Marrying Three Passions

Can I just say how much I love my job?

My students work so hard and this week I especially have seen so much come to fruition.  We had our Piano and Choir Recital yesterday and I couldn't have been more proud standing in front of these 30 adorable children leading them in music.  It gave me goosebumps on many occasions as they sang songs from their hearts.  We have been working on pieces for the entire year and I have seen them come so far. 

(The school brought in a professional photographer for promotional photos and these are featured on the school's website. I made the cut!)

I am so proud of my students.  Each month we have been studying various composers from Bach to Ellington to Michael Jackson.  The children LOVE learning about the composers, listening to pieces by them, and I am continually impressed with how much they remember and learn.  Today, being the 1st of June, they come running into my class looking for the new composer.  It absolutely made my day!!  And to shock them a little, "YOU" is the composer this month, which caused some confusion at first.  Once we talk about it and their faces lit up with the understanding that THEY can be composers too, my heart melted.  These kids are the best!! Plus, my grade one students' final culminating task of the year has been to compose a piece, learn to write the music, read the notes, draw a picture for their song, and play their piece on the recorder....and they are fantastic!  I am so impressed by what they have learned, and to think that I had a part in that.

I feel so blessed for the tremendous first year of teaching I've had.  It is unbelievable to me that I made it and even thrived this year.  The staff is great and the students are so wonderful.  They make me smile everyday and I absolutely LOVE my job.  My three passions in life include children, music, and education - and my job conveniently marries all three together in an environment that I can facilitate and create.  It's so rewarding and I am so excited about what I can continue to do next year as I learn more and branch out in my knowledge and teaching skills.

Where Did April Go?

I really wish I could go an entire month without getting sick. It seems to be such a regular occurrence that I almost anticipate it.  This year has been the absolute worst year, and I remember being told it would, but for some reason I thought I could beat the odds. One's first year of teaching is filled with so many germs that my body just can't handle it. My immunity has never been so exposed to a vast amount of nastiness.  So here I sit on the couch, bunches of tissues wadded up and dirty, sneezing up the ying-yang, and coughing so much my chest hurts. It's not a fun place to be on such a gorgeous sun-filled weekend.

Our little blog has been a little neglected as of late.  To be honest, the month of April was one complete blur that I have no idea what actually happened.  Out of the thirty days, we only spent 9 of them at home. Several days were spent out in BC where we had the time of our lives and relished in the holiday of visiting family and exploring the beautiful province.  It was truly a refreshing and perfect getaway. Then we got home for a few days before trauma hit my sister's family and we spent the next many, many days and weekends there for the rest of the month.  I wouldn't want to be anywhere else during the month anyways, but it wasn't the happiest of circumstances, so it was emotionally exhausting and challenging. I don't say this much, but I am grateful that we are still living in Ontario right now, because it made it possible for us to actually help my sister and her family.  Had we been in BC or Alberta or anywhere else for that matter, it would have been that much more difficult.

Work is going great. I am preparing a bunch of students and the choir for the year-end recital which will take place at the end of this month. The weather is getting nicer so it puts everyone into a better mood all the time.  And I am continually amazed at what my students are able to accomplish and learn.  I am regularly shocked at what they remember, comprehend, or create....and it makes me so proud of them!! To think that I had something to do with their musical knowledge makes me really, really happy.  The best part is that I have been asked to return in September for next year and I couldn't be more ecstatic!

Andrew has finished up his semester and eagerly began his new summer courses and job this week. Can you believe how smart he is?! 4 A+'s and 3 A's this year; third year university!!!  What an accomplishment.  I am such a proud wife! He has worked SO hard and completely deserves these incredible grades.  We are really hoping that this has a major influence on possible bursaries and also acceptance into Master's programs that he'll be applying for in a few short months.  This very successful year called for a celebration including a trip to Dairy Queen.

In other news, we have finalized our Alaskan Cruise plans this week and we are really looking forward to this adventure with my parents this summer. Glaciers, salmon fishing, panning for gold, and spending quality one-on-one time with my parents: doesn't that sound wonderful?!  Plus, great food and a giant ship. Something to anticipate this summer. So excited!!

