I am happy to report that all Peeler's are well and alive and surviving... and our guests made it to their home destination safely... It was a fantastic visit, although my sister just breezed in and out; we had a delightful time... even got in a very CALM and enjoyable Monopoloy game between the Dad, sister and myself... no blood was shed. That might be a first. Of course, Dad won... but then again, Steph and I could have placed money on that one.
Dad and I spent Friday out in the garage, arranging boxes and getting things put into more logical places now that we've been here a while and have a better sense of our use of items. The weather reached in the 50s, the snow was melting rapidly and the grill was smoking a brisket for dinner. Who could complain?
Dad left on Saturday; I took off to check out downtown sales and stop into B&B to visit C; while Steven worked on today's sermon. I also popped into Stuff-mart for a brief overview of the Christmas leftovers and to check out the Cricut selection... my Christmas present from my sister. It's a scrapbooking tool... way too much fun!
Today, Steven had his first two baptisms of two boys... way too adorable for their own good. It was great to have a large crowd for post-Christmas Sunday, which is usually a light attendance.
We spent the afternoon lounging, getting out in the 40 degree weather for a walk; and trying out Steven's new remote control airplane.
As I've now come to hear that others are reading this blog... maybe I started it for my own journaling... never actually thinking others would care about what goes on in my world... I've realized that it is reaching others...
Christmas was a great week for us, despite the under the weather feelings. Reconnecting with my dad, growing up and showing him that we are managing adulthood fine is actually quite a privelege... I think he's proud to see Steven and I managing our world... and he was delighted to see the new house, and C & G... it had been years since he'd spent time with them.
Of course, every holiday allows me to see new nuances of family structures and family dynamics... I'm continually amazed at how folks interact and react with and to each other... I adore my family and am very grateful at our relative healthiness of it all!
And so, we continue to celebrate the gift of Christ... who comes into our lives without our doing or asking... and manages to love and protect us... despite who we are... It's so much more of WHO'S WE ARE... than WHO WE ARE!!!
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Christmas 2008
So, it's 4:00 a.m. on Christmas; and I can already tell you that this Christmas will be one to remember. It all started on Tuesday; Steven's 31st birthday... we went out for Chinese the night before to celebrate the birthday; and came home... like any other date.
I awoke around 3:00 a.m. on the 23rd, not feeling well... made myself get into the upstairs spare bedroom, surrounded by the trash can and the cat... and it went downhill from there. Spent the rest of the day in bed, awaiting the arrival of my father for the holidays.
Spent the night in the spare room, to avoid getting Steven sick.
Christmas Eve, 6:30 p.m., I arrive at church and Steven informs me that he's not feeling too swift... the bug has joined him for Christmas.
Service begins, he ducks out a few times during the hymns... and upon the hymn after the sermon, he does not return. A lay leader takes over, and I duck out to check on him. Find him extremely under the weather... he returns to service, in time to give the dismissal...
He's immediately in bed, before 9:00 p.m. and we're just awaiting to see his condition on Christmas morning, as we are scheduled for a 10:00 a.m. service. Thank goodness it's not a huge crowd that will await him...
Steph should be leaving Cheyenne shortly, to join us... 5 hours is the best timing she can make w/o any stops and clear roads... it's cold, the snow is still on the ground, but it's several days old at this point.
I'm awake because I'm not sure I've completely kicked the flu and I couldn't sleep... thought I'd check in...
We do wish each person and family a very Merry Christmas. God continues to bless our lives and we hope he shines in each of yours.
I awoke around 3:00 a.m. on the 23rd, not feeling well... made myself get into the upstairs spare bedroom, surrounded by the trash can and the cat... and it went downhill from there. Spent the rest of the day in bed, awaiting the arrival of my father for the holidays.
Spent the night in the spare room, to avoid getting Steven sick.
Christmas Eve, 6:30 p.m., I arrive at church and Steven informs me that he's not feeling too swift... the bug has joined him for Christmas.
Service begins, he ducks out a few times during the hymns... and upon the hymn after the sermon, he does not return. A lay leader takes over, and I duck out to check on him. Find him extremely under the weather... he returns to service, in time to give the dismissal...
He's immediately in bed, before 9:00 p.m. and we're just awaiting to see his condition on Christmas morning, as we are scheduled for a 10:00 a.m. service. Thank goodness it's not a huge crowd that will await him...
Steph should be leaving Cheyenne shortly, to join us... 5 hours is the best timing she can make w/o any stops and clear roads... it's cold, the snow is still on the ground, but it's several days old at this point.
I'm awake because I'm not sure I've completely kicked the flu and I couldn't sleep... thought I'd check in...
We do wish each person and family a very Merry Christmas. God continues to bless our lives and we hope he shines in each of yours.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Accepting the Role
I expect this to be the many of many blogs as I go through the timeline of becoming Suzanne Gold-Stein... a character in the play, "Twilight of the Golds"...
I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to be a lead in a play... it's something I've wanted my entire life... and at the same time, it's a struggle as this isn't exactly the 'happy-go-lucky' play that many envision as their first lead role.
