musicgeeksunite

Here comes... what??

2010-01-25T17:25:00.004-08:00

I just made eggs. I made the second best eggs ever. Katie Hadley makes the best, but, using her recipe, I managed to make some good ones on my own. I have been liberated!! I can eat tasty eggs anytime I want!! WOOHOO!!!
Why is this important, you ask? Well, because good eggs are... good. Do you really need more information than that? Too bad. You aren't privy to any more.

Yes, I finally posted. And there you go. :-)

Somewhat random... be warned...

2009-03-13T21:14:00.009-07:00

It seems as if I am a quarterly blogger. So far I average about 4 per year. Fairly pathetic. Unlike other things in my life that I allow myself to feel guilty about, my lack of blogging doesn't really bother me. It bothers others, or so they say. I'm not really that worried about it.

SO, self-medicating can be a good thing. I changed some med levels on my own and finally got around to telling my doc. He laughed. I guess I'm a fairly intelligent drug manager for myself. Prescription, people. Prescription. Read: not the illegal kind.

What else? OH! I want to live in Corvallis. REAAAAL bad. Not right now. ASAP. OH! I love our car. I even love it when we have to pay medical bills for it. Sigh. I just hope it survives. As for survival, we have a cat now. Beasley. He's... odd. I think I like him. He is bratty, which I can identify with. He's moody. Again, I identify. He likes to mess about with things that are NOT his. He also tries REALLY HARD to play the "I'm so cute please do what I want you to" card. This does not work. I teach. I am not swayed by any "trying to get you to do xyz" looks. Immune, thank you very much.

I face an interesting problem: I am NOT ready for the school year to end. I know, I know, it's months away. I know this BUT I have TONS MORE I want to teach my kids. There is NOT enough time to get it even half covered. Gr. Plus the little turds are growing on me, as they always do. Like tumors. Bizarre.

I am strangely unsettled as of late. Restless is the closest I can get to describing it. These sentences I'm writing are rather short - curt, much like my brain is functioning right now. This has been my state for a couple of months now. The need to both hermit and be in the midst of a giant mass of people is ever present. I guess I'm in a mood change. Yay for defects.

I am excited to learn more about author techniques. I'm supposed to be researching that right now but instead I'm here updating the blog. It HAS been three months, so I'm right on schedule. I think that's about all I can muster right now. Mustard right now?? Wow, I can't believe you made it to the end of this post. I'm impressed and apologetic. I would like to eat a hot dog now.

"If you're going to die throw a hand grenade." - Robert

Almost 2009?!?!??

2008-12-03T17:33:00.014-08:00

I cannot believe that it's almost 2009. I remember writing an essay in Jr. High (yes, we had them waaaay back when before the stupid middle school craze set in...) about the year 2008. I have NO IDEA what I wrote about, but I remember thinking, "Hm. That seems like a long time from now. Maybe I'll look back on this time in my life like my mom looks back at when Kennedy was shot." And YES, I really did think that. I'm a complete and utter dork, but we all know that.

SO, what to write about... School is chugging right along. Robert helped me paint some of the walls in my classroom and it's already easier to live in. Amazing how color does that. I'm excited to keep decorating/putting up visuals in it now. I was waiting to paint before I really set up shop... 1 & 1/2 years later... but again, we all know that I don't update as I should. Hence, this blog entry being soooo far away from my previous one.

One crazy-great thing that happened over the Thanksgiving holiday: Robert and I were *gasp* cleaning & rearranging and I came across some school papers from my original grad classes from 9 years ago. I found a story that I wrote for one of Tina's classes (see previous blog if you don't know who Tina is - and you want to know her, TRUST ME). I thought the story was lost in either our flood or the transfer of files from computer to computer during which some things don't make it. I found a hard copy!! I'm VERY excited! I love the story. More of that to come...

Not a long blog, but updated (leave me alone, Katie-bean! :-P) and spruced up a bit. Safe seasons, people. Memories not material crap. I tried to use a different word than crap, but it best describes the material stuff that's not important. And yet I still like to go to Nordstrom... hm... can you say 'hypocrite??' I can. I am!

Summer fades...

2008-08-23T12:59:00.005-07:00

So summer is fading. I don't want it to end. I didn't really get summer relaxation b/c of grad school but I learned MUCH MORE than I would have without it.

First project: I worked on my portfolio until my fingers fell off, and then I had help from Katie and Stephanie, who made the ending rounds completely fun! Yay for girlfriends. I'm not used to that. I usually hang out with guys and have my whole life, which doesn't work after you get married. I wouldn't change marrying Robert for the world, so it's a more than fair trade-off. I digress. Finishing this huge project with Dr. Tina Bull was a pain and pleasure. I'm the pain, she's all pleasure to work with and hang out with.

Conducting, conducting, conducting. Where do I even start? Advanced Choral Conducting with Dr. Steven Zielke was probably the hardest class I have ever taken. Why? Because I am NOT good at conducting. I have no problem getting in front of any group and leading them through music - no nerves or hesitations - but I know few conducting techniques and many of those are not effective. Yeah, I had a horrible undergrad conducting class. It was, quite frankly, a complete joke. I knew this going into the class this summer but decided to jump in anyway. See previous blog about tackling scary things head on.

