Category Archives: homeschooling

Concert 8-Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

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Thank you to my sponsor for today’s blog.
www.evolutionarywomen.org

Authors’s Note. I added a description of the Passport journey and a few things about worrying vs trusting life to this blog. As we finish packing up and cleaning our house, I am tweaking some of the drafts that were never published. We go to settlement on our house on Nov 16th and then hopefully a week in Europe before heading to California in the middle of Dec. When we know the details we will share the specifics.

This was the 8th concert of the summer and the second concert in beautiful Vancouver. The day after this concert was Canada Day.

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Concert 8- Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
June 30, 2009

Vancouver is beautiful. Everyone who has visited here or seen pictures says how beautiful Vancouver is and it is true! Lush green forests. Mountains that rise from deep blue bodies of water. Nature is woven into the tapestry of the community.

Hannah and I are staying with one of the Conscious Choices authors, Laura Mack and her husband Andrew. Laura wrote a story in the CC book called, “Finding my voice and finding my community.” Laura is the embodiment of community. (I first met her when she was in Baltimore for a convention and stayed an extra four days to attend the first east coast Evolutionary Women Retreat.)

Laura and I started the day with coffee and then an hour walk from her home to the village of Deep Cove. She told me that the weather we were having was the perfect summer weather in Vancouver. Sun, light breeze, low 80’s. We walked through neighborhoods that led us to a dense forest with a paved path. The sunlight occasionally peaked through the trees to warm our faces. At the bottom of the hill, we found the cove. A brief hello to their boat, The Lovable, stopping to breathe in the beauty and then back up the hill. It was a walk that made me think I would have a very tight gluteous maximus if I could do this hour long walk everyday.

When Laura and I arrived back at the house, Hannah and I tried to connect to the wireless system. They had just switched to a new internet provider and for some reason, neither Hannah nor I could connect. Our plan B gave us an opportunity to drive into the little village in the opposite direction of the cove. We spent an hour at a lovely coffee shop called Bean Around the World. Good coffee. Delicious apple, poppy seed muffins. Big, round, wooden tables.

We drove to General Motors Place, the Vancouver arena and walked around talking with people. It was another quiet day. It felt like a weekend even though it was Tuesday. The next day was Canada Day, a day of independence and a big holiday, like our 4th of July. Across the street from the arena, I found a bench to sit on and I reflected on the challenges we had overcome to be here in Canada.

One of the things was the expired passport. Here is the story of the passport. As you know, the month before leaving on this trip, we cleared our entire home. On our third day on the road and the day before our first concert of the summer in Dallas. I woke up early to organize the blog, update my website, start a fan page and respond to a long list of phone calls and e-mails to people in Baltimore. I checked our next few stops and looked at the passports.

Long pause… Mouth open… Eyes wide… Breathing stopped…

In one hand is my passport. All is well.

In my other hand is Hannah’s passport with bold, red letters CANCELLED.

We brought the wrong passport. We were scheduled to cross the border to Vancouver, on June 29, ten days from then. No one else had a key to the storage unit at home in Baltimore. And even if they did, where would I tell them to begin to look for it? The storage unit was packed to the ceiling. For all I knew, it was recycled with the trash.

This summer I was planning on weaving book talks with authors from a book I co-authored called, “Conscious Choices: An Evolutionary Woman’s Guide to Life.” Even if we skipped the Jonas Brothers concerts, I wanted to visit and spend time with Laura.

After a trip to a local passport center in Dallas, a phone call to the US Government and a series of pushing buttons on the automated reservation line, Hannah and I had an appt in Aurora, CO on June 23 10:30am. This required leaving the Jonas concert in Tulsa, OK about 15 minutes early and driving through the night to arrive in Denver by 10:15 am to check in.

Hannah and I drove through the night to get the passport. We arrived 30 minutes early. Everything went smoothly at the office. It was challenging to drive, yes. But, Hannah stepped up to the plate and drove for 2 hours following the directions I had for her. I had an opportunity to let go and trust her. Early in the morning, when I had taken the wheel and had been driving for hours, I listened to my body and pulled over to sleep for 45 minutes in the parking lot of a Comfort Inn. I saw an amazing pale pink and blue sunrise through the rear view mirror. I heard birds chirping as I sped along the highway. I saw the mountains coming into full view in Denver. I had these experiences because of the missing passport.

The woman who helped us at the passport office was nice and friendly and supportive. Everything happened with ease and grace. I had more than enough information to support the processing of the passport.

