sharing spring 3

Another reason I love spring:

...drying laundry outside. Breathe that fresh air! Sunshine on my laundry makes me happy...

unexpected

what did I expect? A rather relaxed, comfortable hour with my husband before he left for work and before I left for school. This was the case until about 10 minutes before I was supposed to leave at 9:45 - I had my shower, breakfast, and devotions, and had just started to make his lunch. I was wearing bright spring green dress pants, a white cable knit sweater, and I had yet to do my hair at this point.

I usually make kool-aid style juice for him to take, and I have a very convenient bottle for that. I filled that bottle with the water, added the powder, screwed the top on, and began to shake it.

Red.
Juice.
EVERYWHERE.

By everywhere, I mean my sweater, the floor, sink, counter, windowsill, screen, fragile vintage curtains, and window. I mean in the plants, all over my vases, on the clean dishes in the drying rack - everywhere. My hubby rushed to the rescue with paper towels for the counter and sink. I immediately took the sweater off and slathered it with StainStick. He took the curtains down and I repeated the stain fighting regimen. I filled a bucket with hot water, dumped in Oxyclean, and drowned the sweater and curtains in it. I covered the bucket with foil to protect my Oscar-Cat from drinking nasty detergent water while I was gone all day.

I plugged in my straightener for a quick hair fix, ran to the bedroom for a new sweater, and finished making my handsome prince's lunch. I brushed my teeth, straightened my hair, and had time to hug him and burst into tears before he left. Great - now I look frazzled before school.

Oh, wait!

What about lunch for me? I hurried to the fridge and grabbed yogurt and a clementine. That would have to do. First coat available in the closet? The neutral-ish green ski jacket with lime accent panels. Fine. Blue Sorel boots for the incoming snowstorm? Check. Run back to the bedroom for dress ballet flats - check.

Bah. Forgot to pack my laptop. I ran back to get that, and remembered that I also wanted the checkbook. Packed. Put the kitten in her kennel, and left.

...at 9:50am. Class is at 10, mind you, and the drive is 10 minutes in great weather. I must not have been going the speed limit, because I arrived at 9:59. Let me paint this picture for you:
little red car, light blue boots, bright spring green pants, olive/lime parka, hurried and tired face, frizzy air-dried hair, heavy backpack. No gloves or scarf, because I forgot.

So glad to be back home, now! The sweater did come clean, with some bleach. The curtains don't seem any worse for wear. I think I did get the window completely clean, and the counter looks okay. What a day...

november?

Grad school has been dizzyingly busy.

This past month, I conducted in a masterclass with Dr. Rene Clausen, a well known composer and the director of the Concordia Choir. It went really well, and I was inspired. It was a much-needed bit of inspiration in a semester that has been difficult.

In the past two weeks, the College Choir has performed in three concerts; we had to travel to nearby cities for two of those concerts. This is a feat of organization, and I'm pretty sure I couldn't have done it and stayed sane, had it not been for the help of the choir president. He has been great at putting tour crews together, organizing driver lists, and making sure our equipment is set up. We had plenty of obstacles to overcome, but everyone has been so cooperative and willing to help. It seems like we have a great group of people this year!

I enjoyed a piano recital tonight - something I missed in these past three years. My undergraduate years were filled with this sort of thing, and I didn't really cherish these opportunities like I do now. High-quality, free concerts? okay by me.

Whew. Research for my research class is exhausting. I've confirmed that this is not for me. I am so done with my topic - but I still have to keep digging. It seems that as soon as I've answered my initial curious question, I just don't have the drive to go on.

Brad finally did get a job, for which we're both grateful. We have enough money in our account to make our bills this month, and we will have a little bit left over. A blessing, for sure! We're not thrilled with the hours that his job demands - 10am to 11pm, M-Th, but we are trying to stay positive about the blessing of a job.

These past few weeks, we've been operating on a one-car system - a tough thing, since Brad drives 70 minutes to a nearby city for work most days. I have had to depend on the charity of my friends to take me to and from school... a humbling experience. I'm grateful for my friends.

It seems that this first semester has been about simply keeping my head above water, doing just the bare minimum - making ends meet, finishing today's homework, doing the little household chores and neglecting the bigger ones. I was thankful for a canceled class this morning, which allowed me to do laundry, bake bread, mend a pair of pants, and wash the pile of dishes...not to mention sleeping in and cuddling with my husband, whom I rarely see. It makes me want to cry! I'm so tried emotionally and physically. I am not very old, but I feel the effects of this on my body. I'm not as young as I was in undergrad... funny, yes?

A good friend at school has agreed to pray with me once a week, and that has been great. I'm so glad to have her friendship and to be able to support her in prayer, as well has having her support of me.

There is more left to do this evening...so I'm out.

trying

lately, i've had a lot more free time than usual. this could be a good thing, but the free time has been accompanied by mild depression, which, characteristically for me, follows times of too much stress. I have had zero motivation for anything - not even for things I enjoy doing. Today was the first day I felt like I actually accomplished anything I've been meaning to do...and my list only included making a return, buying apples, making a pie, doing laundry, calling for optometrist appointments, going to the gym, and filing papers.

Alas. But I have been taking pictures. It's a joyful thing for me - to capture something and to view it closer than I can in real life.

Another joyful thing for me is singing, but I can't seem to get myself to practice like I should! I have had enough time in every day to do this, but it just doesn't get done. Part of the deterrent is my digital piano - it doesn't have external speakers, so i have to practice with earbuds in my ears. It's hard to hear myself like that. Regardless, I should still be practicing. Right now.

But I'm not! And I'm frustrated about this, but still having a hard time getting myself to practice.

motivated.

this morning, i was that. i had breakfast, started the dishwasher, made muffins, washed dishes, swept and cleaned the hall and kitchen floors, cleaned the bathroom, deep cleaned the kitchen counters, put away the now-clean dishes, straightened the bedroom, tidied the living room, and vacuumed every carpeted thing. all of this by 11am.

we had a worship music rehearsal at our house at 11:30 - just my husband on guitar, another friend on guitar and vocals, and me on the piano and some high vocals. it was a great time to play together. we all have a degree in music, so it makes it easier to communicate with each other. besides that, it's fun. did i say that? :o)
it's a lovely sunny day, too - not even snowing.

this afternoon shall involve shopping with a friend (yay!), and hopefully i won't have to make dinner.

last night's entertainment was being at a friend's house - chris and jacqueline, and their almost-two-year-old daughter. it was good to just relax together and play a couple games.

signing off for now.

"look to the Lord and his strength. seek his face always." -ps 105:4