I learned more about myself and teaching through conducting than I ever hoped. Amazing. Perhaps I'll blog more about that later. I could fill pages with some of my observations about the craft & my role in learning a tiny portion of it.

I have to send love to my conducting compatriots b/c they were amazing to work with. We had six students in the class, which is unheard of I guess.

Julie / Jason / John / Josh / Brice / me

HUGE thank you forever to Nicki Zielke (Steve's wife) b/c she helped us in soooo many ways. She rocks. Side note: I FINALLY am back into voice lessons and I get to take them from her! AMAZING! Loving that.

I think I'm done writing about this for now. Much more to come. I just wanted to get started in this direction, but take small bites otherwise I will give up and not write at all.

I'm going to search for some fun pics of my fellow students, so stay tuned for those!

Still schooling...

2008-07-26T17:35:00.009-07:00

Here's my blog! Good luck understanding it!

So, I am grad-schooling. The conducting is going, well, okay I guess. Let's just say I'm getting better. I DO have a fancy tutor - the lovely & talented Katie Hadley. Yes, she takes some of the great pictures that you see scattered about my blog. Very cool.

What now? Hm. I'm analyzing my Durante score. I LOVE my section of it now, hated it when I first got it. I started voices lessons with an AMAZING voice coach and she rocks. LOVE IT. I keep battling for time during the summer, but I need to just give in. The rest of the summer is booked to the hilt. I can't believe it's almost over already. Yuck. Oh yeah, that's Francesco Durante over there. Yup. There he is.

Anything else?? My brain is full of music - in good and bad ways - and I'm not popping out anything super-interesting. My husband has some cool stuff going on at his blogspot - psychobob's musings - so go look at that for more interesting info.

I'll come back when I'm not STUCK inside my brain. Here is a quote from one of the pieces of flair from facebook:

friends are like potatoes... if you eat them they die...

Holy cow, almost a year....

2008-06-18T18:30:00.011-07:00

So, I'm feeling a little bit like a looser at this point, but hey life goes on. No one reads this anyway, so I won't stress.

SOME Happenings:

NEW job - I moved to a new school this year, thank THE LORD - seriously! I'm at a wonderful elementary school and I get to help out w/band at the middle school across the street. YES! It's awesome to get my band geek going again.

The year went well and I'm thankful for my new staff, especially my principal. She rocks!

MORE grad classes - I'm taking an independant study now and a choral conducting class this summer. Sheesh. I thought, "Hey, I'm kinda scared about taking the conducting class so that is what I should do." Yup. Then my prof emailed all of us nerdy students and we are conducting the Magnificat by Durante, NOT Bach. For you music dorks out there this is the difference between working with a piece of music you know fairly well and sight reading a completely different piece & style & EVERYTHING. Okay, whatever, but wait - there's more. Yeah, so we are also conducting a small orchestra too. CRAP! Yep, so leave it to me to choose something out of my comfort zone and then have it pushed waaaaayyyy out of my comfort zone. Hilarious. (This is Benton Hall - the music house @ OSU... I know it well...)

This all works with one of my 'new' philosophies. I picked it up somewhere... probably Dr. Laura or something... "or some-sing." Quick, name that movie - ??

Okay, philosophy: If there is something in your life that makes you nervous or scares you or you think might be, or will be, hard DO THAT THING. Start there. If you think, "oh gracious, I hope I don't have to do blah blah blah," then DO THE blah blah blah that you are afraid of. It sure makes life more interesting AND more fun.

My practice ground for this has been subbing. My teaching day ends before the other folks in my building b/c I start earlier than they do. This leads to my office manager, SUSAN THE GREAT. She sneaks in during the day and asks me to sub the last hour or so of the day for teachers who need to go places or whatever. The first time she asked me to sub she had two or three classes to choose from. I looked at the 5th grade classes and said, "Well, so&so is in that room which makes it a yucky experience.... so.... I'll take that one." She just about fell on the floor! "Really?!? You will? No one ever wants to sub in there." Chalk it up to my new committment to tackling tough head on. Makes life MUCH easier, I PROMISE. TRUELY!

Okay, this is rambling on far too long. I'll update more... whenever I get to it. Ha!

FOR-EV-ER!

2007-07-08T17:57:00.000-07:00

Here's my blog. Good luck understanding it!

Wow, I have not posted in forever. I mean, really forever. Sorry about that. No one reads my blog anyway, since I don't post, so I guess I'm covered.

Tons of things have happened since my last post, the most notable being I am moving to a new school & new job! It is within my current district, so it's a transfer of sorts, but along with General Music I now get to help with MIDDLE SCHOOL BAND! WAHOO! I am a band geek at heart, so I'm thrilled about that. I'll hopefully be able to let you know how it all goes in the fall.

So, summer is moving along too fast. Yup.

I didn't get the opera part I tried out for, and I'm glad. It would have been too much driving and I would not have seen my husband all summer. PLUS, my friend Mel and I would not be able to rip apart the basement like we have been! YAY for the MUTT! (heavy duty floor scraper)

I'm going to try to keep these short in order to encourage myself to write more often. Ha! We'll see how that works out.

me

I LOVE VACATIONS!!

