Thursday, June 22, 2006

Music and me...

My friends at work tease me about being a "band geek". I'll admit it - I am one, or at least I was many moons ago. I went to band camp, wore the uniform, the whole deal. And you know what? I loved every minute of it. Laugh if you will, but for a long time, being a musician was my entire life. Most of my best friends in this world are friends that I made in band. Playing my flute gave me a sense of accomplishment. As I improved, so did my self-confidence. For quite a while, I was sure that I would be a musician for the rest of my life. I had plans to go on to study music in college, even got accepted to a music conservatory in Ohio. After I graduated from high school, I even played with an Indianapolis symphonic band for a while. Since I left the ISB though, I haven't really played much.

A lot has changed since then. "Real life" catches up with you sooner or later, and you realize that life won't always be as fun as it used to be. You can't always hang out with the old gang of friends, and you can't always live rent free with your parents, and sometimes you have to put certain dreams aside to let others take form. I guess that's what happened to me.

It has only recently hit me just how drastically my life has changed since then. My priorities are so different now. I can't tell you the last time I even picked up my flute. I'm feeling a little sad about it now, and so as I'm writing this, I'm listening to some of my favorite songs we played back in the day. Rhapsody in Blue is on...I love that one...

As I'm writing this, though, I'm realizing that maybe I haven't left music behind in the dust of life completely. Maybe it's something primal, maybe it's something about my upbringing - I just can't let it go. Though I'm no longer creating music with an instrument, I am still enjoying it quite a bit, and great music can still take me away to another world like it used to.

Maybe a day will come when I will be able to play with a group again. The opportunity has presented itself a few times in the past few years, but it just hasn't felt right. Then again, maybe I'll never play again the way that I used to. I'm feeling a little sad about that right now...

I'm such a dork, but I don't care. Today, I miss my band years. I miss creating music with my friends, and I miss the feeling of a song well played. It used to remind me that I'm part of something much bigger. Isn't a group of musicians a great microcosm of what the church should be? Each person playing their own very different, yet very vital parts to create a fantastic song? And you know, you can't take your eyes off the director for very long or you'll be pretty lost. Hmmm...maybe I'll have to think about that more.

I'm getting tired...and cranky...and reminiscent. Not a good combo. G'night!

Wednesday, June 21, 2006

Pictures from NACCAP '06

If you've ever wondered what a Seminary Admissions Dance Party looked like...
Someone poured bubble bath into our fountain and then threw our luminaries in for a bath. Do we know how to make lemonade out of lemons, or what??? The best bunch of co-workers I could ever ask for!

Reunited...and it feels so good!

I'm so sorry to have not posted anything in so long. I have been pretty busy, but to be honest with you, I have wasted my blogging time on other things. I've been watching movies, driving all over creation, working my little fingers to their bones and (of course) shopping until I actually drop. I do apologize for neglecting you...whoever you are. Do I even have an audience?

Since I last posted, so much has happened. Where to begin?

Matt is doing well. He was certified as a candidate for ordination last month, so this whole pastor thing is really coming along. He's always doing well with his classes, so that should come as no surprise. Married life continues to be amazing and surprising all at once. I'm always so thankful that I have a husband who adores me, and lets me know it all the time...

We found out that Kelly and Brandon are having a girl. I'm so thrilled! Her name will be Kamryn Diane, and we should be meeting her on or around August 20th. I'm pretty stinkin' honored to be the little sweetie's middle-namesake. I even went through the first of what is sure to be many shopping phases for my tiny neice. Clothes, blankets, stuff for her nursery...I'm buying it all. I even put together a little gift basket of fun things for Kelly to take to the hospital with her. Can you imagine how much money I will spend when it's my own baby??? We're all so excited. It's weird to think that in just a few weeks my parents will be grandparents. I wonder if it has hit them yet?

Speaking of my parents, they're celebrating their 32nd anniversary tomorrow. 32 years! I don't think I could be more thankful. Most of you know that 2 years ago they were separated, so the fact that they are back together and renewing their relationship is amazing. God, you are SO GOOD!

Robert is doing well - as far as I can tell anyway. The boy never calls me. He moved to West Lafayette to live with his band, LUSH. They're apparently doing pretty well. Big praise: he is starting at Ivy Tech in the fall. YAY!

Most of my energy has been focused towards work lately. We hosted the annual NACCAP conference (http://www.naccap.org/) here at Asbury, and I did a pretty big chunk of the planning and organizing for it. During the week of the conference, I seriously worked almost 70 hours. It was crazy. My paycheck was pretty nice though! After the conference, our Assistant to the Director moved to Wisconson with her hubby and kids, so I got bumped up to her position. It sucks that she's gone, but again, the pay raise is nice. Next week we are saying goodbye to one of our Admissions Counselors as she is moving to Alabama to be in campus ministry at Auburn, and at the end of the summer another Counselor is moving to Spain for 10 months. Will the transition ever end???!!! It's a little stressful, but we know that God is good and He has great folks lined up to fill our office.

That's all for now...I do promise to try to get on here more often.

Kisses,
Katie