Journal

Change

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It started with a mug. Orange, red, and avocado green-it caught my eyes as they drifted across the thrift store shelves last fall. I instantly liked the playful design of vines and butterflies, and the $1.50 price tag sealed the deal. When I brought it home I decided to stow the find deep in my closet rather than add it to the collection of tea cups in the family cupboard. This one, I thought, I’ll keep for when I’m on my own. 

I had never had the slightest inclination to move before this year, but as the junior year unfolded I began to realize it was almost time. Then shortly before Christmas break I discovered a fellow student was looking for a roommate. The opportunity turned out to be better than I had ever hoped for, and worth rescheduling my tentatively planned move in the fall (When I chose to commute to a school in my hometown, I set a goal of making the jump to independence at the beginning of my senior year). Two months ago I signed my first lease, almost wondering if it was real. Today I find myself writing at the kitchen table-but as I gaze out the windows the view is entirely new.

Looking Back

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Much of the difficulty the past year came from trying to balance school with multiple jobs. Balance, though, is not the right word. It felt more like a circus act-and I was the performer spinning plates on long poles, praying one does not slip and bring everything down at once. Several times a dish nearly  slipped, and I missed assignments and commitments. Everything not absolutely urgent was put on hold.

I thought the challenge of the junior year would be in the complexity of the material presented, or in the details of tests.   Instead, it was marathon that wore me out with a constant barrage of assignments and tests best described as a semester long finals week. Every time I believed I was falling into the rhythm of the school year, something new was thrown at me.  Clinicals, research papers, presentations, and comprehensive tests followed one after the other.  My classmates and I had to adapt to a new type of test, in which all multiple choice questions have more than one right answer. Which right answer has the highest priority?

Next year, I have heard, is not nearly as intensive. Nevertheless, I have taken a much different approach to how I set up my schedule. I simplified a lot, condensing my dance and work schedule to be more reasonable. I am also making one other change. I will be living on the college campus next semester.

Soon

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I can breath again.

I had heard rumors and horror stories of the junior year for a long time, but I never expected it to be quite like that.

This blog has been waiting patiently through the school year, along with many other things. Hobbies have been on complete hold for the last few months. It’s been about two and a half weeks since I finished finals, and now I am catching up on tasks and rediscovering interests one by one. Thistles have been dispatched from the garden. C. S. Lewis’ Screwtape Letters caught my eye last week-it has been sitting on my shelf for quite a while. I remembered that reading is enjoyable, with purposes other than schoolwork. Soon, I hope to put a little time into this space as well.

Life Snapshot

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Books, books, and more books.

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Complete with a crayon wall mural composed by the young artist Claire. A Theraband (dancer exercise device) also hangs in the background.

Winter Days

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I decided not to take a class during the one month interim semester at school this January, so I am currently enjoying an extended Christmas break. I’ve been keeping busy between teaching dance and starting a new job as a waitress, but it is very nice to be able to work while not have homework looming overhead.

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January has brought the cold of winter in full force, so I frequently take refuge in hot cups of tea and coffee. I’ve been particularly enjoying some loose leaf black teas that Maria and I picked up at the health food at the beginning of the month. Its spicy fragrance and warmth is a perfect complement to winter’s long, dark evenings.

Once Christmas passes, I  quickly begin to think about the warmth and beauty of spring. Often the easiest way to deal with winter is to remember that it will eventually come to an end. Garden magazines are arriving in the mailbox, tempting me to wish the next few months away. However, I’m trying to put those thoughts off a little longer. Winter has its own beauty, though it’s harder to notice. I would hope to spend the rest of the season enjoying it.

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enchilada sauce

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This sauce whips up super quick and tastes like it came from a restaurant. It’s a really easy way to dress up a simple chicken or ground beef enchilada. One of the family favorites:

  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 1/4 cup New Mexico or California chili powder
  • 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon onion salt
  • 1 tablespoon peanut butter (secret ingredient)
  • salt to taste

Directions

  1. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in flour and chili powder, reduce heat to medium, and cook until lightly brown, stirring constantly to prevent burning flour.
  2. Gradually stir in tomato sauce, water, cumin, garlic powder, and onion salt into the flour and chili powder until smooth, and continue cooking over medium heat approximately 10 minutes, or until thickened slightly. Season to taste with salt.

