The Voice ~ Not so Lucky; The Husband ~ so GOSHDANG Lucky.

Well, well, well.   So, I won't rule The Voice this season after all.  I won't get to swoon over Blake Shelton or drool over Adam Levine in person.  But that's okay.  I went after something, not once but twice, and I don't regret it not one bit, not one moment of it.  Well, maybe I regret eating at that little BBQ joint inside of the gas station, but other than that....I don't regret any of it.  I mean, have you ever tried out for something where there were 10,000 other people in the same building, trying for the same thing?  It is an experience you won't forget.  Most of the people were great.  Everyone was so excited to be there, talking with one another, wanting to know where you're from, have you ever done anything like this before, etc., etc.  There were the ones who were just there for the adventure of it, some that were extremely serious about it, some who were dressed to the nines, some who looked like they just rolled out of bed and put a hat on their head.  There were all kinds.  But, I really wanted to talk about what lead me here, to Memphis and Dallas, for these tryouts.

My husband.  Plain and simple.  That man believes in me.  Lawrd, does he believe in me.  When we first started dating, I was in the process of getting things together to move to Nashville to pursue singing, but that thing called love, well, it bit me in the ass, hard and I remained in Mississippi.   I joined a country band and sang with them while Big Sexy and I dated and continued singing with them, all the way up until my son turned two.  Around that time, my mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer and all I could think of was how I could spend more time with her.  By the time she died, I had our daughter and had put on so much weight that I couldn't fathom trying to get back up on the stage to sing.  So, I chose to focus on our family and said that when our kiddos got a little older, and I lost weight, I would try and go back to singing.  And I did, eventually.  I had lost a significant amount of weight and was approached by a group who wanted me to join their contemporary Christian band and at first I wanted nothing to do with it, but then I figured, you know what, I'll do it.  It would get me back into the groove and back out there.  So, after sitting down with my husband and his parents, we had come up with a plan where his parents would help out with our children on the weekends that he was at work.  I did this for about a year.  Everything seemed good and then that succubus called cancer came back at my mother in law with a vengeance and even though she insisted on still helping with the kiddos, I couldn't do it.  She had already done so much for me that it was my turn to help her.  I had not been happy with the band anyway, so I gave notice  and went back to doing what I do best, being with my family.

My husband continued to encourage me to return to singing.  He knew that it was what I loved, what I missed.  But I have been so adamant that I was putting my family first.  Always first.  He always has said, whatever problem you make up in your head that keeps you from singing, I can find a solution.  But there just was no solution.  After his mother passed away, he asked me if I would start looking back into getting back into a band and I said no.  I'm too old.  The kids need me.  Insert excuse # 3-100 here.  So, when I looked into The Voice auditions and saw that there were some near me, close enough to drive to, I thought, what have I got to lose?  Nothing.  So, I signed up.  Let me tell you.....when I told him that I signed up to audition, you would have thought that he had won the lottery instead...."Sang, baby, SANG!"  He was yelling through the phone.  On my way to the first audition, I had emailed him and told him that I was nervous and that I didn't want to disappoint anyone.  I received this email from him ;

"My dear...one day you will realize that this journey will disappoint nobody who truly matters in your life...even if you end up in dead last place and on the bloopers episode. The only person you will disappoint is yourself if we continue to worry about what every one else has to say or think. Always remember that those who are usually the first to scream and shout, and are quick to offer their opinion about things unknown are usually those who have the least amount of vested interest and the most amount to gain from another's loss. Your family loves you. Your true friends love you. I personally enjoy watching our kid's eyes sparkle every morning when they first see you...and yes, even Trey.

The kids will remember this for the rest of their lives, and will be instilled with pride from your efforts regardless if you win or lose. In their eyes their mommy is a very special person who has a talent that might get her on TV...what they have yet to realize is the admiration that they will have when they are older due to the simple fact that there mother had the courage to chase her dreams. Chasing dreams - a life lesson that is invaluable and very rare in it's own right.

Tomorrow is your day baby - whether be rain or shine, win or lose you will always be my Jennay, our children's loving mother, the daughter & sister my family has always wanted, and the best friend that many wish they had.

Don't worry about all the turkeys...go spread your wings, sing from your heart and fly with the eagles baby!

After that email...It didn't matter how I did in the audition.  All I cared about was how proud of me, my husband was.  He absolutely believes in me, more than I do myself.  And if there were twenty more auditions close by, I would do them all.  Just because it made him smile and because he believes I can do it and that even if I "end up in dead last place and on the bloopers episode" he would believe no differently.   So even with not getting a callback from The Voice, I still won.  I won the admiration and more respect from my husband than I already had for going after a dream.  Gosh dang, I'm a lucky gal.