As we climbed into the car to drive to Longmont, Colorado, I thought about how much time I had spent worrying about this. I had two nights when I woke up in the middle of the night. I began to think about the worrying. Had the worrying supported this process at all? Did the worrying get us to the passport office on time or did I waste precious time on something I had no control over? All I really could do was show up with the requested paperwork and be in the moment of the Yes or No.

I asked myself, why can’t I just trust life to bring me my highest good?

Yes, I have experienced loss of loved ones and some of my dreams have not come true. I have had my share of disappointments. But, I also have had a pretty amazing, magical life. I have received some strong intuitive thoughts that have led me to jobs, friends, homeschooling my kids, and of course, to the jonas brothers concerts with my daughter.

I ask myself, “Why can’t I trust life to support me? Why must I worry and fear that things will not work out?” None of the worry or fear actually brings me good stuff and it actually takes me out of enjoying the present moment.

I arrived in Longmont, Colorado and realized that I had my friend’s UPS address and not her home address. She is in Hawaii. I called her. She answered her phone and gave me her home address and directions. I easily found the key, entered her lovely home and had a comfortable bed to sleep on for an afternoon nap.

Why am I holding so tightly onto the details of life when I have so much proof that I am supported?

And here I am in Vancouver. A beautiful city. A guest in a home filled with love. Sitting on a bench enjoying the people and the city. Ready to see what will be another amazing, heart centered Jonas Brothers concert.

Today I have money in my pocket. Food in my belly. Time to watch, listen and dance and sing. A place to sleep. Gas in the car. a healthy body. A smart mind.

I ask myself this question:

Do I want to know all of the answers so I can watch the movie of my life or am I here for the ride?

I choose the ride.

Posted in Andrea Hylen, Bean Around the World, coffeeshop, Conscious Choices: An Evolutionary Woman's Guide to Life, Hannah Hylen, homeschooling, Jonas Brothers, jonas watch, Vancouver

Concert 6- Tacoma, Washington

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6th concert: Tacoma, Washington
June 28, 2009

Author’s Note: Going back to the beginning. This week two blogs. One was the 5th concert in Portland and now this one in Tacoma, Washington, the 6th concert. (June 27 and June 28, 2009) If anyone has videos or pictures from either concert, go to Jonas Watch Fan Page on Facebook and post them. Thanks!

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Even though you may want to move forward in your life, you may have one foot on the brakes. In order to be free, we must learn how to let go. Release the hurt. Release the fear. Refuse to entertain your old pain. The energy it takes to hang onto the past is holding you back from a new life. – Mary Mannin Morrissey

Concert 6: Tacoma, Washington
June 29, 2009

I messed up. I made arrangements to sleep in two different homes in Seattle.

Instead of Sleepless in Seattle. We were Sleep-Full in Seattle!

Yesterday, on the way to Portland, I realized that my friend Chad lived in Seattle, not Portland. You may say, how much of a friend is he if I don’t know where he lives?

Chad and I had been in a Transformation Circle together. It was a year long personal, transformation program with Barbara DeAngelis. Our group of 30 people met in Palm Springs and in Sedona several times for weekend retreats. We wrote to each other on a yahoo group. We spent hours and hours on coaching calls on the phone. I knew some of his deepest desires, his greatest pain, and the joy of seeing him heal and transform. He knew my old story and had seen me emerge with a new life, too. I had visited with other circle members on the East Coast but I had never visited the West Coast members. And somehow, I got it into my head that Chad lived in Portland.

Then another friend from Baltimore, Karen Porter, had a friend in Seattle who jumped through hoops for us to stay with her. Karen’s friend was going to be out of town. She changed the sheets on the beds, made arrangements with the neighbors to serve as support for getting us into the house and setting the alarm. Several weeks of going back and forth. I would imagine she had food or something to welcome us. She is that kind of welcoming hostess.

I thought we were staying in Portland on June 27 and in Seattle on June 28. So, on the way to Portland, I looked at Chad’s address and saw that it was Seattle. I was so mad at myself. After a little bit of driving and thinking, I decided we would stay with Chad for both nights. It would give me a chance to visit with Chad and would give Hannah another full day to rest. I wrote a note to Karen’s friend and apologized for the mix-up.

