Things are starting to get busy for us around here! Usually summer is a time to relax and take things slow... but at least for the beginning of the summer, that isn't going to be the case for us!
I decided to audition for "Annie" - the community theater show where AJ is music director this summer and landed the role of Grace Farrell (secretary to Mr. Warbucks)! I'm pretty excited and definitely excited to be back on stage - for the first time since 2005! - and to be able to do some singing again! We started rehearsals this past weekend and it looks like "Annie" is pretty much going to consume our lives until the end of June! :) Not that I'm complaining, I think it's going to be a lot of fun and it's with a great group of people!
We have performances June 21st - 24th so let me know if you want tickets! :)
Even though we've only had two rehearsals, it's been fun to watch AJ work with all the little kids in the show! It never ceases to amaze me how well he is with kids. And I'm sure most of this is because he's just a big goofy kid himself! :) But it's just so much fun to watch him in his element! I've been lucky enough to be able to do this quite a bit lately!
Last month AJ had 15 students from the high school that went to solo/ensemble contest. Basically for those of you that don't know, this is a competition the students go to where they've prepared one or more pieces of music and perform in front of a judge. The judge will then score them on a number of different areas and give out a rating that ranges from Division I (Superior) to Division IV (Poor). The 15 students that AJ took were the largest group of kids to go to contest from Riverside. Of those 15 students, they walked away with 8 Division I's, 6 Division II's and one Division III. It was an outstanding day for those students! You could tell how hard each of them worked and how much they wanted to do well, not only for themselves, but also for Mr. Z! :)
Tonight AJ has his last Middle School concert for the year and the last High School concert is next Monday. He also has Large Group Contest this Friday night. Large Group is essentially the same as solo/ensemble contest, only the choir goes and performs as a whole in front of three judges. Last year the choir received a Division II. This year, with a choir that is practically tripled in size, AJ is hoping to walk out with a Division I. He and the students have been working very hard. AJ also found out recently that he has just under 50 students signed up for choir next year! This is just amazing considering that the started with just around 12 his first year - just two years ago! He is really doing some great things with the Riverside Vocal Music program!
For some other great news, we heard back from H&R Block about our amendments for the previous two years of state taxes and we will be getting some money back!! We'll actually be getting back right around $1000! So we're very excited and this is going straight into our emergency fund - as part of our Financial Peace University learning. And speaking of FPU, we have officially graduated! We had our last class last week and we're kind of sad it's over! It has been a lot of fun going to class every week, learning some really great things, but also meeting and getting to know some other people in town. It'll be strange now having to go to class now every Wednesday! And I would say it'll be nice to have our Wednesday nights back, but we've moved on to "Annie" rehearsals now!
I think that's just about it for us right now! If I don't post anything for the next two months, now you know that we'll be busy! :)
Monday, April 30, 2012
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
God and His Plans
You know, life has a funny way of working itself out. Or maybe it's more God's planning. I'm always truly amazed when things in life get complicated and I start to worry and fret and wonder how it's all going to work out. But then something happens and I see that God truly had a plan in place all along. I suppose you're wondering what on earth I'm talking about?
There was a new position created at Wartburg in the Alumni and Parent Association Office for an Event Planner. I decided to apply and landed an interview. (Now, I don't want you to think that I don't love my current job at UNO because I do. I love what I'm doing, I love working in higher education and I love the people I work with. This was just something I thought I should apply for.) The interview itself went great. The staff at Wartburg were friendly and welcoming and of course it's always great to be back on campus! The position would be helping plan different events throughout the year including Family Weekend, Homecoming and area Outflys. And as it was at my alma mater, it could be a dream job for me. I love planning events, I love all the work that goes into them, the details, the organization. And I love seeing the end results. And who wouldn't want to work for such a great place and one that is so close to my heart?
But after the interview, I wasn't sure what was next. I didn't know what I would say if they offered me a job. AJ has a much more specific job and he can't just move anywhere. I followed him out to Western Iowa for his job at Riverside. And I realize that it's probably going to almost always be that way - me following him. And I honestly have no problem with that! AJ knows what he wants to do, has that passion and a true talent for it! I will gladly follow him wherever his career may lead him. But AJ doesn't have anything lined up for a job in Eastern Iowa. He has this great job at Riverside and is excited to see how the program continues to grow. I'm not sure I could ask him to leave that. Especially if he doesn't have another teaching job lined up. AJ thought if I was offered the job I should take it. We've lived apart before and although that didn't really work out in our favor last time, he believes that we're in a better place to do it now. It would be his third year of teaching and we know a lot of people in the area now - he's more comfortable. And while I agree with all of that, I still wasn't sure living apart was something I wanted to do. We've begun to talk about when we want to start a family and living apart isn't exactly ideal for that.
And so we were at a crossroads. Waiting. Waiting to hear back from Wartburg. And trying to figure out what I would say if I was offered the job. Well the call finally came on Wednesday afternoon. Wartburg called and told me that it was down to me and one other person and after a lot of discussion, and not without some hard choices, they offered the job to the other person and they accepted. I was told however that they had nothing but great things to say about me and would keep me in mind if any future positions opened up. And while I was bummed about not getting an offer, I was also relieved. I honestly believe that God knew I would not be able to make that decision. So He made it so I wouldn't have to. I am glad that I did the interview. I love Wartburg and would jump at any chance for another interview down the road. And maybe this interview will have been my foot in the door for something else. Something down the road that has better timing for both me and AJ and his career track. Everything happens for a reason. And this situation was no different.
Ironically enough, after receiving the phone call from Wartburg, AJ and I had our Financial Peace University course that night. This lesson was called Working in your Strengths. The class description reads: "This lesson will show you how to avoid dead-end or mind-numbing jobs and provide tips for job hunting, writing a résumé, and acing an interview. Plus, you’ll learn tips for finding extra jobs if you need cash to attack your debt snowball." And our homework for this class period was to come up with a three year professional plan. Well this is something I've always struggled with. I admire AJ so much for knowing what he wants to do and the fact that he's able to do it and do it so well. And while I like the fact that my degree gives me the opportunity to be flexible and do a number of things, I still struggle with what I want to do for the rest of my life. There are a number of things I love to do. And I do love working in Higher Education and I believe I want to stay working in Higher Ed, but doing what exactly? I'm not sure. We were even asked in our discussion after the lesson if we could do anything in the world and money was no object, what would it be. I couldn't answer. I don't know what my dream job is. I'm still searching. I wish someone could tell me what I'm really good at, what my strengths are and what exactly I should be doing. But I know this is something I have to discover for myself. I need to figure out what God put me on this earth to do. But if you have any suggestions, I'll take them! ;-)
Let's get on with some updates now, shall we? March was a busy month for both AJ and I. For me, the month was filled with high school visits and college fairs. For AJ, he was busy working as the National Honor Society adviser and planning the ceremony as well as getting his students ready for solo/ensemble contest. We were also lucky enough to have some visits from friends as well! Amanda and Chelsea were able to come down and we had a pretty fun girls weekend! Even AJ said it wasn't too bad with the three of us together! ;-) The last two weeks of March I was actually up in Minnesota at college fairs. It was a long two weeks to be away from home and from AJ but we survived. I was also able to go to Osseo, WI and visit Meg the weekend in between! It was great because I hadn't been able to visit her yet or see her preach! It was a great weekend and really great to have some sisterly bonding time as well! :) I also managed to get in some time with some high school friends for another baby shower! It's so much fun getting together with these girls and catching up with all of them, but it's also fun to see how our get together's have changed! We had four adorable babies that we kept passing around and it was just so much fun! I can't wait until the next time we're all able to get together again! Maybe next time we'll even have to bring our husbands!
