Immensely Proud!!

It's been an exciting, emotional, long and tiring day! I have bragged shamelessly on Facebook and have come here to do the same. 

Today our daughter graduated with the honors of Magna Cum Laude from Michigan Technological University with a degree in Scientific and Technical Communication and a certificate in media. I am amazed that I have a daughter that is that intelligent and hard working, but then again, she only looks like me, the brains and hard work she gets from her dad. 

I'm not the only one bragging; her sister posted this on Facebook: "Words cannot express how proud I am of my baby sister. Today she graduated Magna Cum Laude from my alma mater, Michigan Technological University. This girl is crazy smart, effortlessly beautiful and immensely talented and I am so excited to see all the amazing things she will accomplish in this next chapter of her life.
I love you, Rinny. You're amazing!" 

I couldn't help but agree with her and I would have said the same had I been able to form the words. My mind is a blurr of memories combined with admiration and pride, so much so that I struggle to form coherent sentences. I'm so tired and I know it's all emotional exhaustion.

After sitting for two long hours on bleachers (I'm too old to be climbing around on bleachers), we fought the crowds to have a few pictures taken with her and then we celebrated at a favorite restaurant. Hubby had to leave early to ref a game. His buttons are bursting open with pride! He's having a difficult time watching this one leave the nest, but proud he is! 

The photo at the top of this entry was posted to the universities Facebook page. Imagine my surprise as I was scrolling through the photos to see MY DAUGHTER receiving her diploma - of all the photos of all the graduates they could have chosen, they chose her. I guess they know the look of talent and hard work when they see it. 

She will continue to work part time this semester for the university marketing and communications department while she looks for more permanent employment. We pray she will find a good job soon as those school bill payments will be kicking in.  

Well, I guess that's enough boasting for tonight. I'm so ready to curl up and call it a night. Thanks for putting up with me! 

Winter Wonderland

We've had some strange weather this week...warm for this time of year and instead of snow we've had fog with a light mist at times which has resulted in this white coat covering all the trees. If it wasn't so gray it could be quite beautiful.

If the sun ever comes out, what a display that will be! I took the afternoon off today. Maybe it's this dismal weather that has me so lacking in energy but I've practiced almost every day this week and I just couldn't bring myself to go over there again today. I did my grocery shopping this morning and decided I'd stay home and work on a few cards this afternoon as I have no students scheduled, but here it is 3:30 and I haven't even had the energy to begin.

I have however managed to read my daughter's newly printed portfolio from cover to cover. I just got the news, she is graduating on the 20th...MAGNA CUM LAUDE...and yes, I'm just a tad proud!! 

Tomorrow is my piano studio recital. I was asked by one of the parents (a professional singer) to accompany her on the organ while she sang Gesu Bambino. I was honored and worked very hard to adapt the piano music to work on the organ and then learn to play it. After putting in hours of practice I get an email yesterday from her saying that she, like many people in our area has come down with one of the nasty bugs that has been going around and since hers is the sore throat/fever variety, she will not be able to sing on Saturday. UGH! Oh well, I hear my mentor's voice as he's told me before that practice is never for naught. It's ok too, because I really didn't feel comfortable with the piece and if I was going to do it I wanted to do a good job for her. So many of our families have been ill and I've had so many cancellations this week that I really don't know what to expect for tomorrow, but whatever will be will be. 

Sunday morning is our church's Christmas program. I will be playing the prelude and postlude as usual as well as a solo on Still, Still, Still, plus all the congregational hymns...there are quite a few. I think I'm ready...I feel pretty good about those pieces, it's just up to whatever happens in the moment...God help me.

So here I am with an entire evening ahead of me...all to myself. Hot tea, frosty trees, twinkling lights, crackling fire and Christmas music...I think I'm ok with that.  

Photo Shoot

It's been a busy week...Sunday was the LSMTA Piano Recital, my students all did well. Hubby saved the day again by printing the programs at the last minute and serving refreshments when he noticed the rest of us got caught talking. 

Monday I went down the hill for organ practice time and had a scary trip back home; I'm trying to decide whether or not I should continue that trek during the winter months. Because of the snow, I've had several cancellations and reschedules lately, the reschedules I don't mind so much, but the cancellations sure cut into my budget at a tough time of year. I have three scheduled for today and two of them are very late...maybe they're not coming? 

I have a grocery trip I need to do for our Thanksgiving week, but customers have not been paying in a timely manner, so we are behind. Please pray I can pay bills and get the food I need to feed my kids when they arrive. 

I have a very long list of small projects that need doing...I won't bore you with it, just know that I am overwhelmed by it and by the amount of music I have to learn between now and Christmas so please pray for me. Daughter #2 is our budding photographer...she really does quite well and we are hoping to be able to purchase a camera for her for graduation. Last weekend she borrowed the camera from work so she could get some good shots of herself for her web page and resume and I mentioned how I'd like to have some good photos of me at the organ,so we took full advantage and had a great time doing a photo shoot. She took all these pictures, even the ones of herself (technically), she got everything all set up and all that had to be done was click the shutter. I hope you enjoy....

Our daughter #2 and soon to be college graduate in search of a job..Pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree in Scientific and Technical Communication, a minor in Journalism and a certificate in Media with a concentration in Marketing. 

What I do: Communication, Collaboration, Photography, Design, Technical Writing, Creative Writing, Editing, Marketing, Publications, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Indesign, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Lightroom, Cumulus, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Powerpoint.

And if the job has anything to do with bicycles, that will just be icing on the cake !