It was a long drive from Idaho to the Portland concert and to Seattle. We had one time zone change and gained an hour on the clock but not in the body. Ten hours of driving with dinner and a 3+ hour concert in Portland in the middle. As we rolled into Seattle at 3am, Chad was waiting up for us with Tanner, his dog. Tanner had lots of barks and kisses for us. He was very excited to have visitors. (I meant Tanner, but Chad was happy to see us, too!)

After a few hours of sleep, I woke up early to check e-mail and finances. We had made it farther than I had thought we would a week ago. I was checking on bids on my house, looking at bank balances, estimating the expenses of the next week. My parents were willing to loan me some money to pay the mortgage and house expenses. This would give me time to think about current bids on the house and allow for the realtor to contact the 27 people who had expressed interest in buying the house. It would give Hannah and me a little more money for a few more concerts. We could finish the concerts on the West Coast and head towards Baltimore. Today was also a day of coordinating the details of places to stay and tickets for the next few concerts.

The idea of sponsors came to me a week ago. It could be someone who was interested in being a part of the adventure, something I had done for other friends and their kids over the years. It is wonderful to support someone with a dream.

It could be a company with a product that was in integrity with our values. It would have to be a product we would use. American Eagle or Urban Outfitters clothing stores for Hannah. Ann Taylor Loft or J. Jill for me. Apple Computers. Panera Bread Company. It would have to be a win-win for everyone involved.

In this economy, advertisers are looking for unique opportunities. How do they get information about their products out to their target audience? I have been a part of many events that had sponsors for conventions, expos, and theater productions. I wanted to talk with Chad to see if he had any ideas about companies or how to contact them.

I was feeling impatient with myself and a little frustrated that I was so far behind in my blogs. Between driving and staying with people who we wanted to talk with, there was little time for sleep. Blogging consisted of jotting down notes on pieces of paper, napkins, hastily typed into the body of the future blog. I was looking for time to sit down and write.

When Chad woke up we talked about finances, going for the dream, the transition we were both in and our willingness to find new ideas and opportunities. We talked about the sponsor possibilities and we talked about the companies Chad was interviewing with for his next consulting job. He was weighing the pros and cons of travel, moving, selling his house, commuting and what to do with Tanner if he was working part time in another city. Chad had sold some of his furniture while thinking about selling his house and moving. Hannah and I had slept in our sleeping bags on his carpeted guest room.

We decided to let Hannah keep sleeping while Chad and Tanner gave me a tour of the city in their jeep. We drove to a park with an overview of the Space needle, Puget Sound and an overview of the entire city of Seattle. Tanner got a bit of a walk and we all enjoyed the beautiful day.

Chad and I talked about going to the gay pride parade, but we opted for driving through some of the neighborhoods and getting some good coffee and bagels. Both of us needed some time to slow down and let the ideas flow.

When we arrived back at Chad’s apartment, I woke up Hannah so she could shower and get ready to drive to Tacoma, an hour away. Chad and I continued to talk about our lives and brainstorm ideas for jobs and income for another hour.

When Hannah was ready we drove to Tacoma. It was an easy drive and we arrived really early. It was a Sunday and was quiet at the Tacoma Dome. After picking up our tickets from the will call office and I took a long walk around the community.

Hannah won a Sound Check pass for today by purchasing tickets in advance through her Team Jonas account. She was randomly selected to win. This was one of the reasons we were so early. We wanted to make sure we arrived on time, found parking and picked up the Sound Check pass.

I heard some music down the hill and joined a group dancing with Radio Disney. Cha, cha slide, and a little macarena.

Standing by the Verizon Wireless bus recording studio, the members of the Honor Society slipped out a side door of the exhibition hall and appeared right next to me. I talked with Alex, the drummer and reminded him who I was. Recognition in his eyes and a smile with the words, “That is so cool!” popping from his lips. I hadn’t talked with him since Denver, but he remembered. You could see it in his expression. I got a few pictures from the back. They were all facing the crowd and I was in the mix of people behind them.

It was still sunny and 85 degrees with a slight breeze blowing across the water. The wind was gently swirling my hair and waving the flags on the flagpole. The tree made sounds of quiet rustling sounds whispering a sweet song. I decided to half sit and half lean on a wall and watch the crowd. The wall was slanted, like a right triangle. I had one leg straight like I was standing and then sat on the wall with the other leg at a right angle slanted down the hill. The Tacoma Center was on the top of a hill overlooking Commencement Bay. From this angle, I could watch all of the people walking up the hill and think.

