New Adventures...Here I Come!

Well I started a new job this week at UNM. I now work in the main music office doing whatever may come up such as copying, running errands, answering phones and more...the best part is, when the office is slow I get to do homework. It's only about six hours a week but it's a constant flow of easy work for a decent pay check. I am still working at Keller Hall as well but not as much due to having later evening classes two days a week and leaving campus by noon the rest of the week. Target will be back come summer but for right now I am grateful to not be working there because I am so busy.

School is going well. I really like all of my classes. Children's Theatre is proving to be an out of comfort zone type class but it is just so much fun. I am learning some awesome new games to use with the Voice of Angels Choir and doing basic acting. Children's Literature is just fun because I get to read children's book and get credit and graded for it. I have been reading a lot of silly books for the elementary grades, such as Dr. Seuss and other favorites from childhood. I love it! The other classes are just as fun just not as exciting. I have a wonderful set of professors and some great opportunities ahead. I finished the application process for the College of Education a little over a week ago, ending with an interview with a faculty member of the COE. I will find out if I am in the college by March 1st. Then I can start planning my life for the next three semesters as I enter the student teaching section of my undergraduate years. I look forward to seeing where it takes me.

Although I am not working at Target on the weekends, I find that weekends are very busy. I am going to plays, concerts, church activities, hanging out with friends, doing homework and other fun things during my days off from school. Today for example, I am going to the baby shower of the children's director at church, heading to the 4pm service at Sagebrush, then picking up Grandma for dinner and the NMSO Pops Concert in Popejoy. Such fun! I even managed to do all of my homework by about 5pm last night, except reading one 20 page chapter from a book for Children's Lit. It's amazing! I don't have to worry about homework for a day. I was going to practice but don't have time now before the baby shower...oh well. I will make up for it later! Tomorrow there is normal church in the morning then off to see Thoroughly Modern Millie with the Deuel Family, Alicia is in the play and I will be heading to see it with the rest of them. After is Daniela's birthday dinner (birthday is Tuesday). So yet another fun filled day. What a weekend! Then back to school Monday. And so it goes...

Other exciting things...well I am doing pretty good with my trumpet playing. Jeff was very happy with my progress in my lesson on Thursday. I even got my jury piece! Yay! Should be fun to learn and play. I am also having lots of fun playing in the jazz band. We had our first concert Thursday night. Twas a fun experience. I miss playing flute but I just don't have time right now. I hope to pull it out over Spring Break to work up a piece to play at my joint recital/concert with my private students and the Voice of Angels Choir. Here's to hoping...I would love to make it work. :)

I have also been doing a lot of Bible study lately. I have been working through a few books and really feeling at peace lately. I have joined the new young adults Sunday school class at NCC and have been going to the YABS on Thursday nights as school allows. On top of these two groups I have been reading two books on my own, has been really helpful in changing my attitude toward being in school longer after switching degrees and toward being single. God is teaching me so much through my study and I am grateful for it. I am also praying about a possible mission trip this summer. At first, I wanted to go to Uganda with Dad. Well to be honest I still REALLY want to go but the dates just don't work for school. I hope that someday I will be able to go. Now I am looking at going to El Salvador with NCC. Amy went a few years back and really enjoyed it. I am hoping to decide for sure within the next month or so. I am praying about all that will have to be in place for this trip to become reality. I would like to be secure for paying for the trip, school and other things that I hope to do this summer, I would like to know for sure that this is where God wants me to go and to feel better about my Spanish. To work on my Spanish I will be talking/texting with my friend Paul in Spanish and hopefully emailing and talking with Amy some so that I feel more prepared to at least speak some with the people if I go. We shall see. God has big plans. I just don't know what they are yet. :)

Well off to start my fun filled afternoon! God bless!
Your sister in Christ,
Julie

What a Day

Well today I managed to give myself a sugar stomach ache that involved major shaking and cancelling four private lessons. I didn't eat a real breakfast so I was sugared up from drinking grape juice and coffee all within two hours. By the time I got to math at 10am my stomach was not happy and I was shaking...such a weird feeling. I decided as I left math to just head home, cancel lessons with my students and work on school work, hoping that I would feel better. Well I sorta feel better and it's 8 hours later! UGH!

I got a lot of homework and choir planning done. I am all set for my College of Education interview tomorrow, just have to be at school by 9am to go to the actual interview. I have a little homework to do before next week but will be able to enjoy most of the weekend and do some fun stuff...going to see the Spanish Brass Quintet on Sunday. Should be fun.

Nothing else terribly exciting. Worried a bit about my friends who are getting pounded with snow in Indiana and family on the east coast! I hope you are all safe and sound!

Off to the nursery at church I go. What a day!

Fun Week

Although this week was a little chaotic it was rather fun. Classes are going well. Jazz band and Dolce Suono are fun. My lesson with Jeff this week on trumpet was awesome, I am so grateful he is teaching me the basics and now jazz as well. School will be fun this semester. I am learning all kinds of new and wonderful things...many of which I can apply right now to my teaching, new games and activities that I can use with my home-school choir.

Family Night is now going to be awesome. Katie (Mark's sister) and Leah (another college student from church) will be helping me in the nursery. The three of us are able and willing to tackle all kids who come to the room. New Covenant Church families...bring it on. Just kidding. We will just enjoy having the evening to hang out with the kiddos. Katie (Children's Director) now can rest assured that this room is covered when she goes on maternity leave in March with her first baby.

On another note, Voice of Angels Choir began again today. An email went out to the ERC (a group that does information for home-school students in Albuquerque) and I got many emails from those parents asking for more information. Today, there were two families, six kids, two parents, Heather and I. We had fun but I hope more families come next week. I have big plans for this semester and need the extra voices! We will be doing Broadway music from various musicals and movies. Look for the concert date soon! I was so grateful that Heather came along. We have gotten to hang out quite a bit lately, since we have Dolce Suono and math together this semester. I love her! It's great to have another 'little sister'.

Well I think that's about all. I am ready for sunshine and warmer weather after weeks of clouds and snow here and there...too bad more snow is to come Sunday. The bad weather makes it hard to focus sometimes and makes me a little sad but I know that I have plenty to be happy about and that's what I need to remember when I get down. I have a fabulous family and some awesome new and not so new friends in my life. Oh...remembered something else...the new Sunday school class at NCC is going to be great. Lots of married couples with kids whom I will watch in the nursery and some younger college kids...should be tons of fun. Superbowl party Sunday at one of the families' house. I look forward to getting to know this group of young adults and their kids over the coming months. I am very excited about the new friendships that will form. Well anyways...many great things happening.

Love to you all! I hope that you are finding that God is blessing you and your family!