I love music.  You know how the sense of smell is supposed to bring back memories more than the other senses? (or something like that.)  Well, I think music is just as effective in doing that.  Maybe even more so.

Many songs will immediately take me back to a time in my life--usually good memories. 

Like just now I was listening to a song by A Fine Frenzy, and it makes me think of our ski trip in February.  I think because we listened a little bit to that album on the way down.  It reminds me of riding in the van with all my friends, of skiing down a big beautiful white hill, of talking and laughing in the hotel.

Anytime we sing the praise song Into Marvelous Light I'm running... (probably not the actual title) in church, it reminds me of when I first sang it at one of our Synergy gatherings, and how I thought the lyrics were so cool because not long before that I had been walking my dog and the beautiful sky we were walking towards made me want to write a poem about walking into the light (which I never actually did).  And then I heard that song and it said it better than I could.

Hearing either the Newsboys "Take Me To Your Leader" album or Carbon Leaf's "Indian Summer" album make me think of being at the Outer Banks with the Morgans.  The Newsboys one especially because I remember we listened to it a lot many years ago, when it first came out, blasting out of the stereo in the sunfilled living room of the beach house that week.

The Heart of Worship and I could sing of your love forever make me think of Grove City and listening to music on my headphones at my laptop while I played Tetris  (err I mean studied... ;)  Actually a lot of songs remind me of Grove City for that reason.  For some reason "Run' by collective soul and also many coldplay songs come to mind.

I heard Adagio for Strings a few weeks ago and it reminded me of my music experiences at Grove City and everything I love about classical music, and the passion I had and still have for it, even though I don't spend as much time listening to or playing it as I used to.  Man that song....more beautiful than a million pop songs that are on the radio today.

At Blossom a couple months ago, the orchestra (or band?) played Aquarius/Let the Sun Shine and it immediately brought me back to marching band in high school.  (It was one of our songs for our main show freshman year, and also senior).  I don't wish to be back there again but those were really good times and it makes me feel nostalgic.  (well, really I guess all these examples do!)

Although I don't hear it much, Total Ecplise of the Heart reminds me of a dramatization we did to that song on our London  Inner city outreach trip.  Which makes me laugh because a few days ago on stuffchristianslike he did an article about songs used on mission trips and that was one of the old standbys...I didn't even know everyone used to use it.  Really cheesy song but I loved that trip so it's close to my heart :)

I could go on and on really... but I won't.  For one thing, I need to get ready for Balboa/Lindy lessons....

My day didn't start out that well....mostly because I had to get up at 6:40.  Let me just say, I seriously don't think I've gotten up before 7 in...well over a year, probably!! I try to avoid before 7 at all costs.  To me anything before 8:00 is early.  And yes, as a teacher I know this is not good.  hehe  And I know that i'll need to get up before 7 many school days...but just knowing myself, I will not be one of those teachers who gets to school super early; I will do whatever I have to the day/night before.  School "starts" at 8:40, kids start coming at 8:25, technically i have to be there by 8 (i think).

Annnnyway, what made getting up even worse was that I could not fall asleep last night!  I think it was a combo of swing dancing getting my energy up and then me being used to going to bed btwn 1:00 and 2:00 this summer.  Not good.  I didn't fall asleep til I think 2:45.  I'm praying that tonight I will sleep well; i don't do well with less than 8 hours.

But, the rest of the day was good.  New Teacher Orientation was semi-boring in and of itself.  We learned about things like "how to use the school email" and "blood born pathogens" (yes you read that right).  But I did appreciate the introduction to some administrators that i really didn't know yet, I enjoyed meeting the other new teacher at my school (it's so nice to have another teacher there who is just starting out!), and the time with our mentors was great.  We had lunch at a country club with our mentors; the people from my school sat together and it was nice to just talk casually about the "first year".  This afternoon we went back to our schools to plan with mentors; Susan is giving me a lot of great ideas and I think I will enjoy working with her.  The staff at our school, and the district as a whole, is awesome.  When I hear about some other schools/districts I realize how blessed I am to be a part of this one.

Oh, and--I got my class list!  I finally know who's in my class :O)   21 kids, 9 boys and 12 girls. And I know 5 of them from Title I!  Sweet kids, I'm excited.  And I have a set of twins, which should be interesting :)

So yeah, now I'm more looking forward to the school year than I was before.  Before I was mostly nervous and overwhelmed.  Now I'm more excited, plus a little overwhelmed. 

• In addition to continuing to take Lindy Hop lessons (actually I moved up to level 1.5!  :) , I started taking Balboa lessons as well.  I had such a fun time, I'm glad I decided to do both (although I wish I was able to do both for next month too and that's not gonna happen...)  Balboa is different...lots of small footwork and not a lot of moving around.  I think I'll like it though.  And it's fun to be in a class with my other "Lindy 2" friends  hehe
• Summer is winding down...in some ways I'm sad that it's almost over, that I will have much less free time and much more responsibility and much less sleeping in... but, at the same time it will be exciting to have my own classroom and class of 3rd graders, and sometimes I've been feeling restless with all this free time!
• I've been buying quite a lot of things for my classroom lately, but it's all been stuff on sale and things that I needed.  Today I got a beanbag chair and a rug for my classroom library area. And, I bought a rolling garment rack to use as a stand for my pocket charts.  I got good deals on it all...it's fun to get things for my classroom--sometimes a little too tempting!
• Oh yeah, and a couple of days ago I met up with Jess, my college roommate...I hadn't seen her in a year and a half!! And I finally got to see her 4-month old daughter, Ava.  I loved getting to hold Ava and finally see her for myself.  It's kind of surreal, my good friend having a child...time continues to fly by!