Christmas 2024

 

bell choir fun

 Tonight we met with the H family and did bell choir fun.  There was about 10 ringers.  It was really nice.  They humored us and did 5 songs several times each.  I loved it.  I haven't done the bells at that level in a long time.  The best ones have a simple chord or counter melody and the melody is sung.  I have a nice arrangement of "Silent Night" that is so simple but also so sweet.  For "Ring Out Wild Bells" I have verse 1, 3 and 4 to simplify things.  Verse 1 and 3 have more of a chord feel.  Verse 4 has more of a bells clanging on every beat feel.  It's very nice.

There are so many cool people I've been able to get to know this last year.  I miss knowing people but it is also nice to meet new people.

First Semester of A's and an internship

 I got all A's for the first time in my life!  I'm so grateful to be studying now in this season when I have learned so much.  I already have note guides set up for 2 of my classes for next semester.  I figured out some strategies for taking tests for one of the professors I'll have classes with every semester.  Yay!  

Back in November I applied for an internship and got connected with that just in time to do a lot of the hours over the break.  I just signed up for 40 hours.  I think I'll be able to get my 25 hours of observation signed off with this.  More importantly I'll get to see a wide variety of patients.  This clinic follows various specialties that aren't available in this area.  I probably won't see the same patient twice, so that's 40 different situations I'll see.  So cool.

Last week on my last day before the kids went on break, I went on a date with the grad school ladies.  We went to a bagel restaurant and then to a thrift store.  I got some really nice shoes, coats, backpack and a flat light bright!  So much fun.

Life is really great.  I got a new calling and have the dubious privilege of choosing the person to take over my old calling.  I really loved that calling.  Callings are tricky.  It's a little like reencarnation.  What have I learned since the last time I had this calling?  What has changed about the calling in 9.5 years.  It turns out, a lot.

Bike accident

 G had a bike accident and broke his collar bone.  I flew to Florida to see him through surgery.  What a bump in the road.  He had to miss 2 weeks of classes and ended up withdrawing from classes.  He's registered for the next semester and moving on.  It could certainly have been worse.  He wasn't wearing a helmet (!) but didn't hit his head.  He was approved for medicaid days before the accident.  I'm grateful that as bad as it was, it could easily have been so much worse.

Caroling prank of the century

 

We were involved in this for over a month.  We met clandestinely in the local band room to plot and practice.  It came of so beautifully.  Our outgoing bishop's love language is sarcasm and pranks.  When he mentioned that he doesn't like caroling in ward council, several members took the challenge to arrange the most epic caroling event ever.  Over 40 people were involved in the secret.  A band and choir would sneak into his house (with help from his daughter) at 7:30 and wake him up with "Joy to the World" including percussion, and breakfast.  It was awesome.  I'm glad we got to be part of the fun.  Sarcasm and pranking is not my love language but showing up is.

Concerts

 What a busy week.  On Friday and Saturday we had the Christmas festival which was amazing.  Thursday B and lP had a concert.  Tonight M had a concert.  Christmas is busy with concerts but I love the music.

Blowing gum

 For FHE we had a combo activity/treat blowing bubble gum.

B struggled which was good because he is used to doing everything so easily.

Christmas break

 I am finished with finals.  I'm pretty sure I got all A's but the university online system was having a lot of issues so grades aren't in.  I took my finals last week before things crashed.  Yay!  Doing assignments early has been a super power for me this semester.  I do much better when I'm not under a deadline.  It feels good to get things done a week early.  When I get close to a due date, I stress instead of getting things done. 
I know that working under pressure is considered a virtue.  I have lived under pressure for so long with raising kids and all the crisis that happen day by day.  I'd rather be like the farm hand that can sleep when the winds blow, because they did all the work before the storm arrived.

One of my professors is a real educator.  She has a larger vision for the students we need to become.  I have learned the most about myself as a learner, and how to study effectively because of the assignments she gave us.  She had us write papers, outlines, video presentations and oral presentations.  I'm so grateful for her.

My strategy for getting ahead on the content is to look through each chapter and make an outline before the lecture.  I add the lecture topics to my outline and fill in other material from the book as I have time to.  While I am off for the next month, I plan to have all the outlines for 2 of my classes before the first day off classes. One of the classes even has a bulleted list in each chapter of "Main points".  Nice!  I use a paper planner to assign myself tasks to stay on top of these non-graded learning strategies. 

Christmas Festival

 This year P, M and I are playing brass in the Christmas Festival Orchestra.  I love this group.  It is wonderful to put this together in a month of rehearsals.  The choir is very good and the instrumentalists pull it off.  The combined 2 stakes put on this amazing festival with rooms decorated like Bethlehem.  It is really beautiful.  I'm so glad we got to do this together.