Happy Half Birthday to me!
I know it's not a big deal ...at all... but I kind of enjoy that my half birthday only occurs every 4 years. And Happy Birthday to my sister Gina tomorrow!
When I think about the last 6 months, I can't even believe how much has happened. I feel like I just turned 23, but at the same time, it feels like I've been married forever. Unless I am thinking of specific events from singledom, I have a hard time remembering what it felt like to not have Luke as a constant in my life. I have definitely learned so much in the past 6 months (especially the nearly 5 months of marriage).
I was talking to Luke last night, just kind of being grumpy and complaining (I know, it's shocking) and it kind of just came out of me how difficult this adjustment has been for me. I don't just mean getting married, but I mean the last couple of years where I was wrapping up my college years and trying to find a life for myself. Many of my close friends have moved away or been gone for quite a while and I've just been here watching the ward change around me while I felt like I wasn't really changing much. Well, you know, until I got married. Just thinking about all of that made me realize that this really is the beginning of the rest of my life. I wish I could still be close to my friends the way I used to be, but the truth is, many of them are not all that close anymore. It's hard to admit that people you've known so well as a part of your life really aren't there anymore. That's not because of any fault of theirs or mine, but just the effects of time kicking in. I am so happy for all of you who are doing well, and I WILL NOT ever lose touch with you completely, even if it meant that you had to go far. And I realize that there are some dear friends here in this same town who are not as close as they used to be just because of the ways my life has changed (and theirs as well). I am grateful for life progression and the greater capacity of love and joy it brings to my life, but sometimes it's just hard to let myself realize that it will never be the same again... and that that's a good thing.
I am so grateful for my husband. He is so patient with me (most of you know I can be REALLY grumpy sometimes) even when I don't deserve it. I never knew I had the capacity to feel so much love for another person. People told us the newlywed feeling would kind of wear off after a couple of months, but we're coming on month 5 and I am still just as ridiculously excited to be married to my best friend as the day we were sealed in the temple for Eternity. Life really is good.
29 February 2008
26 February 2008
23 February 2008
ACDA, stolen phone
ACDA was a success. I went Thursday evening, stayed in my hotel room the whole night, and went to bed early. The next morning I sat in on a couple of rehearsals. It turns out that I didn't really need to be there until right before the concert because that's the first time we ever practiced my piece (and I never got to rehearse it in the Folly Theater where we performed). That was a little frustrating because I felt like I was missing work for nothing.
The concert turned out great and a lot of familiar faces were in the audience. My parents were there along with my junior high and high school choir teachers, my main university choir director, my good and long-time friend Greg, and several former KU Chamber Choir members (they were GTA's at the time) who I really enjoyed singing with in my younger KU years and have long since passed KU by now. You'd think all the familiar faces would intensify my nerves, but they really just made me feel at home. I was able to relax and just sing the song that by then I knew so well. Everyone was very complimentary afterward and I felt like it was one of the best times I had ever sung it. The whole concert was great and the Folly Theater is SO FUN to sing in. Mom and Dad bought the recording of the concert, so when we get it, I'll post the audio of 'David of the White Rock' in all its glory.
Tonight at Walmart Luke's phone got stollen when it fell out of his pocket in the fitting room. We went back once we realized Luke didn't have it and it was long gone. We went to the Sprint store and luckily we knew the guy who was working there (from church) and he was able to help us out by getting Luke a new phone for just $50 (after a rebate) instead of having to pay full price. It's still not fun to have to drop $50 so unexpectedly, but it was a great blessing to have a connection. The lamest part of the story is that Adam (our friend who helped us) told us that someone had called to report Luke's phone stolen, then called back to report it found. LAME!
Now Luke's brother's Matt & Jake, and his friend Nick, are here playing Halo 3 until who knows when. I'm not waiting up.