2006-08-05T22:10:00.000-07:00

So, many of you know that Bob and I went on a nice little vacation to Eastern Washington. It was LOVELY! We visited his parents first and then had some time with mine. I was also able to see Betsy and Danny and Aaron before they went back to Singapore. What fun! Aaron is a hoot. He has tons of personality and is pretty strong-willed. Sorry, Betsy, he's not like you. He's probably more like me. Danny, you are more easy going, so again, not like you either. And yet he is SO LIKE BOTH OF YOU!! The best parts of both of you reside in him. YAY for the Whittakers! LOVE YOU GUYS!

SO...what else? Um... Robert and I are battling our upstairs toilet, which is a joy. We are also at war with our water system. I think we might be winning...then again, maybe not. It's all part of owning and old house, which we love, but it's much more exciting than a new one. Although, I hear the new kit houses they put together are also interesting. We heard about one that was built around a cat, or a cat was built into the house. I can't remember which way it goes. Anyway, the owners heard the cat in the walls and when they removed it 'sources say' it had been in there for three weeks. I find that hard to believe, unless it had access to a water main. And we are back to battling the water in our house! tee hee hee - I'm a little, no a lot, crazy tonight. Sorry folks, this is how it is sometimes.

Okay, so Kris and Heather Butcher also have an adorable kid, Hannah. What is it with people I know popping out cute kids? I don't even like kids. Well, maybe that's not entirely true. I do teach over 600 of them, so I have to like them a little. Perhaps I'm getting older and more tolerant and/or just more oblivious to the annoyances of kidlets. It's fun to hang with other people's children. Pump them full of sugar and send them home!

Robert is the most handsome and handy man. How many of you out there are RED GREEN SHOW fans?? Can I get a 'howdy?' Robert has been on the front lines of our old house battle trying to negotiate a peace treaty. He has thus far been unsuccessful, but can be very persuasive given time. I have all confidence that he will eventually reach some sort of pact that will satisfy both parties. In the meantime, I keep reminding him that he has BOTH of the essential qualities needed in any man as outlined by the irresistible Red Green:

If the women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy!

Robert is both HANDSOME and HANDY, which is a deadly combination. I know, I know, why am I blogging about how fab my hubby is? BECAUSE I LOVE HIM AND HE'S AWESOME, that's why. I am seeing every day how merciful and gracious God is. He sent me the perfect man to meet my needs. Robert is in no way perfect, but he is just what I need to keep moving forward, grow, and stay on track with the Lord. YAAAAAY GOD, as we used to say at Warm Beach Camp. Wow...that was a long time ago. Memories... in the corner of my mind... is that how the song goes? I'm not sure. All you oldies help me out here!

I think I'll search for some pics to put on my blog, since, as you all know, I LOOOVE pictures.

(so, I can't get the pics to load and will have to move to Bob's computer but he's destroying an army right now so I don't want to intrude - winning the battle may help him win the war and far be it from the wife to sabotage war! I refuse!)

Quote from my hubby:

"Blogging is fun. Everyone should try it sometime." - Robert while playing Battlefield 1942

Two more sepia toned pics...

2006-07-10T14:47:00.000-07:00

So, folks, here are two more of the sepia toned pictures I took at the B&B.

This is a picture of some old suitcases and a train case that sit on top of the antique armoire in our room. It's such a cute vignette that I had to capture it. I admire the set up each time we are there. Now I can enjoy it anytime!

The people who own the B&B travel all over the world and send back their finds to use in the hotel/inn. There is a giant gorgeous mirror in one of the rooms that came from France and a rug from somewhere in Persia. The old patina of much of the furniture makes for such a warm and inviting experience. It spoils us for everywhere else I'm afraid!

This last picture for this post is my all-time favorite. Like the other sepia toned pictures it took me a few tries to get it right. By the way, I did NOT color or edit the pictures in any way. I kept trying to get this effect but the automatic flash would go off and obliterate the warm light. After reading the manual (I know, how awful) I figured out which setting the camera needed to be on to create a slower shutter speed and capture that warm light without using the flash. Very cool. Okay, enjoy my favorite!

I LOOOVEEE pictures!

2006-07-09T17:52:00.000-07:00

So, I've had some problems with the ol' blog and I've decided to give up and have a different look so that my links and stuff can actually BE WHERE THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO!

I also couldn't upload pictures, which is a huge problem for me because, as the title of this new installment says, I LOOOVEEE pictures. Here are some that we took on our coast trip (same trip as the beach bike bonanza!)

I'm boring you with a couple of 'artistic' pics I took while learning how to work with light and aperture on the new camera-of-goodness,-clarity,-and-light.

SO...the sink. It took me a few tries to get the left faucet in focus, the right faucet out of focus, and the lighting a nice sepia tone. Yup. I like this one! The sink and I became well acquainted during this shoot. (at least it doesn't have attitude for me to contend with!)

Here is another sepia toned pic of the cool headboard at the B&B we stay at all the time now. It's the coolest place with great owners in a tiny town and a totally cheap price! Feather beds, common room, lots of breakfast, stocked fridge, great views, quiet town, I'll go on forever....

I think that I can only post two pics at a time now since the files are so big...too much resolution I think. I forget that these pictures are WAAAAAYYYY out of the other camera's league, poor old thing. More to come later, folks!

I'm not dead yet, I promise!