I needed silence. My mind was racing with questions and I wanted to find a stillness to hear the answers. For me the silence is best in nature. I can take a quiet walk. Or I can sit and watch the birds, the flowers, the trees, the wind, the clouds and the sky. As I sit in that still connection between myself and something greater than myself, the questions begin to appear.

Jonas tickets. How to get free tickets. Contests.

Warren from Verizon Wireless walked by me. I jumped off the ledge and slid next to him, keeping the pace of his long stride as I asked him about the Verizon Wireless contests. “Where are the Verizon contests for tickets? Last year I sat near a row of Verizon marked seats that were empty in Indiana and I saw the same thing in Denver, four days ago.” He didn’t know anything about ticket contests and the seats in Denver may have been for company employees who didn’t come to the concert. He said he would look into it.

Back to the leaning wall.

A woman approached me with information about diabetes. She was wearing a long, flowing skirt with hair to match the flowing energy. Her name was Maggie and she was traveling with her daughters, Jennifer, age 17 and Aribelle, a toddler. They were passionate about educating people about diabetes and raising money for research. They were planning on traveling to most of the concerts this summer, too. Another group of adventurers with a passion. I wonder how many of us are doing this. I would like to hear the stories of everyone.

As I sat on the wall thinking, some of the songs started to play in my mind. I could feel the possibilities of the theme songs for the summer. They are another clue to the journey. I could write a book about my life and in each of the joys and challenges there would be a song. Don’t you feel this way, too? The music is a touchstone, a part of the memory. The music is there to soothe, awaken, heal, get you moving, crying, laughing. Music. Ah, music.

My Summer Songs of 2009:

From the Jonas Brothers, the song is, “Fly With Me.” The song really taps into the place inside of me that has stopped believing in dreams and adventure and love. The words, “To believe once again,” make my heart do a flip flop of joy every time I hear the words.

From Jordin Sparks, the song is, “One Step at a Time.” Losing the contract on my house has placed me in a state of one step at a time. The words, “It’s your faith that makes you stronger, The only way you get there, Is one step at a time.” This is the message for me right now. How much faith do I have? Am I listening to the inner guidance of the silence of my day? Yes. I am listening to hear the next steps and open to the path. Lots of opportunities for growth here. Let go. Live in the present. Quiet. Listen.

From the Honor Society is the song, “See U in the Dark.” This is stirring something in me that is ready for the next chapter in my life. I am closing the chapter of homeschooling Mom. Wife of Hurley. Baltimore resident. I am ready to move into this next chapter and it is scary at the same time. The words, “I’ll never see you the same, The veil has been lifted, now I see you’re gifted, My whole perspective has changed.” This summer I want to explore the questions, “What are my gifts? What is the next step for me? How do I support Hannah in the last two years of school and begin to explore my own new life?” What’s next?

Nobody by the Wonder Girls is just pure fun for me right now. I love to dance with them!

This is the beginning of possibilities. How many concerts will we make it to? How will we do it? I want the answers and I also want to relax into the moment of now. More will be revealed!

Finally, I entered the building. It was an interesting concert. The seats felt like I was in a large auditorium in a college. The feel of the metal bleacher stands with folding plastic seats. I was on the side, diagonal to Garbo, second row. Not a floor seat, but a side seat. I was able to see the band members walk from the side of the arena to the stage. It was hard to take pictures of the stage with all of the people walking around and standing up to dance. I did get a picture of Big Rob, the Jonas Brothers security guard, and Christa Black, string player, and Miguel, one of the horn players.

The Honor Society seemed different. Their energy expanded and filled up the stage. Alex was getting wild with the drums and Michael stood on the drum frame and then jumped high into the air. Andrew twirled his guitar. The crowd went crazy! They are figuring out how to play to a large audience. Great to watch them grow.

The Wonder Girls wore red dresses.

Jordin Sparks continues to change clothes and hairdos. I have to admit that I really love that. It’s funny because I do not put effort into clothes or hair, but I love watching her and the band members change their look every night.

The Jonas Brothers. What is there to say…Fly with me!

Posted in Andrea Hylen, diabetes, Hannah Hylen, homeschooling, Jonas Brothers, jonas watch, Tacoma, Washington, wonder girls

Concert 5- Portland, Oregon

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Thank you to Evolutionary Women for sponsoring the blog today. www.evolutionarywomen.org

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Concert 5: Portland, Oregon
June 27, 2009
My first Jonas Party!