Suzanne, a 30-something married Jewish woman is pregnant with her first child. Her husband has discovered that there is a genetic testing you can perform on an unborn child... this one, just so happens to test for the 'gay' gene... whether it really exists or not.
The test shows they have a high chance of having a gay child; and there ensues the familial struggle with the couple, her parents and her gay brother.
The question is, "Do they keep the child, or abort it?" There in lies the emotional struggle of this play... and whether or not I'm sane enough and stable enough to go through this journey with Suzanne.
The play will be performed the last weekend of February, first weekend of March at the Hastings COmmunity Theatre: www.hastingscommunitytheatre.com
Hope you can come and enjoy the show! Stay tuned to the blog for my journey with Suzanne Gold-Stein!
I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to be a lead in a play... it's something I've wanted my entire life... and at the same time, it's a struggle as this isn't exactly the 'happy-go-lucky' play that many envision as their first lead role.
Suzanne, a 30-something married Jewish woman is pregnant with her first child. Her husband has discovered that there is a genetic testing you can perform on an unborn child... this one, just so happens to test for the 'gay' gene... whether it really exists or not.
The test shows they have a high chance of having a gay child; and there ensues the familial struggle with the couple, her parents and her gay brother.
The question is, "Do they keep the child, or abort it?" There in lies the emotional struggle of this play... and whether or not I'm sane enough and stable enough to go through this journey with Suzanne.
The play will be performed the last weekend of February, first weekend of March at the Hastings COmmunity Theatre: www.hastingscommunitytheatre.com
Hope you can come and enjoy the show! Stay tuned to the blog for my journey with Suzanne Gold-Stein!
Friday, December 5, 2008
Courtney's Return to the Stage
Last night, I took a leap of faith and found myself on stage... auditioning. As I wrote out my audition form, I realized that my last time under the lights was in 1995, during the scene of Fool for Love, by Sam Shepherd at TLU.
I remembered the high that I had when I was someone else... the energy that feeds off those forlorn black floors... the hours spent rehearsing with my high school casts in the early 90's... hours of running, warm-ups and memorizing lines.
But this was my first 'adult' audition. The play is "Twilight of the Golds." It's an intense play about the struggle of a young couple (in their 30s) who have tested their unborn child and realized it has a high percent chance of being gay. They chose to abort. There are no heroes.
As I spoke withe director before my reading, he relayed the sense of the play; asked me how I would do with it... and very directly explained the nakedness that Suzanne, the young wife, would feel/be/present to the audience. How would I feel about being this woman? How would this impact my life in the 'real world'? Could I be emotionally strong enough to suffer through an abortion each night on stage?
the side note to it all is that this character has nearly 60 pages of lines/being on stage. My fear of memorization would be my stumbling block more than anything... although last night as I slept, the reading excerpt that I did was so ingrained in my head. I was transfixed by it; and it nearly came to me in full wealth... I relate to this woman. I struggled for years to find Mr. Right; and I know that Steven is the best thing that ever happened to me!
As I read, I really did connect with the audience, it's a very intense one-on-one type environment... speaking directly with the audience... bringing them into the psychy of hte characters...
It was a flattering experience... if for nothing else than to completely love being back on the stage, under the lights and absorbing someone else's trials and tribulations... Whether or not I am chosen to be Suzanne, I am glad I've come out to the Community Theater family and made my presence known... I'll definitely be involved in some shape or form... on or off stage.
I remembered the high that I had when I was someone else... the energy that feeds off those forlorn black floors... the hours spent rehearsing with my high school casts in the early 90's... hours of running, warm-ups and memorizing lines.
But this was my first 'adult' audition. The play is "Twilight of the Golds." It's an intense play about the struggle of a young couple (in their 30s) who have tested their unborn child and realized it has a high percent chance of being gay. They chose to abort. There are no heroes.
As I spoke withe director before my reading, he relayed the sense of the play; asked me how I would do with it... and very directly explained the nakedness that Suzanne, the young wife, would feel/be/present to the audience. How would I feel about being this woman? How would this impact my life in the 'real world'? Could I be emotionally strong enough to suffer through an abortion each night on stage?
the side note to it all is that this character has nearly 60 pages of lines/being on stage. My fear of memorization would be my stumbling block more than anything... although last night as I slept, the reading excerpt that I did was so ingrained in my head. I was transfixed by it; and it nearly came to me in full wealth... I relate to this woman. I struggled for years to find Mr. Right; and I know that Steven is the best thing that ever happened to me!
As I read, I really did connect with the audience, it's a very intense one-on-one type environment... speaking directly with the audience... bringing them into the psychy of hte characters...
It was a flattering experience... if for nothing else than to completely love being back on the stage, under the lights and absorbing someone else's trials and tribulations... Whether or not I am chosen to be Suzanne, I am glad I've come out to the Community Theater family and made my presence known... I'll definitely be involved in some shape or form... on or off stage.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
