Thursday, May 26, 2011

Number One Off My Bucket List!!!

It was about three years ago that I dicovered Josh Groban, yes I was a little late to the party on this one I know. He was singing at the very end of a David Fosters special on PBS. I immediatly fell in love with him, not only was he incredibly cute but he has an AMAZING voice that just has a way to pull you into his performance.

The next day I started doing some resrearch on him and quickly became a bigger fan. He had just gotten off his Awake tour and was said to be going back in the studio the following year. I was really excited at the idea of hopefully seeing him in the next year to year and half. But unlike his last few CDs with about a year between each he kept us waiting for his current CD for three years.




In those years I had made a deal with Kammie, my concert buddy, that if she would go to Josh Groban that I would go to Disturbed. Crazy deal isn't it? Nothing like picking two acts that couldn't be further apart but I think that is part of the fun! But seeing Josh Groban in concert made it's way up to being the number one thing my bucket list in no time.



Last night I got the chance to cross it off my list. I had high hopes as to what the concert would be like and the were exceded. I know that people have this missconception of who he is due to the music he sings but between talking for a good two to three minutes in his Stewie voice, to playing tricks on the audience, and continually running into the audience when his security wasn't ready for it, I found my self laughing a lot. But for me one of the best moments of the night was when he sang War At Home which he wrote after spending time in Walter Reed. As the sister of someone serving in our military it is a really special thing when someone like him takes a moment and finds a way to share to the world what our soliders, who are coming home, are going through. Even though I know he will probably never read this I want to thank him for doing so. I hope that he knows how special it is what he has done!



I have to say that it is really refreshing to go to a concert and not be one of the closest seat in the area and still feel like I am. He has a way of really pulling his audience in and making every single person feel like they are the most important person in the place. Also, he really seems to enjoy his fan, loves to interact with them and make them a part of his show. With the success that he has had it would be really easy for him to be a "divo" and just go out sing and collect a pay check. But I think that his approachability has helped his fame. I know that I don't like to go and support an artist that seems to have forgotten why and how they are there and that is because of every single person that is in the audience who paid to see that show. This is something you know he has not and never will forget.

There are very few artist that I would go see over and over again and Josh Groban is one of them. I am looking forward to getting to see another show of his in the future. I know that he has already been to Wichita and Kanasas City but if anyone out there has a chance to see him in any of his other shows I would suggest going even if you may not be a huge fan of the music he sings. The show he puts on will be worth every penny you spend to be there I can promise you that!

Until next time good night!

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Tornados part of life in Kansas

With all the tornados that have been happening the last few days it has really forced me to think about one of the scariest days of my life so far. My heart is breaking for those that have been affected by them, it's not an easy thing to come back from and they have a long road ahead of them as they start to rebuild.

My own run in with a tornado came on April 25th, 1991. I was just 7 years old sitting in the living room with my brothers who were 4 at the time. We were watching tv wile my mom and dad were making dinner and suddenly the weathermen cut into to the program that was on saying we were under a tornado warning and that we should start to take cover. Like many Kansasans my parent didn't think anything would happen but to be on the safe side my grandfather, who lived next door, came over and picked all of us, by this time it has started to hail. While we were waiting for him to come the tornado sirens started to go off. As soon as we got next door my grandmother quickly took my brothers and I downstairs letting us pick out one toy and took us under the stairs. My mom, dad and grandpa stayed out front to watch the storm.

As they stood there they were sure that it wouldn't come any where near us but it started to turn and head our direction. The next thing I knew I heard my mom come running down the stairs and told my grandma it was headed our way. My grandpa stoped to not only shut the back sliding door but to also answer the phone and talk to my aunt who was calling to tell them a tornado was heading our way. My grandpa and dad came stomping down the stairs and as soon as they got under the stair with us the lights went out and with in seconds the loudest noise I have ever heard went over the top of us. With in 30 seconds it was over and we started to make our way out.
We looked up to where the ceiling use to be and just saw blue sky. It's hard to explain the thoughts that can go through your mind as you look at the devestation. We all have seen pictures of what houses look like after a tornado rips through a town distroying everything in it's path. Quickly I started to help my grandparents find our horses so our vet could come get them, while my mom helped some of the older people who were unable to make it to safety.


My Grandparents house

The next few days were kind of a blur, my aunts came running across a feild to get to us right after it happened. The boys and I didn't really stay there long that night my aunt brought us over to her house where we "help" with the clean up. Not sure how much help we were! The happest part of it all for me was when my beloved doll, Melody was found. In the end we spent the next two month living with The Biggs befoe we found a house in town.