Author’s Note: It has been fun to re-live the summer of 2009, by going back and finishing each blog. This concert blog was in the beginning when we did not know if we would make it to 45. I couldn’t even think that far ahead. All I could see at this point was the next few concerts. This was the first concert with the Wonder Girls. The Honor Society had not really owned the space on the stage yet. Jordin Sparks was getting better and better, but she was still tentative with some of the moves. And the adventures were just beginning. At this point, I didn’t know that I would see Lauren in Las Vegas in August and then in Baltimore in Sept. She is a soul sister who cheered me on to victory each step of the way. I am grateful for this new blossoming friendship. At the end, there is an idea about love…

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The more willing you are to surrender to the energy within you, the more power can flow through you. -Shakti Gawain

I was hesitant about going to this concert. We had been go-go-go-go for a week. Hannah had been sick for two days and she seemed to be getting worse. I have been asking myself is she sick or just run down from the travel?

Thank goodness we were at Nicola and Brad’s house when she got sick. They are the aunt and uncle of my daughter’s fiance, Jesse. They had welcomed us into their home for 48 hours of Hannah’s exhaustion. It was a nurturing environment where Hannah was able to rest before the Nampa, Idaho concert and Portland, Oregon concert. We were comfortable, fed, loved and safe here.

Now we were leaving Nampa with full bellies from a pancake, bacon and egg breakfast. As we loaded the car, Brad lovingly packed a lunch for us. Peanut butter sandwiches with snack bags filled with grapes and protein bars and water. We were equipped with all the food we needed for our drive to Portland.

We didn’t have Jonas tickets for the Portland concert yet and I asked Hannah, if she wanted to go straight to Tacoma, and skip the concert in Portland. Did she need time to rest?

She was determined to go on and would not even consider missing this concert. Please understand that we feel it a privilege to be on this trip and we both feel a responsibility to the fans reading the blog and following along. There are girls all over the world writing to us. They are following our journey and waiting to hear the details. So many girls would love to do this. Just as the Jonas Brothers would not skip a concert because of a cold, headache, or sore throat, we weren’t going to skip it either. Luckily, Hannah could sleep in the car all day.

One other thing happened today that encouraged us to go on. We received a spontaneous invitation to dinner in Portland, Oregon. Lauren, an enthusiastic Jonas fan and a Mom, had been following our story and reading the blog. She was going to the concert with her 13 year old daughter, Kaleigh and a group of their friends. They were having a Jonas pizza party and a barbecue. She sent me an e-mail and asked if we would like to join them for an early dinner. We purchased our tickets on-line and called Lauren when we were a few hours from Portland. She was so welcoming and enthusiastic when we connected on the phone. I couldn’t wait to meet her.

When I walked into their home, I felt like I was back in Baltimore, my hometown for the last 25 years. Lauren’s home was a combination of my two friends, Susan Gardener and Dotti Drumm. The layout of the house was just like Susan’s home. I knew exactly where the bathroom was located on the second floor. There were art spirals on an archway and a variety of art projects made out of everyday items, the way Dotti, a creative folk artist, would have in her home. And the food, drinks, activities, all made me feel like I had been transported home to the East Coast.

The girls were gathered around a table in the backyard with art supplies and T-shirts. They even had a T-shirt for Hannah to decorate. Another reminder of the community in Baltimore. We would have all done the same thing, reach out to a traveler and welcome them, feed them, hand them some art supplies and chat away.

I felt like Lauren was a soul sister. As soon as I met her, I was sharing the events of the last few weeks. It all came tumbling out. The joy, the fear, the journey and everything I had bottled up inside. I was in a home with a girlfriend and I shared it all!

As she offered burgers, veggie burgers, and pizza with pepperoni pieces cut into Jonas, I found myself clapping my hands with joy. One pizza read “Jonas Brothers.” The other was a heart with the word, “Nick.” Appetizers, drinks, laughter and stories, were rolling through the yard and the house, as we talked and listened to the Jonas Brothers music on an I-pod. We were at a Jonas party!

Our community of Jonas fans are on-line or at the concerts. I have never had an opportunity to create, host or attend a Jonas party in someone’s home. I was so happy! How had this fun landed in my lap so easily? What a gift!

