To give up or not give up...

It's not often that I write about my feelings here...

I'm frustrated. I'm trying to write another song for the album (to replace one that I'm not thrilled with) and it's not coming. I feel awkward and off somehow...off tune...off time...off energy...I hate feeling this way! I'm fighting negative feelings toward things I have no control over and it's sapping my strength. Lord, save me from drowning!! At this point I feel like giving up! The only thing that keeps me going is remembering why I'm doing this in the first place. God is speaking through this music - I know that. I also know that when I'm on stage and I'm singing and playing my piano, I feel amazing. I love being on stage.

I haven't been on stage much lately. I'm singing the anthem for the Lethbridge Hurricanes this season and I really enjoy that, but I miss being on stage with a group. I feel like a piece of me is missing when I'm not playing music...I've been missing a lot of pieces lately.

Is this just a phase? Will this pass? Can I get over this writer's block and this despondent feeling? Will this album ever be completed? Will I be proud of it when it's done? I have full faith in Brad and his musicians...they are the most talented bunch of people I've ever worked with. I don't worry about their abilities, I worry about mine!

Prayer family...please pray a layer of peace over me... and then pray a covering of JOY on top of that! I've been missing that.

Love to all of you...thank you for listening to me rant...I'm sorry this post is so blech...I promise I'll try and do better next time.

Michele

Summer Almost Over...

I can't believe I'm saying this...summer is almost over!! What happened?!? Where did the time go? A lot happened this summer...let me fill you in...

We've settled into our lovely home in Coalhurst...many thanks again to Brad, Gary, Will, Sandra and Don for helping us with our dream. We couldn't have done this without you! We had our grass installed in July and it's fantastic! I love a green lawn - I'm just not all that crazy about mowing!

Declan turned 9 in July and had the pleasure of celebrating with family this year! Mark, Jobina, Riker and Trinity came down from Manitoba and Nana and Papa brought them to visit. All the boys took in the Air Show which was awesome as always...and all the girls went for lunch and shopped until we were so tired, we went back home to nap! It was a great visit and we really enjoyed our time together.

Declan also got to go to summer camp for the first time thanks to an incredible birthday gift from Nana and Papa! He went to Camp Evergreen and had a great time learning to canoe, shoot a bow and arrow, do crafts, climb rock walls, sing songs, and play games. The really cool part? His camp counsellor was the drummer in the worship band! Declan loves drums so this was pretty awesome for him. He's already asking to go back next year!

Rowan has been SLOWLY letting go of her potty training issues. Today is day two of panties during the day and so far so good! We are really proud of her and Daddy is going to be taking her to Walmart on Friday to buy some pretty princess panties to help encourage her! Before we know it she'll be in preschool...aack!!! Where did my baby go!?!?!

John is finally getting some more hours at work which is a real answer to prayer. He still enjoys his job and it's great that he has such flexibility there - makes it easier for me to do my music.

Music!!! I have not done a whole lot on the album this summer. Sorry everyone...I know this album is already way past due and I feel horribly guilty about it. I'm trying...please be patient with me! I DID have a wonderful time playing a 45 minute set at Party in the Park this summer and I'm scheduled to play at Global Day of Prayer Picnic in the Park next week. I have also joined a band (I don't think we have a name yet). We play country cover songs mostly (I never thought I'd ever write that sentence about myself! Was never a country music fan). I don't know when we will start playing all together, but I'm looking forward to it. I love playing in a band! I like singing harmony and playing piano...and I LOVE IT when I get to sing lead! It doesn't happen often, but it's a lot of fun being backed up by talented musicians!

Some things to pray for...

My friend, Sandra, is in the hospital currently for complications from diverticulitus (I really hope I spelled that correctly). She's had emergency surgery and will have another one soon. Things have not gone smoothly thus far and her family is worried for her. Please pray for healing of her body and peace and comfort for her family. I know this has been very stressful for them. Also pray for the doctors who are helping Sandra...our doctors work very hard and need our prayers too!

I have been really struggling with migraines lately. My doctor has put me on beta blockers to try and help the situation. So far it has made a difference. I still get migraines, but not as many and not as severe. Please pray for continued success with this medication.

Please continue to pray for my album, now titled "Redemption Story" which is also the title track of the CD. There's a lot to do and some reworking of songs still to come. Pray that the changes we make and the instruments we add will help, not hinder the message that we want to come through. Also pray for the musicians that are helping me with the album, that God will use them and their talents to send His message to all who need to hear it! Also please pray for my producer and friend, Brad. He's working really hard and it's been a busy summer. Please pray that he finds enough hours in his day to do all the things that he does. I know he rarely sleeps making sure that all his artists are taken care of. While I appreciate his dedication to our craft, I know how that can wear a person down.

Our kids are going back to school next week everyone! Let's pray for our kids, our teachers, and all the other wonderful people who support our kids at school! Let's pray that God really makes Himself known to our children this school year and that our teachers and school staff feel supported by us, the parents, each and every day!

Thanks for reading everybody!! Sorry it took me so long to write!

School's out...

It would appear that once a month is the average amount of posts you'll see from me these days...it seems like the warmer the weather gets, the less I'm online! We are fast approaching July in the Treleaven house. Declan is out of school for the year and we are FINALLY getting some decent weather around here! Yahoo!

