graduation!!! squeep!

last friday night was the night of my graduation.

t'was a very epic night.

a night of joy, happiness, and such excitement.

i'm so SO blessed to have spent the evening with some of THE best people i know.

such larks! :)

i got to set up a table featuring my sewing projects, favorite books, posters from past shows, theatre portfolio, etc. 

i think it turned out really cute! 

i also had a picture frame that people could sign...such a fun idea. 

four pretty awesome graduates...if i do say so myself. 

the first official graduating glass of JOY. 

trendsetters. 

i totally remember starting to school four years ago and thinking about being a part of the first graduating class...it seemed so far away. and now it's gone and past.

i feel SO blessed.

and then my senior video.

 i SO love everything about it. the memories...the friends...the pictures...the songs. 

it's so perfect.

and so begins yet another chapter in my life. 

SO excited about where it will be taking me!!

squeep!

xo,

rebecca jane

seeing double!

on tuesday night, the JOY drama group's cast of "the importance of being earnest" (from last year's fundraiser for joplin, MO) had the pleasure of going to see the artisan center theater's production of the same show. 

sitting in the audience we all mouthed the words. 

laughed at the proper places.

longed to join the actors onstage.

and had a goofy grin during the whole show.

what made things even more enjoyable was that OUR "jack worthing" was playing the artisan's "algernon moncrieff."

it was so weird to see him playing a different part.

but we all agreed he did quite smashing.

after the show...we got to meet the artisan cast (who are all amazing and hilarious) and take pictures with them.

i got a picture with a lovely young lady who played cecily (the same part i played).

it was really weird...but so cool.

after all of this...we made a trip to mcdonald's for some ice cream and fun times.

we were literally laughing so hard, tears were streaming down our faces.

and we all knew how much we missed everyone.

how we got to spend an entire summer with each other.

how we grew so close together.

and we remembered how we had truly become a family last summer.

and that those memories we have will be some of the most special memories...ever.

things may change.

we may go our separate ways.

but i don't think my friendship with these people will ever end.

so much love,

rebecca jane

i wanna dance with somebody.

as promised...more pictures from the 40's swing dance a few weeks ago! 

so many good friends all together in the same place for the first time in a REALLY long time.

we had a lovely "american style" dinner. 

a wwII fighter pilot veteran speaker.

some entertainment (two of my BFF's and sang an andrews sisters song).

and a swing dance performance by some incredible dancers.

and then...of course...there was quite a bit of DANCING.

mainly swing, but also polkas, reels, and (alas) some modern dances as well.

such fun!

i love swing dancing...so very much...!!

the dance was SO worth all the time and effort. 

a really great last cotillion to finish up my high school career.

...woah...

that's weird to say.

squeep!

rebecca jane

a 1940's photobooth.

last night was the swinging-est dance i've ever been to. literally. 

ever since exactly a year ago today...my friends and i have been planning a 40's dance for our annual homeschool cotillion. after HOURS of list making, planning, dreaming, crafting, painting, cleaning, and more...last night was the big night.

and let me tell you...it did NOT disappoint.

hopefully in about a week or so i'll be able to share pictures from the dancing, speaking, singing (three of us performed an andrews sisters song), etc. but for now...here are some of my favorite pictures EVER from the photobooth we set up!

i've been wanting to put one of these together for the longest time (after seeing so many cute ideas on pinterest). it was a HIT! i just got through looking at and editing them all...and i'm just going to say...there are some hilarious ones. 

i love this idea so much.

well...i'm off to take a nap. dancing until midnight and talking until 3am can sure make you feel sleepy. i'll share more later! 

have a lovely sunday afternoon.

xo,

rebecca jane

final thoughts.

now that i've shared some of my stories pictures of the joplin trip, here's a short video i made using my 8mm camera app.

i'm totally in love with the way it looks!