Kaleigh’s friends and their Mom’s were weaving in and out of the house. Stories of their day, arranging the details of pick-up, soccer games, SAT events this weekend. Who would drive, what were the plans, how could they support each other? Lauren’s friend, Kathy, received free tickets at the last minute and had entered “Jonas Land.” She wasn’t quite sure about this but was open to the adventure. Jim, Lauren’s husband was sacrificing his birthday for the evening, although I am not sure he had a choice. (Next time call the Jonas Brothers about the scheduling, Jim! Happy Birthday!)

The only bad thing was that Hannah was still sick. I was sorry the girls wouldn’t get to know the real Hannah and she was too tired to fully engage with them. She was dragging and withdrawn and sleepy. We decided to drive our car to the Rose Garden Arena so we could head straight to Seattle after the concert.

We followed Lauren as she wove through the back streets of Portland, avoiding rush hour traffic and to a secret parking spot. I tried to drop Hannah off closer to the arena but when that didn’t work, I swung around in a circle to the amazing on street parking a few blocks from the arena that Lauren had guided us to. All I needed was $2 in quarters compared to $20 and only one extra block of walking. This is another reason to connect with the local fans. They will find the bargains in parking and food!

The doors were open and the lines were already moving when we arrived. We stood in line together and then split up to go to our seats. Hugs and more hugs as we departed.

I had the most amazing tickets tonight. Two nights in a row! I was right on the corner of the catwalk. It is so strange to lock eyes with the boys on stage while I am singing their songs and dancing. I can understand why the girls scream. The boys are so connected to what they are doing. I could feel the energy in my heart. When they look at the fans, they send laser lights of love and it is powerful.

Here are some of the concert details:

It was great to see Honor Society. They had a scheduling conflict with the Idaho concert and had moved on to Portland. Skip one concert and I had already missed them. It was fun to see their sparkling eyes. I am getting better at The Honor Roll dance.

There was a singing group called The Wonder Girls. I heard that they might be joining the tour for a few performances, but tonight is the first night I had seen them. They seemed really sweet. They sang two songs. First they came onto the stage right after The Honor Society and sang a song called, “Tell Me.”

The strangest thing was how they came onto the stage without anyone really announcing them and then started singing to a crowd that was seated and jabbering away. I wondered who their audience would be. Are they here for the elementary school crowd, the high school crowd, the adults or all of us?

After Jordin Sparks sang they came back onto the stage. This time Papa Jonas announced them and asked everyone to stand up and clap for them. He said that they were from Korea and were invited by the Jonas family to come to the U.S. and perform. They had changed their violet, sparkly, swishy dresses to silver, sparkly dresses that sway to the music. They sang the second song, “Nobody.” I love their coordinated dance moves and the simple, catchy tunes with words like, “I want nobody, nobody but you…”

Jordin Sparks and her band performed in between the Wonder Girls two songs. Jordin was wearing a new dress during her set. It was bright yellow and so cute on her. She is really growing as a performert. Fun to watch her, as she just keeps getting better and better with each performance. I am also enjoying the evolution of her hair and clothing. Every night is a surprise.

As I said earlier, I was on the corner of the catwalk. The two Jonas songs that were performed on this side of the stage were, “Gotta Find You,” from Camp Rock and the rain scene for “LoveBug.” I was making eye contact with the guys and feeling the love.

I started thinking about the impact we can each have on the people and the world around us. I have talked with so many fans who feel that the Jonas Brothers music has healed their hearts. They feel sad or unloved. It could be from the loss of a loved one or an illness or a disappointment in life.

As I sang the songs in the concert, I began to imagine that I was a light beam in the world. I was feeling the love and the music and then I was imagining that I could spread that love to the section I was in and then to the rest of the arena and out into the world.

What if that is true? What if whenever we felt love we began to radiate love to the world. Try this. Think of a situation where you have felt love. Feel the love and imagine that it can flow out of you, like breathing in and out. Breathe in the love. Breathe out the love. As you feel the healing of you own heart, breathe that out into the world and then breathe it in again. Maybe that is the greatest gift of following the Jonas Brothers. The love we feel radiated to ourselves and each other.

Just a thought. How did that feel?

At the end of the concert, Hannah and I quickly walked to our parking space and drove through the night to Seattle. My friend Chad was waiting for us with a place to stay and some good night kisses from his dog, Tanner. This was a day of love and connection. I am grateful.

