Israel!: A long over due, but quick update on current events and the past year.

I apologize for failing to update the blog with any sort of regularity. As I have mentioned before I am not a writer and I normally don't enjoy the process, nor am I any good at it. This is part of the reason I haven't updated, I'm also partly just to lazy to sit down and right. I appreciate your patience.

ISRAEL

I'll start with my most recent news first. In less than 24 hours I leave for Israel. I'll accompany my mother and 50+ other musicians on a missions trip through Israel.  I would ask for prayer over these 10 days for safe travel for all as well as a successful and meaningful trip. Pray for me to be engaged and to be a blessing with all I come in contact with.  I feel a heavy spirit heading into the trip and  I am not entirely sure as to why, but if nothing else getting to spend 10 days in Israel with my mother is enough.  Maybe it's the weight of taking my father's place, maybe it's something else.

Let me back track a little bit to explain how I ended up on the trip.  My parents went to Brazil last year with the same organization, Global Missions Project, and they had a great time. When they saw an opportunity to head to Israel with the same group they jumped on it, especially since they had both always wanted to go to Israel, it was a dream opportunity for them. When my father passed away in February (more on that later) my mother asked me to take his spot on the trip and to be apart of the orchestra that was put together, I obviously couldn't refuse. I'll give an update on my trip upon my return with pictures and details...eventually. No promises on exactly when ;-).

My Father

Now onto more life updates, if you didn't know, as mentioned above, my father passed away in February. He died from complications that stemmed from a house fire at my parents place in Phoenix. The grieving process is still very real. My mother, siblings, and cousin are now back into the house and have been for a couple months now. Much was lost to the fire, yet my family and I were able to be together with my father when he finally passed. It was a difficult time, but we were all together. I cannot express how grateful I am for my family, each and every one of them, much love indeed. We had to public ceremonies, one in Arizona and one in Virginia. Both were well attended and a testament to my father's character. He was not a perfect man by any means, but there was much good that he shared with many people all over the world.  We had one more private ceremony to bury his body in Arlington National Cemetery in Washington D.C. It was a powerful and moving ceremony that no one present can ever forget. I loved my father dearly and I miss him daily.

Work/School

As you might imagine, my father's death has shaped much of my life since that point and it very much permeates everything so I'll move on for now and reference back to it. In December of 2013, I quit my job at the dealership. Long story short, it was not a good fit for me. While the timing was completely impromptu the decision was not as last November I applied to and got accepted in to Old Dominion University's graduate program to pursue my Master's in Music Education.  The school is close to where I am in Virginia. It was a long time coming and I'm very glad to have gotten back into music. In many ways God had his hand in the decision. First, I sent in my application on a whim and did the whole submission process, including my GRE, in just over two weeks last October. Second, the timing worked out great as the previous year could be used to establish in state status and cut my tuition by nearly half. Lastly, although it's very much a public setting and nothing at all like Wheaton, there are still relationships I can lean on to seek Godly wisdom. 

This became especially important when my father passed away. I ended up missing about a month of school all totaled. My teachers were patient with me and have allowed me to play catch up. It helped I think that my father had such close ties to the music faculty at ODU from his days at the Governor's School for the Arts. While I'm still finishing some of the work from the previous semester, at this moment I have a 4.0. I'm not entirely sure how that's possible, nor am I bragging. It will take some effort to maintain it as this semester, just as any season in life, brings new challenges. The biggest commitment has been as a Graduate Assistant to the Monarch Marching Band. I haven't been involved with a marching band since my student teaching, so this is providing a great refresher course. It's also nice not having to march :-). I've also started working on campus running live/recorded audio for the recital hall on campus. It's minimum wage and only just a few hours, but it's work I enjoy and more experience to add to the resumé. That being said, it desperately makes me miss Wheaton. I was spoiled there with how logical and efficient the setup there was. My boss here at ODU is new to the school and attempting to get things back on track, but as with anything it's a process and administrative reasons don't always make it easy. Other than that I have work for 4 classes as well as 2 other ensembles. It's a busy life but I've enjoyed it for the most part.

Maybe the most difficult part of my return to college has been the desire to call my father and have discussions about what I'm learning in school or ask for advice on certain matters. The desire normally happens a couple of times a week and occasionally ends in tears. I remember seeing my dad cry years after his parents had passed away and wonder to myself why, now I understand. I miss my dad. 

I'm going to end it there for now. Maybe this will kickstart my desire to write more, history doesn't indicate so, but you never know.

Take care and God bless.