Well, I've been working full-time for three weeks now. Work has been fine but you wouldn't think that working all day doing tedious, monotonous work would wear you out. However, by the end of each day, I've just wanted to come home and sit on the couch and catch up on missed TV shows on Hulu or go sit around in bed with a good book and laze about. Brenden's been doing most of the cooking lately, for which I'm very grateful. Weekends have been too short to get everything accomplished that I want/need to do. And I can't help but think of my mother who worked full-time since I started going to school and all the things she somehow managed to accomplish, with grace even. I recently read this article on Yahoo news about the duties of a homemaker and I realized my mom did ALL of those duties while working full-time-- going to work at 6am to get off by 3pm to pick us up from school and drive us around town for all of our extra-curricular activities, grocery shopping, getting a dinner on the table, going to my late night softball games and picking me up from my dance lessons and doing it all again the next day. But all I can do at the end of the day is sit around and wonder how my mom did it all. In short, my mother is awesome and I can't even set aside the time to update this blog.
I have not yet developed the super skills of my mother and I'm still trying to adjust to having only about an hour left of daylight once I get home. Since I've never been the best at updating this blog, it's kinda been sent to the back burner while not running out of clean dishes or clothes are taking up all the room in the front.
In other news, the CPU fan on our desktop computer died and while we get that fixed I have to use my old unfortunate laptop whose keyboard sometimes stops working and CD drive died out long ago. This will explain our lack of pictures in our posts until we get our CPU fan fixed. My laptop is really unfortunate and uploading pictures onto it is time-consuming and frustrating so I'm just not going to do it. I'll post a bunch of pictures after our computer gets fixed. I promise.
I wanted to blog about the trip we took to Washington, D.C. in December at the beginning of Brenden's Christmas break but I think I'll have to do that in two parts since I already took up so much time explaining my current blogging situation. So here's part one of our D.C. adventure:
From my limited understanding, if your goal is to do performance in the music world, you must practice and practice and audition and audition. There is a difficulty in going into music for performance: there aren't a plethora of full-time well-paying performance positions available so when one opens up, you seize the opportunity and practice and practice and practice so your audition goes well. Brenden's ideal job would be performing in a military band. The top military bands are the best in the nation and there aren't many other performing opportunities in the U.S. like them. We went to D.C. to try our hand at a military band audition.
There was one opening for a tuba player in the United States Marine Band, also known as The President's Own. Wikipedia gives a pretty good succinct description of the group so I will direct you there via this link. The band performs for the White House and gives about 500 concerts a year. It is the oldest professional music organization in the United States. So, you know, pretty cool.
Brenden learned about the audition earlier in the semester and had been working up the music for it. He had no idea how he would do auditioning against everyone else for this one position. These jobs don't come along often and since it was a really great opportunity people would come in from all over the nation to audition for that one spot. As the date of audition grew nearer, Brenden became more nervous and expressed his concern that maybe we shouldn't even bother going since he didn't think he stood a chance for the position. This would be his first professional audition ever so it was a little intimidating that it was with such a remarkable and noteworthy band. I encouraged him to just go for it, he would gain valuable experience from the audition itself (learning how they worked, what the judges looked for, etc.), and I really, really wanted to make the trip to D.C.
We stayed with a very good friend of ours right outside of D.C. in Silver Spring, Maryland. Missy was my freshman roommate and one of mine and Brenden's first friends at BYU. She had just graduated and was back at home. She graciously offered us her home and company while we were in town. We were able to come up a little earlier than the audition dates and see the National Symphony Orchestra perform the Messiah. Missy was also our tour guide and after the morning auditions we spent our afternoons roaming the National Mall and riding the Metro around the city, in the evening we went back to her house, ate dinner, and watched Miyazaki films with her brothers. Brenden was given a room in the house where he could practice which was very helpful for him and something we couldn't have had had we stayed in a hotel. Thank you Bethkes!
We arrived at the Marine Barracks early in the morning of Monday, December 19th. Even though we had arrived about an hour and a half before the auditions were even scheduled to start, Brenden was put in the third group of people auditioning (1 group = 10 auditionees). Because so many people had already shown up to audition, the first round auditions began an hour earlier (at 8am not 9am) and went on into the evening (ending around 6pm.) Brenden told me he just hoped that he would be allowed to play for the entire duration of the first round and not be excused early from the audition-- a sign indicating that the judges had heard enough and didn't want him. I just wanted him to be proud of his audition and feel that he did his best.