after radio interviews, television interviews, and even newspaper interviews...i'm pretty used to answering any questions about joplin pretty quickly.
however, this hasn't changed my attitude for joplin and the stained glass theatre!
i've still got such a heart for this place and these people.
i had NO idea this summer would bring so many new friends...in a completely new state!
what a blessing.
being able to do something i love (theatre) to help other people do something *they* love (theatre) is very exciting!
God has already set in motion things from this benefit...not only for JOY, but the stained glass theatre now has a temporary building!
through this benefit/trip i've also grown so much closer to my fellow actors/actresses.
i've seen all of their beautiful hearts in this project...and i'm proud to know each and every one of them.
this project has brought *me* closer to God, and i've become a stronger prayer warrior.
so many prayers...so many answered prayers.
it's a wonder to see God work so clearly right in front of my eyes.
i can't wait to see what God has in store next!!

xo,
rebecca jane

wall of hope.

in joplin there's a BEAUTIFUL graffiti wall called "the wall of hope."

isn't that a beautiful name?

volunteers from all over america have signed with wall.

and our group is NO exception.

Jeremiah 29:13 (NLT) "If you look for me in earnest, you will find me when you seek me."

isn't God cool?

finding verses like that that would usually mean one thing...but can also be totally relevant to something else.

when putting on "the importance of being earnest" our goal was to perform to an audience of one:

God.

bowling night

while in joplin, we went to $2 bowling night...it was a BLAST!

i hadn't gone bowling in ages...so i got a little lesson.

check out what happened my first try!!

i'd like to say that was only the beginning of my many victorious strikes...

but it wasn't.

i'm a miserable failure at bowling.

i will say, however, that i get strikes at VERY opportune moments.

and i got another one later...

right after being told i couldn't.

it was a lovely moment.

however...it was SUCH a blast.

i nearly went hoarse that night from screaming.

and i did the splits after every "bowl." 

(splits as it slide until i can slide no farther and then struggle back to the upright position)

ahem.

and guess who's headed to go bowling again...in just a few minutes...

yes.

that's right.

me.

*wishing for more amazingly victorious strikes*

do you have any tips for me??

the orange leaf.

the first night we arrived in joplin, we headed over to the "orange leaf" to meet some members of the stained glass theatre. 

in case you don't know...that's the theatre in joplin that was destroyed that *my* theatre group has been raising money for.

it was so great to finally meet some of them...and we hit it off real fast!

this place had a lot of my favorite things:

frozen yogurt

nutty bar toppings

orange spoons

and bright and colorful walls

YES PLEASE!

in which we cleaned and organized...and were glad to do it.

we're back from joplin, mo!

i have so many memories carried with me from this trip.

and all of the amazing friends i spent this time with.

it was a lovely week.

going to joplin wasn't just to perform "earnest" (though that was our main objective). 

the church we were staying at had been housing thousands of volunteers all summer long, and were sorely in need of some help cleaning up.

there was much sweeping, cleaning of windows, etc.

the church also housed a very large distribution center, where LOTS of donations were constantly being left to give to the tornado victims.

thus, there was much organizing of donations as well. 

morgan and i tackled the diapers...and, with assistance from others, created a very lovely display...organized by size and everything.

we were very proud of the orderliness of it all. :)

this is how we spent tuesday and wednesday.

and we were SO glad to be able to help this church.

however...this was only the beginning of our many adventures.

stay tuned for more!

the importance of being earnest.

after radio interviews, newspaper articles, and many rehearsals in the middle of summer in an old theatre that has a terrible air conditioning system...the importance of being earnest opens tonight!! 

this cast has been such fun to work with...i don't think i've ever laughed so hard with any other cast!

the fact we're doing this show for such a wonderful cause gives such a worthwhile meaning to all our work. 

and the fact that we get to perform the show in joplin for members of the theatre we're raising money for....is SO EXCITING!!

i cannot wait to meet them all...and be able to give all of the money raised these past few weeks.

what a lovely summer this has been.

publicity shots :)

publicity shots for earnest were taken yesterday.

it was such fun seeing everyone in costume.

sigh.

i love this time-period.

oh.

my frothy pink dress makes me feel JUST like "cecily."

and my huge hair bow!

love love LOVE!!

down-time in between pictures.

i've been frenemies with maddy (pic one) in about every show we've done.

and i've been daughter, sister, mother, and now student of morgie (pic two) in the past shows.

theatre is so fun.

what do YOU think about the costumes?

want to see more...?

check out our website!!

(pictures taken by michaella elliott)