Semest(g)rrrrr!

The semester has been busy busy busy! For a quicker summation of what we've been up to, I'm borrowing from an email I wrote to a friend (so forgive me, Eden, if some of these sentences look familiar!). Here are some updates for the semester so far:

School: I am taking Environmental Sciences (where the first article we read was on the topic, "The Right to Breed [as humans] is Intolerable" and I was the ONLY person in the room who disagreed, if that gives you an idea about the class and my classmates); Southwest Humanities (which is actually really fascinating, minus the whole "white people and Christians are horrible to this day for everything you've done to the Native Americans"); English Immersion (online, a class to prep teachers for ELL students, very good class); and MAT 150 Principles of Mathematics (which is like a methods course for teaching the logic behind mathematical concepts to future teachers - we've been learning via the Mayan, Babylonian, and African tribal number systems so that we can see just how foreign learning our number system/math will be to our little kindergarteners someday. It's more about figuring out the logic than anything else. Hard, but cool). I will DEFINITELY not be getting all A's this year - the deadlines have been flying by, fast 'n furious! I'm trying to catch up and stay on top of things.

Church: We are back with our ward and back in our callings. I am the Primary Chorister, and I really think it is THE most joyful and fulfilling ward calling there is. I love getting to work with the children by singing songs, playing games, and focusing on the basics. This focus on the essentials has been a blessing to my own testimony as I've helped the children learn these principles through songs. I haven't always had a good attitude about this calling, but reading "To the Rescue" (Pres. Monson's biography) has inspired me to see the good in, and make the most of, my callings. Now I'm ashamed of the attitude I had, and can't imagine a better calling. Heavenly Father knows my abilities and my needs, and inspired to bishop to call me to this particular calling (which, this time around, has conveniently been a perfect fit for me). The big "event" for my calling is the annual Primary Sacrament Meeting Program, which is made up of spoken lines, testimonies, and songs from all of the children. I am really nervous, because it is this month, and since I've been gone for over three months, the children aren't very prepared (plus, it's a small group of kids, most of whom can't carry a tune). I have to keep reminding myself that the point is for the children to enrich their testimonies and their relationship with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. My role is to facilitate that, not to have a flawless program (though having both would be nice. Just sayin'.). I have to keep my pride in check, too, because the temptation is to worry about the impression the program will make on the congregation (since it's my first year leading the program, and the previous Chorister did it for 9 years with great success and much reluctance at letting go of the calling). I have to remember that the process is so, so much more important than the performance. Working on that. :)

Extracurricular: I am in the Master Chorale of Flagstaff and its chamber group Arizona's Mountain Chorale. It's a straight three and a half hours of choir late at night, but it's worth it to stay involved in music and get to work with Dr. Copley. It'll be nice, because in the Spring semester the choir joins with Shrine, so I'll get to sing with Chris again. I'm also babysitting for a lady in my ward with two little boys, since I can't seem to stop working with kids altogether.

 Work: Still looking. I have contacted the Flagstaff Unified School District for aide positions, put out flyers for teaching voice, reapplied to work at Fry's, and will soon attend a session with the employment specialist in my ward. We'll see how it goes. Mostly though, I am waiting for my fingerprint clearance card to come through. I think a whole lot of job opportunities will open up once that comes. My school schedule is a LOT more conducive to me getting a job this year. Last year, I had scattered classes filling my days, literally dozens of choir performances, and other music major related schedule fillers. This year, I planned my schedule so that I'm at school from 8:00am to 9:30pm on Tuesdays, 8:00am to 5:00pm on Thursdays, and only one hour and a half class on M/W. I could easily work a M/W/F job. We are praying that I and/or Chris will be able to find work.

Tidbits: Let's see, what else? We took some fun day trips around the Flagstaff area recently, to Wupatki ruins to Lowell Observatory. We loved Conference, and I'll write more about it in another post. I have been working hard to eat healthier and get in better shape. So far I have gone from 159 to 148 pounds, and I'd like to get down to 140 by the time Thanksgiving arrives.  I have completely fallen behind in posting on this blog. I am dreading the homework load of each new week.

I also wanted to share a personal tender mercy I had earlier in the semester. Maybe it's because we just moved back up, maybe it's because we are in so much debt, maybe it's because I didn't hang out with friends like I'd hoped to this summer, but several weeks ago, I was feeling very overwhelmed and alone, unloved and helpless. Within a 48 hour period of pouring my heart out to Heavenly Father about feeling so alone and unneeded by the people I love, I received a message, a text, an email, and a phone call from a best friend in high school, a best friend from CGCC, a much-admired sister-in-law, and a new friend I made this summer, all either letting me know that they were thinking about me for some reason, or to encourage me. It seems such a simple thing, but to me it was a dramatic experience letting me know that I am not alone. I have many, many wonderful people in my life, family and friends who care about me, a husband who is the best friend I could ever ask for, a loving Savior, and a loving Heavenly Father who answers prayers.

". . . and be content with such things as ye have; for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." - Hebrews 13:5

Back in the Saddle Again

Hm. Haven't posted in a long time, so this layout is pretty different. We'll see how it turns out.
To cover what I've missed:
The school year steamrollered along. I made the Dean's List, and since I was never an A-student in high school or at CGCC, this was very exciting to me. The irony is that the school work this year was harder than in years past, but I guess I've finally gotten organized enough to meet deadlines and have quality focus-time for homework and study. It was a hard, busy year.
My last weekend of concerts in Shrine of the Ages Choir was bittersweet. We had a truly wonderful Shrine concert at the Church of the Nativity, performing Ralph Vaughn-William's Mass in G Minor, along with selected repertoire from throughout the year. It was the fourth and final time that I got to sing the solo in "The Road Home", and it was a very moving experience for me and many others. I just love the message of that song - so beautiful. As I was singing, it finally sank in that, by leaving behind the option of a music degree, I was closing a chapter in my life that I would miss deeply. Even though I am happy with my choice, the thought still made my heart ache with a sense of loss. I will miss it - the art of making music with other artists, the unity of spirit when passionate musicians join voices under the direction of a master, the outlet of being an outlet for beautiful and meaningful works of music, and even the opportunities to sing a as a soloist. It's not like I'll never be part of music ensembles again, but it's not quite the same as dedicating my life to it, y'know? Plus, I'll miss having all the same classes as my honey.

However, I know, by confirmation of the Spirit, that I am making the right choice by leaving Choral Education and planning to someday be an elementary school teacher. I believe that, through teaching children, I will not only find greater joy than I would in any other career, but that I will be in a better position to bless others than I would in any other career. I am still very unsure about how it will all work out. I wish a thunderbolt would fall out of heaven and hit me on the head with the answers to: Work or school? School or family? Family or work? When? How? For at least this next semester, I've decided to be cool and stay in school. Don't ask me why I'm planning that, when we've got less than a hundred dollars to our name. But we've got financial aide coming next month, a full tank of gas, and family that won't let us starve, so that dollar numerical amount is not the only factor. Plus, for being so broke, we've had a pretty incredible summer, including a family trip to Yellowstone, working in MCC's Musical Theater Workshops, helping my family move to a new house (!!), and quality time with family and friends. I'll have to have a separate post about our summer experiences. For now, we are sad to be on the back end of summer - I could use several more weeks!