Hubby and Me on a brisk Sunday morning before church: 

And finally, my long awaited pictures of me at the organ. Mentor chose his favorite and wanted me to add it to my email signature and so I have done. He also told me I needed to share it with Gordon; he said "he'd be so proud":

Stay safe and warm!

A Quiet Afternoon

The winter storm arrived as predicted dropping about 6" on us overnight and continuing through most of the day. I had a massage therapy appointment for 9 a.m. and I didn't want to cancel so I braved the roads. It was pretty slick but at that hour there weren't too many people out (they were all still trying to dig out) so I was able to go slowly. The return trip home however was more difficult as quite a bit more snow came down in that hour and the road crews seemed to be ignoring the fact that it was snowing. I saw 2 plows go by on the highway, but the back roads were getting deep and one false move and I knew I'd be stuck. It took three tries to get back into my garage and I vowed I wasn't going out again for the rest of the day. Schools were cancelled and my students cancelled their lessons so since my therapy appointment took quite a bit out of me, I've only done what was absolutely necessary today...which wasn't much.

I did make a list of what I need to do between Friday and Saturday, which really doesn't look like too much:

Hubby's laundry
Crock-pot a roast with veggies on Friday
sweep and mop floors
dust and decorate for "spring"...whatever that is
fill and hide Easter baskets
grocery trip - get something for Saturday supper
PRACTICE
make: 2 Oatmeal Pies
           2 pans of cheesy potatoes
           large fruit salad
           Sunday after church - cook the ham and green beans

All that to say I probably won't be around much over the weekend. Son and his girlfriend will probably arrive on Saturday - I don't know if Daughter #2 will be staying over or just joining us on Sunday. Daughter #1 emailed and confirmed she and her Hubby will be spending Easter with his family this year.

Next week begins another big push to get into shape. I had a good start and then when I had company I got off schedule again and have struggled to get back. Next week...no excuses! The recital will most likely be scheduled for the 5th or the 12th of August and I want to be the best I can be in time for that. "Spring training" begins!

Wishing you all a very happy Easter.

Glorious Fall Day

 It was a glorious fall day today - almost more like summer than fall except for the colors of the trees. All my students cancelled and I almost went into town but I just couldn't justify the expense of gas, lunch out and shopping so I stayed in my studio and caught up on some correspondence and card making for family and friends. I made a get well card for Gordon, a

a card for my mother-in-law,

and one for my cousin. I just love the pumpkin stamp and my new watercolor pencils! 

They went together fairly quickly; writing the letters took most of the time. I still have one letter to compose and I hope to finish that this evening. Tomorrow I must work on my rubber stamp organization so that over the weekend I can make some cards to sell. Two days of consistent effort should get me enough to get my store open. 

This Saturday is the October ATC trade, I haven't even begun to make mine, I'm not sure I'm going to get it done this month, I have too many other things going. 

Daughter #2 stayed the night with us last night, then came back home today after she finished work and is now baking cookies while she listens to one of her books for class. It's good to have her home and though she thinks she'll head home tonight, I hope she'll stay over rather than head back in the dark while she's tired and her car isn't functioning at it's best. 

Tomorrow looks to be our last nice day for awhile. It won't be as warm as today, so I really feel as though I should go for one last walk around the lake...I probably should have gone today. 

We saw a beautiful display of the Northern Lights last night. I'll be checking the sky again tonight. 

Saying Goodbye Part Two

Daughter #2 spent some time out on the grass in the sunshine for the last time with her dear friend. The veterinarian arrived shortly after lunch as promised. Hubby carried Mae out to the backyard - except for what we had to go through, it was a beautiful day. Daughter couldn't stop crying, I hated to see her in so much pain and grief. I wanted to do something to change the situation, to go back in time, something. The necessary shots were administered and we waited but it didn't take long. Our veterinarian is a very compassionate man - he shook Hubby's hand then gave him the man hug, then hugged Daughter and me.

Daughter clung to me, sobbing into my shoulder. I realized just how strong my daughter is when she helped her dad close up the grave and put the shovels away...the scene of the two of them is burned into my memory. Hubby and I went in the house and when I looked out the window Daughter was kneeling beside the grave; I can't help but wonder what she was thinking, what final words she had for her dear friend. The rest of the afternoon was spent looking through old family photos; I didn't realize we had so many pictures of the dogs; I've been asked to scan them. Conversations focused around not only Mae, but around other family members that have passed on. Hubby's dad, other dogs, my mom. Death and grief have dominated our hearts this week.

I don't know how the rest of the week went for Daughter, how she coped...she doesn't say much. She hung Mae's collar chain on the rear view window in her car. I know I have done a lot of crying this week, remembering the day, remembering the pain on my Daughter's tear stained face, remembering what it felt like to lose someone I love; death just seems to hang in the air and I've been unable to shake it.

Looking at these pictures one wonders why she was put down; we have to remind ourselves of the pain she was in, the fact that she fell down the steps on a regular basis and sometimes had to be carried as well as the fact she probably had cancer. 

Saturday I had chili to make for Sunday dinner, stew to make for suppers for this week, the usual cleaning to do and I wound up going to pick blueberries with some women from church. I picked 2 gallons and paid $19.50. Sunday I cleaned and packaged them up for the freezer. We also had our Music Teacher's Association planning meeting. I feel so out of place in that group. 

I've been feeling overwhelmed; trying to get past the grief, trying to keep up with an increasingly busy schedule, worrying about Hubby and what he's going through with the business. It's not good...not at all. Something needs to happen, something needs to change, but I don't know what and I can't help but be fearful. 

This is a very busy week - all my students will be returning and I'm meeting some new ones.