After everyone but one person had been dismissed from the first two groups and the people in Brenden's group had each finished their auditions, we were waiting to hear his results. One of the members of the Marine Band took his group out into the hallway, far from my view in the lobby. But as the tuba players emerged from the hallway with shrugs of "Oh well" to their friends waiting for them, Brenden wasn't among them. And I was dying to know what was going on. Did he make it? Did he just go to bathroom and neglected to realize I was still waiting to hear his results? I was waiting for about thirty minutes before I got word from him: "I made it to the second round! I'm doing an interview for security clearance for tomorrow morning's audition."
So, the judges didn't send him away early. They kept him instead and I was left waiting for another hour or so in the lobby before I could congratulate him in person. It was okay though. It was a good kind of waiting. And suddenly, the audition learning experience turned into so much more: he had a chance at landing a full-time job with the Marine Band!
Our touristy activities that day were made even more exciting as we contemplated what it would be like to actually live in the D.C. area. Also we knew we'd have an extra day to go exploring. Brenden practiced that evening and I told my parents we'd be coming down to Texas a day later than we had previously anticipated since Brenden was a semi-finalist for the Marine Band and would be auditioning the next morning.
We found out the next morning that there had been over 130 people at the first round of auditions from all over the United States, auditioning for this one open tuba position. And of those 130, there came only 11 semi-finalists. And Brenden-- right out of college, in his first semester of graduate study, at his first professional music audition-- was one of them. I was so proud of my tuba player!
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Saturday, January 14, 2012
My New Job: "Please pay ___ by this date"
I have a full-time job. This past week was my first week at work and it was fairly unremarkable. This is what I was hoping for. I'm working at Pettigrew Medical Business Services in their Small Practice department. I do a lot of printing, data entry, filing, faxing, copying, and other generic office tasks that everyone generally finds dull and tedious. Basically, we do the billing for doctors' offices that pay us to do their billing. And while the job itself isn't particularly thrilling, I have some really friendly and kind coworkers. I even have my own office which is pretty fun.
I found out about this job on our anniversary while we were driving to Galveston. I was driving and Brenden answered my phone for me and then handed it to me. On the other line was the woman from HR who had interviewed me for a different job with their company in the beginning of December. The interview had gone very well but I decided I didn't want that job because it would entail calling people and answering calls from people regarding their Emergency Room bills. I once had to deal with a student who was incredibly angry about getting a B+ on one of her papers I graded (very accusatory, shaking her paper at me, raised voice, devil eyes, etc.) I handled it calmly but was feeling sick for the rest of the day. I don't handle angry people very well and taking calls from people upset about their bills just didn't sound like my thing. The HR woman mentioned that another position may be opening up in another department and she would keep me in mind for it if it did. I thought this was kind, kept my fingers crossed but also accepted that this might've just been a kind way to let me down. Needless to say, it wasn't a kind way to let me down because she was serious and offered me the job on the phone while I was driving to Galveston. Yippee!
So I finally have a job. It only took several months, several applications, several rejection letters, several tears, and one job interview. Yeah, out of the many, many applications I submitted I was asked back for only one interview and that was largely (perhaps solely) related to the fact that one of my visiting teachers was the person who recommended me for the position (her office is next door to mine!) Thankfully, it only takes one good job interview to land the one job that you need.
I apologize for not mentioning this job to basically anyone except family over Christmas break. Even though I found out about it before we arrived in Galveston, I didn't really want to tell anyone in case it somehow fell through. I felt like talking about it before beginning it or filling out any paperwork might jinx it. That's how hopeless I had become about this stupidly long and difficult job search. I was so worried about not having a job I couldn't even celebrate being offered and accepting a job because I was afraid I would JINX it. Also, shortly after I had been offered the job, I had a nightmare that I went to work for the first day and found out I hadn't been offered the job yet but was there, along with three other applicants, for another interview. After hearing this, I realized everyone else was dressed up and I was wearing my Rainbow Brite t-shirt and jeans. I woke up from this dream very stressed out and had to remind myself that I had actually been offered the job and that I had accepted the offer and was starting on January 9th.
