It was brought to my attention that this upcoming week is teacher appreciation week :) I want to take a minute to brag on some of my favorite teachers in the entire world! Sorry it's kinda long...
Ms. Seiffert was my middle school choir teacher. Talk about pure awesomeness. This woman is incredibly talented and incredibly skilled at teaching children to read music. I owe my amazing hand sign and solfege abilities to her. She took chances on all of her students and made us love choir. Sure, we were singing Jeepers Creepers and doing silly dances, but mad respect to this woman. She was always incredibly dedicated and engaged in her classes and all of her students. She knew all of our names and what voice part we sang! She took me to my first musical and I had a blast. I learned to love music in her class. I'll never forget the days of wearing those big red taffeta dresses or the Zachry Singer's sequenced vests :) Thank you for your dedication and your love of teaching!
Ms. Slough (Burkholder) was my freshman high school choir director. Love. This. Woman. I remember my first day of class in Prep Choir and I loved every minute of her class. I already loved music, but somehow, I learned and loved it more every day. She was such a blessing and was such a role model for me, especially in my faith. I saw that it was okay to be a christian and to embrace, but better yet, to use my talent for the glory of God. She only taught me for a year, but the lessons still apply to this day. I sang in her wedding and now I watch her sing on Sundays at church. I will never forget that first year of high school and all the memories we share. Thank you for being awesome :)
Mr. Rogers was my choir director from Sophomore year to Senior year. I'll have to admit, I did not think we would get along well when he first started. Hormonal teenagers and a new teacher don't mix well! I was incredibly surprised at the immediate connection he made with all of us. We had so much fun in choir, especially Jazz Choir. I'll never forget Zombie Jamboree! He helped me manage my time and to find the time to practice for Region/Pre Area/Area auditions and that helped a lot. He helped a girl who couldn't sight read for anything become fairly good at it! I learned a lot of life lessons in his classroom and under his guidance. It was awesome for me to have him attend my senior recital! Thank you for always being a constant source of encouragement.
Dr. Mabry was my voice teacher from my Junior year in high school to my Senior year in college. Woah. He has taught me so many lessons in a musical sense, but in a life sense as well. I was a shy little soprano who was afraid to sing in front of anyone at the beginning of my journey at UTSA. Now, I'm a loud, confident soprano who loves to sing at every chance I get. He helped me get through Randy's death and helped me to get back up and keep going even when it was the hardest possible thing in the world to do. He always seems to know the right thing to say! Thank you for always encouraging me and pushing me to do better-I always did do better. Meeting your challenges were some of my greatest accomplishments. This man helped me make the Texas All-State Choir and semi-final/final in the NATS competition each time I competed. Thank you for being the greatest voice teacher a girl could ask for.
Dr. Kelly was my theory teacher and 20th century analysis teacher at UTSA. This woman helped me go from knowing barely anything related to music theory to being able to successfully complete a matrix. Boo ya. She challenged me to do better and always took the time to make sure I understood EVERYTHING, which if you remember, took a long time. She made me confident enough to take that proficiency test that we all feared. I'd walk into her office probably every other day with questions, and she would patiently explain everything to me so that I understood. She taught me never to give up to study, study, study! She is awesome. She made me love theory-and that was an impossible task four years ago. My favorite memory is of her calling me into her office after a voice lesson with Dr. Mabry (right across the hall) and saying, "Was that a D you sang in your lesson? That's intense, right on." Thanks for everything you do Dr. Kelly!
Notice how all of these teachers are music teachers? Now I'm about to student teach to be one of them! I really hope that I can make a difference in just one student's life the way that each of them have made on my life, as well as many others. I've had plenty of encouraging teachers and I will be forever grateful.
I also want to recognize two other teachers who mean the world to me: My sister and my best friend.
My sister, Amanda, is a second grade teacher a charter school here in San Antonio and has a very rough batch of kids. She really hates going to work and doesn't feel like she's doing a good enough job when she's teaching. She is an awesome teacher. She is an awesome woman. She's discouraged easily and I hope she never loses sight of her God given talent to teach. She taught me when I was growing up and she will continue to teach her children, as well as others. Although this is her last year teaching, she's going to rock at teaching her own kids. She's a brave woman and I'm so glad she's my sister. She's been a constant encouragement and example as to what kind of teacher I want to be. Love you Mandy :)
Last, but certainly not least, Kathryn :) She is an awesome teacher. We were students at UTSA together, one year apart. She graduated in December of 2011 and has almost completed her first year of teaching in Lincoln, Nebraska. I want to be in her class, haha. She tells me the stuff that she teachers her students, and I LOVE her classroom. This uncrafty gal has turned in to quite the crafter. She cares so much about her kids, even when they irritate her. She's a great example of what I want to be. I'm so glad she's made it this first year, not only in Nebraska, but as an awesome elementary music teacher. I'm so proud of you and all you've accomplished!
