A Trip!

Tonight I traveled back in time and jumped into character in the movie, "The Sound of Music."  A movie close to me like an old friend (or shoe). I've watched it quite a few times, yes, but also, this movie holds many memories for me for others reasons as well.

For instance, this movie has landed me a role or two in some theater productions as well as landing me my first ever speaking role which happened to be the princess in that good old comedy "Once Upon a Mattress" starring Princess Winifred ("Fred") and that bothersome little pea under all those mattresses.

This is quite the trip down memory lane, but forgive me and skip down to simply look at the pictures if you must, but I shall carry on with my winding story...

"The Sound of Music."  As I mentioned, my sister and I would sing songs from The Sound of Music at practically every musical audition we ever went to.  I had "My Favorite Things" down pat, and my sister aced, "I am Sixteen Going on Seventeen."  These were our songs, man.  Anyway, we sang them over and over and over again, winning role after role.  We even scored big on our audition for "Man of La Mancha" singing these hits.  We had been cast as two asses in the show. Literally. As in donkeys. Hooray!{sarcasm} And so went the story of our musical theater careers.

Well, tonight sent me back as well as forward, as I said in the beginning.  Elliott has been having bad dreams and is frustrated, "because," he told me, "I keep having bad dreams and I prayed and asked Jesus to help me not have bad dreams and I still have bad dreams and its not working!"

So, I proceeded to regurgitate commentary I've heard from one of Cheryl Brodersen's Women's Bible studies concerning our thoughts. Specifically, Philippians 4:8 which states, "Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things."

I talked to him about how he needs to be obedient to God's word and not continue to lie in bed before he falls asleep and keep thinking about these scary things, he needs to focus on good things, about how cool God is, his favorite things about God. His favorite things! Oh yah!  And then this is where I suddenly recalled all of those carefully memorized lines and melody and burst into song:

"Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens,
bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens,
brown paper packages tied up with strings,
These are a few of my favorite things!

Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes,
Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes,
Silver white winters that melt into Spring,
These are a few of my favorite things!

When the dog bites,
When the bee stings, (which is appropriate since Caiden got stung this week)
When I'm feeling sad,
I simply remember my favorite things,
And then I don't feel SO BAAAAAAD!

Cream colored ponies and crisp apple strudel,
Doorbells and sleigh bells and schnitzel with noodles,
Wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings,
These are a few of my favorite thiiiiiiiiiiings."


Oh my goodness, it was wonderful. I was using my diaphragm and singing correctly, the words bursting forth as my stage smile brightened! I threw my arms out and swayed to and fro. I made motions with my hands. I even let a little vibrato creep in there on the long notes. I scrunched up my face and exaggerated my movements. I got into character. And they loved it! They loved every minute of it! Oh it was grand, wasn't it? (see how easy it is to slip into character when you start talking about these things?) Caiden had a huge smile and was eating up the words and motions and pretty soon she was standing up in her crib with her arms thrown out and dancing and singing her little 2 year old heart out.  Elliott was grinning in his bed.

Then we started talking about our favorite things and taking turns singing and making up our own lyrics. It was precious.  Caiden got so excited and told me that her favorite thing is to get food and eat it all up and then get more! Haha!  Elliott told me that his favorite thing is having a little sister.

Oh what a blessing to have these moments with my little ones. And be able to sing an oldie and sing it for the same purpose as was intended when Julie Andrews sang it in the movie! Oh isn't it grand!

Thanks for listening to me ramble. Let your life be a beautiful melody to the Lord for He is good and His mercy endures forever! Amen.

I took the liberty of digging up a few long forgotten slices of history for your viewing pleasure. Long before marriage and kids and real life.... Enjoy!

{Me and my sister, Heather, posing with another member of the cast of "George M!" circa 1999}

{The cast of "Once Upon a Mattress" and me circa 2001}