Easter weekend AJ and I drove up to Minnesota where we were able to spend a nice long weekend with family and friends. We managed to get in some good cousin bonding time as well during the weekend since all of us were back home (even if not all quite at the same time...). It's always fun when we can get together which is so hard to do now! But we can always have a good time. Easter itself was a joyous holiday and it was good to be back in church! I'll admit AJ and I have not been very good about getting to church lately! We need to get back in the habit because it's always so great and refreshing! The Monday after Easter we headed back home which of course included a stop to see our growing clans-baby! We just love spending time with him and he is just the cutest baby! :) Monday was a long day though spent in the car, at the doctor's office and getting our taxes done. I am so glad that we finally have our taxes done and it was a lot easier than I thought! We decided to take them into H&R Block because we had too many questions and concerns, especially with me working in Nebraska but living in Iowa. And while it did cost us some money to get them down, the payoff has really been worth it. We originally thought we were going to have to pay a huge chunk of change to the state of Iowa but it turns our we had been filing wrong! So while we still had to pay in, it wasn't nearly as much as we first thought. We also found out that we filed wrong last year (2010) as well! So he was going to look into it further and see if we could possible get some money back from that! So we are keeping our fingers crossed!
Well, that's about it for us right now! School will soon be ending for the year for AJ and then he'll be busy working as the Musical Director of "Annie" for the community theater. We hope to spend this summer with some family time and maybe taking a vacation or two! No matter what we do, we know we'll have a great time!
There was a new position created at Wartburg in the Alumni and Parent Association Office for an Event Planner. I decided to apply and landed an interview. (Now, I don't want you to think that I don't love my current job at UNO because I do. I love what I'm doing, I love working in higher education and I love the people I work with. This was just something I thought I should apply for.) The interview itself went great. The staff at Wartburg were friendly and welcoming and of course it's always great to be back on campus! The position would be helping plan different events throughout the year including Family Weekend, Homecoming and area Outflys. And as it was at my alma mater, it could be a dream job for me. I love planning events, I love all the work that goes into them, the details, the organization. And I love seeing the end results. And who wouldn't want to work for such a great place and one that is so close to my heart?
But after the interview, I wasn't sure what was next. I didn't know what I would say if they offered me a job. AJ has a much more specific job and he can't just move anywhere. I followed him out to Western Iowa for his job at Riverside. And I realize that it's probably going to almost always be that way - me following him. And I honestly have no problem with that! AJ knows what he wants to do, has that passion and a true talent for it! I will gladly follow him wherever his career may lead him. But AJ doesn't have anything lined up for a job in Eastern Iowa. He has this great job at Riverside and is excited to see how the program continues to grow. I'm not sure I could ask him to leave that. Especially if he doesn't have another teaching job lined up. AJ thought if I was offered the job I should take it. We've lived apart before and although that didn't really work out in our favor last time, he believes that we're in a better place to do it now. It would be his third year of teaching and we know a lot of people in the area now - he's more comfortable. And while I agree with all of that, I still wasn't sure living apart was something I wanted to do. We've begun to talk about when we want to start a family and living apart isn't exactly ideal for that.
And so we were at a crossroads. Waiting. Waiting to hear back from Wartburg. And trying to figure out what I would say if I was offered the job. Well the call finally came on Wednesday afternoon. Wartburg called and told me that it was down to me and one other person and after a lot of discussion, and not without some hard choices, they offered the job to the other person and they accepted. I was told however that they had nothing but great things to say about me and would keep me in mind if any future positions opened up. And while I was bummed about not getting an offer, I was also relieved. I honestly believe that God knew I would not be able to make that decision. So He made it so I wouldn't have to. I am glad that I did the interview. I love Wartburg and would jump at any chance for another interview down the road. And maybe this interview will have been my foot in the door for something else. Something down the road that has better timing for both me and AJ and his career track. Everything happens for a reason. And this situation was no different.
Ironically enough, after receiving the phone call from Wartburg, AJ and I had our Financial Peace University course that night. This lesson was called Working in your Strengths. The class description reads: "This lesson will show you how to avoid dead-end or mind-numbing jobs and provide tips for job hunting, writing a résumé, and acing an interview. Plus, you’ll learn tips for finding extra jobs if you need cash to attack your debt snowball." And our homework for this class period was to come up with a three year professional plan. Well this is something I've always struggled with. I admire AJ so much for knowing what he wants to do and the fact that he's able to do it and do it so well. And while I like the fact that my degree gives me the opportunity to be flexible and do a number of things, I still struggle with what I want to do for the rest of my life. There are a number of things I love to do. And I do love working in Higher Education and I believe I want to stay working in Higher Ed, but doing what exactly? I'm not sure. We were even asked in our discussion after the lesson if we could do anything in the world and money was no object, what would it be. I couldn't answer. I don't know what my dream job is. I'm still searching. I wish someone could tell me what I'm really good at, what my strengths are and what exactly I should be doing. But I know this is something I have to discover for myself. I need to figure out what God put me on this earth to do. But if you have any suggestions, I'll take them! ;-)
Let's get on with some updates now, shall we? March was a busy month for both AJ and I. For me, the month was filled with high school visits and college fairs. For AJ, he was busy working as the National Honor Society adviser and planning the ceremony as well as getting his students ready for solo/ensemble contest. We were also lucky enough to have some visits from friends as well! Amanda and Chelsea were able to come down and we had a pretty fun girls weekend! Even AJ said it wasn't too bad with the three of us together! ;-) The last two weeks of March I was actually up in Minnesota at college fairs. It was a long two weeks to be away from home and from AJ but we survived. I was also able to go to Osseo, WI and visit Meg the weekend in between! It was great because I hadn't been able to visit her yet or see her preach! It was a great weekend and really great to have some sisterly bonding time as well! :) I also managed to get in some time with some high school friends for another baby shower! It's so much fun getting together with these girls and catching up with all of them, but it's also fun to see how our get together's have changed! We had four adorable babies that we kept passing around and it was just so much fun! I can't wait until the next time we're all able to get together again! Maybe next time we'll even have to bring our husbands!