2006-06-19T19:22:00.000-07:00

WOW. It has surely been a long time since I have blogged. I don't even want to check the date - it will discourage me. Things have been a happening here in our household.

FIRST, we were slated to head to Hawaii for a summer ministry opportunity...but then we found out that I need to get my gall bladder yanked out. So much for the tropics. My surgery is on June 26. Wahoo.

Next, our friends, Joe and Jessica, moved in to our basement, unfinished though it is. They are such great folks to have around. They help out with house stuff, Robert works with Joe, and Jess and I gab away. They were supposed to house sit for us while we were away....but we are still here. They are just hanging out in that being-worked-on basement and enjoying the coolness of an underground cave - literally.

We had a really fun outing to the coast for Joe's and my birthday. The pictures you see are from that fun weekend. I think the best part, hands down, were the beach bikes! The guys created a sand ramp and we all had fun jumping off of it. Okay, I only went off once but it was FUN! Yee haw! SO, the text on this one is short but
the pictures should be fun to look at.

Something spiritual for the road: It all comes down to obedience. WHAT? Yep. Think of any and all situations in life, add God, and your sum will be obedience. Please comment. More about that next blog!!

UPDATE:

I had my surgery, I am alive, and I'm puttering around the house. I can't seem to get more pics on this blog so Robert will have to help me figure that out. YAY.

LONG TIME, no Blog.

2006-04-23T22:09:00.000-07:00

First, thanks all of you for hanging in there while I FINALLY am writing a new blog. Crazy times and the blog updating goes out the window. Appologies all around.

So, what's the big news? Well, first I broke my left foot. It's a stupid story. I was walking across the Olive Garden parking lot, triped, caught myself, and then both of my feet were kinda sore. I poked around but didn't feel much so I continued on. I walked on the foot for a week and finally my wonderful hubby made me go to the doctor. He took x-rays and there it was - the 5th metetarsal, or outside bone, was not as it should be. Yay.

I walked on it, and it's in a weird spot so we didn't need to cast it. I did get to have Robert take me shoe shopping - check that, ugly CLOG shopping. I had to live in these clogs for 2 months and I did. Whew, they stink! I finally obeyed my wonderful doctor, the incomperable Dr. John Daniels, and low and behold the foot is healed! YAY! So, I still thump around in my clogs because the bare floor now feels weird. Did anyone think they would EVER hear that from I hate shoes girl? Well, there you go - living proof that people can change.

Next medical mystery - gal stones? I may or may not have them. We shall see when I get an upper abdominal ultrasound on Friday. It should be scientific and fun, as always!

Update - I DO officially have ADHD, no surprise there, and a fairly strong case of Bipolar II. It's been an interesting and educational ride. More about that if people are interested.

So, we had a fine and dandy sermon today. Here is the main point that our crazy cool Pastor Ron was making from I Peter 3:18-22:

Christ’s Suffering and Ours

"For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison, who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him."

Here is an excerpt of the emai I wrote to my wonderful Mom about it! "We had the BEST sermon today in response to Easter. P. Ron continued on with his 1 Peter series and it happened (God of course) to fit right in with the power God and Jesus had over death. While Christ was dead spiritually he was still hanging on the cross. He then physically died before the 3:00pm break the legs ritual fulfilling prophecy. While he was in the tomb he was a busy savior. He headed down to Paradise (three levels - Abraham's bossom (paradise) where the OT saints hung out, the great gulf, and the lower level or Sheol). He celebrated with the saints of old about his conquoring sin, and then waited to celebrate again with the sinner on the cross who believed in Christ at the last minute. He then had to take the keys of death back from satan, who had been in possession of them for thousands of years. We now don't have to fear death because Christ has power over death.

Moral, or application: Some of us have sin that we just don't think we can get over and have resigned ourselves to be stuck with it. If God and Christ have the incredible power over satan and DEATH, that power is definately big enough to conquor any sin that we have, any sin at all! It was amazingly convincting and yet encouraging."

Yep, pretty encouraing and convicting. It really shows me clearly that the things I think I can't get over or get past are NOTHING compared to the power of Christ and what HE can accomplish.

Enjoy, folks!
me

Adventure on the High Seas - I mean Road?!?

2006-02-18T09:38:00.000-08:00

Good day, all!

Long time, no blog, I know. It's been a bit crazy - but when is it not??

I'm home with strep throat and a massive tonsil infection in my left tonsil which had started spreading to my right, but HOORAY for Dr. Daniels - the fixer of all things medical. I'm still contagious so I'm staying in the house today (Saturday). I stayed home yesterday too, but couldn't sleep at all. I tried - I promise!

Here is an adventure that I had with a couple of students on Tuesday. Our McKay area Honor Choir started practice on Tuesday (Valentine's Day of all days!). BUT, the person in charge of busing didn't fill out a form quite correctly so we had no buses available to get us to the middle school where we needed to practice. I have 15 students involved in Honor Choir so there was no way I could transport them all to the middle school. My librarian came up with the brilliant idea of just rehearsing them myself in my music room for the week. We were able to secure buses for NEXT WEEK. Whew. That is the back story for our Tuesday adventure.

The rehearsal went well. We practiced hard. My tonsil hurt, but I didn't know why at the time - now we do. I walked the kiddos out to the front of the school to wait for parents. All were picked up in a timely manner except two. We waited for almost an hour and called various contact numbers to no avail. My two students, Julio and Tyler, were starting to get worried because it was after 5:00pm at this point. I told them that I would leave messages for their families and then take them home myself.