I've worked a week now. I enjoy it. I especially like the part where I get a paycheck. And I hope I haven't jinxed the job by mentioning it here.
And here's a picture of me in my Rainbow Brite t-shirt with some of the McQuay and Ludlow fam. How absolutely not business casual is that?!
I found out about this job on our anniversary while we were driving to Galveston. I was driving and Brenden answered my phone for me and then handed it to me. On the other line was the woman from HR who had interviewed me for a different job with their company in the beginning of December. The interview had gone very well but I decided I didn't want that job because it would entail calling people and answering calls from people regarding their Emergency Room bills. I once had to deal with a student who was incredibly angry about getting a B+ on one of her papers I graded (very accusatory, shaking her paper at me, raised voice, devil eyes, etc.) I handled it calmly but was feeling sick for the rest of the day. I don't handle angry people very well and taking calls from people upset about their bills just didn't sound like my thing. The HR woman mentioned that another position may be opening up in another department and she would keep me in mind for it if it did. I thought this was kind, kept my fingers crossed but also accepted that this might've just been a kind way to let me down. Needless to say, it wasn't a kind way to let me down because she was serious and offered me the job on the phone while I was driving to Galveston. Yippee!
So I finally have a job. It only took several months, several applications, several rejection letters, several tears, and one job interview. Yeah, out of the many, many applications I submitted I was asked back for only one interview and that was largely (perhaps solely) related to the fact that one of my visiting teachers was the person who recommended me for the position (her office is next door to mine!) Thankfully, it only takes one good job interview to land the one job that you need.
I apologize for not mentioning this job to basically anyone except family over Christmas break. Even though I found out about it before we arrived in Galveston, I didn't really want to tell anyone in case it somehow fell through. I felt like talking about it before beginning it or filling out any paperwork might jinx it. That's how hopeless I had become about this stupidly long and difficult job search. I was so worried about not having a job I couldn't even celebrate being offered and accepting a job because I was afraid I would JINX it. Also, shortly after I had been offered the job, I had a nightmare that I went to work for the first day and found out I hadn't been offered the job yet but was there, along with three other applicants, for another interview. After hearing this, I realized everyone else was dressed up and I was wearing my Rainbow Brite t-shirt and jeans. I woke up from this dream very stressed out and had to remind myself that I had actually been offered the job and that I had accepted the offer and was starting on January 9th.
I've worked a week now. I enjoy it. I especially like the part where I get a paycheck. And I hope I haven't jinxed the job by mentioning it here.
And here's a picture of me in my Rainbow Brite t-shirt with some of the McQuay and Ludlow fam. How absolutely not business casual is that?!
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Christmas Break
A little summary of our break:
And our 2011 Holiday Newsletter:
(click the images to make them larger)
And our 2011 Holiday Newsletter:
Friday, December 23, 2011
A Year of Marriage
Brenden and I have been married for a year! We celebrated our first anniversary yesterday.
And let's just be honest, I thought the day was going to suck.
Reasons:
Enough reasons?
Oh wait, I forgot one more! We were leaving at 4am. To drive all day long. From Athens, Georgia to Galveston, Texas
But I was wonderfully wrong (shhh, don't tell Brenden. He still admits I'm always right!) in thinking that the day would be a miserable day of cramped, tiring, boring traveling. There were a few things I had forgotten:
Though Brenden and I didn't get to go to the temple yesterday like I'd wanted since we'd been driving all day and our anniversary dinner was with my entire family and not a little romantic dinner like many people probably have, it was a great day. We took a trip back to where we started, spent time with some of the people who have been there for us from the beginning, finally got to have more than a single bite of our wedding cake, and now we can look forward to wonderful Christmas and New Year celebrations with our families.
The year has been difficult but it has certainly been wonderful. We've had many blessings and much love and kindness sent our way. We still love each other and somehow we continue to love each other more each day. Yes, that's sappy but it's true. And good things come from sap, like maple syrup and fossilized mosquitoes from which you can replicate dinosaur DNA (see IHOP and Jurassic Park). We have much to look forward to this next year!
"So don't stop believing" and "let's get this party started!" -Brenden (see Modern Family)
And let's just be honest, I thought the day was going to suck.