Easter weekend AJ and I drove up to Minnesota where we were able to spend a nice long weekend with family and friends. We managed to get in some good cousin bonding time as well during the weekend since all of us were back home (even if not all quite at the same time...). It's always fun when we can get together which is so hard to do now! But we can always have a good time. Easter itself was a joyous holiday and it was good to be back in church! I'll admit AJ and I have not been very good about getting to church lately! We need to get back in the habit because it's always so great and refreshing! The Monday after Easter we headed back home which of course included a stop to see our growing clans-baby! We just love spending time with him and he is just the cutest baby! :) Monday was a long day though spent in the car, at the doctor's office and getting our taxes done. I am so glad that we finally have our taxes done and it was a lot easier than I thought! We decided to take them into H&R Block because we had too many questions and concerns, especially with me working in Nebraska but living in Iowa. And while it did cost us some money to get them down, the payoff has really been worth it. We originally thought we were going to have to pay a huge chunk of change to the state of Iowa but it turns our we had been filing wrong! So while we still had to pay in, it wasn't nearly as much as we first thought. We also found out that we filed wrong last year (2010) as well! So he was going to look into it further and see if we could possible get some money back from that! So we are keeping our fingers crossed!
Well, that's about it for us right now! School will soon be ending for the year for AJ and then he'll be busy working as the Musical Director of "Annie" for the community theater. We hope to spend this summer with some family time and maybe taking a vacation or two! No matter what we do, we know we'll have a great time!
Friday, March 2, 2012
Future planning?
Life here at the Zaruba's is going pretty well these days. We had a pretty great day last Friday actually. I got a call about mid-morning from Progressive letting me know that the other insurance company had accepted liability for the accident! This in itself was awesome news!! But what made it even better was the fact that our car repairs hadn't been finished yet so the bill was going to get sent directly to the other company - we didn't have to pay a dime! I was one happy camper. And then to make things even better, we were able to pick up our car on Friday afternoon - repairs were done and it looked as good as new! It was a relief to have this all taken care of and we were so blessed that everything worked out in our favor.
Last weekend was pretty busy for both AJ and I - we each had to work all day Saturday. AJ was working with Riverside's speech team and they had districts all day. The great news is that they did have a couple of students make it to State so they'll be heading over that way soon. I think AJ is going to continue to help out with the speech team, especially within the area of Musical Theater. I think he really enjoys working with these kids and he's talked about getting more involved next year.
I on the other hand, was busy all day in Omaha working at our Housing Showcase on campus and then later Saturday night at our Dual Enrollment Hockey Event. It was a long and exhausting day, especially after being on my feet all day. I can tell you that AJ and I both slept soundly on Saturday night!
Our classes at FPU are continuing to go well. We took a big step this past week and cut up all of our credit cards. That was a little hard for me to do. We had recently taken them out of our wallets and locked them up in our safe-box, but I liked having them there in case of an emergency. But as Dave Ramsey teaches us, we should really have an emergency savings account instead of using credit cards. And so that's what we're working towards. We are still learning a lot each week; this class has been very beneficial. I would encourage anyone who has ever considered taking this class to do it. Or if you haven't considered it but would like to feel more financially secure, this is the class to take. It has been well worth the time spent so far.
In a couple of "great news" stories... our clans-baby is officially one year old now! It's hard to believe it - even more so for his mom and dad I'm sure! :) He celebrated his birthday party last Sunday but since AJ and I were both so exhausted from working on Saturday we were unable to attend. Hopefully we can make it up there soon to see the little man and of course his parents. :) I also had a very close and dear friend of mine get engaged recently! After the phone call I was literally jumping up and down! I am so excited for her and her new fiance as they start this adventure of wedding planning and the journey of marriage together. I wish them both a lifetime of happiness! :)
Other than that, AJ and I continue to have conversations about our future. This is something that we discuss quite often actually. We talk about when we would like to start having kids possibly, where we see ourselves in five years, etc. The thing is that every time we talk about our future, it always seems to change. I shouldn't be surprised but sometimes I feel like it can be discouraging. I know that all of our talks of future plans are just that - plans. Plans change. And with so much unknown about the future, it's hard to set any plan in stone. But that doesn't mean I wouldn't like it to be so.
With each discussion, it seems one of us always has a change of heart about something. But this is always a reminder about the compromise of marriage. Finding a "plan" that we can both agree on. Talking about a future we're both happy about. And most importantly, remembering that things are not always going to work the way we want them to. Things are going to change, our plan is going to change. We have no control over many of these things. Most important we need to remember to trust God. To ask Him what He plan for us is. What His future for us looks like. And we must remember to be quiet long enough to hear what He is telling us.
Last weekend was pretty busy for both AJ and I - we each had to work all day Saturday. AJ was working with Riverside's speech team and they had districts all day. The great news is that they did have a couple of students make it to State so they'll be heading over that way soon. I think AJ is going to continue to help out with the speech team, especially within the area of Musical Theater. I think he really enjoys working with these kids and he's talked about getting more involved next year.
I on the other hand, was busy all day in Omaha working at our Housing Showcase on campus and then later Saturday night at our Dual Enrollment Hockey Event. It was a long and exhausting day, especially after being on my feet all day. I can tell you that AJ and I both slept soundly on Saturday night!
Our classes at FPU are continuing to go well. We took a big step this past week and cut up all of our credit cards. That was a little hard for me to do. We had recently taken them out of our wallets and locked them up in our safe-box, but I liked having them there in case of an emergency. But as Dave Ramsey teaches us, we should really have an emergency savings account instead of using credit cards. And so that's what we're working towards. We are still learning a lot each week; this class has been very beneficial. I would encourage anyone who has ever considered taking this class to do it. Or if you haven't considered it but would like to feel more financially secure, this is the class to take. It has been well worth the time spent so far.
In a couple of "great news" stories... our clans-baby is officially one year old now! It's hard to believe it - even more so for his mom and dad I'm sure! :) He celebrated his birthday party last Sunday but since AJ and I were both so exhausted from working on Saturday we were unable to attend. Hopefully we can make it up there soon to see the little man and of course his parents. :) I also had a very close and dear friend of mine get engaged recently! After the phone call I was literally jumping up and down! I am so excited for her and her new fiance as they start this adventure of wedding planning and the journey of marriage together. I wish them both a lifetime of happiness! :)
Other than that, AJ and I continue to have conversations about our future. This is something that we discuss quite often actually. We talk about when we would like to start having kids possibly, where we see ourselves in five years, etc. The thing is that every time we talk about our future, it always seems to change. I shouldn't be surprised but sometimes I feel like it can be discouraging. I know that all of our talks of future plans are just that - plans. Plans change. And with so much unknown about the future, it's hard to set any plan in stone. But that doesn't mean I wouldn't like it to be so.