A little note here - I am all but forbidden to take kids anywhere in my car, as are all employees of the district, but what am I supposed to do here? I just prayed that we wouldn't get in an accident and drove as carefully as I could. Gulp.

We piled in the car - Tyler in front, Julio in back. As we were turning onto the main drag towards Tyler's house he saw his dad in their Jeep and pointed him out to me. So, after praying and SWEARING to myself that I would be careful what do I do? Yep, flip a U-Turn and follow. As I was doing this I told the boys, "Don't EVER do what I am doing." Julio piped up from the back seat, "This is SO ILLEGAL!!" He was grinning and giggling galore! Tyler was laughing and keeping an eye on his dad. Too funny!

So we started the chase for Mr. Dad. We thought he was headed to our school, but he went towards the middle school. Then he turned down a random side street and proceeded to wander about the neighborhood. I saw him looking in the rear view mirror and figured he was trying to get away from the crazy blond. I was right. Tyler confirmed it the next day! We followed him for many crazy turns and it seemed like we were getting nowhere, so I pulled up beside him at a stop sign. He tried to zip away so I politely honked the horn. FINALLY he pulled over. I drove past him to park in front and pointed to Tyler, who was totally cracking up at this point! His dad glared and then smiled in recognition and waved. Tyler trotted back to the Jeep and we were 1 and 1 for kids getting home.

Julio moved up front to take over Tyler's role as shotgun (who wouldn't??). We headed out towards Julio's house. My cell phone rang, so I grabbed it - and it was Julio's mom! She was apologizing and was concerned because I had to take him home. I told her we were having a wonderful time and would be home in a bit. Julio continued to chuckle and smile.

As we were traveling towards his turn he looked in front of us and said, "I think that's my mom and sister in front of us!" I thought and then said, "NO WAY! It can't be!" Yep, it was! We followed them all the way home with Julio and I busting up and dying from laughter and irony! When we pulled into the driveway behind their car his little sister came flying out with a huge grin on her face. "Mrs. Drouhard!! I told my mom it was you behind us, but she wouldn't listen to me!" Julio's mom cracked up and we chatted about how funny and crazy the ride was. Julio grabbed his stuff and helped unload groceries. We were 2 and 0 for kids getting home.

Yes, this is a crazy funny story, but there are a couple of applications to be learned here. The first application hits home for me, and any of you that know me will whole heartedly agree!

James 3:8-9
"No man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God."

Application 1: In times past I would have been anxious and upset about parents not coming for their kids. I would have tried in my own strength to hide this frustration from my students and would have failed miserably. My tongue cannot be tamed by me. I HAVE to allow God to tame it, as I am learning in James. The book of James is seriously how to live for God 101 folks. Wonderfully practical and obvious. So, the Lord had the victory with my tongue and attitude, which made for a great time with my kids and their parents.

Application 2: I just finished reading Wild at Heart again because I needed a refresher course in men being men and me allowing them to be men with my whole being. Robert took this picture of me at the coast last weekend. It's one that I actually like of my whole body and everything. I can see changes now! He took this picture and then was going to sit beside me and watch the ocean. My heart thought, "How nice," but my head reminded me about what I had read. "No way, Robert. You go explore and I'll nap in the sun! Fun fun!" I tell you what, it was like I handed him the keys to the kingdom! Off he went, camera in hand, and climbed and crawled all over the rocky bluff. I napped in the sun and had a wonderful time, as did he. When he returned he had been on an adventure and was ready to share it all with me! How exciting!

As my two students and I were walking towards the car, God reminded me that men love adventure, as do women, so why not make this one? So I did! We laughed and laughed and chuckled and screamed and had a wonderful adventure together. I watched their eyes turn from worried and anxious to sparkling and mischievous with inner joy and excitement! I tell you what, I had as much fun or more than they did! It was also good for the parents to receive a jovial happy son instead of an anxious and upset son.

The Rest of the Story: When we met on Thursday for Honor Choir rehearsal in the music room, both Tyler and Julio's eyes were still full of secret adventure because they had not shared what happened with the other students. Of course, I gave them the floor and Tyler shared his half of the adventure, complete with sound effects and laughter. Then I turned it over to Julio, just waiting to see Tyler's reaction - he didn't know about the second parental following! As Julio told his half of the adventure Tyler literally fell back onto the risers and busted up laughing, legs flailing, stomach clutched, eyes squeezed shut, body shaking with belly laughs! All 15 students and their teacher stopped and laughed and laughed and laughed! It was a wonderful moment for all of us.

Now I see that when God is in control of my tongue He can turn ANY situation into a sweet and wonderful thing. I am humbled and grateful for being allowed to take part in such a wonderful moment in time with my students. Both of these boys are wonderful. One is supported and loved at home, and one is not. I am in awe that God used me to bring love and adventure into both of their lives. Wow... powerful and overwhelming.

This last picture is of boys being boys at the coast - they almost were swept out to sea and LOVED it!

Bathroom Bumbles?

2006-01-28T18:11:00.000-08:00

Good day, all!

