Proud To Be An Odmark

Proud To Be An Odmark

Goal: Reunite with Family

      You may know me as Terra Jole', however my full name is Terra Jole' Odmark.  Born an Odmark, living as an Odmark, but going by Terra Jole'.  This week my goal was to reunite with family.  Considering it's been 18 years since I've seen my cousins on the Odmark side, this was an overdue reunion. 

      We were set to meet at a really cute and trendy bar called off 49th st. called Lillie's.  Allison was visiting to spend time with her brother Jake who is performing in the Spiderman musical here in New York. 

      What do they look like?  Will they get my humor?  We used to get along as kids, but what if I hate them?  What if they are flat out boring?  They knew I didn't grow since the last time they saw me right?  These were the paranoid thoughts going through my head before I met them.  My roommates asked me, "If it's been 18 years, how do you know what they look like?" Basically, if it wasn't for facebook I would have been waiting for two complete strangers to assume they were my cousin because I was the only short broad in the bar.  Thank you Facebook!   

        When we were children we would always spend our summers in Charlevoix, MI where our grandparents resided.  If you've ever visited Charlevoix, MI, you would know what a distinguished city it is.  Everything is green and smells like Christmas pine in the middle of the summer.  Lake Michigan runs along it's side, boats floating through the city which you can see at our grandfathers Pavilion.  Not just any pavilion, The Clarence Odmark Performance Pavilion. 

The Clarence Odmark Pavilion.  Charlevoix, MI

            Every piece of Charlevoix brings memories of happiness.   Meeting up with the two of them brought back the internal joy of being in Charlevoix...even though we were in New York.  All of my stress had been dissolved the moment we said "hello!"  I love them.  They know me.  An immediate sense of connection occurred.  Oddly enough we had similar personalities and without hesitation it was like we were kids in Charlevoix all over again.

        Our entire Odmark family has passed on the music gene.  Both of our grandparents were heavily involved in teaching and conducting.  While my uncle Bob is still making a living in music, my father has retired from the world of music.  It runs in our blood and is something that makes us who we are born in the Odmark family.  Jake is starring in Spiderman the Musical here in New York city, Allison  is a Music Director, Josh Odmark (Jake's twin) has a compilation of techno songs that have been viewed around the world and Abigail, their youngest sister, is a very talented ballet dancer.  My cousin

 Jake, standing beside me, and Allison on the far right.  The last time I was around Jake, he and I were eye level.  Now, his belt buckle is at my eye level.  This man has sprouted to a giant!  What a great experience this was.  Never do I want to go another year without seeing their beautiful faces let alone 18 years.  Looking forward to our next Odmark family outing.  

Terra (on a chair), Jake, Reeve, Allison
**thought you should know the chair part... I dont' know.**