Reasons:
- We would be driving all day long from Athens, Georgia to Galveston, Texas.
- We would be in a car driving all day long from Athens, Georgia to Galveston, Texas.
- We would be driving in a car for fourteen hours all day long from Athens, Georgia to Galveston, Texas.
- We would be driving in a car all day long after having driven in a car all day long the previous day when we drove from Washington, D.C. to Athens, Georgia.
Enough reasons?
Oh wait, I forgot one more! We were leaving at 4am. To drive all day long. From Athens, Georgia to Galveston, Texas
But I was wonderfully wrong (shhh, don't tell Brenden. He still admits I'm always right!) in thinking that the day would be a miserable day of cramped, tiring, boring traveling. There were a few things I had forgotten:
- I actually happen to love road trips. I blame my family for fostering such a love in me. There is something about the changing scenery, the thrill of each state's welcome sign, stopping to get gas or food and stretching out my legs in a place I haven't been before and breathing the new air. Also, how many days in a year can you feel alright about sitting around all day long? Not many- so I try to enjoy the time I have to sit and think and read and listen to music without feeling an ounce of guilt for not cleaning my house or cooking a meal or being otherwise productive.
- My husband is hilarious. He is literally the funniest person I know. He is very observant and clever so his jokes are often observations of something odd or ridiculous that people have just accepted as normal. Or he'll make a joke about flatulence. Also, recently, he noted that if you scramble the letters in the word "opposite" you can make it say "poopsite." He makes me laugh all the time especially during lengthy car rides.
- We had great books to read and great music to listen to. We've taken many road trips together in this single year we've been married and for a good 4,000 of those miles we didn't have the option of great music to listen to. Many moving trucks do not have CD players. BUT! Our trusty little Honda Civic does have one! The speakers in the car aren't so great (something actually rattles in the front passenger side door when the music is loud) but there is great music nonetheless. We've gotten better about taking turns playing our CDs; it used to be an almost all-or-nothing deal where we'd only play Brenden's CDs or we'd only play my CDs in the car. We've become much better at sharing the CD player. And we both love reading so having great books to read makes road trips more enjoyable.
- We were driving from Athens, Georgia to Galveston, Texas. We were actually making our way to Texas for the first time since the summer. Shouldn't that be enough for a first anniversary celebration?
- Fast. Food. Many people dislike fast food. Brenden and I are not in that category. We really like fast food. We try to avoid fast food since it is expensive and not exceptionally healthy. But we afford ourselves this convenience and little joy when we take road trips. Yes, we considered making sandwiches and packing them in the cooler but then we thought of McDonald's breakfast (the only meal we like at McDonald's) and Whataburger sandwiches and we told the bread aisle at the local grocery store, "Sorry, not today. I'll see you when I get back from Texas."
- This point is similar to a previous point listed. We would be in Texas in less than 24 hours with family. Eating food. Playing games. Laughing. Enjoying one another's company. Seeing old friends. Teasing siblings and cousins. Giving little gifts that couldn't wait until Christmas.
Though Brenden and I didn't get to go to the temple yesterday like I'd wanted since we'd been driving all day and our anniversary dinner was with my entire family and not a little romantic dinner like many people probably have, it was a great day. We took a trip back to where we started, spent time with some of the people who have been there for us from the beginning, finally got to have more than a single bite of our wedding cake, and now we can look forward to wonderful Christmas and New Year celebrations with our families.
The year has been difficult but it has certainly been wonderful. We've had many blessings and much love and kindness sent our way. We still love each other and somehow we continue to love each other more each day. Yes, that's sappy but it's true. And good things come from sap, like maple syrup and fossilized mosquitoes from which you can replicate dinosaur DNA (see IHOP and Jurassic Park). We have much to look forward to this next year!
"So don't stop believing" and "let's get this party started!" -Brenden (see Modern Family)
Friday, December 2, 2011
AWOL
Hello Dear Friends,
It's been awhile since we last spoke. These past few weeks have been busy. I mean, they have been overflowing with things to do, things to have done, and thinking- lots and lots of thinking. Things have since been done or neglected and the thinking continues. But I'll provide a little update and a lot of thoughts.
