celebration

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Four Ways to Celebrate the End of the Choir Year

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Four Ways to Celebrate the End of the Choir Year

The birds are singing, the grass is green, and summer is almost here. Do you know what that means? It’s time to celebrate the end of a great choir year! 

From August or September until about May, choir members of all ages faithfully gather, week in and week out, for rehearsal and worship. They sing, they smile, but most of all, they give their time to the work of the church and its music ministry. It’s a commitment, and often one that includes the whole family.

This alone is something worth celebrating.

But then there’s the wonderful work that you do together throughout the year - the music you learn, the songs you sing, the worship services you lead together, the pieces of life's journeys you share, the community you build.

There’s something special about church music ministry. Something worth celebrating every chance you get.

Here are four things you can do to celebrate your singers and their families and the end of the choir year this spring:

Happy Thanksgiving!

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Ashley_Danyew_Thanksgiving I know I've said it before, but Thanksgiving really is my favorite holiday.  We're spending the weekend in Connecticut with SD's parents and we have big plans for cooking together (SD and I are responsible for the stuffing, corn pudding, and cranberry conserve), making music, and decorating the Christmas tree.  So, so grateful for this life.  God is good.

Wishing you and yours a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Happy birthday, darling

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SD birthday Dear SD,

Happy birthday, darling!  I love this picture of you from our Christmas card shoot - it reminds me of the silly moments we've shared and all the things you do to make me laugh.  Best feeling in the world.  I love sharing this life with you and feel so fortunate to have you by my side.  I'm so grateful for the opportunity to celebrate you this week!  Wishing you a wonderful birthday and a great year to come!

xo, Ashley

Happy anniversary, darling

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Dear SD, Two years ago today we celebrated the start of our marriage together on the most beautiful, sunny fall day in the rolling hills of southern Vermont.  We reminisce often about that day and the sweet memories we hold and I'm so grateful we had the opportunity to build another year's worth of memories together this year.

IMG_1625 Remember that time we visited Niagara Falls in the winter?

We went skiing in Utah, saw Pink Martini at the Jazz Festival, and watched a few of the chase scenes for The Amazing Spider Man 2 being filmed downtown.  We shared a pulled pork sandwich from Bogart's in North Carolina (the best!) and sampled the wares of several local food trucks - Marty's Meats (with that amazing fried chicken sandwich), Le Petite Poutine, Macarollin', and Cheesed and Confused (with the pulled pork + macaroni and cheese grilled cheese sandwich).  We bought an air conditioner and wondered how we ever got along without one.  We had a white Christmas, saw the pink magnolias in full bloom in the spring, ate lobster in the summer, and went apple-picking in the fall (we even made an apple pie - and crust - from scratch!).

I love the things you do to make me laugh.  I love your sweet, selfless nature and all the ways you serve me.  I love when you tug on my hand during our after-dinner walks to encourage me to walk a little slower and enjoy the moment.  Thank you for showing me kindness every single day.  I admire your integrity and your giving spirit.  I love your heart, SD.  I am so grateful for you!

Happy 2nd anniversary!

Happy anniversary, darling

Happy anniversary, darling.

What an exciting year we've had!  We moved to a new state, visited eight states together + two more on our own, and hit 100,000 miles in the car.  We started (and stopped and started) jogging and started eating healthier.  I became a coffee drinker, you became a Bachelor Pad fan (I take full responsibility).  You had four commissions(!), I started a new degree program, and between us, we had two failed publishing attempts (there's always next year!).  We tried too many new recipes to count, saw Vermont in the fall, made our first trip to the ER, played concerts for audiences ages 2-80+, found our new everyday wine, and became Apple converts.

Our first year as husband and wife was not without its challenges but we had many laughs along the way.  I'm so grateful for your kind heart, your patient spirit, and your unwavering support.  My heart is full of so many sweet memories!  Remember splashing in the puddles on Main Street on our way to the Post Office?  And rearranging the tulips on Easter Sunday morning?  How about that time I opened a fortune cookie that had nothing inside and you opened yours to find two?  I learned just how handsome you look in a bow tie and you learned that my southern charm has a fiery side (or maybe you already had that one figured out).

I'm so grateful for the life we share together.  I love you!

P.S.  See more of our wedding pictures here and here.

Follow along with my creative work and daily adventures: @ashleydanyew

In honor of #smallbusinesssaturday2024, here are my ✨2025 predictions✨ for musicians and creative entrepreneurs: 1️⃣ Pivoting will still be essential: Flexibility and adaptability will define success—embrace change and be willing to evolve.
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