I have been diligently working on a slideshow of photos to celebrate the birthday of Andrew's 90 year old Grandmother. I have LOVED looking at the old photos and putting them together in some type of coherency. I am not quite done, but it's coming together and should be finished in the next day or so. I hope it comes out the way I have imagined it and that Oma loves it.  It will be played at the birthday party next weekend.  I can't believe she's 90!! I was at her 85th birthday when Andrew and I were only dating.  Crazy how time flies and now we're going on 4.5 years of marriage.

I have been making a conscious effort when I can (April was a total write-off) to exercise and eat more healthy.  I have signed up with a few Groupon deals with a girlfriend of mine and so far we have bought 20 hot yoga classes, 15 sessions at Curves, and 5 Zumba classes.  I have been really dedicated to losing the extra pounds I seem to have acquired (see "4.5 years of marriage") and in three weeks I have lost 8 pounds.  Sure, I have a long ways to go, but I am beginning to feel better about myself and my body shape. (Except I need to stay away from those delicious DQ cakes!! Fortunately friends came over to help us finish it so it wasn't tempting me in the freezer all week.)  I hope that - when I feel better - I can get back to a regular routine, where I'm working out or exercising around 3-4 times a week.  Wish me luck!

How ironic with it being Mother's Day today that I had an exceptionally vivid dream last night about myself becoming a mother.  One day it will happen, but not just yet!  I am grateful for mothers in my life. My own mother, my mother-in-law, my sisters, my sister-in-laws, my aunts, my cousins, my grandmothers, my husband's grandmothers, my niece, and all my friends.  What an incredible title to hold and respect. I am grateful for their dedication, passion, their patience, and their generosity.  I cannot truly understand the significance the name 'Mother' holds as I personally do not own that name yet, but I show great compassion and utmost respect for the most challenging job in the world.  I wish a Happy Mother's Day to all those who bear that great name.

"The Good Lord Giveth and the Good Lord Taketh Away"'

My sister Kiki is pregnant and ready to pop with a bouncing baby boy or girl any day now.  Our family has been bubbling with excitement over names, the date when he or she will be born, and the freshness of a new little bundle in the family.

My other sister Lola miscarried her baby today. In her second trimester, she went for a routine ultrasound and found the baby had passed away and was taken to the hospital.  The minute Andrew and I heard the news, we brought over flowers and hugs to their house, only to find that both Lola and her husband were at the hospital and would be there all night. We snuggled with our other 5 nieces and nephews as we all shared a few tears and a special bond that no one can really describe. We decided to cancel plans tomorrow and to stay the night here, where we are needed.  We tucked the children into bed and my heart ached as the prayers that emerged from my little 5 year old niece and 4 year old nephew were said:

"...Please bless we will have a good night.
Please bless that mommy will feel better.
Please bless Uncle Andrew and Auntie Marci for the flowers they bring-ed.
Please bless that mommy and daddy will come home safely and be happy"

"....Please bless we will have a good sleep.
Please bless the cookies that our friends bring-ed over.
Please bless that mommy will have another baby so she can be happy again."

My heart is heavy as we grieve as a family. These sweet, tender lives that we are blessed with are ever so fragile.

Vibrant VanCity

I am so proud of my family.  It has been a whirlwind trip so far, and thankfully it's not over yet!  So much to update on, not enough time right now, but know that we are having the time of our lives and enjoying Vancouver like you wouldn't believe!

The purpose of our trip is (basically) featured below. Enjoy!

Spring Break

Today my day consisted of:

-Eating a giant plate of scrumptious chocolate chip pancakes, sprinkled with maple syrup and chunks of sweet banana

-Kissing the angelic faces of three wonderful nephews and one fabulous niece

-Going to the spa and receiving a delicious 45 minute facial, an aromatherapy massage, plus a moisture intense hand treatment

-Reading a remarkable book in the rays of the gorgeous afternoon sun while sitting on a chair on the balcony with cold lemonade (for 3 hours!)

-A delectable dinner made only by the love of my life

....can't it be Spring Break every week??