OK, that's all I have for now. Too many people to appreciate :) I'm so excited to had the opportunity to work with all of these wonderful teachers. I cannot wait to make a change in a student's life the way these men and women have changed mine. :) Yay teachers!!
Showing posts with label best friend. Show all posts
Showing posts with label best friend. Show all posts
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
End of the Year Business
Tomorrow is Halloween.
Once Halloween hits, the rest of the year flies by so very quickly.
23 days until Thanksgiving.
43 days until my 23rd Birthday.
54 days until my best friend comes home!!
56 days until Christmas.
Woah. 2013, here we come.
Although Easter is my favorite holiday, I love Thanksgiving and Christmas. My mom's entire immediate family lives within thirty minutes of me, so I see them quite frequently, but it's so wonderful to have all of us together to EAT and enjoy each other's presence. (That was an extremely long sentence with way too many commas)
Every person makes their "signature dish" and there is an overload of food. Can I tell you just how excited I am to make green bean casserole, pink stuff AND apple pie? Also, my mother makes THE BEST mashed potatoes and deviled eggs. Be jealous. I would be if I had to miss out on all that awesomeness.
This post is not supposed to be about food, but I'm now craving Thanksgiving food.
Anyhow.
The reason I really love Thanksgiving is because it's the time of year when everyone gets sentimental and remembers what they're thankful for. Although we are able to be thankful year round, we use the one day of the year to really be thankful. It brings people back together and relationships are mended. I love it mostly for the fellowship with family and the annual Cowboys football game. I don't care if you're a fan of the Cowboys, just know that I am. I don't care if they lose more than they win--when you're a fan- it means through the good AND the bad.
My 23rd birthday. I feel like after you turn 21 and until you turn 30, you're kind of just acknowledging your birthdays rather than celebrating them. It's not a "milestone" so why get all excited?
My favorite part about birthdays is that my mother (who is my biggest fan) leaves me an opera style happy birthday message on my cell EVERY year. It started when I was a Freshman in college because I had to sing classically in school as a requirement and she found that humorous--therefore mocking me. That very first message became so popular that she does it for me every year. I know not to answer my phone on my birthday, because she cannot sing it if it's not a voicemail--she'll laugh too hard. It's the little things that make it worth while!
I share the same birthday as Frank Sinatra. I would like to attribute my talent to him--so thanks Mr. Oh-so-wonderful-jazz-musician. :)
The only not-so-great thing about my birthday being 13 days before Christmas is that when people give me gifts, they're combined with Christmas presents. (that sounds incredibly selfish, but it used to be a big deal). My sister has a birthday in September...I don't give her a joint present because that's just dumb. I never got a pool party, so give me a present for both, even if it's just a pencil. Something to acknowledge that I was born the same month as Jesus Christ. :-)
I'm really not that greedy, haha. Take that as you will.
Kathryn comes home in 54 days. That may seem creepy that I'm counting the days, but you don't understand. I saw Kathryn on a very frequent basis and these last three months have been incredibly difficult without her. I remember when she dropped me off at the airport and I was about to go to my gate and I lost it. I know I can call her any time and she'll be back and I can visit..but, it's not the same. I drive by her old subdivision and I almost always break down crying. She's my person. Boyfriends can come and go and normal friends are nice, but she's the one person I know I can tell everything to and she still wants to be around. When she comes back, we're going to see Les Miz!! WOOOOOO HOOOOO. Sorry, I'm really excited.
We always give each other the funniest gifts at Christmas. She knows I love Jesus, so she always buys me "Christian gifts" and is so proud when I love them. I always get her something with penguins, because she is obsessed with them. I wish I could give her tabogganning lessons for Christmas this year. Needless to say, I'm extremely excited for her to come home for like a week. :D
That brings us to my second favorite holiday. CHRISTMAS!
This holiday is very sentimental for me. I love church. It doesn't matter which church I go to for the annual Christmas Eve service, it's the fact that I can go anywhere and the same message is being preached. I love hearing about the birth of Christ, it's a beautiful story. I cry every time I hear it.
Also, every Christmas Eve, my mom, my sister and her husband (now my nephew :D) go to my house and open ONE present before bed. It's one of those traditions that you don't really know why you do it, but would be sad if you didn't. When we were kids, we could only pick the smallest present. Now, it doesn't matter because we're adults.