With each discussion, it seems one of us always has a change of heart about something. But this is always a reminder about the compromise of marriage. Finding a "plan" that we can both agree on. Talking about a future we're both happy about. And most importantly, remembering that things are not always going to work the way we want them to. Things are going to change, our plan is going to change. We have no control over many of these things. Most important we need to remember to trust God. To ask Him what He plan for us is. What His future for us looks like. And we must remember to be quiet long enough to hear what He is telling us.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Money - who wants to give us some? :)
So we've started taking Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University courses through our church in Oakland. This will be our third week. It's a thirteen week course, so you know, pretty intense. :) I was a little nervous before going to our first class for a couple of reasons.
One, I heard we had homework and I wasn't sure I was okay with that. (Turns out, homework hasn't been too tough!) Two, I was nervous that it was going to be really boring. Luckily, Dave Ramsey is a really fun guy to listen to, very easy to listen to and that first hour goes by incredibly fast. He knows how to add in the humor when needed and he talked in a way that's easily understandable. The second hour we have a group discussion. This hour also goes by pretty quickly - we take turns discussing the answers to questions poised in the book and we also spend some time sharing our stories. After last week's class, I walked out of it feeling that not only is this a financial planning type of counseling, it could also be seen as couples counseling. :)
Even with just the first two classes under our belt, I really feel like we're learning a lot. I really feel like Austin and I are going to be able to get our life on the right track financially. It might take a little time, but we'll get there. We're also learning some key ideas on how to raise our kids to be financially successful someday.
I will tell you one thing though that's maybe a bit ironic. The first thing you see when you watch that first video is people getting asked a question: "What would you do if you had a $5000 emergency?" The answers all vary but it's to teach you the importance of having an emergency fund available. And three weeks into our course, I wish we would have had that fund. There have been two major events within a week and half of each other that have taken quite a bite out of our account.
First, Austin needed to get his wisdom teeth pulled. He's been told for a long time that they've needed to come out, so we probably should have looked into everything a long time ago. But we didn't. We waited until Austin was in enough pain he didn't want to take it anymore, and scheduled the procedure. Well, if you don't know, they make you put down a pretty hefty "deposit" before the procedure actually begins. I suppose we could have been saving up for this.
The second event we couldn't really see coming. But it was just like any other Midwestern day, the snow was falling, the roads were crappy and busy with morning commuters. And before I know it, I find myself hit by another vehicle. Luckily I was not hurt and neither was the other driver. It wasn't on the interstate so we weren't going too fast either. But it is definitely an unexpected (and unwanted) cost that we now have to take care of. We're hoping that the other guy's insurance will take liability and be able to cut us a check, but it probably won't be until after we've already had to pay out.
And finally, we still need to file our taxes. Actually we need to determine if we're going to go talk to someone or just try to figure out the whole live-in-one-state, work-in-another-state thing. And also trying to determine if it'll be better to file separately or together. After we had to pay to the state of Iowa last year, we were hoping for some good news this year. But after we started filing our taxes, things weren't looking too promising.
Money can be great. When you have it. Although I've heard having too much can be a burden too. So I don't want a lot of money. I just want enough money. And money can suck. And it seems that when something is going to happen, it's all going to happen together. When it rain, it pours. Or - when it snows, you get in a car accident. Ha.
But it's important to remember that money is not everything. Money does not determine who we are. And money does not determine our success. Our thoughts, beliefs and actions determine who we are. Our success is defined by so much more than money. And our family and friends are everything.
So to you - our family and friends - thank you. For who you are. For what you do. For being a part of our lives. You are the most important. But, if you do have any extra money lying around... we'd be more than happy to take some of it for you. :)
One, I heard we had homework and I wasn't sure I was okay with that. (Turns out, homework hasn't been too tough!) Two, I was nervous that it was going to be really boring. Luckily, Dave Ramsey is a really fun guy to listen to, very easy to listen to and that first hour goes by incredibly fast. He knows how to add in the humor when needed and he talked in a way that's easily understandable. The second hour we have a group discussion. This hour also goes by pretty quickly - we take turns discussing the answers to questions poised in the book and we also spend some time sharing our stories. After last week's class, I walked out of it feeling that not only is this a financial planning type of counseling, it could also be seen as couples counseling. :)
Even with just the first two classes under our belt, I really feel like we're learning a lot. I really feel like Austin and I are going to be able to get our life on the right track financially. It might take a little time, but we'll get there. We're also learning some key ideas on how to raise our kids to be financially successful someday.
I will tell you one thing though that's maybe a bit ironic. The first thing you see when you watch that first video is people getting asked a question: "What would you do if you had a $5000 emergency?" The answers all vary but it's to teach you the importance of having an emergency fund available. And three weeks into our course, I wish we would have had that fund. There have been two major events within a week and half of each other that have taken quite a bite out of our account.
First, Austin needed to get his wisdom teeth pulled. He's been told for a long time that they've needed to come out, so we probably should have looked into everything a long time ago. But we didn't. We waited until Austin was in enough pain he didn't want to take it anymore, and scheduled the procedure. Well, if you don't know, they make you put down a pretty hefty "deposit" before the procedure actually begins. I suppose we could have been saving up for this.
The second event we couldn't really see coming. But it was just like any other Midwestern day, the snow was falling, the roads were crappy and busy with morning commuters. And before I know it, I find myself hit by another vehicle. Luckily I was not hurt and neither was the other driver. It wasn't on the interstate so we weren't going too fast either. But it is definitely an unexpected (and unwanted) cost that we now have to take care of. We're hoping that the other guy's insurance will take liability and be able to cut us a check, but it probably won't be until after we've already had to pay out.
And finally, we still need to file our taxes. Actually we need to determine if we're going to go talk to someone or just try to figure out the whole live-in-one-state, work-in-another-state thing. And also trying to determine if it'll be better to file separately or together. After we had to pay to the state of Iowa last year, we were hoping for some good news this year. But after we started filing our taxes, things weren't looking too promising.
Money can be great. When you have it. Although I've heard having too much can be a burden too. So I don't want a lot of money. I just want enough money. And money can suck. And it seems that when something is going to happen, it's all going to happen together. When it rain, it pours. Or - when it snows, you get in a car accident. Ha.
But it's important to remember that money is not everything. Money does not determine who we are. And money does not determine our success. Our thoughts, beliefs and actions determine who we are. Our success is defined by so much more than money. And our family and friends are everything.
So to you - our family and friends - thank you. For who you are. For what you do. For being a part of our lives. You are the most important. But, if you do have any extra money lying around... we'd be more than happy to take some of it for you. :)
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
I have no fancy title for this one...
