Sunday, September 26, 2010
Boating
Diana, Lori (my roommate), and me on Labor Day. We went boating with the Holbrooks, but it was so cold most of the day.
I can wakeboard!
Our feet...the sun had started to come out just a little in the afternoon.
Diana and me trying to get warm in the front of the boat.
Final ride back to the dock with Lori.
Chicago Updates
Today was church, but it was a little different than it has been the past few weeks. We moved to a new building today--an elementary school that the church is renting for four hours on Sundays while they find somewhere that they can build a building in the city. This means that we got to go to church at 10:00 rather than 3:00 in the afternoon! Our YSA branch and a family ward meet at the same time in the school. We start with Relief Society/Priesthood, while the family ward starts with sacrament meeting. This is the farthest into the city that the church has ever actually had a building that they met in. We can walk to church from our apartment in about 18 minutes. I feel like I’m back at BYU with church being that close.
We had a group of people over for dinner tonight. I love getting to know the members of the branch here. (Hopefully within the next little bit we will become a ward though.) Since we are so close to church, we are planning on having people over quite often, and our apartment has the perfect set up for it. It will be great.
I am loving my classes, although it has been a bit of an adjustment remembering how to be a student again. I am taking five classes, and I feel like I was led to every class that I got to choose to take. I have two required courses: Educational Research, and Philosophy of Music Education. They both are fascinating and will be great. The classes that I got to choose as electives ended up being Music of the 1920’s, and Music of Chicago Neighborhoods. I also am required to be in a performing ensemble, and the only one that fit in my schedule was Chapel Choir. I didn’t realize, but this choir sings for all of the chapel services. If our church had been at 3:00, this wouldn’t have been a problem, but we just moved to 10:00, and the Sunday services are at 11:00 in Evanston. I talked to the director and told him my situation, and he is allowing me to just perform in the evening concerts. I felt so incredibly blessed. There is nothing else I could do without someone else’s help. We are singing all religious litergy, and are even performing Monteverdi’s Vespers with a 17th century style orchestra. I’m thankful I get to be a part and not have to miss church because of it.
I got to spend last weekend in Nauvoo (I posted pictures.) I went with my roommate Elizabeth, and I opened up my car to anyone else in the branch who wanted to go. I had never met Marila before our trip, but she is darling. We were supposed to have two others go with us, but they cancelled last minute. I called up one of the families I knew really well, and we stayed in their condos while we were there. Both Elizabeth and Marila were so impressed that I was able to get us a good room (at a discount price) the day we were going because we kind of decided last minute what we were doing. I love the people in Nauvoo so much, and was so happy to get to see some of them again.
I'm posting a few of the pictures from boating in the Illinois River and from the African drumming concert.
We had a group of people over for dinner tonight. I love getting to know the members of the branch here. (Hopefully within the next little bit we will become a ward though.) Since we are so close to church, we are planning on having people over quite often, and our apartment has the perfect set up for it. It will be great.
I am loving my classes, although it has been a bit of an adjustment remembering how to be a student again. I am taking five classes, and I feel like I was led to every class that I got to choose to take. I have two required courses: Educational Research, and Philosophy of Music Education. They both are fascinating and will be great. The classes that I got to choose as electives ended up being Music of the 1920’s, and Music of Chicago Neighborhoods. I also am required to be in a performing ensemble, and the only one that fit in my schedule was Chapel Choir. I didn’t realize, but this choir sings for all of the chapel services. If our church had been at 3:00, this wouldn’t have been a problem, but we just moved to 10:00, and the Sunday services are at 11:00 in Evanston. I talked to the director and told him my situation, and he is allowing me to just perform in the evening concerts. I felt so incredibly blessed. There is nothing else I could do without someone else’s help. We are singing all religious litergy, and are even performing Monteverdi’s Vespers with a 17th century style orchestra. I’m thankful I get to be a part and not have to miss church because of it.
I got to spend last weekend in Nauvoo (I posted pictures.) I went with my roommate Elizabeth, and I opened up my car to anyone else in the branch who wanted to go. I had never met Marila before our trip, but she is darling. We were supposed to have two others go with us, but they cancelled last minute. I called up one of the families I knew really well, and we stayed in their condos while we were there. Both Elizabeth and Marila were so impressed that I was able to get us a good room (at a discount price) the day we were going because we kind of decided last minute what we were doing. I love the people in Nauvoo so much, and was so happy to get to see some of them again.
I'm posting a few of the pictures from boating in the Illinois River and from the African drumming concert.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
A few first Chicago experiences
I have now been in Chicago for three weeks. It definitely doesn't feel like I have been here that long. I have had a lot of fun experiences in the first few weeks. I've been trying to get some of these things in because I start classes this week and I'm not sure how much time I will have after I start grad school. I love the cultural experiences in Chicago. I have been able to go to so many free events that have been incredible. My first night here I got to go to Shrek: the Musical. In the time following I have also gone to the Chicago Jazz Festival, an African drumming concert, and a clarinet/piano concert at the Chicago Cultural Center. I have done a little exploring in Chicago, boating twice--once on the Illinois River and once to Lake Geneva for a regional YSA activities, and this weekend I went to another YSA conference at Nauvoo. I was so excited to see a few of the members I worked so closely with on my mission.
This last week I had orientation for Northwestern. I found out that I am one of three Master's students that was accepted this year. I felt very honored to be here. I start classes on Tuesday. I have met with the professor I am a graduate asisstant for, and worked through a few clerical errors. (Like a slight identity mix up)
My classes for this coming term are going to be interesting and challenging.
The garden fountain at The Chicago Art Institute
One of the train stations in Chicago
Buckingham Fountain
Marilla, me, and Elizabeth, my roommate, at the Carthage Jail.
I spent more time with the Douglases, Churches, and Millers than with any of the young single adults there. It was so good to catch up with people that I love so much.
Elizabeth is a great roommate.
I love the Nauvoo Temple!
This last week I had orientation for Northwestern. I found out that I am one of three Master's students that was accepted this year. I felt very honored to be here. I start classes on Tuesday. I have met with the professor I am a graduate asisstant for, and worked through a few clerical errors. (Like a slight identity mix up)
My classes for this coming term are going to be interesting and challenging.
The garden fountain at The Chicago Art Institute
One of the train stations in Chicago
Buckingham Fountain
Marilla, me, and Elizabeth, my roommate, at the Carthage Jail.
I spent more time with the Douglases, Churches, and Millers than with any of the young single adults there. It was so good to catch up with people that I love so much.
Elizabeth is a great roommate.
I love the Nauvoo Temple!
With Whitney in Illinois
I left Provo on August 20th with my sister-in-law. We drove across the country in two days, getting to my brother's house on Saturday evening. I spent almost two weeks with my brother's family. I loved it! We had lots of playing time, lots of music time, just really good family time!
On the Saturday that I was with them we went out in the hills and went rock climbing. Whitney set the ropes up so the girls could climb. It was so fun to watch them. We had a wonderful time.
I also got to go to church with them two times (once I even went to Primary and played the piano) and Whitney and I drove to St. Louis to go to the temple together.
On the Saturday that I was with them we went out in the hills and went rock climbing. Whitney set the ropes up so the girls could climb. It was so fun to watch them. We had a wonderful time.
I also got to go to church with them two times (once I even went to Primary and played the piano) and Whitney and I drove to St. Louis to go to the temple together.
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