The concert turned out great and a lot of familiar faces were in the audience. My parents were there along with my junior high and high school choir teachers, my main university choir director, my good and long-time friend Greg, and several former KU Chamber Choir members (they were GTA's at the time) who I really enjoyed singing with in my younger KU years and have long since passed KU by now. You'd think all the familiar faces would intensify my nerves, but they really just made me feel at home. I was able to relax and just sing the song that by then I knew so well. Everyone was very complimentary afterward and I felt like it was one of the best times I had ever sung it. The whole concert was great and the Folly Theater is SO FUN to sing in. Mom and Dad bought the recording of the concert, so when we get it, I'll post the audio of 'David of the White Rock' in all its glory.
Tonight at Walmart Luke's phone got stollen when it fell out of his pocket in the fitting room. We went back once we realized Luke didn't have it and it was long gone. We went to the Sprint store and luckily we knew the guy who was working there (from church) and he was able to help us out by getting Luke a new phone for just $50 (after a rebate) instead of having to pay full price. It's still not fun to have to drop $50 so unexpectedly, but it was a great blessing to have a connection. The lamest part of the story is that Adam (our friend who helped us) told us that someone had called to report Luke's phone stolen, then called back to report it found. LAME!
Now Luke's brother's Matt & Jake, and his friend Nick, are here playing Halo 3 until who knows when. I'm not waiting up.
16 February 2008
Our first Valentine's Day was a nice, low key evening. We went to Chili's for dinner at about 4:30 (we both didn't eat much for lunch), then ate the leftovers at about 9 later that night. We avoided the crowds and had good food, so I won't complain there. Then we just stayed in, watching movies and relaxing. Most of the time, that's all I need.
At work, one of the hours I assist a student in a Jewelry class, which so far has been a lot of fun for me. I have to be careful not to take over his projects, but am glad to assist when he needs my help getting things started or things like that. Right now they're making decorative pins out of twisting copper wire and adding beads and coils of colored wire. I'm helping my student make one that is shaped like a guitar and he's really enjoying that he made something he would actually be proud to wear. He is getting the hang of this assignment, so his teacher said I could make my own pin :) I made a design with a treble clef and some circles and like it a lot. It isn't done yet, but you may see me wearing it at some point in the near future.
I finally got some prints from my wedding and our trip to Idaho for Matt and Ali's wedding. We got a collage frame for our wedding and finally just filled it this week. I've also ordered an 8x10 print of the Nauvoo Temple. I had taken the picture a while back when the ward went for Fall Break and I used my newly learned skills from Digital Imaging class to edit it and make it look really nice (it's the current profile picture). I'm excited to get that, as well as some other prints I got for a gift... details on that later.
Not a lot has gone on the past couple of weeks. Last week I was sick half the week and the other half was at Mandt training (it's the school district's choice of method for assisting and restraining students when necessary and is based on building relationships to try and prevent incidents from happening). This week I've just been SO EXHAUSTED every day that I just come home after work and can hardly function. Many naps have been taken in preparation for the upcoming week of concert events for ACDA. Today after work Luke and I both accidentally slept for about 4 hours. Ah well. I guess we needed it.
On a less personal note, the teaser trailer for the new Indiana Jones movie came out on V-Day and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. I'm just glad they're not trying to make super old Harrison Ford look like he hasn't aged. They make note of his age and allow it to contribute to the humor of the movie. We'll definitely see it, along with a long list of movies that we plan to see: Juno, Fool's Gold, 27 Dresses, The Bucket List, The Spiderwick Chronicles (and those are just movies that are already out... we haven't been to a movie in a while).
Life is good...and exhausting. Good night.
At work, one of the hours I assist a student in a Jewelry class, which so far has been a lot of fun for me. I have to be careful not to take over his projects, but am glad to assist when he needs my help getting things started or things like that. Right now they're making decorative pins out of twisting copper wire and adding beads and coils of colored wire. I'm helping my student make one that is shaped like a guitar and he's really enjoying that he made something he would actually be proud to wear. He is getting the hang of this assignment, so his teacher said I could make my own pin :) I made a design with a treble clef and some circles and like it a lot. It isn't done yet, but you may see me wearing it at some point in the near future.