Firsts in 2015

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This was a year of many new things: skipping rocks, first injections, learned to shoot a .45 caliber, first time traveling on my own.

Growing up, little by little.

 

2015’s Best Unposted

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Maria as Queen of France in the January 2015 homeschool one act play competition:

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Landon in his last one act play competition-his performance won a ‘best actor’ medal.

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I think he’d fail the marshmallow test:

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Apparently we invited a dwarf to Daniel’s birthday party:

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Claire slipped smoothly into her role as big sister. Benjamin is only one week old here!
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Landon assists Maria in making a Galadriel costume.

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Little brothers. Love.IMG_4576

Musician in training:

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2015

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2015, have you flown by already? The older I get, I realize that a year really isn’t very long at all. Looking through all the photos the family has taken over the last year, it  does seem that we fit a lot into 2015.

January I began actual nursing classes, after two years of wading through the prerequisite science and psychology classes. The one-month interim course at my school fits a whole semester’s material into three weeks , so bitter January passed quickly. The class finished with a role playing presentation that was fun to work on and present to the class:

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Through February and March, both Mom and the excitement for our newest family member grew steadily:

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April brought the welcome spring, with flowering bulbs, spring sun, and crazy baby chickens in the mail:
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May was filled with celebrations following one after the other. Benjamin arrived safe and sound shocking us with his head of curls.  Landon graduated from homeschool life, and several members of the family received sacraments:

Maria was confirmed:

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as well as Johnathan:

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and Alexander:
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In June Benjamin also received his first sacrament!

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In July I flew with an amazing group to Alaska on a two week mission trip through FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University students). This was my first trip away from home by myself, so it was very new and exciting experience:

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The family spent August enjoying the last warm, school-free days of Summer:

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And this must suffice for September, October, November, and December, as I only narrowly escaped being buried alive in homework this semester. I passed a lot of exciting nursing milestones such as first injection given, first patient cared for, and learning to understand a million different lab values.

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 Now, forward on to 2016!

For Unto us a Child is Born

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Good Christian men, rejoice, with heart and soul and voice! Give ye heed to what we say: Jesus Christ is born today!

~ a Latin carol from the 14th century, translated by John M. Neale, 1853

Merry Christmas!

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Cantate!

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This semester,  I have been privileged to sing with the upper level choir at my school.  Before I began college, I didn’t have much exposure to choral singing. I loved music, but thought of it only as either instrumental or a singing soloist. Choral works fall somewhere between the two, as voices form a living orchestra. This was new to me. I remember the first concert I attended seemed to take forever, but the next went by a little quicker. Now, I pay so much attention to the different voice parts in a composition that a two hour program seems brief.

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(my college choir poses for an official photo)

Over the last year, choir has increasingly become the focal point of my school day.  Bible verses form many of the choir’s pieces, and the significance of the text unfolds as we work with the text day after day.  With so much repetition, rehearsal is reminiscent of the meditation of ancient Christian hermits. I am reminded of the saying ‘singing is praying twice.’

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(some of my choir fellows at a concert last year)

One of my favorite things about music is that it is meant to share with an audience. The meaning of each song is twofold: consisting not only of the words the composer has set to music, but also of how the lyrics and melodies affect each listener. As the background of each person is unique, no one will be moved by the music in quite the same way. We speak to each person individually, and many grow misty eyed as they listen. Are the feelings we evoke sad or sweet? Maybe some relive memories of long ago. Others, perhaps, are reminded of loved ones who have passed away. I do not know the details of each life that listens, but as we sing we reach to everyone.

(one of my favorite pieces from our Christmas concert last week)

Music is the only form of art that completely surrounds and immerses its audience. Stand in a grand cathedral as sound reverberates from every wall and you’ll see what I mean. As we perform, the music courses through my veins, invigorated as I blend and harmonize with those around me. Long after our concert, the words echo back to me in quiet moments, the beauty not confined to the mere performance.

Final-ly

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I have emerged from the throes of finals week.

Victorious.

And still feeling like I need to be pouring over a book at every moment of the day.

I can say with confidence that this was my hardest semester yet. There was a lot of material to learn, and a whole new method of thinking to start learning. Most of the time I was able to stay on top of things, but a few times assignment after assignment stacked up and there was barely time to breath.

But suddenly I find that I am over the finish line (for the first semester of the nursing program at least) and Christmas comes in only four more days. I’m looking forward to it, as well as spending lots of time not studying.