Birthday Tribute to my Favorite Singer

I know I have spent the last few days away from my music topic. Enjoy while it lasts.. haha!!

I want to give honor to a lifelong friend.

Happy Birthday to one of the sweetest people on the planet...Tishauna!! She is a true blue, loyal, Godly, talented, and beautiful friend. I am so glad we are friends. We've had so many fun times together. I began thinking about all fun Tishauna taught me to have and that taking risks can actually be worth while sometimes.

Here's an example, I was scared to sing when we were little, and she had NO FEAR. Once she sang in the kids choir, I figured she survived so I guess I would too. It was worth facing my fears. HAHA She taught me how to "live" a little. =) She was the daredevil (in a good way) and I was more cautious.

I remember Bro.Olivan at Junior Camp telling me I had to play the piano and sing. I was soooo scared. Tishauna told me I could do it and even offered to help me sing. The only thing I knew how to play in my age of 8 repertoire was "We Need the Rain" by Nancy Grandquist. So me and Tishauna sang and I played. My foot shook on the pedal the entire time.

She got me to ride my first roller coaster ride at Great America. It was called "The Demon." I was scared to death but she rode it and survived so I guess I would too. =) And it was worth it.

I remember when I had the "Camper of the Week" award coming my way (unknown to us at the time) at Junior Camp in Paradise, CA that she got me to sneak out the last night. I missed out on the award but didn't miss out on some great fun and it was worth it. (I'll keep the readers guessing where they found us (Nell, hush!! ). LOL. We were good kids so our trouble was pretty pathetic to some people's standards. haha.

I remember the time me, Tishauna and Cameron (her brother) went bike riding and made a big circle through the neighborhood behind their house and came out on Elk Grove Blvd. I'll never forget Cameron thought he could beat us home (he was actually going to but I was too competitive to admit it) and he passed us although we were sure pedalling fast. He got past the intersection but missed the ramp going onto the sidewalk and hit the curb dead on. We made the ramp and looked back to see Cameron hanging over a Dentist sign with his feet still connected to his bike. I never laughed so hard in my life to see the sight I beheld that day. I cried laughing all the way to their house.

Then there was the sleepovers and everything past midnight is funny. What sweet memories: Clean Teens, Kick the Bucket, Cow-a-bunga with Ginny Wilbourn, perfume all over jr.camp floor, barbies, candy picnics, "gymnastics" with Aunt Vicki, pumpkin patch, roof-born trampoline fun, tree houses 30+ feet up... the fun never ends.

Then... there was Matt!!! =( Jk Matt. We were 14 and at Junior camp. Me and Tishauna had to bunk on the top bunk together because we crammed too many of our girls into one room (I think there were 7 of us and there were only 2 bunk beads). It was the last night and no one could go to sleep because we kept talking. I think Janelly even remembers that night. HAHA Finally, Tishauna kicked her feet over the side of the bed, sat up, and asked all of us, "So what do you think about Matt?" I'll never forget that quote as long as I live. I totally thought she was out of her mind. Matt hung out with older young people and was not even someone she EVER talked about. I wanted to make sure it wasn't one of the Matts at camp or somewhere else. I found out it was THE Matt Jones. Ahhhh my life was over. No more sneaking out of cabins. No more goofy pranks. No more sleep overs. On her 17th birthday, Matt proposed and she got married halfway through her 17th year. I was soooooo happy ... and sad too. It was very bittersweet for me. She couldn't have got a better guy.

We did continue to sing together. A new layer of our friendship emerged once we got older and began singing together even more. She is an incredible singer, voice instructor, and is able to blend with any voice. I mentioned it in a post last year, but I will reiterate how special it was to be able to sing together with her when she came to visit us last year.

Aside from music, it has been a treasure to have a friend who taught me how to have fun. I Love you sooo much and will always treasure every memory. Happy Birthday Tishauna!!