Robert and I have entered a new phase of our relationship - and it's wonderful. I'm so thankful that he has an open and honest heart and he challenges me to be the same. It's hard but good. I met him for lunch (he's taking Greek 5 at seminary) and then followed him back to class. It was fun to hear the professor talk about all things biblical. I was surprised that I understood most of what was being said. YAY!

Before we went into the actual classroom we used the all important bathroom first. I couldn't find the ladies room light switch, so I just went forth into the dark. That experience inspired this post. Strange, I know, but all of life is one giant learning opportunity after another.

As I bumbled around in the pitch black bathroom I carefully edged this way and that in order to find out where everything was located. I had to carefully move with extremities outstretched. Since I'm a klutz I routinely run into everything even with the lights on, so I had to operate in a delicate manner, perhaps more so than most! Eventually I made it out alive and waste free, so I guess it was a success.

As I moved around in the dark I had an interesting epiphany. My bathroom experience was a lot like my usual spiritual experiences. I carefully move around in the proverbial dark, wondering if I'll ever get to where I need to be and how I will even know that I am there. I also have no frame of reference to where I've been and I can't tell where I'm going. I hope that I don't fall into something wet or bonk into something hard, but since I can't see in the blackness I just keep slowing moving about in aimless circles. PATHETIC!! And a complete waste of time and energy.

Robert and I have started having a pretty substantial devotional time in the mornings (mornings are YUCK!! those who know me know that I hate to get up for anything or anyone - God and Bob are worth it). I tell you what, the bathroom light was just switched on and suddenly everything can be seen! It sure makes finding things easier and moving easier and just 'being' easier. To continue to relate it to the bathroom experience, it's literally the difference between an easy quick everyday experience and a scary nerve-wracking out of the ordinary experience. Totally different! SO different. Easier, yes, but also harder as well. More to come about that later.

I seriously have been living my spiritual life in a lights-out bathroom for years and years and years. Think of all the time I've wasted roaming carefully around, not sure what to do or where to go. Absolutely insane! Thank goodness for lights from the Lord and my husband to help turn them on. Whew.

me

Thoughts from James

2006-01-21T17:36:00.000-08:00

Good day, internet junkies!

My wonderful and brilliant husband is off on a men's retreat with our church this weekend. I've been having lots of girl fun, but tomorrow I have things to get done. It's definitely been a thinking weekend - in good ways. It seems like I've been up against a lot of problem solving lately. I usually have a "fabulous" way to solve the problem, but it's not usually the best way and it's NEVER the Godly way. I must pursue His way of fixing things.

Take, for instance, our house. We never thought we could own a house - not at this time in our lives. We started praying about it and BOOM God drops the opportunity, the means, and the house right in our laps. AMAZING!! We moved in the end of January.

Four months later the house floods with 4 feet of water and everything in the basement (a second living area) is ruined. People we know and some we hadn't met yet came to help muck it all out. God lead me to a means to fund a permanent construction solution. Then, not two months after it was all finished, the rains came. If our house had NOT been flooded and fixed it WOULD be flooding now. When it flooded in May we had dry weather after the rain and could get it dried out and torn apart. NOT NOW, no way. The water just keeps coming.

I give thanks and am amazed at GOD's timing. Would I want Him to allow the house to flood? Of course not! Would it have been better if it had not flooded and was flooding now? Awful, just horrible. Who's way is better? Mine or God's?? Not mine, that is for sure!

Here is an excerpt from the Nelson Study Bible (props to Dr. Derickson for working on this one!) that talks about the book of James, my personal favorite.

"From fixing a car to wallpapering a bedroom, "how-to" books explain how things are done, with helpful pointers and colorful illustrations. The Epistle of James is the "how-to" book of the Christian life. It is one of the most practical books in the New Testament because it offers instruction and exhortation to Christians who are experiencing problems, as all of us do.

As if the trials themselves were not bad enough, James points out the dangers that come with them. Besides the obvious pitfall of failing to place our TRUST in the Lord and thus not enduring, James speaks of prejudice, improper speech, judging one another, leaving God out of our plans, and even bitterness. Like the author of a "how-to" book, James explains in a few words the responsibilities of a Christian, while supplying apt illustrations from real-life categories . . . " (emphasis mine)

I love reading the book of James because I can so relate to the issues in it. Here is a general outline of what he covers:

Responding to Trials
Responding to Temptations
Being Swift to Hear
Being Slow to Speak
Being Slow to Wrath

Those who know me realize that I don't respond well to trials or temptations, I don't listen, I jump right in with comments, and I can get angry pretty quickly! Do I need to read this book?? OH YES, my friends, oh yes.

The first few sentences of the book are my favorite.

"James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad: Greetings. My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways." James 1:1-8

Count it all joy?!? Can James be serious? Yes, he is. When my faith is tested, or my world is rocked, it creates a situation in which I can choose patience or despair. Do I lack wisdom? You bet I do! Thank goodness I can ask God, who gives LIBERALLY. He doesn't tell me how to get out of the trial but how I can learn from the trial. What does "with no doubting" mean? Doubting in this sense means 'to be divided in one's mind' or 'to debate.' It points to a divided allegiance. If I am not putting God first and not trusting that He can handle everything then I am wishy-washy, with no conviction either way.