You know, sometimes I'm just not good at keeping up with regular blog posts. Not that it really matters because I don't know who really reads these. But I feel like sometimes I have so much to say that I'll have like three blog posts I'll want to put up all within like three days. Other times, like now, I have nothing to say for a month. Oh well, such is life I suppose. We don't always have blog-worthy events going on at home!
But since it has been a month, I figured I better update you all on our life! January was a good month for us. Nothing too big or exciting but I would say a pretty good start to the new year. AJ got quickly back into the swing of things at school, preparing for upcoming solo/ensemble contest and then large group contest later down the road. Although I think I speak for AJ and probably all the kids at school, that because of the mild winter we've been having, they're a little disappointed that they haven't had any snow days yet this year! But who knows, winter could definitely still come and surprise us! We'll just have to wait and see.
AJ did get some exciting news a couple of weeks ago though about a possible summer job! There is a community theater in Macedonia, which is just about 10 minutes down the road from Oakland and part of the school district. They are putting on a summer production of "Annie" and want AJ to be the musical director! It should be a great gig for him too! The performances would be at the end of June so he'd be able to get some extra cash and still have the month of July to relax and enjoy his summer vacation. Plus, AJ is is exciting for the experience, to meet some new people, network and to get in some practice before he has to put on another musical next fall at the high school.
AJ also got some other news a couple of weeks ago, although I'm not sure this one is as exciting. AJ has to get his wisdom teeth removed. They've been bothering him for a while and I think he's ready to have them out! So we go in this Friday for the procedure. And then I will get to spend all weekend taking care of him! :) I'm a little excited to see if he swells up and looks like a cute chipmunk! haha But in all seriousness, your thoughts and prayers would be greatly appreciated that the procedure goes well and for a fast recovery! We all know how much AJ loves to talk so hopefully he'll be back up and talking again shortly afterwards! :)
Things at my job are going great right now as well. It's starting to pick up and get busy again. I'll be visiting high schools here starting next month and doing some college fairs in March. While the spring is definitely quieter than my fall travel season, I'll still be plenty busy. Another great thing about my job is that I still have my job! When I first started, a year ago as of January 18th (woot!), it was only for a one year temporary position. Thankfully it was extended for another year and hopefully I'll even be hired on in a full time position - at least that's what we're working on! :) I also have to say that I've been very thankful for the mild winter so far. With my drive being a lot longer than AJ's into work, I'm glad we haven't really had any nasty weather. It's made my commute much more easier!
AJ and I are also trying to get a head of our finances. Even after two years of marriage, there are still things that surprise us, or that we argue about when it comes to finances. I think it's probably a struggle for a lot of people. So we're taking some financial planning courses. Maybe you've heard of Dave Rasmey, but he has these Financial Peace University courses that are taught all over the country. And there's actually a class taking place at the church in Oakland that we attend. So starting tomorrow, Feb. 1st, we'll be attending a 13-week course. It should be pretty interesting and hopefully we'll learn a lot and get a lot out of it. Maybe we'll even figure out how to do our taxes! I have to say that when this time comes every year it makes me nervous. I hate filing taxes. You never know what to expect. And this year is even more difficult with me working in one state and living in another. I think the whole process is entirely too difficult for the average person to understand. So I think AJ and I might just bite the bullet and meet with someone to help us this year.
Well, that's about it. That's all we've been up to recently. More to come as soon as more happens. :)
But since it has been a month, I figured I better update you all on our life! January was a good month for us. Nothing too big or exciting but I would say a pretty good start to the new year. AJ got quickly back into the swing of things at school, preparing for upcoming solo/ensemble contest and then large group contest later down the road. Although I think I speak for AJ and probably all the kids at school, that because of the mild winter we've been having, they're a little disappointed that they haven't had any snow days yet this year! But who knows, winter could definitely still come and surprise us! We'll just have to wait and see.
AJ did get some exciting news a couple of weeks ago though about a possible summer job! There is a community theater in Macedonia, which is just about 10 minutes down the road from Oakland and part of the school district. They are putting on a summer production of "Annie" and want AJ to be the musical director! It should be a great gig for him too! The performances would be at the end of June so he'd be able to get some extra cash and still have the month of July to relax and enjoy his summer vacation. Plus, AJ is is exciting for the experience, to meet some new people, network and to get in some practice before he has to put on another musical next fall at the high school.
AJ also got some other news a couple of weeks ago, although I'm not sure this one is as exciting. AJ has to get his wisdom teeth removed. They've been bothering him for a while and I think he's ready to have them out! So we go in this Friday for the procedure. And then I will get to spend all weekend taking care of him! :) I'm a little excited to see if he swells up and looks like a cute chipmunk! haha But in all seriousness, your thoughts and prayers would be greatly appreciated that the procedure goes well and for a fast recovery! We all know how much AJ loves to talk so hopefully he'll be back up and talking again shortly afterwards! :)
Things at my job are going great right now as well. It's starting to pick up and get busy again. I'll be visiting high schools here starting next month and doing some college fairs in March. While the spring is definitely quieter than my fall travel season, I'll still be plenty busy. Another great thing about my job is that I still have my job! When I first started, a year ago as of January 18th (woot!), it was only for a one year temporary position. Thankfully it was extended for another year and hopefully I'll even be hired on in a full time position - at least that's what we're working on! :) I also have to say that I've been very thankful for the mild winter so far. With my drive being a lot longer than AJ's into work, I'm glad we haven't really had any nasty weather. It's made my commute much more easier!
AJ and I are also trying to get a head of our finances. Even after two years of marriage, there are still things that surprise us, or that we argue about when it comes to finances. I think it's probably a struggle for a lot of people. So we're taking some financial planning courses. Maybe you've heard of Dave Rasmey, but he has these Financial Peace University courses that are taught all over the country. And there's actually a class taking place at the church in Oakland that we attend. So starting tomorrow, Feb. 1st, we'll be attending a 13-week course. It should be pretty interesting and hopefully we'll learn a lot and get a lot out of it. Maybe we'll even figure out how to do our taxes! I have to say that when this time comes every year it makes me nervous. I hate filing taxes. You never know what to expect. And this year is even more difficult with me working in one state and living in another. I think the whole process is entirely too difficult for the average person to understand. So I think AJ and I might just bite the bullet and meet with someone to help us this year.
Well, that's about it. That's all we've been up to recently. More to come as soon as more happens. :)
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Happy New Year!
Well, as quickly as they came, the holidays are now gone. But I think I speak for both Austin and I when I say that we had a great holiday season this year.
Last year over the holidays, I was unemployed. As such, we were able to spend more time with family since AJ has a bigger break over the holidays off from school and so it worked out very nicely! But then of course I got this job. Come to find out, the university shuts down the week between Christmas and the New Year so we were able to enjoy just as much of a relaxing break this year with our families!
