In one week...

In one week....

Moved to an Island.
I have made 22 new friends.
Performed 2 songs.
Made 1 music video.
Eaten the most amazing food...yeah we have an incredible chef cooking for us. :)
Written 2 songs.
And learned more "Kelsey" lessons...aka: learned more about myself.

I have cried.
I have laughed.
I have been disappointed.
And I have been appreciated.

I cannot describe to you what thoughts fully flow through my head, but I know that I am supposed to be here. I still wake up every morning asking God why...He simply whispers, "In my time." So I wait. I trust. And I continue to strive forward.

For those of you who know me you know I am hard on myself, you know that I have lost confidence in myself in the last few years, and you know that I was very nervous in coming here. I can't say that I am totally confident and I don't give myself a hard time and that I'm not nervous...but instead I have learned to work with these things as partners to my music and aids to my "Kelsey Lessons." Though I may go to bed thinking "I can't do this," I wake up knowing that I am right...I can't, but God can. It is with Him that I will be able to write songs and share my heart. It is through Him that dreams I have had all my life will become reality. I will write, record, and perform my own music...music I am writing (on a tight one song a week schedule). I am excited to use what God has given me. I am blessed to be in this place for sure.

The people are nothing like me and yet we have so much in common. We all come from different schools, different homes, and different backgrounds yet we long to develop our talents and work to make our way into the music industry. We all are serving a God who loves us and has given us these dreams and now this opportunity. We are all here this semester and we long to work together to see our friends succeed. It is GREAT!!!

I was talking with someone the other day and they asked me if I wanted to be in the music industry when I was done. I said I dono...they said, well if you want to be this program will help you get there. That thought hit hard...I have heard it and I have know it in my head, but the fact that I can actually be reaching for my dreams with all my heart is an incredible thought. I still want to pursue my film director dreams...but maybe I can do both! and that would be AWESOME!!!

I am excited to see where this semester will end up. The thought of being amongst all these incredible musicians is inspiring. I love to be able to talk to others and bounce ideas off them. This is an amazing place with awesome people. We are located in kinda the middle of nowhere...which is simply perfect. We are on an island. We are eating amazing food. We are writing and producing music. We are living our dreams! It doesn't get much better than that.

And yet...

Life is hard. There have been moments of frustration...like when I forgot the words while singing this last week, or when I sit for an hour or 2 with no connected thoughts to put into a song. There are times of heart ache when I feel completely out of my element, when I miss those that know me best...that can see the hurt when everyone else is fooled by my smile. I am at times stressed and overwhelmed...but I know that this will be the hardest yet best experience I have ever ventured to do. I thank God constantly for this opportunity. I miss my friends and family so much, but I am confident in where I am.

Thank you all for your prayers, e-mails and letters of support. Please know that I am blessed to have you as a part of my life. Also, please send me update e-mails and prayer requests. I miss and love you so much! God bless you!

smile...it's good for you,
~Kels