Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

This year, our church group undertook quite the challenge. We had the opportunity to put on a show, "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat." We met in September to discuss logistics, meet the production team, and accept our assignments. Who would have thought that just six months later we'd have an amazing cast, stunning props/sets, and a fantastic crew able to pull off this show and reach an audience of more than 3000 people over 6 shows (gathering donations in excess of 1200 pounds of food for the local food bank)!

I was the Ensemble Director. I helped the Ensemble and some of the dancers learn their music. I also directed the Ensemble, and the main stage cast at several points, throughout the show. Ed was one of the main photographers for this adventure!

I am amazed by the amount of volunteer work that went into this production. The vision was stunning and the dedication was truly inspiring. I think I jumped on the bandwagon a bit late with overwhelming opportunity of this experience. By that, I mean I was happy to be the Ensemble Director, but I didn't understand the impact of the Ensemble at first, or the impact I could have in my role. I feel badly about that and now wish I would have done more. As it was, I was a little disappointed to be in a supporting role and not have the opportunity to perform. I love to sing. I'm kind of good at it! I think I held on to that disappointment for too long that I cheated myself out of a truly incredible experience. Lesson learned.

As it was, this is a fantastic show. The music is so fun, the dancing, the actors - I feel truly blessed to have been part of a production like this.

Samantha caught on to the music very quickly and was so excited to see at least four of the six shows. She loved it! She still sings along with the DVD. She dances to the music. She is hooked! It was so cute too to see her a bit star-struck following each show as she timidly asked the actors if she could have a picture with them. Here are just a few.

Samantha w/Joseph (Bryan Morrison)

Samantha w/Pharoah

                                                                                                                 (Brian Knudson)

Samantha with four of the brothers

(Andrew Ogden, Joe Johnson, Scott Watkins, Justin Owens)

 Samantha pretending to be in the show!                                      

With the guard (Rim Quist)

With one of her favorite Egyptianettes, Elisabeth Denning

Samantha and Izzy with Joseph (Bryan Morrison)

Samantha with Potiphar's Wife (Heidi Markowski)

 

Samantha, me, and Auntie Missi (Orchestra Piano)

 

Samantha and Izzy with a brother (Warren Fitch)

 

I'm very much looking forward to our next musical adventure. We've been told that maybe in 4 years we can put on a production to this scale again. I truly hope to be a part of it, in whatever capacity!

Miracles

"Do you believe in miracles?" That's what my doctor asked me when he came into the exam room to give me my test results.

Me? Pregnant? No, that's not possible. Not after 4 IVF attempts, countless IUIs, tens of thousands of dollars and several doctors from here to Georgia always with the same answer: "We don't know why it's not working." Well, now I do.

Miracles are often dismissed as chance, coincidence, or offered some other "reasonable" explanation. I'm not sure why some people don't believe in miracles. I believe in miracles. Why? Because both of my daughters are true miracles. Don't misunderstand, I believe that every child is a miracle, that giving life is indeed a miracle. My girls are just a little more miraculous than that.

Ed and I waited a long time for children. We tried a litany of things that both Western and Eastern medicine had to offer. Add to that list both looking into the state Foster-to-Adopt option and registering with private adoption agencies. Finally, on a trip down to Utah for LDS General Conference, we "met" with Denise from Heart and Soul Adoptions. When I say "met," I mean we called the office to find it closed, left a message, received a return call ten minutes later and found out that Denise happened to be grocery shopping at the Smith's down at the other end of the mini-mall where we had stopped for lunch. Coincidence, right? Hmmmm...

Less than 30 days from that meeting with Denise, she called to tell us of a possible match with Birth Mother from Missouri. Our application wasn't even totally complete at this point, but still we got the opportunity to talk with this amazing Birth Mother and later found she had selected us to be adoptive parents. Long story short, through a series of miracles (not coincidences, not chance), we have our miraculous Samantha Grace!

Samantha - Jan 28, 2015
Her "princess pose"

Fast-forward two and a half years to me and Ed and our decision to begin the adoption process again. Yep, you guessed it, cue me getting sick, taking THREE at-home pregnancy tests all returning positive results (I was just sure I was taking the tests wrong and they couldn't possibly be accurate), and finally having the pregnancy confirmed at the doctor's office.

Isabel - Jan 28, 2015
(It's my birthday today!)

I was crying when I first saw her, just a few weeks along and there she was. I had visual proof that she existed. How could this possibly be? The doctor who had literally written the book on IVF couldn't return a positive pregnancy result for us, but here she was, clear as day (well, clear as a sonogram at least). In the weeks and months following that first visit, there was a lot of uncertainty, nervousness, prayer, disbelief, and finally on January 28, 2014, a retrospective understanding and a different kind of peace. Pregnancy before Isabel couldn't work. That miracle needed to wait until Samantha was a part of our family first.

Do you believe in miracles? Yes I do! I'm looking at two of them right now.

Aren't they beautiful?