We started out in Tipton, spending the actual holidays with Austin's family. We had a blast - as we always do! :) We played board games, Wii games, ate A LOT of food and of course, had our traditional scavenger hunt! AJ's parents would always make a scavenger hunt for the kids growing up and it's something they continue to do, only now Matt and I get to join in on the fun as well! But this year, I decided to mix it up a little bit - we created a scavenger hunt for them! It was fun to see them "run" around the house and yard looking for their clues to find their present this year! Although, I'm not sure we'll make them do it every year... :) We even had time to make some awesome gingerbread houses... and one boat. haha Overall, it was great to be back in Tipton and spend some much needed time together with the family! It had been way too long! Here are some pictures from our time there!
After spending some time in Tipton, we headed up to Minnesota to see my family. I think they were eager for us to get there because they were waiting on us to open presents! :) Again, we enjoyed being able to just spend some relaxing time with family and seeing old friends while we were there. We also enjoyed watching an old video that we made last Christmas while our parents were away... it was quite funny. :) We even got some snow while we were there - very little!! - but enough to make it feel a little bit more like Christmas. Otherwise it was a very brown Christmas - everywhere (home in Oakland, Tipton and Minnesota!). And I mean brown, no snow whatsoever. Not even piles in the ditch. It was very sad. But anyway, we did get a light dusting in Minnesota just in time to celebrate the Reedstrom family Christmas. We had a houseful and it was so much fun! We always have a great time!
We did celebrate Mom's birthday while we were around on Friday night before we all had to leave as well! We decided to drive back home on the 31st so that we could spend a relaxing New Year's Eve at our house - really just being a boring old couple. :) But it was good to be home after being gone for so long. We really wish the rest of our family would just decide to move so that they would all be closer to us! ;-) And it was nice to have a relaxing day on Sunday before AJ had to go back to work on Monday. AJ had a professional development day on Monday, so no kids yet and then he even got the afternoon off. But that meant he was stuck at home with me cleaning the house, putting away Christmas decorations and re-organizing all of his clothes! :) I would say it was a very productive day!
Over break, AJ did have some excitement when it comes to his high school choir! They were featured on a local radio station that was featuring local talent singing Christmas songs! The recording he sent in is absolutely great (if you haven't heard it already!) and the radio even did a little bit of a back story!! You can listen to it here and you really should!!
And now it's back to the old routine of things, but in a new year. I love the start of a new year. It's a new beginning, a fresh start. A time for resolutions, although who really ever keeps those... haha The new year is a time to make new commitments. New ideas. A time for new adventures. And that's really what AJ and I are hoping for this year. We have some new ideas, some new plans and hopefully some new adventures in the works!
But, at the same time, you have to stay somewhat down to earth. You have to also realize that things don't always work out. Resolutions aren't always kept. Plans don't always go accordingly. But that's okay too. Because in one year, there will be a chance for another fresh start.
Last year over the holidays, I was unemployed. As such, we were able to spend more time with family since AJ has a bigger break over the holidays off from school and so it worked out very nicely! But then of course I got this job. Come to find out, the university shuts down the week between Christmas and the New Year so we were able to enjoy just as much of a relaxing break this year with our families!
We started out in Tipton, spending the actual holidays with Austin's family. We had a blast - as we always do! :) We played board games, Wii games, ate A LOT of food and of course, had our traditional scavenger hunt! AJ's parents would always make a scavenger hunt for the kids growing up and it's something they continue to do, only now Matt and I get to join in on the fun as well! But this year, I decided to mix it up a little bit - we created a scavenger hunt for them! It was fun to see them "run" around the house and yard looking for their clues to find their present this year! Although, I'm not sure we'll make them do it every year... :) We even had time to make some awesome gingerbread houses... and one boat. haha Overall, it was great to be back in Tipton and spend some much needed time together with the family! It had been way too long! Here are some pictures from our time there!
After spending some time in Tipton, we headed up to Minnesota to see my family. I think they were eager for us to get there because they were waiting on us to open presents! :) Again, we enjoyed being able to just spend some relaxing time with family and seeing old friends while we were there. We also enjoyed watching an old video that we made last Christmas while our parents were away... it was quite funny. :) We even got some snow while we were there - very little!! - but enough to make it feel a little bit more like Christmas. Otherwise it was a very brown Christmas - everywhere (home in Oakland, Tipton and Minnesota!). And I mean brown, no snow whatsoever. Not even piles in the ditch. It was very sad. But anyway, we did get a light dusting in Minnesota just in time to celebrate the Reedstrom family Christmas. We had a houseful and it was so much fun! We always have a great time!
Over break, AJ did have some excitement when it comes to his high school choir! They were featured on a local radio station that was featuring local talent singing Christmas songs! The recording he sent in is absolutely great (if you haven't heard it already!) and the radio even did a little bit of a back story!! You can listen to it here and you really should!!
And now it's back to the old routine of things, but in a new year. I love the start of a new year. It's a new beginning, a fresh start. A time for resolutions, although who really ever keeps those... haha The new year is a time to make new commitments. New ideas. A time for new adventures. And that's really what AJ and I are hoping for this year. We have some new ideas, some new plans and hopefully some new adventures in the works!
But, at the same time, you have to stay somewhat down to earth. You have to also realize that things don't always work out. Resolutions aren't always kept. Plans don't always go accordingly. But that's okay too. Because in one year, there will be a chance for another fresh start.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
December already?
I've decided it was time for another update blog post. I mean, I know how much you all love these! ;-)
November came and was quickly gone again. Sometimes I can't believe it's already December! But November was still a fairly busy time for us. I was busy finishing up my high school visits and AJ was busy preparing for his all-school talent show. I spent some time up in Minnesota for a friend's baby shower and it was so good to see my high school friends. We always have a great time whenever we can get together! But you can tell we're all getting older as our gatherings now include babies! :)
The all-school talent show went great for AJ and I think he was really pleased with all the acts and how well all of his students did. And then we even had some visitors! Amber and Ariel came over and the three of us (we left AJ at home...) went to go see Breaking Dawn. We've seen the last two Twilight movies together so it's become a fun tradition for us!
And then it was already Thanksgiving! We spent the weekend up in Minnesota with my family. It was great to not only have some time with just our immediate family, but to also spend Thanksgiving day with our extended family as well. And again, you can tell we're all growing up as we now have little ones to entertain us throughout the day. :) AJ especially had fun playing Ring-Around-the-Rosie with them! We spent the rest of the weekend relaxing and enjoying our time off from work. We did do some Black Friday shopping - but not until later in the morning! And seeing some other friends while we were home as well. Overall, it was a great weekend! And plenty to be thankful for!