Posted in Andrea Hylen, Baltimore, Hannah Hylen, homeschooling, Jonas Brothers, jonas watch, Oregon, Portland, wonder girls

Concert 4- Nampa, Idaho

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Thanks to Evolutionary Women for sponsoring the blog today. www.evolutionarywomen.org

For sponsor information go to www.livealifeworthcelebrating.com

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Concert 4- Nampa, Idaho

Brad, my “almost” son-in-law’s uncle, gave me a brilliant tour around Boise. It is one of the cleanest cities I have ever seen. The city is committed to keeping everything graffiti free and clear of garbage. There is beautiful landscaping of trees, bushes and flowers everywhere. There is culture and educational institutions and bike paths and more. I love the historical sections and the way the state capitol is expanding underground. as a way of creating more space and preserving the historical lines of the original building.

We met up with Brad’s brother, Brian. He was confused as to why Jesse’s, “almost” mother-in-law was in town. I told him that I was touring the country to check out ALL of Jesse’s relatives before giving my final approval for the wedding in October. Just kidding! I love Jesse and I love the relationship he has with my daughter, Mary.

I hung out with Nicola, Brad’s wife and Meghan, their daughter all afternoon. We looked at Hannah’s Jonas videos on Youtube and talked about our lives. I also got to meet, Royce, the pug that Meghan is watching for ten days. Then, Oliver, the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, who rules the roost, started setting some boundaries with this energetic pug.

Here are a couple of highlights from the Nampa concert:

1. Parking is free. Seriously, it is F*R*E*E

2. Closest seats I ever had-Floor, Row B, Seat 4 and I bought them the day before the concert! It was crazy to be that close.

3. A girl named Lindsey came up and asked if I was Hannah’s Mom. It was fun to connect with another Jonas fan. She was going to several concerts in a row with two of her friends. I could feel the community energy building. The groupies unite!

4. The concert was short without Honor Society, the opening band.

5. I expected to see the Wonder Girls but will have to wait for a future concert. I “wonder” who they are!

Good concert, all in all.

Posted in Andrea Hylen, Hannah Hylen, homeschooling, Idaho, Jonas Brothers, jonas watch, Nampa, wonder girls

Concert 2- Tulsa, Oklahoma

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Today’s jonas watch is sponsored by Dramatic Adventure Theatre. www.dramaticadventure.com

For sponsorship information go to www.livealifeworthcelebrating.com

June 23, 2009

It is my goal to post a blog once a day. Occasionally, there will be so much happening, you may see two or three blogs in one day. Or if I am driving for 11 hours, going to a concert and driving another 11 hours, I may miss a day here and there.

Concert 2- Hannah and I were interviewed by Eric Bailey of Tulsa World. This led us to the BOK Center for the concert where we met Sherry Brown, a photographer and Adam, a videographer. It was fun to play with them and pose for some pictures and video.

Adam decided to hang out with us for 1 1/2 hours and he video and audio recorded us sharing memories of the concerts. It was an unexpected, unplanned, surprising time with him. Hannah and I shared things with Adam and with each other that we hadn’t really talked about in this kind of detail. There was laughter and joy and memories. (Another, “trust life to bring things to you that are greater than you can imagine” moments.)

We talked about all of the 27 concerts we had attended and found anecdotal moments with each one. Maybe we will write a book about the first group of concerts and then another one about this summer. There have been some great, funny, crazy moments!

I told Eric a variety of stories about how crazy moms can get when they think their daughters are going to miss the coveted “meet and greet” with the Jonas Brothers. There is something instinctual that happens when a Mom thinks her “baby” is in danger or needs help or is going to be hurt physically, mentally, or emotionally. We go into hyper-drive. I have done it myself.

I told him a story about the DC Metro system. A group of about six home school families were in DC looking at exhibits as part of a learning tool. It might have been the Holocaust Museum and one of the Smithsonian museums on that day. It had been a full day. We were all in the Metro station getting ready to board the train to go to the parking lot and drive home. Everyone was tired and it was crowded. When the subway arrived, we scooted the kids on first so they could have a seat. I was the closest adult to the door when the doors began to close with all of the kids on board and no familiar adults. The subway car wasn’t full, but I guess to stay on schedule, the doors were closing.

I pushed through the people in front of me and threw my body between the doors. My backpack was so big, the doors were shutting on me over and over and I was struggling to get onto the train. People were staring and looking at this crazy woman. I didn’t care. The safety of the children was all that mattered to me. I did make it onto the train. I calmed the children who were scared because their parents didn’t make it on. I got everyone off at the next stop and we waited for the rest of the group to join us. Everyone was safe.