Random Friday Night Thoughts

I am now on Spring Break and couldn't feel more carefree!
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Andrew is away this weekend being a fantastic and supportive YM president.  I miss him yes, but I also love my alone time and the whole bed to myself tonight.
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At work today it was International Day and because I'm as white as they come, I dressed up in clothing representing my own homeland, Vancouver.  I was comfortable, unique, and loved celebrating the cultures of my wonderful school.
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Our little choir performed today at both the junior and senior assemblies and did really well.  I was nervous as we only had 2 rehearsals, but they pulled off two great performances and I was proud.
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My new purse arrived in the mail today and it's as gorgeous as the photos!! Thank you again to Sappy Apple and Cinder+Smoke.  I feel so lucky.  What a perfect purse.
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Tonight I have been a complete vegetable and lazed on the couch all evening YouTubing some of my favourite people/shows: Ellen de Generes, Idina Menzel, Gail Vaz-Oxlade, Sam Tsui, Megan and Liz, and Jeff Probst.
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I am so so so looking forward to our trip to Vancouver this month.  Like, seriously, so excited.
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I have a great guy who made the bed, tidied the living room, and washed the dishes before leaving for his weekend getaway.  He's so great.
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I am going to the spa for my FIRST TIME next week.  Wow, I'm nervous and excited about that too!  Andrew got me a spa date for Christmas and I haven't used it yet; I was saving it for my birthday, but since I'm already doing something spectacular on my birthday (being in BC!!) I'll use it during the next best time of year, Spring Break. :)
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I LOVE my job.  Like, I LOVE it. Seriously, I am so blessed.
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Time to hit the sack as I'm babysitting for some friends tomorrow morning.  And by morning, I mean MORNING.  I need to be at their place by 7:15 on a Saturday morning.  Gah! Looking forward to a nap tomorrow sometime.

3 Birthday Cakes

Andrew had another birthday this week and turned a whopping 28 years young.  He feels he is getting so old, especially as he creeps closer and closer to the big 3-0, so he wasn't looking forward to his birthday very much this year.  Regardless, I was on a mission to make it a spectacular event and a birthday never to forget!

Because we knew that his actual birthday would not leave a lot of time to celebrate (he was at school until 10pm!), he opened his gifts early in the morning, before I left for work around 7:15am.  I gave him this book--->

He has been reading it for insight into addictions because of his new placement for school in September and is completely enthralled by it.  He took it out of the library and couldn't put it down at all, and it was the only thing he asked for for his birthday.  So he got it.  And a belt to keep his pants up, and a level to add to his toolbox.  He also got a few other gifts from friends and family.

I went to work, he went to school, and all was well.  When I got home around 5 o'clock, I had plans to make his birthday cake so I set out baking it.  I got it all done and put it in the oven and set the timer. Not one minute had passed when the phone rang with a close friend of mine who was in tears.  I told her I would be right over. Fortunately the cake hadn't been in long, so I took it out of the oven and drove to her house for some much-needed girl time.  I didn't expect it to be late, but I ended up spending 3 hours there, and before I knew it, Andrew was home and his cake was still in batter-formation.  He was a good sport, put his cake back in the oven and set the timer. I came home a little later and together we tried to get the cakes out of the pans, but as we did, each cake fell completely apart and shattered all over the countertops.  We had a good laugh, but I felt like I had ruined his birthday. :(  I pulled out some leftover 'Deep n' Delicious McCain cake' from the freezer (2 pieces left from a youth activity Andrew had during the week), put a few candles in, and sang 'Happy Birthday' to my man for his special day.

The next day we had already made plans to go out for a nice dinner at the Keg, but when I got home from work I set out to try and fix this cake mess I had made.  I tried to glue the cake back together with icing and ice and decorate it to at least look presentable.  This is how it turned out:

Not the best looking, but at least it stayed together!! And to top that off, it was a delicious cake, super moist and yummy.


Dinner out was special; a nice meal at a fancy restaurant (for us!).  While Andrew was in the washroom I asked the server if they had anything special they could do for birthdays, and ta-da!! A piece of cake with a sparkler for the birthday boy!

So in the end, Andrew got 3 different cakes, gifts, streamers and Happy Birthday banners throughout the house, messages and birthday notes all around, and he was smiling all day long.  I think it wasn't so bad to turn 28. :-)

Vday

Happy Valentine's Day yesterday!