And now it's December! We welcomed December with a bit of snow on the first but nothing that really stuck. And then that first Saturday we had quite a bit of snow! It was one of those really beautiful snowfalls with the big fluffy flakes. Unfortunately, we were in Omaha for the day as I was at work and we had some shopping to do. Luckily though, we didn't run into too many problems on the drive home. Now however, all of snow has melted! And I must admit, I don't like it. I'm a big fan of having a white Christmas! Must be the whole growing up in Minnesota thing... :) But I need to have snow on Christmas. And from what my parents tell me, they don't have any snow back at home either! So here's hoping that we do get another snowfall that sticks - here, in Tipton and in Minnesota! Give me snow! :)
On Dec. 2nd, AJ had his Middle School Winter Concert. The fun part about that is that he had family that came over to surprise him! I knew ahead of time and it was fun to see his surprised face at the concert! His Mom, Grandma, Aunt Lisa and Amber all came for the concert. It was fun to have AJ walk around the corner and see them standing there! We are so blessed to have such amazing family that supports us so much! The concert itself was also amazing! Especially for a middle school concert, the sound was very good. The students were engaged and focused on what they were doing! AJ definitely knows what he's doing. I think his family were very impressed with the quality of concert it was as well, for being a middle school concert.
This past weekend we had some guests come and hang out with us! My friend Amanda and her baby Thor drove down for the weekend! The visit had been a long time coming and we were so happy it finally happened! We had a fun-filled weekend of playing with Thor and getting in some quality clans-people time! :) On Saturday we spent most of the day in Omaha at one of the malls. Amanda wanted to take Thor to see Santa! And the pictures she got were priceless! Definitely worth the 45 minutes we spent waiting in line! We all got some shopping done and ended the day at the Cheesecake Factory - which made my husband very happy! :) On Sunday we all just relaxed and didn't really do much of anything! Although we did give Thor a bath and taught him how to splash... haha They drove back home yesterday (Monday) and it was sad to see them go! We had a lot of fun! And we got a pretty good idea of what it's like to have a baby around 24/7! :) Not quite sure if we're ready for that yet... haha
Our string of visitors didn't stop there however! Yesterday we also welcomed my parents into town! They came down to see AJ's concert last night! It was wonderful of them to drive down and always great to see them! Plus, it was the first time my mom had seen our new apartment! After the concert we all went out for dinner and definitely had a good time! No offense to my sister and brother, but it was nice to spend some quality time with just AJ and my parents. I'm not sure we've really ever gotten the chance to do that. And it was really great. Again, we are truly blessed to have such supportive families! :) And today, before they headed back home to Minnesota, they drove into Omaha to see where I work and walk around UNO's campus! It's always fun to show off the place where I work and tell them about campus! :) I was even treated with a Jones Bros Cupcake before they left! Lucky me! And AJ... we of course bought one for him too!
So, as I mentioned, last night was AJ's High School Winter Concert - and his last concert for the year. The concert was incredible! It's been amazing to see how far the choir has progressed in just one short year! AJ has tripled his choir size and you could definitely tell the difference in the concert last night. Their sound was so good and the level of singing has definitely improved. AJ just has a way with students and knows how to get them to focus on what they're doing and to really put on a great show. The level of one of the songs they did was so impressive - it was a very difficult song - an All-State song, especially for such a young choir like AJ's but they did outstanding! Like I said, they've come a long way in just one year and it'll be exciting to see how Contest will go this spring and what will happen next year! It was a great concert!
I was thinking last night during the concert about when AJ first got offered the job at Riverside. I remember thinking that after he accepted the job, even though I somehow knew it was the right decision, I couldn't imagine leaving Northeast Iowa... I couldn't imagine living in Council Bluffs, in a place that was so foreign and far away from our family and friends. It was hard for me to picture what our life would be like here. But last night, as I watched AJ conduct the choir and watch how the kids responded to him, I can't imagine us being anywhere else right now.
Yes we're far away from our family. But this is where we're suppose to be. I know that without a doubt. This job at Riverside has been the perfect job for AJ. It's allowed him to really build up a program. It's allowed him to start making a name for himself. It's helped him to really develop his teaching skills and styles and to develop the program. We're in a community that has welcomed us with open arms and one that simply adores AJ. I love tagging behind AJ after a concert to listen to all the amazing compliments he receives from parents and members of the community. I love hearing AJ come home and tell me the nice things that the principal said to him that day after observing his class. I love reading emails that AJ gets from mentors or parents that talk about how they've never seen a skill and energy level like his from a second year teacher. I love being able to be so proud of my husband.
Not only has this place been great for AJ and his career, it's also been perfect for mine. I remember having to leave Kruger, a place where I've become comfortable and try to figure out what I was going to do over here. I remember applying for job and job, just trying to find anything. And then I was lucky enough to interview at UNO for the Admissions Counselor position. Getting in to admissions work in higher education is something I've always wanted to do since I graduated. I worked as a student in Wartburg's Admissions Office and loved it! But it can be hard to get into the field without having experience! So I have been so grateful for the opportunity I've been given here at UNO. And I believe that this job has helped me realize that I want to continue my career in higher education. Trying to figure out what I've wanted to do with my life has been a struggle of mine since college. And while I still don't know entirely what I want to do in life, I know I would like to stay within education - specifically higher education. And that's a good feeling.
I know I say this a lot, but God really does know what He's doing. It's just always amazing when you think back over the past year or two and you can see how everything has fallen into place exactly like it's suppose to. Looking back and and then looking at the present, seeing everything is how it's suppose to be, it makes going through those rough patches easier. It's helpful to know that those rough patches are sometimes necessary to make you stronger or to help get you to the place you are now.
Everything just takes time. Time and patience. And that's something that not a lot of us have. God's timeline is much different than ours but His is the one that counts. And it's always good when you can finally see that.
So, I strayed a bit and didn't just keep this an update blog but hopefully that's okay. :) And anyhow... right now I think AJ and I are both looking forward to Christmas break! One thing I love about my job is that we get the week off in between Christmas and New Year's! And since AJ also has a break, this means that we get some extended time with our families!! Which we love!! :) So next week we'll be heading to Tipton for a Zaruba Christmas and then the following week we're driving up to Minnesota for a late Reedstrom Christmas. It should be a great, fun and relaxing time! Now if it would just hurry up and get here! :)
November came and was quickly gone again. Sometimes I can't believe it's already December! But November was still a fairly busy time for us. I was busy finishing up my high school visits and AJ was busy preparing for his all-school talent show. I spent some time up in Minnesota for a friend's baby shower and it was so good to see my high school friends. We always have a great time whenever we can get together! But you can tell we're all getting older as our gatherings now include babies! :)
The all-school talent show went great for AJ and I think he was really pleased with all the acts and how well all of his students did. And then we even had some visitors! Amber and Ariel came over and the three of us (we left AJ at home...) went to go see Breaking Dawn. We've seen the last two Twilight movies together so it's become a fun tradition for us!