That same instinct comes into play with the meet and greets. A mother or father sees their child, can I say obsessing, over the Jonas Brothers. And then, they win a contest or a random pick from the fan club. It is their moment to meet the Jonas Brothers. They may have arrived hours in advance so that they are ready when the meet and greet line opens up.

Let’s say the meet and greet says 6pm. It is 6pm and the line hasn’t opened. You think that your child is not going to get to meet the boys. No one has any information or experience with this. They don’t realize that the boys were in Canada last night at an awards show and that the interviews of the day have made everything late so they are changing the meet and greet to 7pm. But, the mothers go into survival mode. (I have done it myself!) You think that your child may miss the opportunity. Maybe it will be cancelled and then what will happen to your child! It feels like their emotional safety is threatened.

All is well, folks. The Jonas Brothers are committed to their fans and it is their intention to see all of the girls who have a meet and greet ticket. We can all take a breath. The children are safe!

Here is the link to the article and the slide show of pictures: http://www.tulsaworld.com/scene/article.aspx?subjectid=269&articleid=20090623_270_A9_Adorin801623

Enjoy the adventure, Andrea

Posted in Andrea Hylen, Eric Bailey, Hannah Hylen, homeschooling, Jonas Brothers, Sherry Brown, Smithsonian, Tulsa World

The wrong passport

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Today’s jonas watch is sponsored by Dramatic Adventure Theatre. www.dramaticadventure.com

AND

The Peace Sister’s in Baltimore www.thepeacesisters.org

For sponsorship information go to www.livealifeworthcelebrating.com

******
Friday, June 19, 2009

I am exhausted today. Yes, I am the type of person who sees the silver lining, the cup half-full, a cock-eyed optimist. But, today, I am ready to climb under the covers and yell, “NO!” at the top of my lungs. If I drank alcohol, this might be a “pull-up-to-the-edge-of-the-bar-and-order-a-stiff-whiskey,” kind of a day.

Let me back up a minute to fill you in on some details.

Last summer, Hannah and I drove 10,000 miles and attended 15 Jonas Brothers concerts. The journey began because I saw that Hannah was happy again. Our first Jonas Brothers concert was a free concert in Philadelphia on July 29, 2007. It was the 2nd anniversary of the death of her father from cancer. After two years of withdrawing from life, I could see that this made her happy again. 8 concerts later, we decided to go on a summer tour in 2008.

When we arrived home in September, I could see that the road trip had helped me let go of my home. By January 2009, Hannah and I were ready to sell our 11 room home on 3 acres. And somewhere in the clearing and the selling of furniture, we decided to travel this summer.

Last year I called it, “The Year I Toured with the Jonas Brothers.” This year it is “Jonas Watch.” We are watching them, as we travel to 45 different concerts. We will be in the town for every concert and go to as many of them, as possible.

I have so much to share with you!

For now, let me tell you about the passport. During the last month, we cleared our entire home. We sold furniture, made at least two trips a week to the Salvation Army, at least one recycling run to the dump per week with a carload of paper, and packed everything else into a 10 by 10 storage unit.

So today, our fourth day on the road, I woke up early to organize the blog, update my website, start a fan page and a long list of phone calls and e-mails to people in Baltimore. I checked our next few stops and looked at the passports.

Long pause. Mouth open. Eyes wide. Breathing stopped.

In one hand is my passport. All is well.

In my other hand is Hannah’s passport with bold, red letters CANCELLED.

We brought the wrong passport. We are crossing the border to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada on June 29. No one else has a key to the storage unit at home. And even if they did, where would I tell them to begin to look for it? For all I know, it was recycled with the trash.

Weaving into some of the concert cities are book talks with authors from a book I co-authored called, “Conscious Choices: An Evolutionary Woman’s Guide to Life.” Vancouver is where one of the authors lives and we have great plans for our time there!

After a trip to a local passport center in Dallas, a phone call to the US Government and a series of pushing buttons on the automated reservation line, Hannah and I have an appt in Aurora, CO on June 23 10:30am. This requires leaving the Jonas concert in Tulsa, OK about 15 minutes early and driving through the night to arrive in Denver by 10:15 am to check in.

I think it is time for a good nap. I can see I already need it!!

Posted in Andrea Hylen, Baltimore, Conscious Choices: An Evolutionary Woman's Guide to Life, Dallas, Hannah Hylen, homeschooling, Jonas Brothers, jonas watch, passport, Philadelphia, Texas, Tulsa, Vancouver
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