Last week, Brenden and I were lucky enough to spend our Thanksgiving holiday in Utah with friends and the McQuay/Binns family. We got to see several of our friends from school throughout the week and spent Thanksgiving with family. We got to meet a few babies. We ate delicious food, played fun games, went to cool places, and laughed a lot. And I took no pictures. But it was great. Trust me.
Brenden and I both got haircuts recently. Brenden made his first trip to a real barber with a swirly blue, red and white pole outside and everything! His beard was trimmed a teeny bit to make it less "wild caveman" and more "somewhat dignified crazy musician." I cut off over a foot of hair. I considered just trimming it but then I realized I could donate it if I cut off 10 inches or more. So now it's all gone, my hair is super wavy/slightly curly again, and it takes about two seconds to dry. Win.
Brenden turned in his first graduate school term paper the Friday before Thanksgiving which means his diet that week consisted of Mountain Dew and candy and no sleep. While he worked on the paper, I began hand sewing little Christmas ornaments. I have a sewing machine but I don't know how to use it. I should probably learn since I have a feeling my Christmas ornament projects would go by a bit quicker if I used a machine. I may also be inclined to tackle bigger projects if I knew how to use it.
I've been applying for jobs, deciding not to go to graduate school at the moment, and trying to think of creative ways to fund living. Brenden's been practicing for concerts, juries, and military band auditions. We've both been reading a lot and catching up on The Walking Dead. And like I said before, I've been doing a lot of thinking.
I've been thinking a lot about this past year, our first year of marriage. I've thought about the changes we've been through and the struggles we've had. I've thought about the adventures we've been on and the things we still have to look forward to. Brenden and I moved three times this year. First, from Texas to Utah in January after our wedding. We packed up a U-haul with our furniture and braved many icy roads as we drove up to Provo. Second, from Utah back to Texas at the beginning of May after both of our college graduations from BYU. We packed up a larger U-haul, attached our little Honda Civic to the back and drove back down to the good old Lone Star State, surviving the two-day drive on almost only candy and pizza. (Yes, we eat very well in this family.) The third time we moved it was the end of July. We left Texas for Georgia, ending that brief in between period, and started a new chapter including Brenden's graduate school and many days of uncertainty. It's been an eventful year- a wedding, a difficult last semester of college, well-earned graduations, living with family and working in Texas, moving to a new and completely unfamiliar place, beginning graduate school, finishing the first semester of graduate school, and still to come- a visit to our nation's capital for a military band audition, Christmas in Texas, and our first anniversary.
This fall semester has been very difficult for me personally. It's been difficult for Brenden too as he's had to watch me struggle and not known what to do. Without going into too much personal detail, I have had a very hard time finding a decent job and it's led to many feelings of self-doubt and frustration. Additionally, I've decided graduate school is not right for me right now, which has been challenging to accept since it's always been part of my "plan." It's just been a very hard semester with difficulties that blur the features of our future.
Everyone has different circumstances and different struggles at different times. I've been greatly humbled this semester and I'm learning more each day about myself, my capabilities, my husband, my marriage relationship, and my relationships with my Savior and Heavenly Father. I've become familiar with this new city and though I could really do with making some new friends and just feeling like I fit in somewhere here, I know this is where Brenden and I are supposed to be at this time in our lives. That knowledge makes it a little easier.
Brenden and I got to drive out to Atlanta today to go to the temple. We did sealings and it was strange to think it's been almost a year since we got married. While at the temple today, I looked down and saw my un-manicured hands with fingernails I've chewed away with my stupid nervous habit but I also saw my husband's hand holding mine tightly. I looked up into his face and saw him looking directly at me with a gentle, contented smile I only see when we're at the temple. And suddenly, I knew it-- we were okay. Things are okay for us.
I know things are hard right now. And they will be hard tomorrow and next month. And things will probably always be hard some way or another but it's going to be okay. In fact, it is okay. And while I might not be jumping up and down right now because I think my life is just so fantastic (because it isn't-- it's hard), I can hope and dream and work and smile and laugh because my life is good. It's hard but it's good.
And I guess that's our update. We're here. We're alive. Life is hard but it's good.
We're doing well.
Sincerely,
Natalie
It's been awhile since we last spoke. These past few weeks have been busy. I mean, they have been overflowing with things to do, things to have done, and thinking- lots and lots of thinking. Things have since been done or neglected and the thinking continues. But I'll provide a little update and a lot of thoughts.