I love this book! It convicts me to the core and it is straight forward and honest.

me

Literary Idiocy

2006-01-14T08:21:00.000-08:00

The blog is the spot to post my literary outpourings. For those of you who love them, bless you. Those who think they are poo poo let me know - I probably agree!! Some are dark and some are just bizarre. Have fun! (My personal favorite is The Chicken Theory!)

The Pit

I am in the pit, looking up.
There is no light, only darkness.
I taste the salty tears.
I feel the gritty earth in my fingers.
Cold seeps into my bones and settles, never to leave.
My back presses hard against the rough wall.
My legs go numb.
My emotions flicker once, then expire.
Black - thick and oppressive.
Silence - deafening.
Heart - broken.

k. drouhard©2006

Someone's Gotta Do It
(or Clichés)

high as a kite
giddy as a school girl
popping off buttons
BLAM - back to earth

so very proud
finally followed through
took the next step
WHAM - hit the wall

do your best
work hard
never quit
SLAM - wind knocked out

k. drouhard©2006

V is for Victim

I refuse to play that role anymore.
The Victim-Girl is gone.
I will not fit that part ever again.

I cannot allow another's actions to
drastically alter my mind and mood.
Victims have no power.

Not me - I'm not a victim.
I'm strong. I'm intelligent. I'm not a child.
I do not choose to give in.

I must stand up for me.
Who else will or even wants to?
Is that you, Lord? Where have you been?

k. drouhard©2006

The Chicken Theory

My Good Friend Molly explained the
Chicken Theory to me the other day.

What?! You've not heard?

You know, the Chicken Theory!

Life is like the chicken -
You don't want it, you hate it, but you
can't get rid of it.

You keep it and stew on it for a little while.
Then, along comes the solution:
A GREEN CABINET!

The chicken is hideous; the cabinet is glorious.
The chicken brings the cabinet - Just Like Life!

k. drouhard©2006

Vs.

Is there a difference between polite and congenial?
Where is the line between polite and fake?

Can you differenciate vicious and malicious?
Is one really worse than the other?

What, praytell, is different about praying to God
And telling God what's going on with yourself?

Can one be inefficient and ineffective?
If so, which is worse? Toss up?

Where exactly does very cold become freezing?
Does 32° HAVE to be involved?

If we grow out of our clothes as kids
How do we describe losing weight - shrinking out of them?

Might irrational and irreverent be the same thing
If you put your trust in God?

Can something really be so beautiful it hurts?
Does one feel actual pain or just deep emotion?

How can a dog be smart and yet play dead?
If a dog is exceptionally smart can he play dead too well?

k. drouhard©2006

Ye Olde Church Songs

2006-01-07T20:46:00.000-08:00

Good day, my fellow thinkers~

Well, I had a "no duh" kind of moment today. I received a call from my good friend Jessica and she helped me face some issues that I have been avoiding. I used to be an exploder - for those of you yellers out there you know what I am talking about. I think somewhere along the line I have turned into a stuffer. For you quiet types, you know what I'm talking about. I just keep pushing issues deeper and deeper down inside of me and I refuse to deal with them because it's too painful.

As my friends all know I try NOT to feel no matter what. If I feel one emotion then I will have to feel all emotions and I just don't wanna! But it's time to get over that selfish notion and obey God and what HE has for me. Ouch. That hurts to even admit it in print, not that anyone will ever read it out here in cyberspace.

My basic issues can be summed up in the chorus of the old Sunday School hymn "Trust and Obey."

Trust and obey,
for there's no other way
To be happy in Jesus,
But to trust and obey.

The song starts out "When we walk with the Lord." Ha...let's stop right there. I don't walk with the Lord, folks. I carry on my merry way and when situations come I appeal to God and obey but not on a moment by moment every minute every hour every day basis. I have been reading a very powerful book entitled "Surrender" by Nancy Leigh DeMoss (sp?) and I have discovered that I don't surrender much of anything to the Lord. Cripes. Which leads me to another old song, "I Surrender All," but in my case it's more like "I surrender just what I want when I want and really that's not much of anything." That's hard to write a lyrical melody for, folks, TRUST ME.

Trust and Obey
John H. Sammis, 1887
Daniel B. Towner, 1887
Scripture: Psalm 84:11-12

When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,And with all who will trust and obey.

Refrain:Trust and obey, for there's no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies, But His smile quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear, Can abide while we trust and obey.

Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share, But our toil He doth richly repay;
Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross, But is blessed if we trust and obey.

But we never can prove the delights of His love Until all on the altar we lay;
For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows, Are for them who will trust and obey.

Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet, Or we'll walk by His side in the way;
What He says we will do, where He sends we will go; Never fear, only trust and obey.

I could write on and on about each phrase of each verse in this song, but that would get extremely tedious, so I won't...yet...but don't be surprised if someday I just go right ahead and do it.

Trust - that is my first step. I trust no one. My husband is the closest anyone has ever managed to get. He is a VERY determined individual! Next is probably Molly and Jessica on an equal but different plane ( LOVE YOU GIRLS), and then the rest of the world. I know, it'awfulul, but it's the . Because I don't trust people I also don't trust God, which is just down right stupid because He is the only being that DESERVES and has the right to my trust. You now where the problem originates.

