the family. It was also a surprise for Nate, since he's only had four years to practice keeping secrets.... He came with my parents to pick me up from the airport, but they told him simply that they were going on a "mystery trip". The morning included a train museum in Ellicott City, MD and lunch at his favorite restaurant, McDonalds. They were on the way to the airport when I called to say I had landed. Nate figured out his last surprise pretty quickly.

Mom turned to Dad in the car and said, "They are still on the plane." and then to me on the phone said, "The airport exit is in one mile." I could hear Nate in the backseat yell, "Is Amy coming to visit from Indiana? Is that my last surprise????" He demanded the phone to ask me personally...which I would neither confirm nor deny.

We had a sweet, sweet reunion in the airport. I put my bags down as Nate ran across the baggage claim area to leap in my arms. I love that kid. I'm also a huge fan of cinematic moments. We found ours.  The weekend included daily trips between Colonial Beach and Springfield and afternoons spent with my grandparents who are currently staying with my uncle. I learned a little more about picc lines and antibiotic pumps and wrestled with two very cute dogs. I had the opportunity to play some of my songs for the family... an impromptu house concert of sorts. I met up with a friend for coffee, impulsively had my hair highlighted, ate at multiple buffets, made sure to squeeze in Sheetz MTO and a 7-11 slurpee....and made friends on both flights... but those are posts for other days. This heart is thankful for time and presence and family.

Birthdays

Birthdays are a pretty big deal. Just the fact alone that you survived another 365 days should be celebration... but the fact that it is YOUR day, it's pretty sweet. Last year, my newest nephew, Lucas, "stole" my birthday. And by the way of planned c-section. Good thing he is so cute and lovable. Maybe by next year I'll actually be excited that we share a special day....

Last year, I worked 12 hours on my birthday. It started with staff development, which meant watching Lars and the Real Girl to have a discussion on community and embracing individuals that are outside of cultural norms.

I talked about my birthday allllll month. I mean, it was my birthday month, then my birthday week, any reason to claim attention I took. My poor co-workers... I think they were thankful when February 1st rolled around.

And this year, my birthday was incredibly sweet. There was cake with the staff, and a really off key rendition of Happy Birthday, probably four or five different versions being sung simultaneously. There were flowers from my sister, which almost ended up being added to the funeral flowers that had come in the day (oh the joys of working in a church!). And I actually took an evening off.....  The day ended with a few friends at Outback...mostly cause regardless of where I've lived, there has always been one to eat at. So while the company around the table changes, the blooming onion remains the same. Beautiful. A special day indeed. 

The Sensitive Heart

I watched the Curious Case of Benjamin Button while on vacation with my family in Ocean City several years ago. We were staying in a friend's condo and had the lights dimmed to give a subdued movie like atmosphere. As the credits rolled, we turned the lights on and I looked over at my sister who had tears sliding down her cheeks. At the time I laughed. She told me I would feel differently one day...like after having a kid. I haven't had a kid. 

But I teared up during the inauguration the other day. When one of the speakers quoted George Washington saying that our country would not be proven in the election of the first president, but in the election of the second president with the peaceful transition of power. And I thought of how amazing our country is, as we reinstate our president.....as Beyonce lip-synced the National Anthem...

Parenthood makes me cry almost every week. That Christmas episode where the mom says goodbye to each of her kids.... whew, I might tear up right now.

Is this what getting old feels like? I am almost 29.......

Pictures in a Field Part 2

Photo shoots with Rachel are always an adventure. At some point, she'll have what she considers a brilliant plan for a picture....This same idea when weighed in my common sense doesn't have quite the same strength. Like the time she was convinced we should take pictures against this beautiful stone wall. Only problem was the shoulder-less road that blindly curved right where the wall sat....I didn't see that panning out too well. Or the time we started climbing onto limbs that dangled over a ravine.... And I refused to even consider the decrepit cement bridge that would require a two foot drop down onto.  

But a field is tame and safe....and although I aired a lot of concern about snakes....we didn't see any and neither did we fall into the ravine.

These pictures are in contention for eventual album artwork. Any keepers?

Safe

I started writing a song a couple of months back that came from a simple chorus of "I will cling, cling to Your hand, and I'll sing how I am safe, with You I am safe." I have ALOT of irrational fears....nuclear warfare, home invasion, zombie apocalypse, high speeds, flying....just to name a few. :o) The beauty of them is that for the most part they are irrational...I mean zombies?!?! And so no biggie. But sometimes....the irrational parallels with reality a bit too closely. We have had a dozen or so apartment robberies in the Fort Wayne area over the past week and a half. Most happened after dark, some involved guns, some just a purse snatch, and others a home invasion to take higher value items like televisions.

Now, I was born and raised in Northern Virginia. I know to be aware of where I am and who or what may be around me. I know to park in well lit areas and keep an eye out for things that look slightly off. I also lived in Northern Virginia during the "Beltway Sniper", when we all walked through parking lots zig zagging and I wasn't allowed to gas up the car. I was home from college on fall break, and the tension one felt when going out anywhere was thick and heavy. 

So this rash of robberies just feels plain weird. I still feel safe here in my apartment, I know several of my neighbors, and I've always been observant as I've walked from the car to the building, or taken my trash out. My doors are always locked, I even lock my car when it is parked in a locked garage....I don't think I could change these habits if I wanted to. What I will not do, is alter my life dramatically. I will not purchase a gun or other weapon to carry. I will not live in fear of "what might happen." What I will do, is to continue living. 