According to our purchase agreement, our lawn should be in, and our house should be completely finished by July 1. Somehow I don't think that will be happening. Our builders are so busy building the houses around us...I haven't seen anyone come to our house in ages!

I can hardly wait for lawn...to be able to go outside and not have to walk on dirt would be soooo nice. But I know that once the lawn is in, I'll be saying that I can hardly wait for fence! It's always something...

Declan is looking forward to joining the BMX club starting Monday (weather permitting). There is a fantastic BMX track just down the street from our house and the club provides 20 Monday night coaching sessions, 20 Friday night races, and 1 Saturday afternoon race for $100.00. I'm thinking that's not so bad and it gives him something to do this summer. He's already spending the majority of his time there, so he might as well join the club!

Honest to goodness...that's all that's new since the last time I posted. John, Rowan and I are all doing the same as always. If anything new comes up...I'll be sure to post!

Happy Summer Everyone!

Long time no talk...

Yikes it's been a while since I've written. Let me try and update you a little...

Since my last post we have settled very nicely into our new home. We love it and can hardly wait until the landscaping is done so we can really enjoy this new space.

I have done a few gigs with Ira since we moved. One that really stands out for me was at the University of Lethbridge. I did two solos which was a first for me. The first solo, "Land of the Blind" went better than it has ever gone before! I felt every word and was exhausted at the end of it but so proud of myself for doing so well. Not to toot my own horn or anything, but that felt REALLY awesome! After the gig was over, two people came up to me and wanted to shake my hand...when I looked at their faces I nearly fell over! It was Craig and Carla Ginn! You probably won't know who I'm talking about so I'll tell you what this meant to me. Craig Ginn was a Christian singer who played at my school in Winnipeg in 1989. I loved his lyrics and his talent with a guitar and spent some time talking with him after the show. I found out he was from a town called Medicine Hat. The next year, we moved to Medicine Hat and who do you think the first person was that I met at school? The girl who babysat Craig Ginn's kids and went to his church....aack!!!! She took me to his next concert where we started talking again. Since then I have had the enormous priviledge of not only being friends with this deep thinker and his family, I have had the huge pleasure of playing on stage with him and also playing at camp with him. So anyway, seeing him at this gig was very special indeed as it had been ages since I'd seen him. He gave me some really great feedback on my performance and I was blessed beyond words to hear such positive comments coming from someone I admire so much. What a fantastic night!

John and the kids are doing great! Declan has made many friends in our area and is out riding his bike on the local bmx track every day. We just found out there's a little girl Rowan's age right across the back alley from us and my co-worker who also has two little girls is moving just down the street. More and more confirmation that we're right where we need to be.

That's all I have time for right now...stay tuned for more...hopefully sooner rather than later!!!

Pictures of the new house part 2

So now I'll show you the bedrooms, bathroom and main floor closet. First up is the master bedroom. The first picture is the main area, the second picture is the his and hers closets (they face eachother) and the pocket door leading to the bathroom.

Next up is Rowan's room which is right beside ours.

After Rowan's room is the linen closet which is used to store pretty much everything for upstairs.

After that comes Declan's room. He is loving his new camo bedding!

Then there's the bathroom. Small, but pretty all the same.

Basement pics will be up next time!

Pictures of the new house...

Well, you asked for them (and by "you" I mean Jobina!), so here they are! Pics of the new house. Due to system limitations, you will be getting pictures in a few different posts...enjoy! The first picture is our living room.

This next picture is of our dining area. To the right is a door leading to a small deck where our bbq will sit once I actually get around to building it. To the left is our kitchen which you will see in the next picture. Down the hall are the bathroom and the bedrooms which will come in another post. I don't know if you can see this but my cat is sitting all freaked out in the hallway in this picture.

Our fabulous kitchen....sigh....John is very happy. I can't believe I actually have a kitchen that has so much room, I don't have enough stuff to fill the cupboards!

The front of our house. The posts are going to be painted dark brown yet. You can see that deck off the dining area on the right hand side of the house. The white van in the picture is what the builders are using as a tool shed at the moment. We're hoping that moves soon. Our grass will be here by summer time and I have to say that I'm really looking forward to seeing some landscaping!

More to come soon!

We've moved!!!

Well dear family and friends, we have finally moved into our new home. I have found that I have way more muscles than I thought I did - and right now every last one of them is asking me, "why did you abuse me like that?!". HUGE thanks go out to Brad, Gary, and Will for helping us haul furniture and more boxes than anyone should ever own. We could not have moved without you! I promise a house warming complete with bbq'd steak and beer will be forthcoming. Special thanks go to my parents who took our kids to their home so that we could move without trampling our little ones in the process!

Most of the rooms have been organized and unpacked with the exception of our bedroom and the unfinished part of the basement. I still need to build one dresser, a bbq, and a futon. I'm hoping to have everything unpacked and organized this weekend. I think I can do it. I haven't found the batteries for my camera or I would post some pictures. I may just have to bite the bullet, go to the store and buy more batteries. I'd love to give all of you a taste of what my home looks like. I warn you though, pictures could never do this house justice. It's everything we could have wanted and more. John and I are very very happy with our decision to buy this house.

So if you're down this way, come on over! We'd love to see you! I promise to post pictures soon.