Overwhelmed in a good way

So our month run of tour is done, and we're back home for an almost 2 week break. By break, I mean I'm home and not playing shows, but I went straight into working on our demos with Nick, and today we're tracking drums. We're at a studio in Franklin called Dark Horse. Its a beautiful studio that reminds me of sort of a cabin mansion...yea, hard to describe. We're doing drums in a little cabin off of the main studios..very quaint and cute. We're way out and theres just land and adorable things like a tire swing in the tree right outside..such a cool place to stay and do a whole record, and you can live here if thats how you choose. We're just doing drums here, and then the rest we will probably track at our house. Our friend Joey Sanchez is playing drums for the record. 1 song down and its sounding great! Really excited. Street date is may 3, 2011. We have worked with some amazing writers and put together an album that is personal and vulnerable for me, and I guess I couldnt have asked for anything else in the process.

This tour we're on has felt like this time of reminders for me. Through so many little things, I feel like God's been reminding me to be thankful. That my attitude affects my situation so much, instead of letting circumstances dictate my attitude. I know I have so much to be thankful for and that it outweighs the things I can be frustrated with in life. But its so easy to talk about the negative, to focus on what we need, on what we've lost, on the people we struggle with..but to see what we have allready, all the little times each day that God makes us smile, and to appreciate the relationships we have. When I do focus on the positive, sometimes I am overwhelmed by Him, and ashamed that I ever spend a day whining to Him with the breath He gives.

I have met so many amazing, strong and broken people on this tour. A woman who is a recovering addict, a family who says they are in church bc of our music, a girl who says we were on her bucket list, a girl who lost her brother to suicide bc of bullying...a girl says we saved her life when she was ready to kill herself, a woman shared that beauty from pain helped her through her husband leaving her. I felt like every night God was sending someone to remind me that He will use us, normal and broken and not perfect people, if we will move ourselves out of the way enough for people to see Him in us.

I got to see a friend one day I was in Texas last weekend. She is one of the strongest, most Godly women I know. She is one of my prayer warriors, one of the first people I think to ask when I need prayer. She just had a baby a month ago and had some complications and has been bedridden and in so much pain since the labor. Her baby is good and healthy, but her recovery has been so discouraging and long road for her. I know she believes she can be healed and will be, but has wondered why it hasnt happened yet. She wants to enjoy this newborn time and be able to change diapers and take him on walks and be fully immersed in him right now. So we were talking and her emotions came and she shared her hurt and discouragement..so like shes done for me so many times, I encouraged her in the woman she is and her faith, and just shared some thoughts on why maybe God would be asking her to slow down...the next day she woke up healed of her pain. And she said she believes that my words were what she needed to believe and be ready for healing. My point in the story is the reminder that in our words there is power. There is life or death. There is love or hate. Inspiration and life or discouragement and negative thoughts. And why do we waste these breaths on even speaking out anything other than what could give life and healing and encouragement? The power is not in us or our words or eloquence, but in the One who hears our prayers.

Ok lunch was just delivered..thai food to the rescue. I am so on a thai kick right now. I can get obsessive with food and then I overdue it. but not yet with thai...

'never, never, never give up..

Today we were in Buena Vista, CO. Such a beautiful town. Mountains all around us. We were eating dinner when a lady walked up to us..she said she wanted to make sure to get to tell us this. Instantly I had a feeling that this wasnt an easy story for her to tell by the look in her eyes. She said that over a year ago she lost her 17 year old daughter in a car accident. Her daughter was a superchick fan and at her funeral, where over 1,000 people came from all over, they played We Live. She said itwas such a hard day but she thought it was a perfect song, because there isnt much that makes sense when something like that happens, but you have to just keep going, live and love, forgive and never give up...

So tonight we dedicated we live to her daughter. I cant imagine how hard it is to love hour daughter, your sister..melissa got to meet her brother and sister. She found out more of the story. Abby was driving, she went off the road, her car when into a river and she drown. Her mom said it was so hard wondering how she actually died, what she was thinking, if she felt so alone. Questions every mom would ask. Questions I know there arent really answers to, and the only peace that could come out of this for this family has to be from God.