My favorite thing about Christmas (other than Jesus being born) is that feeling when you wake up and you rush out of bed and you're thinking "Oh my gosh, it's Christmas!"
I think of the scene from the original Yours, Mine and Ours when Philip runs through the house yelling "Santa Claus's been here." It's just exciting.
Even when Christmas isn't as "big" as normal, my family has a way of just being together and that being enough. That's my greatest joy.
Family.
People must think I'm strange. I see my family (grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc.) more than twice a year. More like a million times a year. I can't even begin to think of how awful it would be to have to live more than thirty minutes away to see someone I love. I know people do it all the time and all, but, I love my family. When I was growing up and my single mother worked all the time to provide, the family just kind of came together and took care of us. It's not because they had to, it's because we're family, it's a natural reflex.
I'm so excited for the next couple of months because I get to see my entire family all together. I have incredibly blessed with the family I was given.
Even though I've faced many terrible experiences, the love of my family and of my God keeps me going constantly. I was given a perfect picture of love. We as a family are not perfect, but the imperfections make my life as close as it could be.
Let's end this year on a good note y'all :D
Get ready for the Christmas decorations and crazy shoppers...AND CHRISTMAS MUSIC ON THE RADIO!!
Once Halloween hits, the rest of the year flies by so very quickly.
23 days until Thanksgiving.
43 days until my 23rd Birthday.
54 days until my best friend comes home!!
56 days until Christmas.
Woah. 2013, here we come.
Although Easter is my favorite holiday, I love Thanksgiving and Christmas. My mom's entire immediate family lives within thirty minutes of me, so I see them quite frequently, but it's so wonderful to have all of us together to EAT and enjoy each other's presence. (That was an extremely long sentence with way too many commas)
Every person makes their "signature dish" and there is an overload of food. Can I tell you just how excited I am to make green bean casserole, pink stuff AND apple pie? Also, my mother makes THE BEST mashed potatoes and deviled eggs. Be jealous. I would be if I had to miss out on all that awesomeness.
This post is not supposed to be about food, but I'm now craving Thanksgiving food.
Anyhow.
The reason I really love Thanksgiving is because it's the time of year when everyone gets sentimental and remembers what they're thankful for. Although we are able to be thankful year round, we use the one day of the year to really be thankful. It brings people back together and relationships are mended. I love it mostly for the fellowship with family and the annual Cowboys football game. I don't care if you're a fan of the Cowboys, just know that I am. I don't care if they lose more than they win--when you're a fan- it means through the good AND the bad.
My 23rd birthday. I feel like after you turn 21 and until you turn 30, you're kind of just acknowledging your birthdays rather than celebrating them. It's not a "milestone" so why get all excited?
My favorite part about birthdays is that my mother (who is my biggest fan) leaves me an opera style happy birthday message on my cell EVERY year. It started when I was a Freshman in college because I had to sing classically in school as a requirement and she found that humorous--therefore mocking me. That very first message became so popular that she does it for me every year. I know not to answer my phone on my birthday, because she cannot sing it if it's not a voicemail--she'll laugh too hard. It's the little things that make it worth while!
I share the same birthday as Frank Sinatra. I would like to attribute my talent to him--so thanks Mr. Oh-so-wonderful-jazz-musician. :)
The only not-so-great thing about my birthday being 13 days before Christmas is that when people give me gifts, they're combined with Christmas presents. (that sounds incredibly selfish, but it used to be a big deal). My sister has a birthday in September...I don't give her a joint present because that's just dumb. I never got a pool party, so give me a present for both, even if it's just a pencil. Something to acknowledge that I was born the same month as Jesus Christ. :-)
I'm really not that greedy, haha. Take that as you will.
Kathryn comes home in 54 days. That may seem creepy that I'm counting the days, but you don't understand. I saw Kathryn on a very frequent basis and these last three months have been incredibly difficult without her. I remember when she dropped me off at the airport and I was about to go to my gate and I lost it. I know I can call her any time and she'll be back and I can visit..but, it's not the same. I drive by her old subdivision and I almost always break down crying. She's my person. Boyfriends can come and go and normal friends are nice, but she's the one person I know I can tell everything to and she still wants to be around. When she comes back, we're going to see Les Miz!! WOOOOOO HOOOOO. Sorry, I'm really excited.
We always give each other the funniest gifts at Christmas. She knows I love Jesus, so she always buys me "Christian gifts" and is so proud when I love them. I always get her something with penguins, because she is obsessed with them. I wish I could give her tabogganning lessons for Christmas this year. Needless to say, I'm extremely excited for her to come home for like a week. :D
That brings us to my second favorite holiday. CHRISTMAS!