My house

That day will forever be with me and as we have had so many terrible storms the last few days it has brought up a lot of fears that I still have. Yesterday as I was in Winfield and the tornados were on the ground in Oklahoma and moving towards the boarder I called my mom freaking out a bit. I usually am not the one that freaks out about storms thats for my brothers to do. We were very luckly yesterday as we were not in a ton of danager. But I do feel for those that were.
My heart and prayers go out to everyone!

Until next time
Tegan

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Brothers At War

Thanks to Netflix I watched an amazing documentary today that has really started me thinking, trust me I know how scary that is. I know that the reason most people make a documentary is because the person making it wants to shine a light on a topic that is near and dear to them. I'm not usually one to watch a documenary but this one hit very near to my heart.

Brothers At War was filimed by Jack Radmacher as he followed his brother Isaac, who is a captain with the Airborn Corps Long Range Surveillence Comany and Joe, who is a sargent and a sniper. The amazing thing about this film is that Jake was given unprecedented acces to not only U.S. but also Iraqi combat units. There is a point in the film where he is caught in a fire fight and if the film is slowed down you can see the bullets flying by the camera.





Jake not only focused on the combat aspect of the military life but also the human side. He showed how hard it was for his brothers to come home from an extended deployment and get back to a "normal" life. I can imagine that this isn't limited to just his brothers but that there are men and women who come home everyday who are dealing with the same issue. It showed me how important a supportive family can be.

But what I think I found most interesting was when he would ask the soliders why they were doing it and if they died would their sacrifice be worth it. There was one soliders who said he would do anything for America. And that got me to thinking about all those people who are currently serving or have served in our military, why do they do it? Is it because they have a love for our country? Is it to provided a better place for their sons/daughters/nieces/nephews to grow up? Is it to support their families in a time where we are fighting a recession? Or is it for the educational benifits?

Everyday men and women are putting their lives on the front lines to protect and the freedoms we take for grantie. I can not be more proud to say that I am the sister of an Air Force Reservest, the cousin of not one but two Navy doctors, and the grandaughter of an Army vetran of World War II and of an Air Force Master Sargent. But what about those who do not have the support of their famililes? Can we do something for them?




Mac and Andy, at Andy's wedding, just missing one of our other Navy doctor.

When Mac came home from his last deployment one of the most heart breaking things to see were those soliders who were walking off the plane and didn't have anyone there. In the additional scence of Brothers At War there is a home coming of a unit, and the only time I teared up while watching the movie was seeing those soliders who were walking around and standing to the side because they didn't have any one there. I really feel like every solider should know that there is someone who is there for them and appreciates what they have done for our country.

I'm not sure how many people know this, seeing as how I just found out about it while doing some research for this post, but May is Militay Appreciation Month. I really want to encourage everyone out there to reach out to one of the 1.5 million active service men/women or one of the 850,000 reservest memebers and thank them for protecting our country and the freedoms that we take for granite everyday. There are a ton of ways to get involved to show your support for our miitary. The best website I found to go to if you want more information is the DOD website, http://www.ourmilitary.mil/ and it can then link you to a ton of different programs. I really encourage everyone reading this to get envolved and thank a solider for their service! Also, if you want more information on Brothers At War the website is http://www.brotheratwarmovie.com/ it really is a must see.



Thank you to every person who is or has served our country, and thank you to their famillies who have to put up with them being gone for extended periods of time. If it weren't for you we would not be living in a country with so many freedoms.

Good Night for now!

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

He's Almost Here!!!

There is something very cool about going to a baby shower but I think there is somethin even better when you get the honor to throw the shower. The shower to me always seems like the begining of the end. By the time the shower rolls around the baby is getting close to being here and who isn't excited about getting to meet the baby for the first time?

On Sunday I got the pleasure of helping to host my cousins Greta's babyshower along side my cousin Rachel. It is always fun to host a shower. I have done it a few times for my friends and I always have a lot of fun thinking of themes, the colors, making the food but I think the best part is seeing all the different people come together to celebrate the mom to be and the baby that will soon be here.

The birth of a child represents what is still pure in our world and with all the bad things that continue to happen around us it is special to be able to come together for something that is so positive. We are able to take a few hours out of our extremely busy lives to come together and show love and support to someone who is about to take a huge step in their lives and probably start the most important job of their lives.

I know that our family is so excited for Henry to get here. It will be so much fun to have two little boys around here for a while. If Herny is anything like Liam, and since they will be cousins I know he will, he is going to be one really cute and pretty darn smart little boy. The sad thing is going to be saying good by to him when he and his mommy and daddy have to move out East. So I guess we will just have to spoil him for the few months that he will be here in Kansas.

So congrats to Andy and Greta, I can't wait to meet Henry!!!

Good Night for now!