Nights like tonight, I know that we might have been sent here just for this family. For some healing or closure for them. Amazing that god will take a whole tour to Colorado, possibly for one person, or a family. He loves us that much.--

Night everyone. Off to finish this episode of extreme makeover home edition. Yes we're crying allready. I love this show.

Trish

Lets hear it for the underdogs..

Well, yesterday I woke up feeling like a cold was hitting me. Such a bummer. Apparently my immune system just isnt in a great place right now. I did every lilttle thing I know to do. Ate an orange, drank hot tea with honey, had chicken noodle soup..relaxed as much as I could, slept in til after noon today, and then proceeded to watch Glee most of the day in my pj's. I never watched the show when it was on, but a friend loaned me the DVDs and it was perfect for sick day!

Something about the idea of the kids in this Glee club reminds me of our band. Just a couple days ago we were talking about how we feel like we're the band for the underdog. Or for the people who think theyre the underdog, even if they really arent. That could sound rude, like I'm insulting our fans. But it's the furthest from that really. Our fans are the kids who were picked on in school. They're also the kids who picked on someone and years later realized how damaging their actions were in someone's life. Our fans were dorks in h.s. And the cool kids who decided not to use their popularity for anything but good. But when it comes down to it, weren't were all underdogs at some point, or at least in our own minds at some point? And I must admit, I'm a huge fan of the underdogs. They people who didnt just use their looks or their position in some popularity game to get through. They are the smart kids, the sweet kids, the girls who felt ugly and unnoticed, the boys who werent athletic enough to be cool bc of a sport..our fans are moms and dads who want to give their kidssomething positive to listen to, to help them through the awkward years, the dating years, heartbreaks and peer pressure. Girls who made it through depression and cutting and questions of their sexuality, and say that we helped them on that journey somehow.

And every night, I stand on that stage in front of all of you, and am humbled that I have been some small part of your lives and your kids lives. And I see crowds of people who come maybe needng a reminder that life is short and precious. That they are special and unique and there is a plan for their life. That their choices affect the world and they can be a hero in somone's life. And I am honored to be a part of it. Every night. Even when I feel so sick I think I might pass out. ;-)

I'm off to take Nyquil and sleep friends. Hope you're all happy and healthy tonight.

Hugs

Trish

Party time on the SChick tour...

Missoula, MT--

Here we are, about midway through the busiest time of tour. I'm in my spot in the back lounge, with Jurassic Park 2 playing, sister is next to me. The dogs are chewing bones and getting enough attention you'd think they really were our children.

We have had such a great start to this tour season! We started in Hobbs, NM, had tour rehearsal and first show there. Great start! Amazing crowd. Then we headed to Surprise, AZ. Another great show, great crowd, so many people showed up we couldnt beleve it! Next was Temecula, CA, then 6 flags in Valencia, CA...Gilbert, AZ, Highland, CA and then Hercules, CA ended the first little jaunt. 2 of the shows were smaller more intimate shows, but all just amazing response, good time with all the other bands, and overall we were so surprised by how many people drove far and came to hang with us.

We had 2 days off then and we chose to park in Seattle. Most of us have really good friends in the Seattle area,so we took the chance to see them and hopped off the bus a night. My bestest friend in the whole world, my Kory, lives in Seattle. She just had her first baby boy not long ago and this was my second time with my little Tollan! I got to go post baby shopping with Kory at, of course, forever21 and have dinner together, then I spent the first night with my friends Tiffiny and Jacob. They have a band called Noondaysun, and thats how we met a long time ago at some festivals around Seattle. Great friends, had such a fun night together! The weather was perfect Seattle weather, and we just felt spoiled by it! So refreshing to just have a change of scenery on tour, and when a day off canmean seeing people you love andrarely get to see, it feels like minivacations.

The night before our first day off we finally got to have some fun movie times after the show. We like scarry movies so we watched 28 days or something like that. Kind of cool movie. Then last night we redboxed the Book of Eli, which is just such a great movie. Definitely a must see if you havent. So we're watching the movie, the dogs are passed out and someone stands up to go grab a snack and accidentally stepped on a toy that still squeaks, sophie jumped out from under her blanket and half asleep starts looking for her toy. So funny. Never a dull moment.

