So we've all discovered I'm AWFUL at blogging! Lol. I always want to do some sweet clever elaborate post with pictures and witty captions. Then I get behind, then I can't get caught up. And I'm always busy with something, so it just never gets done. :( But I decided that I can still post something without pictures. Though it makes me sad. The pictures just drive me crazy because I want them to upload a certain way, and I have to post them in backwards order if I don't want to have to move them around. It makes me tired just thinking about it. Sigh.
August started out with me in California with my family. My friend Alessandra came with me and that was awesome, we got to do some fun things. See some wonderful people who I wasn't expecting to get to see, it was great. My newest nephew was blessed. Then I got back and school started. Not teaching what I wanted, and ended up taking a class and started to get ready for my huge "Comp"--a comprehensive chemistry exam I have to take for a masters degree. And started as the Choir director for our Institute Choir here in Greeley--very daunting! Our school is known for teaching, and for music! We have bunches of music majors--singers even--and I am very underqualified. It was terrifying for me (believe it or not) but it's working out well so far! They're amazing!
As school started and life got crazy (since that seems to be always the time that things start to work out?), I decided to finally revamp my scripture study, with the little prodding from my new Stake President. And that's been wonderful! I think it's better than it's ever been. As it should be, right, we should always be improving our scripture study huh? ;) And I go to way too many Institute classes! At least one everyday, literally...crazy I know. Ugh. But there were too many I wanted to go to. One is a Spanish Book of Mormon class, I haven't gone every week, and I don't understand a whole lot, but it's been good. My Spanish reading & translation has been slowly improving (though I'm starting to feel at a wall because I'm not doing enough Spanish to really get very good).
September, still school, preparing for the comp, teaching, helping with a Best of EFY day camp, a barn dance, finishing up our Temple Prep class at church for the last few missionaries who've left or who're leaving shortly. Oh and throughout all of this having started sometime in June or July I think, I may have been getting caught up on all the seasons of 'The Office.' ;) Zuchinni, summer squash, tomatoes (oh reaping the benefits of knowing people with gardens), cooking, studying for my comp. I did get to fly home to California for a weekend for my niece's baptism! That was wonderful, and I got to sing with my family and hold baby Paul some more.
October, my Comp finally came. Ugh, had to be the worst test of my life! It took me 6 hours!! Very literally, I started at 8:00 am friday the 9th, and did not finish till 2:00 and I had not really finished everything because I couldn't figure it out. It was an Analytical Chemistry Comp (for any of you that it might mean something), and it just worked me over like I haven't been worked very often. I was wiped out beyond belief. But I did get to end that day wonderfully in the Temple with a girl who leaves on her mission soon, it was beautifully perfect. I did get my results the next week and I had failed--a 60%, but my professor let me redo it all, with notes and he and I discussed the problems and I got that back this week, I passed with an 89%!! I'm happy with that score! It has been a huge relief.
Now I get to focus on research somehow. :( Someday soon--like next week. I also get to finish getting ready for our Institute Choir fireside! Eek, November 22nd is the day, it's going to be pretty intense finalizing the preparations. My pianist is thankfully AMAZing and pretty close to literally a professional! So she's been a HUGE help for me, who knows close to nothing about directing a choir. But she is also the lead in the Opera here the week before. So she's insanely busy, got the swine flu and will have missed a few of the practices beforehand. A little crazy, but I'm flexible. I'm trying to learn how to use my left hand while conducting--it's so inept and I haven't been successful yet. Hah. So sad.
Well that's sorta a quick rundown of my life right now. Oh, haha, so part of the reason why I'm having a successful choir experience is because I've promised treats every week. And I make them. It's way fun for me, and a stress reliever so I love that. And they really love it. I try to make them somewhat interesting. It's helping me get to flex my domesticity skills. ;) And we're getting more guys in choir than they've ever gotten here and than I've seen in any ward choir, I'm pretty sure that it really does relate to the food.
Conference was WONDERFUL right at the beginning of October (of course)! I loved every talk, and have already gotten caught up on Priesthood, which was awesome. Then I got to start teaching the 'Teaching, No Greater Call' Sunday School class. I just love that book--it's amazing! I have amazing people in the class, I have something like 30 people who are on a list that are supposed to be in it. But some are teaching during my class, and some took it last year from me. So I've had 22, 19, and 20 in there each week so far. It's great, and I love it!
Oh, exciting, I started a puzzle before school started, a 1000 piece puzzle (my favorite), of daisies, and once school started and I wasn't around, and if I was, I always had to grade, or study. Anyhow, it's just been moved all around our living room for months, and I finished it this morning! Yay! There is one piece missing, but I bet it's around our living room somewhere, it was moved around so much. But that made me really happy.
I'm gonna try to not let it be 3 months till I post again, course it won't be 3 months till tomorrow, lol. ;)
Love to all,
Carol Joy
4 months ago
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