I finally got some prints from my wedding and our trip to Idaho for Matt and Ali's wedding. We got a collage frame for our wedding and finally just filled it this week. I've also ordered an 8x10 print of the Nauvoo Temple. I had taken the picture a while back when the ward went for Fall Break and I used my newly learned skills from Digital Imaging class to edit it and make it look really nice (it's the current profile picture). I'm excited to get that, as well as some other prints I got for a gift... details on that later.
Not a lot has gone on the past couple of weeks. Last week I was sick half the week and the other half was at Mandt training (it's the school district's choice of method for assisting and restraining students when necessary and is based on building relationships to try and prevent incidents from happening). This week I've just been SO EXHAUSTED every day that I just come home after work and can hardly function. Many naps have been taken in preparation for the upcoming week of concert events for ACDA. Today after work Luke and I both accidentally slept for about 4 hours. Ah well. I guess we needed it.
On a less personal note, the teaser trailer for the new Indiana Jones movie came out on V-Day and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. I'm just glad they're not trying to make super old Harrison Ford look like he hasn't aged. They make note of his age and allow it to contribute to the humor of the movie. We'll definitely see it, along with a long list of movies that we plan to see: Juno, Fool's Gold, 27 Dresses, The Bucket List, The Spiderwick Chronicles (and those are just movies that are already out... we haven't been to a movie in a while).
Life is good...and exhausting. Good night.
03 February 2008
ACDA
I am sick again, I cannot believe it. This time Luke is sick too, so usually if something is strong enough to get him (he has the immune system of a rock), then I'm a goner.
I am going to be singing with the KU Concert Choir at the ACDA conference, which just happens to be in Kansas City this year at the end of February. They're doing a couple of pieces that they did last spring when I was in the choir, including a piece where I was featured, so that's why I was asked to do it. It should be a lot of fun... I haven't sung for real pretty much since then, so I'm pumped... but that also means lots of practice will be needed. Back when we first sang it, I posted it on my xanga blog, so here's a link if you want to hear me singing "David of the White Rock." I'm the soloist throughout. This is the other piece I'll be singing with them, called "Jamaican Medley," which was written by our director, Paul Tucker. These recordings are from last year, when we performed them at KMEA Convention as the featured group.
Also, my dear friend Lori will be at ACDA with her group from Colorado (UNC), so I'm way excited to get to see her!
I am going to be singing with the KU Concert Choir at the ACDA conference, which just happens to be in Kansas City this year at the end of February. They're doing a couple of pieces that they did last spring when I was in the choir, including a piece where I was featured, so that's why I was asked to do it. It should be a lot of fun... I haven't sung for real pretty much since then, so I'm pumped... but that also means lots of practice will be needed. Back when we first sang it, I posted it on my xanga blog, so here's a link if you want to hear me singing "David of the White Rock." I'm the soloist throughout. This is the other piece I'll be singing with them, called "Jamaican Medley," which was written by our director, Paul Tucker. These recordings are from last year, when we performed them at KMEA Convention as the featured group.
Also, my dear friend Lori will be at ACDA with her group from Colorado (UNC), so I'm way excited to get to see her!
02 February 2008
Tribute to the late LDS President Hinckley
I don't know if you're familiar with Glenn Beck, but this is his tribute to Pres. Hinckley.
“‘Here and there, and now and then, God makes a giant among men.’ President [Gordon B.] Hinckley was such a giant – a giant of knowledge, of faith, of testimony, of compassion, of vision.” --President Thomas S. Monson
President Hinckley's Funeral today was beautiful; I was able to watch it from the computer. It emphasized the hope and inspiration that he radiated and was able to share in his example to everyone he met. It emphasized his wit and good humor, his commitment and dedication to his family and to the church. It emphasized his desire to continually be better, to stand up for something, to be willing to stand out from the world, to serve with confidence in the Lord. I know I can continue to learn from his example and I will. I look forward to the great things that will come to pass because of the hard work of the new prophet, who will most likely be President Thomas S. Monson. I am grateful to know that until Christ comes again, a prophet will stand on the earth to do His work.
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