We play here in Montana in about an hour. Last night was Spokane, WA. I had felt so wiped out all day and then walked out to this packed room of fans and people who would drive hours just to see us and the other bands on tour...its such a sweet, overwhelming part of what we do. We of course hope that people will come see us, but you just never know. And when they do, its kind of crazy to think that they choose to come see us instead of a million other things they could do, and pay for the evening as well. Pretty cool.

I have to say thank you to radio stations who are playing us, and playing our new single still here. When radio is behind a tour, we can see the difference in attendance and just awareness of where we are and when. We so appreciate getting to partner with all of the great djs out there and try to make people smile every day and inspire them through music. So look us up and come see the tour if we're remotely close to you! Its such a fun night of pretty diverse music. We're enjoying it as much as the fans, i'm pretty sure.

I'm off to get ready. Makeup time. :-) love it! Thanks to everyone whos come out to the reinvention tour so far! Its been a really great fall season, cant wait for the rest. Abd thank you for prayers for our safety and health and my voice. Its holding on. Tired some nights, and i have to rest it more, and other nights i've even been going out to sign and meet people. There was swetpet lady in VIP tonight who said shes been praying for me. So cool. Thanks guys! Much love


Trish

Fall tour season is here..

Here I sit, all packed and ready to go..not wanting to go to bed bc its my last night in my house for a month, and going to bed means waking up and leaving. For all 12 years of touring, it hasnt ever been easy for me to leave for tour season. Especially when its for more than a week or 2. I remember back in the first couple years of touring, it was really emotional for me. Like that feeling you get when you leave for college, or your parents drive away and leave you somewhere new, or your first day of h.s. Nervous, a little anxiety, trying to be overly organized and ready, emotional but not really knowing why. Its not a new thing for me, and its a bit easier now, but not a piece of cake. When my heart is somewhere else, I really feel divided. I love people deeply. I want to be in their lives daily, somehow, communication if not in person..so you can see my career has stretched me. I've seen how God has changed me through this place of tension in my life. Its good for us to be uncomfortable sometimes right?

Almost always, the minute I get into the bus with the band, my nerves calm and I remember that this is where I've been called, and so its where I want to be. It doesnt make me not miss my husband every one of the 30 some days we're apart..it doesnt make me forget that I'm the friend who misses baby births and holidays and weddings. But it gives purpose to the things that arent easy.

So tomorrow we leave for the start of the Reinvention tour. Mostly on the west coast, and that's exciting. We have such a great time on the west coast when we go. Maybe we dont over-expose ourselves there, so people arent bored with us. :-) i'm hoping to see some friends I dont see often enough, and I want to really try to enjoy each day, each place, new people, my band and the bands on the tour.

The first 2 weeks of tour we have 6 shows a week. Not really my favorite way to tour. I like to have maybe 3 or 4 shows and a couple rest days for voice and peace of mind..i am not celine dion but I've started really having to know my voice and my limits and have no talking or less talking days when needed. This tour with this many shows, I'm a bit worried. My voice still is a little rough from this summer and a cold that took it away, so it feels a bit fragile. What I try to do is rest my voice as much as I can on show days..but still inevitable if its pretty tired after the show and we have 4 shows in a row coming up, I have to not go out to sign after the show. It really makes me feel awful people! I know that people wait in lines and want to meet us and connect with us, and we love that! I've tried the whole, I wont talk while i sign. Lets be honest, that wont work. If I'm there, I feel so rude not talking to each person at least a bit. So please know that we are so excited about this tour. We hope you come out. I would love your prayers for my voice to be strong and make it like a champ all tour. And if I dont come out for signing sometimes, know that I feel awful sitting in the bus all alone, not talking, being a hermit, hanging with my dog bc with dogs, no words are necessary.

By the way, this week I went and officially signed the deal for my solo worship album! We've been writing away and looking through songs I might cover. So exciting and so much fun doing this whole project with my husband, Nick. What a special thing for us to do together. The album releases next spring. We will start recording pretty soon after we both get back from tour this fall. Nick plays guitar for Stellar Kart for anyone who doesnt follow him, and if I didnt mention it before. Theyre really busy too, so at least no one is getting left at home. :-) how about another super/stellar tour?? That would be nice and convenient.