This holiday is very sentimental for me. I love church. It doesn't matter which church I go to for the annual Christmas Eve service, it's the fact that I can go anywhere and the same message is being preached. I love hearing about the birth of Christ, it's a beautiful story. I cry every time I hear it.
Also, every Christmas Eve, my mom, my sister and her husband (now my nephew :D) go to my house and open ONE present before bed. It's one of those traditions that you don't really know why you do it, but would be sad if you didn't. When we were kids, we could only pick the smallest present. Now, it doesn't matter because we're adults.
My favorite thing about Christmas (other than Jesus being born) is that feeling when you wake up and you rush out of bed and you're thinking "Oh my gosh, it's Christmas!"
I think of the scene from the original Yours, Mine and Ours when Philip runs through the house yelling "Santa Claus's been here." It's just exciting.
Even when Christmas isn't as "big" as normal, my family has a way of just being together and that being enough. That's my greatest joy.
Family.
People must think I'm strange. I see my family (grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc.) more than twice a year. More like a million times a year. I can't even begin to think of how awful it would be to have to live more than thirty minutes away to see someone I love. I know people do it all the time and all, but, I love my family. When I was growing up and my single mother worked all the time to provide, the family just kind of came together and took care of us. It's not because they had to, it's because we're family, it's a natural reflex.
I'm so excited for the next couple of months because I get to see my entire family all together. I have incredibly blessed with the family I was given.
Even though I've faced many terrible experiences, the love of my family and of my God keeps me going constantly. I was given a perfect picture of love. We as a family are not perfect, but the imperfections make my life as close as it could be.
Let's end this year on a good note y'all :D
Get ready for the Christmas decorations and crazy shoppers...AND CHRISTMAS MUSIC ON THE RADIO!!
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Kit-Kat Corn Freak
So, my best friend Kathryn has almost been gone for an entire month. That may not seem long to you, but, we spent almost every week doing something. Whether it was going to Jimmy John's, playing the Sims (best game every), making dinner, watching movies or gossiping, we hung out all the time.
In November of last year, Kathryn sat me down at a Whataburger and broke the news to me that she would be moving to Nebraska and wanted to know my thoughts. I gave her a look that telepathically translated to You're not moving, discussion over. The discussion wasn't over. Of course, in the beginning, I really didn't think she would go through it--that it was a phase and tomorrow we'd be talking about how we both needed to go Christmas shopping really bad.
It was note a phase. Unless a phase is, doing a whole bunch of research and applying for tons of jobs, scoring a great teaching job and signing an apartment lease. Nope, not it. It didn't really hit me that she was interviewing for jobs up there until she called to tell me that she was offered TWO elementary music positions in Lincoln, Nebraska. WHAT? This can't actually be happening...
I promised her that if she did decide to move, I'd go with her to Nebraska and help her get unpacked. So, there I was looking for stupid Nebraska plane tickets and asking for time off at work. Finally, got the week off and secured my 4A seats on both planes and was off to help her move away.
OOPS, totally forgot, before she moved a million miles away (915 miles), I came up with an awesome idea to throw her a going away party. First I sent out an email to all the SAI (Sigma Alpha Iota) girls asking when they'd be free and if they were interested. Once we decided on a date (I must have responded to like 15 emails in 10 minutes) and time, I decided to make it an invite-only Facebook event. At first, I thought, not many people will show because even when people do RSVP, they don't show...I was wrong. We had it at a local bar (the Flying Saucer) and by the time she got there, there were 30 of her friends there. The best part is...she had NO idea (how?!) and she was so surprised. I just wanted her to be able to say goodbye to all of the important people (that I could get a hold of) before she started a brand new adventure. Okay, back to the story.
We got her all unloaded and set up (mostly) and had some fun memories along the way. Pandora was a fun addition to our 14 hour drive...yes, I forgot to mention we DROVE up to Nebraska. Fun times. With a cat in the backseat. Be jealous (or jeals as we call it). By the time Kat had to drive me to Omaha to go back home, it really started to hit me that she was really going to stay there. I tried not to think about it the whole drive to Omaha...but it kept creeping into my brain. I thought she was just going to drop me off because parking is expensive, but to my surprise, she parked in the garage and got out with me. We got me all checked in and my bag was sent off and as I was walking with my overly large carry on bag, she was giving me directions to security (which I didn't hear and had to ask some random lady later...embarrassing), I started to cry. Not the cute-out-of-the-corner-of-your-eye tears, UGLY cry. It was not a fun goodbye, let's just say that.