Last week, Brenden and I were lucky enough to spend our Thanksgiving holiday in Utah with friends and the McQuay/Binns family. We got to see several of our friends from school throughout the week and spent Thanksgiving with family. We got to meet a few babies. We ate delicious food, played fun games, went to cool places, and laughed a lot. And I took no pictures. But it was great. Trust me.
Brenden and I both got haircuts recently. Brenden made his first trip to a real barber with a swirly blue, red and white pole outside and everything! His beard was trimmed a teeny bit to make it less "wild caveman" and more "somewhat dignified crazy musician." I cut off over a foot of hair. I considered just trimming it but then I realized I could donate it if I cut off 10 inches or more. So now it's all gone, my hair is super wavy/slightly curly again, and it takes about two seconds to dry. Win.
Brenden turned in his first graduate school term paper the Friday before Thanksgiving which means his diet that week consisted of Mountain Dew and candy and no sleep. While he worked on the paper, I began hand sewing little Christmas ornaments. I have a sewing machine but I don't know how to use it. I should probably learn since I have a feeling my Christmas ornament projects would go by a bit quicker if I used a machine. I may also be inclined to tackle bigger projects if I knew how to use it.
I've been applying for jobs, deciding not to go to graduate school at the moment, and trying to think of creative ways to fund living. Brenden's been practicing for concerts, juries, and military band auditions. We've both been reading a lot and catching up on The Walking Dead. And like I said before, I've been doing a lot of thinking.
I've been thinking a lot about this past year, our first year of marriage. I've thought about the changes we've been through and the struggles we've had. I've thought about the adventures we've been on and the things we still have to look forward to. Brenden and I moved three times this year. First, from Texas to Utah in January after our wedding. We packed up a U-haul with our furniture and braved many icy roads as we drove up to Provo. Second, from Utah back to Texas at the beginning of May after both of our college graduations from BYU. We packed up a larger U-haul, attached our little Honda Civic to the back and drove back down to the good old Lone Star State, surviving the two-day drive on almost only candy and pizza. (Yes, we eat very well in this family.) The third time we moved it was the end of July. We left Texas for Georgia, ending that brief in between period, and started a new chapter including Brenden's graduate school and many days of uncertainty. It's been an eventful year- a wedding, a difficult last semester of college, well-earned graduations, living with family and working in Texas, moving to a new and completely unfamiliar place, beginning graduate school, finishing the first semester of graduate school, and still to come- a visit to our nation's capital for a military band audition, Christmas in Texas, and our first anniversary.
This fall semester has been very difficult for me personally. It's been difficult for Brenden too as he's had to watch me struggle and not known what to do. Without going into too much personal detail, I have had a very hard time finding a decent job and it's led to many feelings of self-doubt and frustration. Additionally, I've decided graduate school is not right for me right now, which has been challenging to accept since it's always been part of my "plan." It's just been a very hard semester with difficulties that blur the features of our future.
Everyone has different circumstances and different struggles at different times. I've been greatly humbled this semester and I'm learning more each day about myself, my capabilities, my husband, my marriage relationship, and my relationships with my Savior and Heavenly Father. I've become familiar with this new city and though I could really do with making some new friends and just feeling like I fit in somewhere here, I know this is where Brenden and I are supposed to be at this time in our lives. That knowledge makes it a little easier.
Brenden and I got to drive out to Atlanta today to go to the temple. We did sealings and it was strange to think it's been almost a year since we got married. While at the temple today, I looked down and saw my un-manicured hands with fingernails I've chewed away with my stupid nervous habit but I also saw my husband's hand holding mine tightly. I looked up into his face and saw him looking directly at me with a gentle, contented smile I only see when we're at the temple. And suddenly, I knew it-- we were okay. Things are okay for us.
I know things are hard right now. And they will be hard tomorrow and next month. And things will probably always be hard some way or another but it's going to be okay. In fact, it is okay. And while I might not be jumping up and down right now because I think my life is just so fantastic (because it isn't-- it's hard), I can hope and dream and work and smile and laugh because my life is good. It's hard but it's good.
And I guess that's our update. We're here. We're alive. Life is hard but it's good.
We're doing well.
Natalie
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