So here we come, west coast! It will be us, bread of stone, me in motion and manafest. Should be a great night! Hope to see you soon...

Vow of silence

So last week my voice decided that after a trip to Brazil right into radio week where I talked about 8 hours a day right into 2 shows...it would just say, Enough. So I came home and got to have almost 2 weeks home with nick. Amazing. But I had no voice. Score for my husband, right? Haha. We had cowrites set up every day, so I had to "attempt" to talk as little as possible while writing songs with people.

We met some really great people who we wrote with this week...and wrote some beautiful songs we're excited about. Its my first time I've really written worship, so its the new, weird thing for me but I've really loved it!

So doing the whole voice rest thing...well, I've had to rest my voice before and each time I feel like I end up learning something from the whole shutting up thing. This time around this is what clicked for me. Obviously my job depends on me having a voice. 4 other people depend on me having a voice, and a lot of people who buy tickets and a promoter who's spent money are affected by whether or not I can sing. Sometimes that pressure might be a bit much for me. And the truth is,I've had shows where I can barely talk by the end of it, but God manages to get me through and our fans are so sweet and forgiving of my manly vocals. Haha. So when my voice is hoarse and I'm trying to rest it, I'm sort of choosing my words wisely, you could say. Normally, I'm a talker. Communication is definitely a love language of mine...talking is how I connect and love people. So not to talk feels so weird for me. But when you know you should talk less, it makes you edit all the unimportant things you might think to say normally.

Moral of my story..I could talk less in general. The truth is,most of us could. There is wisdom in being a good listener. In sometimes sitting back and watching the world around you, noticing things you might not if you were too busy talking. Thats my lesson from voice rest this week. If i always thought,what could i not say? Whats not that important? I might be better off. Or maybe i'd just lose my voice less. :-)

Here's to shutting up more often, friends! I'm off to bed and then another week home, with cowrites every day and then shows this weekend. Excited to get this worship album out to any of you interested...next spring! Night night..

Radio week..

This week we got back from a show in brazil..we unpacked, did laundry and repacked for a week of radio visits. Nick and I got to hang out for the day and have a sushi date for our kind of anniversary that was Tuesday and we knew we wouldnt be together. It was our 2 year anniversary, and so far we haven't been together for either. Definitely a tough day for me to not get to be with him. I guess those days when I'm trying to find a positive, I always think that I am so lucky to have married my best friend who I want to be with every day and can't wait to get home to.

So Monday night, Melissa, Matt, Dave and I left with Chris Hauser and Matt Ingle(our amazing radio guys) and set out on what would be over 2,000 miles of driving across the states and visiting radio stations. Tuesday we started in Indianapolis and visited Klove and Air1 then we parted ways and the boys took off with Matt and we set out with Chris. It was quite the week of meeting new people, answering questions about who I am, who we are as a band, what we believe and why we're a band. These weeks are so exhausting but at the same time, for me they are inspiring. To answer those questions reminds me of those things that really matter to me and to us as a ministry, and it stirs things up in me.

This week we got to hang out with radio rations who play us and believe in us and then there are stations that are AC and finding one of our songs that fits is harder to do even if they'd like to. The one thing that stands out to me from everyone we met is that they're all people who are doing something because they believe in what they do and they want to make a difference. It takes a lot of parts to make up a whole, and a station wouldnt work without music, bands would have a hard time selling albums and tickets for shows without radio..we all need each other and if we take the time to get to know each other and respect differences, we'll work like a fine oiled machine(I have no idea where I heard that phrase)..:-)

It turned out to be a great week! There're are DJs and radio teams out there working long and early hours who don't get paid much or at all and they are pretty much pastors in their cities, encouraging people who tune in, praying for them and walking through life with them. It was a good reminder that we're only a part of this industry..and I'm glad to be a part of it.


My hubby is in Holland with Stellar Kart right now..said they had an amazing show headlining mainstage last night. It's his first time there, and I'm excited to hear all about it!

We came to a town called Siren, WI for a show tonight, and then fly to Ohio tomorrow...then HOME! Can't wait.

Fall tour is starting soon! Hope you'll all try to find a show close enough to come out. See you soon!