When I got home, I cried some more, because she literally knows me better than anyone else and I know we'll still text and call and blah blah, but it just isn't the same. Four weeks after I got back, I decided to unpack my overly large carry on bag. What did I find? A really cute framed letter that Kathryn had slipped in my bag before I left. I cried like a big baby and then smiled. I know she's going to be great up in crazy cornville, but I still wish on Friday nights she could teleport here so we could watch scary movies and drink Sangria :)
Of course this post was brought on by drinking some wine and texting her, haha (that sounds very strange) but I planned on blogging about it at some point. The thing about best friends is, no matter where you are in the world, the simplest text message makes you laugh so hard, you could pee your pants. Or, in Kathryn's case, I could text the word "moist" and she'd freak out. :)
Life long friends aren't life long because they live five minutes away, they are life long friends because they will always be there and love you for who you are, even when they know the worst things about you. I still hate Nebraska but I'm so glad she got the opportunity to start a new adventure.
In November of last year, Kathryn sat me down at a Whataburger and broke the news to me that she would be moving to Nebraska and wanted to know my thoughts. I gave her a look that telepathically translated to You're not moving, discussion over. The discussion wasn't over. Of course, in the beginning, I really didn't think she would go through it--that it was a phase and tomorrow we'd be talking about how we both needed to go Christmas shopping really bad.
It was note a phase. Unless a phase is, doing a whole bunch of research and applying for tons of jobs, scoring a great teaching job and signing an apartment lease. Nope, not it. It didn't really hit me that she was interviewing for jobs up there until she called to tell me that she was offered TWO elementary music positions in Lincoln, Nebraska. WHAT? This can't actually be happening...
I promised her that if she did decide to move, I'd go with her to Nebraska and help her get unpacked. So, there I was looking for stupid Nebraska plane tickets and asking for time off at work. Finally, got the week off and secured my 4A seats on both planes and was off to help her move away.
OOPS, totally forgot, before she moved a million miles away (915 miles), I came up with an awesome idea to throw her a going away party. First I sent out an email to all the SAI (Sigma Alpha Iota) girls asking when they'd be free and if they were interested. Once we decided on a date (I must have responded to like 15 emails in 10 minutes) and time, I decided to make it an invite-only Facebook event. At first, I thought, not many people will show because even when people do RSVP, they don't show...I was wrong. We had it at a local bar (the Flying Saucer) and by the time she got there, there were 30 of her friends there. The best part is...she had NO idea (how?!) and she was so surprised. I just wanted her to be able to say goodbye to all of the important people (that I could get a hold of) before she started a brand new adventure. Okay, back to the story.
We got her all unloaded and set up (mostly) and had some fun memories along the way. Pandora was a fun addition to our 14 hour drive...yes, I forgot to mention we DROVE up to Nebraska. Fun times. With a cat in the backseat. Be jealous (or jeals as we call it). By the time Kat had to drive me to Omaha to go back home, it really started to hit me that she was really going to stay there. I tried not to think about it the whole drive to Omaha...but it kept creeping into my brain. I thought she was just going to drop me off because parking is expensive, but to my surprise, she parked in the garage and got out with me. We got me all checked in and my bag was sent off and as I was walking with my overly large carry on bag, she was giving me directions to security (which I didn't hear and had to ask some random lady later...embarrassing), I started to cry. Not the cute-out-of-the-corner-of-your-eye tears, UGLY cry. It was not a fun goodbye, let's just say that.
When I got home, I cried some more, because she literally knows me better than anyone else and I know we'll still text and call and blah blah, but it just isn't the same. Four weeks after I got back, I decided to unpack my overly large carry on bag. What did I find? A really cute framed letter that Kathryn had slipped in my bag before I left. I cried like a big baby and then smiled. I know she's going to be great up in crazy cornville, but I still wish on Friday nights she could teleport here so we could watch scary movies and drink Sangria :)
The night we both got bids for Sigma Alpha Iota
The day we got pinned as members in training (MITs) for Sigma Alpha Iota
TMEA!
Our service project
We sang a duet for our musicale
Halloween!
Most of those pictures were during our SAI process, haha, but we still have fun pictures!
Of course this post was brought on by drinking some wine and texting her, haha (that sounds very strange) but I planned on blogging about it at some point. The thing about best friends is, no matter where you are in the world, the simplest text message makes you laugh so hard, you could pee your pants. Or, in Kathryn's case, I could text the word "moist" and she'd freak out. :)
Life long friends aren't life long because they live five minutes away, they are life long friends because they will always be there and love you for who you are, even when they know the worst things about you. I still hate Nebraska but I'm so glad she got the opportunity to start a new adventure.
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