Bunny rabbits make me want to cry

When I was twelve, I really wanted a bunny rabbit.  And I did my research!  I actually wrote a paper about different breeds of rabbits and how to take care of them, and then I asked my sixth grade teacher if she would grade it so I could use it in my application for the magnet program at Kealing.

I decided on a Netherland Dwarf, partly because little bunnies are cuter and partly because they tend to live longer than bigger bunnies.  We found a hutch at a garage sale and Dad spruced it up with stairs, a second level, and a private sleeping area.  Then one night Mom and I went down to the animal shelter and I picked out my baby.

I had just started taking Japanese at Kealing and fallen in love with it.  And what better name for a cute little bunny than “cute little bunny”?  So her full name was かわいい ちいさい うさぎ (Kawaii Chiisai Usagi) and we called her Saki.

Our sheltie, Buddy, wasn’t sure what to make of her at first.

But they quickly became friends.

Saki was with us through my sophomore year at Vandy.  I was her primary care-taker at first (she was my bunny, after all), but around junior year when I joined colorguard and my life exploded, I’ll admit that Dad took over quite a bit.  And obviously I couldn’t take care of her while I was away at college.  No one was even home when she died; it was Family Weekend so they were in Nashville with me.  The neighborhood “bunny man” who she’d stayed with many times before called Mom’s cell phone with the news.  Monica hugged me, but I wasn’t sad at all.

Saki had been a wonderful bunny and I was ready to move on.

*Disclaimer on the title of this post: bunny rabbits don’t really make me want to cry.  It’s a line in “Pulled” from The Addams Family.  All my page and blog post titles are lines from musicals.

A rustle in the leaves

As we move into the lovely season of autumn, let’s take time to celebrate that wonderful tradition of playing in the leaves!

And who could forget the leaf forts!  I loved building forts.  I even had a book that taught how to build all different types – sand, snow, blanket, leaf, etc.  It’s impossible to ever beat the forts we built for nap time at dance camp (we used ballet bars with various dance shoes to hold the sheets in place) and there’s not a lot of sand or snow around here, so what did that leave?  Yup.

The best were the epic one I built in the backyard…

…and the one Monica and I built with our cousins in Longview!

Side note: I’m pretty sure this was also the trip where I forgot to bring shoes.  I have never lived that down.  (I’d gotten in the habit of carrying my socks and shoes to the car and putting them on on the way to school.  On this particular trip, it wasn’t until we stopped at a gas station that I realized I must have forgotten to grab them.  I squished my feet into Monica’s shoes so I could run inside, and then once we got to Longview I borrowed a pair from my cousin that actually fit perfectly.)

Other side note: I’m wearing the same shirt in both forts.  Completely unplanned.  But it was my favorite shirt at the time, so it makes sense.  I got it from my best friend for my birthday.

Someday I’ll be part of your world

The Little Mermaid has always held a special place in my heart.  Don’t ask me why, because I’m not entirely sure.  It was my favorite Disney movie growing up.  “Part of Your World” was MY SONG.  I even made up this whole backstory about Ariel’s mom and it became so ingrained in my brain that later I wondered where I’d heard it from.

I had a Little Mermaid outfit that I wore all the time.

My sixth birthday party had a whole Little Mermaid theme.  In addition to drawing mermaid chalk pictures (which I like to think are still there underneath the tile), we played Pin-the-Tail-on-the-Mermaid, Mom made a mermaid cake, and I opened presents on a Little Mermaid sheet that was placed in a corner of the unfinished gameroom.

I loved meeting Ariel on our family vacation to Disney World.  She commented that it looked like I loved water as much as she did (I’d been playing in the fountains outside her grotto).  It also made me super happy that her autograph included a few quickly scribbled fish!

For my final exam in choir freshman year (my first year in choir when I was still terrified to sing in front of people), I ended up singing “Part of Your World” and probably had a little too much fun with props.  I can’t remember now exactly what I used for all the gadgets, gizmos, whos-its, whats-its, thingamabobs, etc., but I know my friendship bracelet collection was involved somehow.

Anyway, all this to say… imagine my excitement upon learning that I’d have the chance to audition for a stage production of The Little Mermaid!

There’s a section of the audition form that asks, “Which parts would you like to be considered for?”  My response went something like, “Ariel (or really any mermaid, I just want to be a mermaid, please let me be a mermaid!)”

I thought my vocal audition on Saturday went well considering I could feel my voice trying to run away.  I felt fantastic about the dance auditions last night and was surprised how few tappers there were (tapping seagulls appear at the beginning of act two).  This afternoon, I was ecstatic to find out I got called back for the mersisters!  I celebrated on Facebook by posting, “YAY my childhood dream of being a mermaid / princess is still alive!!!”  The callbacks were super fun and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing (or hearing about) the impressed looks on the director’s face while we were singing.

And now… we wait.

Watch and you’ll see, someday I’ll be part of your world!

EDIT: I got the role offer email three days later.  I am officially a mermaid and a princess.

Pitch a tent

I used to go camping all the time.  Everything from local overnighters and weeks in national parks in our family tent to weekend Camp Fire campouts in rustic cabins with not much more than bunk beds.  In a way, it’s almost like I grew up outdoors.  To this day, nature is one of my biggest reminders of God’s presence.  Especially anything relating to the sky.  (Music is the other big one.)

It started early.

Between family vacations, Camp Fire campouts, and trips with the Couples Club that Mom and Dad belonged to, we probably went camping at least five times a year.  Camping produced some of my favorite childhood memories, including Dad’s bedtime stories.  I even had a “campout” in the backyard with all the girls in my class to celebrate our sixth grade graduation!

Camping trips gradually dwindled as time went on.  As far as I can remember, the last time we used our tent was summer of 2003 and the last time I stayed in a cabin was summer of 2012.  (Funnily enough, both occasions were Hurley family reunions.)  And I miss it.  I feel like camping is a part of my history that is slipping away and needs to be recaptured before it disappears forever.

So I’m planning to do something about it.

Due to a combination of perfect circumstances, I already have a few big vacations booked for 2017.  Why not go all out and make this a year of travel?  The big vacations include visiting my 50th state and using my passport for the first time, so most of my other plans are focused on the great state of Texas.  A mix of day trips and extended weekends for state parks (plenty of opportunities for nature and camping!), touring musicals in San Antonio or Dallas or Houston and doing other stuff too instead of driving there and back just for the show, touristy stuff in Austin that I never do because I live here, etc.  I really want to make this happen, so I guess I’m partly putting this out into the universe to keep myself accountable.  I’m also open to travel buddies if anyone would like to join me for a trip or two!

---

Consider this fair warning that some of my blog posts over the next year might be a little intense in tents.