And so I finished the song "Safe",the other day. I don't know if it will ever make it into the setlist of a house concert, the beauty of songwriting is that it is an overflow of what I am feeling and experiencing. I needed to remind myself that regardless of the decisions of others, the bad ones and the good ones, I know to Whom I belong. NOTHING changes that. I am safe.

2018 Edit…. I was going back through the blog checking on a couple of links and realized how unfinished this post is…. Safe made its way on to my first album Coming Home to You and has more often than not been the opener of house concerts and shows.

Pictures in a Field Part 1

I had this brilliant plan. I wanted to take photos in a field with a chair. I mean, I live in Indiana with LOTS of fields. And in most "if you give a mouse a cookie" situations, Rachel and I couldn't use any normal, average, standard chair. Rachel found one she liked at a second hand store. But by "liked", we mean the shape and size. Certainly not the bland color of off-white with tiny flower prints. And so began the upheaval of attempting to fabric spray paint the piece.....let's just say $50 later, enough of the chair was covered that we were able to take pictures.

We headed up to Auburn one day, to a field owned by a neighbor of Rachel's family. It is a nature preserve, which guaranteed that our traipsing around would not land us caught in a metal trap or other dangerous equipment. I appreciated her plan. :o)

It was cold that day, and the owner of the field, an older gentleman watched on in amusement, as we hefted that chair out into the field and took dozens of photos.

The problem I have found, is that every time we have planned to take photos, the day is cloudy and rainy. Here's to hoping in 2013 for days of sunshine and warmth.

Home for the Holidays

We had a crazy Christmas Eve at church. There were multiple tech malfunctions, one pastor in the hospital (he's out and on the mend.... as in almost driving me crazy again :o), and people going in a million different directions. I had caught whatever super charged cold virus that had been passed around, but considered the night a huge success when I only burned down two luminaries outside... it's the little things. Luckily, Christmas Day was another Sunshine Christmas (NO SNOW!!!). I drove down to Indy to catch a flight back to Virginia. Ironically, I sat next to a church organist from Bloomington who was also flying to see family. And in the small world we live in, we found a few mutual acquaintances to mull over.

And so, I ended up back home with the family, feeling very ill, but very thankful to have at least a few days on lovely, Virginia soil. Colonial Beach is far different from the land of Northern Virginia where I grew up, but just being back on the East Coast brings delight and excitement.  Confession: I hadn't really thought much about Christmas presents other than the debrand chocolate I had brought, so between making some sock monkeys and the local Rite Aid, I was all set when my brother's family got into town later in the week. Nate even got into the sock monkey magic, insisting on stuffing an old pair of socks we commandeered from Mema. He's such the little crafter. 

And I met Lucas, aka He Who Stole My Birthday, who is simply put; precious. A easy going, good natured, second child. He loved the harmonica I received for Christmas and was probably the only one who appreciated my huffing and puffing throughout the day. Jacob, his brother, has grown so much since I last saw him, and is talking more and more. I wish I saw them more. 

 It was hard to leave that Saturday....I cried my way through goodbyes and into the car for the drive to BWI. I sat quietly through lunch at the mall and shopped a bit to kill time and cried again as my Dad dropped me off at the airport....the tears came when he offered to park the car and wait with me for a bit. Leaving is hard. Leading worship after leaving is even harder. The next morning in church, Nathan preached on faithfulness. I got up for the last song and spoke about how God had reassured me that leaving my family was being faithful to Him.... I teared up as did a few among the congregation.

 I wish Indiana wasn't quite so far to Virginia. I love my parents, grandparents, siblings, and nephews. I love the land that I come from. Soon it will be February and we will all be together again for Nana's 80th birthday...can't come soon enough!

Hosting a House Concert

f you......

a) have a living room or other space b) have 20 friends you can invite c) like music

..... you definitely have the ability to host a house concert!

A house concert is exactly what it sounds like....a concert in your home. It is cozy, intimate, and informal. You, as the host, agree to invite your friends/neighbors/coworkers and provide the space and snacks. I bring the music and the stories. Combined, it makes for quite the delightful and magical evening.

The concert is donation-based so there is no upfront cost to you. The schedule of the night is relaxed and can be varied depending on the location and host. Typically, the first 30-45 minutes are spent mingling, eating, and giving time for friends and neighbors to arrive and acclimate. Then I play for about an hour, a combination of original story and songs. Then we mingle some more. No two nights are exactly the same. Sometimes there is dinner beforehand, sometimes it's appetizers/snacks or maybe it's a potluck and everyone brings something. Children that can sit still for an hour are more than welcome (typically around ages 8-10).  I've also had hosts bring in a babysitter to hang out in the basement with the kids for the night or had a neighbor watch all the children at a nearby house.

And the space doesn't necessarily have to be a living room. I've played in all shapes and sizes of living rooms, but I've also played in barns, backyards, coffeehouses, gallery spaces, and the very occasional Hard Rock. The only requirement for the "space" is that all attendees can be seated in the same space for the entirety of the performance. We can certainly get creative!

I would love to talk with you more about planning a house concert in your community. This year I'm planning two house concert tours, one this spring and then another this fall that will potentially take me across the country and into your neck of the woods?? But the rest of the year is fair game if you live in Virginia or on the east coast. Shoot me an email at amy@amycoxmusic.com and let's get scheming. :o)