Last week I was going through life like normal and caught myself singing. I didn't mean for it to happen, it just did. It's always a good sign because it tell me that my life is in balance. I actually forget that I do that until it's back. It's a great place to be. I associate singing with so many memories from my past. During family night we sang either "Down By the Old Mill Stream," or We're From Nairobi." Sitting around the piano singing church and secular songs is a part of my life as well. My mom taught us the State Show which was a show that she did when she worked at Bryce Canyon and performed at a BYU assembly. Then my Dad, who sang in a quartet at BYU loved to teach us parts. Susie, Melinda and I sang "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy," for a talent show at Dos Palos High School when I was a Freshman, Melinda was a Sophmore and Susie was a Senior. We dressed up like the Andrew Sisters. We won and went on to the regional Talent Competition. We also sang, 'Breakin up is Hard to Do." for our Stake talent show. "Comma, Comma Down Dooby Do Down Down, will never leave me. The memory that is most dear to my heart is how I used to go outside in the field and sing my heart out. Growing up, our property was 10 acres, which was mostly field. I would go out at sunset because the skies were so beautiful all pink and purple or orange and red and make up songs about how I felt. Sometimes I actually came up with some pretty good ones, but couldn't remember them by the time I got in. I actually wrote down one called, " The Sky is Blue." I even took friends with me sometimes. I wonder what they were thinking, because it was such a part of me I thought it was normal. When I wrote my first song,"Arise and Shine Forth," It felt like that, like I was in the field just singing whatever came to me.
