Repurposing is ‘In’, Right?
This is what happens when Mom tells the boys that the honey needs a lid:
For Unto us a Child is Born
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!
Cantate!
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.
(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.’
(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.
For these last days of Advent
This painting, rich in symbolism, has been a favorite of mine for years. Painted by Sister Grace Remington, of the Sisters of the Mississippi Abbey
Final-ly
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.
Benefits of Marriage-A 4 Year Old’s Perspective
Dominic (most matter-of-factly, sitting at the dinner table): Sarah, when I marry you, I will give you part of my gum I got from the dentist.
Well, It Seems I am Alive
I’ve made it to fall break.
But only barely.
The last six weeks have required a learning curve in more than a few ways. School assignments build up quickly, and it took a few weeks to feel as though I had fallen into a rhythm. I was just beginning to feel proud of myself for getting the hang of it, when the teachers announced the beginning of clinicals, and the numerour assignments and reports they entails. It took until last Tuesday for me to feel like (I think) I know what I’m doing.
School is very real now. I’ve given injections, watched a surgery, and taken care of a patient. I’m also operating at maximum capacity most of the time. I used to be astonished at other students who started to fall asleep in class. Now, I have to keep my own head from bobbing the day after clinical. (It’s a really early morning to be at the hospital, and then a late night to finish the post-clinical reports.)
It is also different being one of the ‘old’ students. On the first day of class, I walked up to the classroom where I would be taking psychology, one of my last general courses I need. I noticed a large group of student waiting around nervously, almost to timid to enter the classroom. I wasn’t sure what was wrong so I walked in and they all followed after me like ducklings after their mother. Several asked me a few questions, which I answered without understanding their significance.
Suddenly it hit me: these were freshmen, and this was their first class. I was momentarily taken back two years, remembering my first day. Excited to be at ‘real school’, but terrified I would make a mistake. The faces of those older students who had recognized my hesitation, shown me around the buildings, and answered my questions still remain vivid in my memory. Truly, it does only take a moment to make a difference to a frightened freshman. Quickly, I put on my responsible older student hat, and welcomed the newcomers to Augie, and assured them they were in the right classroom. Their relief was plainly visible.
I was a more than a little stunned to realize how much time has passed since I started school. Even more frightening- before I know it, another year and a half will pass, and I’ll be wondering how I have come to be a college graduate.
Two Weeks In
I’ve passed the two week mark for school, and while I’m definitely not yet riding the waves, I’m starting to swim. After feeling like I constantly need to figure out what I should be doing for this long, I’m finally (dare I say it?) starting to fall in to a routine.
I’m learning to understand lab values that a week ago were a meaningless jumble of numbers. Now I see them as the difference between life and death. Potassium levels? Crucial. Ph of the body? Better be in a certain range.
For so long, it seemed my classes focused on various things with no rhyme or reason. Two weeks on the electron pump of the cell. A week and a half on osmolarity. Three weeks on the immune system. Finally, it all makes sense, and everything I’ve studied the last two years is being pulled together.
It Begins
Once again, I’m embarking on a new school year. This time, I return to college as an upperclassman and officially enter the nursing program. After receiving the course schedules listing all the tests, papers, and assignments for the year, I’m trying to sort out a semi-organized plan of attack. It’s a bit overwhelming, to say the least. This picture of (most) of my books is for my obituary that is likely to come out close to the end of the semester, so that the cause of death is well understood.
But this is why I’m ready to dive in anyway:
I’ll be getting ready to step into the hospitals and begin practicing on patients, starting in October.
Garden Journal 2015-I
Summer is dawning, and many different flowers are just coming into bloom. The garden is full of beauty, with showy peonies as the star of the show:
“Jethro Tull” coreopsis and salvia in the background
The little boys helped me plant several allium bulbs last fall, and they were impressed with how big the flower was.
“Husker Red” penstemon really took off after just one year of growth
Landon’s Graduation
Congratulations Landon! You made it to the end of your homeschooling years.
We celebrated his graduation at the end of May in a group party with five other homeschool graduates.
A favorite lego creation was displayed on his table, combining two of his hobbies: building and music. I love the little details in the piece, like the lined ‘sheet music’ in front of the pianist.
Here are several pictures from when he and I went out for his senior photo shoot:
I snapped this adorable picture of my Grandpa and Claire at the graduation party. So cute!
New Brother
Has it been a month already? Our family had so many major events in May I’ve really lost track of the time, and this poor blog has been very neglected. On May 7, we welcomed the newest member of the family, baby Benjamin. He was a big boy, weighing in at 8 lbs 12 oz.
He has been a very calm baby, and lets his brothers and sisters rock him to sleep most of the time. He likes music, and usually he will fall asleep almost immediately if you rock him while music is playing.
John and Benjamin at two days old:
He has one interesting feature that sets him apart from the rest of us as newborns: his dark hair is extremely curly. After a bath, my Dad remarked that he looked like he had a perm! I am hoping he keeps it, since everyone in my family except Landon has very straight hair.
Spring
Spring is in bloom at last. The streets are graced with flowering pink and white trees, and colorful bulbs are popping up everywhere. I’ve loved tiny grape hyacinths for years, so last fall Daniel and Dominic helped me plant some. (They are ‘their’ flowers.) The lovely shade of blue does not disappoint.
I’m excited to see this peony sprouting. It has proved very resilient, as my grandma gave it to me as a transplant. It grew well, but one of the kids accidentally mowed over it on more than one occasion. It now has a tomato cage around it so no one will forget about it again.
Spring is bringing many exciting changes in its wake. I begin a job at a daycare next Tuesday, and Landon started working at a garden center last Monday. The close of the school semester is now just four weeks away, and Baby Brother’s due date is in two weeks. It’s time to start getting everything ready to meet him!
Mexican Hominy Soup
Yum!
2 32 oz chicken broth
2 15.5 oz cans hominy
2 14.5 oz cans fireroasted diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (less if you don’t like things spicy or have little kids eating it)
2 cups chopped cilantro
1 t dried oregano
1 roasted chicken, deboned and chopped
3 T olive oil
1 cup chopped baby carrots
1 cup diced yellow onion
1 poblano peppers, seeded and diced
2 avacados, seeded and chopped, optional
2 cups shredded cheese, optional
1 cup sour cream, optional
In a large stockpot, combine broth, hominy, tomatoes, 2 teaspoons adobo sauce, cilantro, and oregano. cook and stir over medium high heat until heated thoroughly.
In a large skillet, sauté carrots, onion, and poblano pepper in olive oil five minutes or until tender. Add to stockpot allow to heat through and serve hot. If desired, garnish with avacado, cheese, and sour cream.