Andrew and I had a romantic day filled with love, a candlelit dinner, romance, kisses, hugs, lingerie, and intimate relations.

Okay, I'm only kidding. Only part of that was true. (You can decide which part. ;) )

Yesterday, I worked 12 hours and finally got home around 9pm.  Andrew went to school and then to a Young Men's youth activity, so he got home around 9pm as well.  Then we opened up gifts we had bought for one another with our $5 budget.

Andrew certainly knows the way to my heart, especially with only five bucks:

And I think I managed pretty well in finding things he'd love too:

Other gifts I received throughout the day also include plenty of chocolate, teddy bears, roses, romance novels, and hand-written Valentines.  All of these were given to me by handsome men and beautiful women all under the age of 6. :)

It was a good day all around.  Happy love day!

Balance is Key

Andrew and I got in an argument over the weekend.  I don't like to ever post about the negative happenings of our lives because I feel that's airing out our dirty laundry.  But this fight has made us both really reflective and reevaluate our marriage that it's turning into a positive experience.

It all started with the lamp.  Oh, that darn lamp.  I broke it, and said argument ensued.  I broke the lamp, which led to what money we don't have to buy a new one, then tumbled into how we are both working so hard for each other at school and work, and then exploded into shouts of how 'you don't take pride in our home and in our marriage' (shouted by, ahem, me).

Let me back up a bit.  I remember when I was in a symphony rehearsal around the age of 11 or 12, and our director gave us a challenge completely unrelated to music.  The challenge was to not say - and specifically listen for - how many times people answer "how are you" with either tired or busy.  Her theory was that everyone almost always is tired or busy, and we often try to up-sell ourselves as being more tired or busier than the next person.  I don't know why this resonated with my pre-teen self, but it has, and I am regularly quite conscious when answering the 'how are you' question.

So, back to our argument.  I was tired (long week at work, it was late on Friday night), and I was busy (report card season, Valentine's Day, husband's birthday, social events planning, etc.) and here I am, telling YOU that I'm tired and busy.  The fact actually is, that Andrew and I are really busy people! And in turn, we are often tired.  The argument towards me feeling like Andrew doesn't take pride in our home stems from the reality that our home is often messy and random things don't get done when they need to.  (That lamp? Yeah, it had a burnt-out light for almost a week and I was frustrated that he hadn't already changed it.  Then it broke and it all came tumbling out).

Okay, now I'm just rambling.  The point is, is that Andrew and I are busy.  And that we want to make more time for our marriage.  Which, as we clarified, does not necessarily mean more time with each other (as I am the type that enjoys my alone time as much as I enjoy Andrew time), but just more time to focus on us.  Whether that means making a nice meal, or cleaning the apartment more regularly, or visiting with mutual friends, what have you.

Andrew couldn't sleep that night. He tossed and turned for hours (I find this out the next morning) as his head was racing with thoughts.  The next evening we went out with some friends and Andrew had a few good chats with his buddies about what happened and what to do.  The other guys understand more or less where he's coming from, being students themselves, or having to balance life with kids, etc. He said it was nice to talk to them and get some clarity for himself.  With all this, Andrew has decided that in order for him to feel he can contribute to the solution, he will be resigning from his position on the Board of Directors that he currently sits on.  It's a tough decision, but one he feels will benefit our happiness in the long run.  There are so many priorities (family, finances, school, careers) that it's difficult to balance it all, especially when burning the candle from both ends. It's not easy for him to just up and leave something he's a part of, but we feel it's a good choice considering our current relationship status.

I guess in all this, I've just learned that it's good to reevaluate everything to ensure it's all balanced. Sometimes we get so focused on what we have to do that we forget the larger picture.  In our argument, Andrew kept saying "I'm going to school and trying to get good grades for YOU, for our FAMILY, for US" but I had to remind him that there's got to be something in it for himself too, otherwise it's all for naught. If he's miserable, we as a family will be miserable.

Balance is key.

Clearly

Tonight, Andrew sat in the living room watching "The West Wing" on tv.

I sat in the bedroom watching "The Bachelor" on the laptop.

We clearly have different tastes in entertainment.