Obey - forget it! I hate to obey anyone for any reason! I'm so much better than I was, but in terms of the rest of the world I'm the worst. In the words of Rich Mullins from his A Liturgy, a Legacy, and a Ragamuffin Band cd:

"I'd rather fight you for somethin' I don't really want
Than take what You give that I need.

And I beat my head against so many walls,
And I'm fallin' down, fallin' on my knees."

Whew. It's so THERE - so true in text form. It almost hurts me to look at it. They say the truth hurts and boy, 'they' aren't kidding. I was chatting with Molly about the power of self reflection and the ability to see where you can change and grow. While this is a ratheembarrassingng and painful process it needs to happen for me to move forward. What are YOU stuffing or refusing to deal with? Might it be better to just get working on it? Remember, I'm talking to myself here too.

I think that about does it for today. Thanks for reading. Please share solutions that you have used to move through and beyond this type of struggle so we can all benefit and grow.

me

New Year Begins

2005-12-31T12:19:00.000-08:00

Wow! Can you believe that it is a new year already? Amazing. So many things are happening for me as another year turns.

My current battle is with myself. I have some pressing medical issues that need to be taken care of but I can't seem to get appointments until February! Anyone else out there have this problem?? Let me hear about it and any solutions you have found.

My new excitement is possibly heading to Hawaii with my hubby for the summer to start a kids program in a church over there. I adore Hawaii and have been there quite a bit. My previous post has a gorgeous picture I took in Maui when my Mom and I hopped there for a visit a few years back from the Big Island. If things weren't so expensive I would live there in a heartbeat. My husband and I get job offers every time we are over there....so tempting. We LOVE the Hawaiian people - both natives and locals. They are so kind and encouraging. We'll see what the Lord has in store for that area of our lives.

Something a little closer on the timeline is going back to school. Yes, teachers are just as reluctant as students to go back to work. Can you blame any of us??! I am excited about teaching a new unit I'm developing around The Nutcracker Ballet.

I have curriculum from the New York City Ballet and I'm adding my own flair to it. I even have a jazz version of the highlights from the Elf soundtrack. Hilarious movie if you haven't seen it! If anyone has any amazing ideas for teaching this in an exciting way please comment. I LOVE to try new things with my students. They are elementary in age but I teach them basic concepts up through middle school age concepts and they soak it all up with gusto!

My parents finally made it home from their "quick" trip to Hawaii! Hilarious! They went over for a couple of weeks to visit friends and HAD to stay and house-sit for a friend in the church. Tough life, but they deserve it! Then the airlines overbooked (big surprise) and so my parents decided to stay even longer - after Christmas!! What fun! I'm so thankful that they were able to extend their time and be available to encourage and help people as well as relax!

Well, I have a choir concert my kids are NOT ready for, McKay area honor choir to start working on, and Corvallis Repertory Singers to start rehearsing for. I think this winter will be mostly singing and exercising until I drop. It will be hectic, wonderful, and worth it. If you have any time management tips or killer exercises that you love to do please comment or link to your site so we can all enjoy.

Old Friends, New Friends

2005-12-10T17:48:00.000-08:00

Good day to you all. I have just finished writing a very difficult letter to an old friend of mine. I have been working on it for three weeks now and I just took the entire day to get it totally finished. I'm just feeling so empty - ending a friendship will do that to you I guess. There are relationships that just naturally drift apart and fade over time, and there are relationships that you put on hold for life, but when you come back together it's like no time has passed at all. Then there are the relationships that benefit no one and need to end. This is what's happening with me right now. The death of this friendship is a long time coming and I needed to take care of it long ago. I couldn't bring myself to do the deed - but now that it's almost done I sense freedom on the horizon.

I am also excited about all of the new friends that the death of the old friendship is bringing about! I stayed up late (for me) last night with a group of relatively new friends and I laughed and laughed and laughed with them. My husband and I enjoyed the sense of belonging and jovial atmosphere we experienced and also the hashing over of important issues. What a blessing!

I am looking forward to spending more time with those I love and giving more of myself to others who really care and who need me and who will give to me in return. It's such a wonderful thing to be able to connect with my fellow man in common and uncommon goals for the purpose of bettering ourselves and glorifying our Creator! Amazing! Writing this entry has opened my eyes to all of the majesty that the future has - new experiences, new people, better connections with current friends and family - why did this take me so long!

Advice: If you have something you need to take care of, especially where a person is involved, I urge you to not waste your days - get out there and take care of it! The weight will life, the light will break through, and you will be better for the time spent dealing with whatever it is. Don't be me and wait for years! Do it today if possible! Let me know what happens!

me

Dip the big toe...

2005-12-07T22:06:00.000-08:00

Well, blogger world, I'm dipping the big toe into the blogger pond and I hope the water is fine. My hubby, psychobob, and his cousin, potato farm girl, inspired me to create a space of my own. My sis in Singapore also has her feet in the blogger water, so why not dorky ol' me?

I promise that this blog will be rocky at the start, and probably not very interesting, but it sure will be fun to create. I'm also excited to learn about how to do everything. Being a teacher, I'm kind of a learning buff...when it suits me! Just ask my mother. Stubborn to the core and inquisitive when necessary. Oh, and my spelling is horrible, just so you know. My vocab outran my desire for correct spelling, so there you go. I think I'll start downloading pics and filling in my profile, so bare with the shortness of this post.