And then it was already Thanksgiving! We spent the weekend up in Minnesota with my family. It was great to not only have some time with just our immediate family, but to also spend Thanksgiving day with our extended family as well. And again, you can tell we're all growing up as we now have little ones to entertain us throughout the day. :) AJ especially had fun playing Ring-Around-the-Rosie with them! We spent the rest of the weekend relaxing and enjoying our time off from work. We did do some Black Friday shopping - but not until later in the morning! And seeing some other friends while we were home as well. Overall, it was a great weekend! And plenty to be thankful for!
And now it's December! We welcomed December with a bit of snow on the first but nothing that really stuck. And then that first Saturday we had quite a bit of snow! It was one of those really beautiful snowfalls with the big fluffy flakes. Unfortunately, we were in Omaha for the day as I was at work and we had some shopping to do. Luckily though, we didn't run into too many problems on the drive home. Now however, all of snow has melted! And I must admit, I don't like it. I'm a big fan of having a white Christmas! Must be the whole growing up in Minnesota thing... :) But I need to have snow on Christmas. And from what my parents tell me, they don't have any snow back at home either! So here's hoping that we do get another snowfall that sticks - here, in Tipton and in Minnesota! Give me snow! :)
On Dec. 2nd, AJ had his Middle School Winter Concert. The fun part about that is that he had family that came over to surprise him! I knew ahead of time and it was fun to see his surprised face at the concert! His Mom, Grandma, Aunt Lisa and Amber all came for the concert. It was fun to have AJ walk around the corner and see them standing there! We are so blessed to have such amazing family that supports us so much! The concert itself was also amazing! Especially for a middle school concert, the sound was very good. The students were engaged and focused on what they were doing! AJ definitely knows what he's doing. I think his family were very impressed with the quality of concert it was as well, for being a middle school concert.
This past weekend we had some guests come and hang out with us! My friend Amanda and her baby Thor drove down for the weekend! The visit had been a long time coming and we were so happy it finally happened! We had a fun-filled weekend of playing with Thor and getting in some quality clans-people time! :) On Saturday we spent most of the day in Omaha at one of the malls. Amanda wanted to take Thor to see Santa! And the pictures she got were priceless! Definitely worth the 45 minutes we spent waiting in line! We all got some shopping done and ended the day at the Cheesecake Factory - which made my husband very happy! :) On Sunday we all just relaxed and didn't really do much of anything! Although we did give Thor a bath and taught him how to splash... haha They drove back home yesterday (Monday) and it was sad to see them go! We had a lot of fun! And we got a pretty good idea of what it's like to have a baby around 24/7! :) Not quite sure if we're ready for that yet... haha
Our string of visitors didn't stop there however! Yesterday we also welcomed my parents into town! They came down to see AJ's concert last night! It was wonderful of them to drive down and always great to see them! Plus, it was the first time my mom had seen our new apartment! After the concert we all went out for dinner and definitely had a good time! No offense to my sister and brother, but it was nice to spend some quality time with just AJ and my parents. I'm not sure we've really ever gotten the chance to do that. And it was really great. Again, we are truly blessed to have such supportive families! :) And today, before they headed back home to Minnesota, they drove into Omaha to see where I work and walk around UNO's campus! It's always fun to show off the place where I work and tell them about campus! :) I was even treated with a Jones Bros Cupcake before they left! Lucky me! And AJ... we of course bought one for him too!
So, as I mentioned, last night was AJ's High School Winter Concert - and his last concert for the year. The concert was incredible! It's been amazing to see how far the choir has progressed in just one short year! AJ has tripled his choir size and you could definitely tell the difference in the concert last night. Their sound was so good and the level of singing has definitely improved. AJ just has a way with students and knows how to get them to focus on what they're doing and to really put on a great show. The level of one of the songs they did was so impressive - it was a very difficult song - an All-State song, especially for such a young choir like AJ's but they did outstanding! Like I said, they've come a long way in just one year and it'll be exciting to see how Contest will go this spring and what will happen next year! It was a great concert!
I was thinking last night during the concert about when AJ first got offered the job at Riverside. I remember thinking that after he accepted the job, even though I somehow knew it was the right decision, I couldn't imagine leaving Northeast Iowa... I couldn't imagine living in Council Bluffs, in a place that was so foreign and far away from our family and friends. It was hard for me to picture what our life would be like here. But last night, as I watched AJ conduct the choir and watch how the kids responded to him, I can't imagine us being anywhere else right now.
Yes we're far away from our family. But this is where we're suppose to be. I know that without a doubt. This job at Riverside has been the perfect job for AJ. It's allowed him to really build up a program. It's allowed him to start making a name for himself. It's helped him to really develop his teaching skills and styles and to develop the program. We're in a community that has welcomed us with open arms and one that simply adores AJ. I love tagging behind AJ after a concert to listen to all the amazing compliments he receives from parents and members of the community. I love hearing AJ come home and tell me the nice things that the principal said to him that day after observing his class. I love reading emails that AJ gets from mentors or parents that talk about how they've never seen a skill and energy level like his from a second year teacher. I love being able to be so proud of my husband.
Not only has this place been great for AJ and his career, it's also been perfect for mine. I remember having to leave Kruger, a place where I've become comfortable and try to figure out what I was going to do over here. I remember applying for job and job, just trying to find anything. And then I was lucky enough to interview at UNO for the Admissions Counselor position. Getting in to admissions work in higher education is something I've always wanted to do since I graduated. I worked as a student in Wartburg's Admissions Office and loved it! But it can be hard to get into the field without having experience! So I have been so grateful for the opportunity I've been given here at UNO. And I believe that this job has helped me realize that I want to continue my career in higher education. Trying to figure out what I've wanted to do with my life has been a struggle of mine since college. And while I still don't know entirely what I want to do in life, I know I would like to stay within education - specifically higher education. And that's a good feeling.
I know I say this a lot, but God really does know what He's doing. It's just always amazing when you think back over the past year or two and you can see how everything has fallen into place exactly like it's suppose to. Looking back and and then looking at the present, seeing everything is how it's suppose to be, it makes going through those rough patches easier. It's helpful to know that those rough patches are sometimes necessary to make you stronger or to help get you to the place you are now.
Everything just takes time. Time and patience. And that's something that not a lot of us have. God's timeline is much different than ours but His is the one that counts. And it's always good when you can finally see that.
So, I strayed a bit and didn't just keep this an update blog but hopefully that's okay. :) And anyhow... right now I think AJ and I are both looking forward to Christmas break! One thing I love about my job is that we get the week off in between Christmas and New Year's! And since AJ also has a break, this means that we get some extended time with our families!! Which we love!! :) So next week we'll be heading to Tipton for a Zaruba Christmas and then the following week we're driving up to Minnesota for a late Reedstrom Christmas. It should be a great, fun and relaxing time! Now if it would just hurry up and get here! :)
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