I would, however, like to dedicate this song to some of my dear friends. Last month I visited the standing stones in Arran, Scotland, and yesterday I commented to my husband Kris that those Standing Stones remind me of the women in my life. The reason is this: the standing stones have stood for hundreds of years, through violent winds and pelting rains, because the part of the rock you can see is only half of its length. They are buried as deep in the soil, as they are tall reaching toward the sky.  As much as you can see of the rock, an equal length of it is buried beneath the ground holding her steadfast through every, and any kind of weather.

The past few years 2 of my best friends have lost their husbands to untimely deaths – 2 have lost theirs to adultery and separation. While other amazing wimen in my life have dealt with losing their homes, their source of income, almost their sanity!  I’ve watched them live through the deepest sadness, and not just survive, but keep loving their kids, keep doing the laundry, keep everyone loved and clothed and fed. They rely on God in their most challenging weaknesses, and in that they have amazing strength – well done ladies, you have my unending and undying respect and love.

Here’s my song commemorating this year of pain, in which I have also found amazing grace and healing – thank the Maker. Phew.

I played music almost everyday while I was there … mostly because my best friend Laura (pictured here with me and my sister Claire – Laura’s the curly haired one:) insisted on me playing to everyone who walked in the door! That was good of her, and I thoroughly enjoyed playing at every gathering.

I also had the honor of singing for my wee brother’s wedding – pictured here with his lovely bride Cassandra. It was a fabulous affair held in a Scottish castle; with kilts, a piper, great food, fab music and a rip roaring ceilidh (that’s a scottish evening of dance that requires much yelling and stomping and throwing each other around) … it was great

And, to make the trip complete …. I played at a lovely venue in Glasgow, The Captain’s Rest. We sold the place out, playing alongside Old Solar, a local Glasgow favorite, and Listener, who just blew everyone away! Here’s a song from that evening: Clean. This song was definitely the hit of the trip …. a clear winner as it made everyone cry and they asked for it over and over …. those emotional Scots! At the end of the song I have a bit of a coughing fit and get heckled about “too much smoking”. I tell the heckler to “shut it” … I love playing in my homeland where such things are acceptable and the people are beautiful and raw to the core!

The visual is a bit blurry, but the audio comes through just fine …

My Best Friend and Me …

is a 4 song e.p free for download. All 4 songs are for, and about, my husband Kris and this here married life of ours!

Watch the video below – read the blog of what and why I wrote these songs – then click HERE to download the tracks for free if you please. You’ll find all four songs in the playlist, they’re titled:

My Best Friend and Me, The Way It Is, Always, and 14 Years of Never Listening. Download em all!

The What and Why I wrote these songs:

My husband Kris and I have been married for 14 years, but for almost 2 of those years, for work purposes, Kris had to live away from home, coming back only on the weekends, or every few weeks as he could manage.  Those months of being apart were incredibly difficult for both of us; at times I felt ripped in two, not only by the separation, but by the financial uncertainty and the foreclosure of our home that was also happening at the same time. As that time came to an end, friends who’d lived through similar experiences warned me that the “coming back to live together” could be even harder than the being apart. They weren’t wrong. It was difficult, complicated and severely heart breaking at times.  For the past 9 months we have been living back together full time, and I have discovered that sometimes you have to lose everything to truly know WHAT it was you had in the first place. I have learned the need to forgive and be forgiven in deeper places than I ever thought existed.  I have woken up – grown up – in my soul and begun to shut up and listen – hopefully to truly SEE my spouse. I am still learning all these things. So these songs have come out of this time.  At this point in my rant, if he were contributing, Kris would tell me to stop being so dramatic. And that would make laugh and I would realize he is right, and I would laugh at myself for taking life so seriously.  Kris often says that he loves to hear me laugh. And isn’t that love? Enjoying the happiness of the person you are with? In my adult life, it was Kris who taught me that I was a thing worth loving in the first place – he continues to do that and after these past few painful years of separation and heart ache I am so thankful to get to live with the person I love and who loves me. I feel truly known by my best friend, and marriage is a more difficult, yet much richer thing than I ever thought it could be. I hope you enjoy these songs. Thanks for listening.

Click here and follow directions to get the songs for FREE!

This song is for my family.

(parental warning: I swear in this song – shocking I know since I usually have such a clean mouth:)

This song is dedicated to my Mum, Patricia – I knew it was for her when I wrote it, and I think it still is.

I wrote this song last week for my husband Kris.
Due to the harrowing experiences of life, and the lack of employment opportunities in small mountain towns, Kris and I have spent the greater part of the last two years living apart. Now … we’re re-learning to live together. Its hard and great, and devastating, and wonderful … kind of like the other 13 years of our relationship:)

Here’s the song “Always” … for all you people being and staying and doing marriage….. especially my best friends …. this ones for you lot.   Hit the button below and it should play