Listening for a splash.

Well Of Faith

Kelly Scollin

I’m learning to see this world with wide open eyes,

trees of truth they rarely grow in forests full of lies.

In the words of my dad, that’s life,

sometimes you’ve got to take, the good with the bad.

So I guess I’ll throw a few more pennies and a pocket full of dreams,

in the well of faith,

and I’ll listen for a splash.

There’s a fluid mirror for all of us suspended in the air.

A glance can bring us happiness or plummeting despair.

The things I’ve done can’t be undone, apologies, they’re all the same,

but I guess they’ll soon pass, like a softly fallin’ rain.

So I guess I’ll throw a few more pennies and a pocket full of dreams,

in the well of faith, and I’ll listen for a splash.

Someday hope to find a place, that I’ll call my own,

at times I feel just like a leaf, by the wind I am blown.

But I guess I’ll keep on trying to seek the truth in all things,

and I’ll listen to hear a penny ring.

So lets all throw a few more pennies and a pocket full of dreams, in the well of faith,

and we’ll listen for a splash.

"White Christmas" is an understatement.

I spent Christmas Eve and morning in Marshall, N.C. this year. Nope, it wasn't at all my plan. I had a flight scheduled to return me to Denver on December 19th, but thanks to a blizzard hitting a town that doesn't handle snow well, I was not going anywhere quickly. I couldn't have been stuck with better people, that's for sure, and I learned a thing or two about wood stoves, propane, and kerosene lanterns.

Three and a half days with no power meant there was plenty of time to play rummy, sing and play guitar, read stories, and enjoy eggnog chilled in the snow off the back porch. It also meant that we would go days without showers or heat in the bedrooms. Good times!

Christmas eve was spent with a cabin filled with warm, but unfamiliar faces, and Christmas morning was slept straight through. Fortunately, my family was gracious and understanding, and celebrated after I was finally able to make it home. We had a beautiful celebration filled with laughter. (Baba even bought and wrapped gifts for himself that he labeled as being from us kids. Classic!)

Thank you to Cindy and Kelly for housing me three times longer than they expected to, and for such an adventure! I wanted an escape, and that's exactly what I got :). I would do it again in a heartbeat.

(The town before the snow.)

Oh no you didn't!

After a rehearsal and meeting at church this evening, Mariah (the mother of one of my piano students who is part of the church plant) took me out to her car because she had my Christmas card. So...she opened the trunk, and this was laying there:

ARE YOU KIDDING ME RIGHT NOW?? Their family had it on their hearts to buy me a bike to ride to Cory where I will be student teaching in their daughter's class. So, incredibly thoughtful and uncalled for. I am so blessed.

Miyata

This is Mia. She is my new bike. She will get me to and from both of my schools--isn't that kind of her? :).

(She has the Steph Van Wirt stamp of approval.)

Dear Colorado Springs,

I try really, really hard to enjoy visiting you, but sometimes you just make it too hard.

Schools

I received a last minute phone call to fill in for "White Christmas" at my high school because the bass player was suspended. It's nice to be paid for what I love doing--even if it is the easiest part I've ever played :).

This afternoon I have an interview at Cory Elementary for my student teaching placement, and I'm stoked! The teacher is fantastic, and three of my piano students attend the school.

I am really starting to realize how fortunate it is that I will be making an income doing what I am aboslutely passionate about. Good deal!

Yes, it was an amazing trip.

Thanksgiving week was spent with family in Denmark, and it was nothing short of incredible. We explored castles, roamed the city streets, and kept warm with Tuborg Christmas beers. The city was lit and decorated for Christmas, and the beautiful people were bundled from head to toe.

Grandma Clair came along giving an added element of entertainment, and I always had one of the girls on my arm. Peter kept us oriented, and he and Debbie spoiled us all to pieces.

Copenhagen is a remarkable city, but I'm pretty certain Michael will be more than glad to be home :).

I am thankful for the family that I have in the Van Wirts, and for their overwhelming love and generosity. Gobble gobble!

Culture shock.

Last night, I went to the cleanest house party of my collegiate career. It was the ladies' farewell party as they are moving for their student teaching before graduating in May.

"Shut-up" was the closest thing to fowl language that I heard uttered, and the snack/drink table held a gallon of milk, a gallon of chocolate milk, and a couple two liters of 7-up.

The majority of the party was spent dancing ridiculously to songs by our oh-so-beloved boy bands, mainly the Backstreet boys, and those Spice Girls. We danced to the point of making the floor bow beneath us.

Not quite what parties at DU look like. Leave it up to Jess and Stacy Mac to have a wholesome throw-down. Love you girlies!

18 pages later..

I am reminded of what a great listener my journal is.

My new year's resolution

To use all the ink in a pen before losing the darn thing.

The hap-happiest season of all.

December comes, and the sounds begin: clanking in the kitchen, Christmas songs on the piano, loud crackling fires, the bussel of feet, and voices bouncing off the hard wood floors.

What a year this has been...

"I've come to a frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element in the classroom. It's my personal approach that creates the climate. It's my daily mood that makes the weather. As a teacher, I posses a tremendous power to make a child's life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated, a child humanized or de-humanized."

~Hiam Ginott

"How to Cook a Russian Turkey"

1. Go to Russia and get a turkey.

2. Go home and cut the turky's head off.

3. Cook it.

4. BBQ sauce.

5. Sedit on the table.

6. Eat it.

Daniel C.

Farewell Means Not Goodbye

A kind heart sat across the table,

Words so genuine, eyes deep with care.

She sat in silence, holding back tears,

wounds so deep they seemed beyond repair.

How brief this season, passing through time,

A glimpse, a taste of how love should be.

The leaves are falling seasons come to an end...

farewell means not goodbye to me.

Snow was falling, the sky was glowing,

blanketed ground, leaves of auburn and gold.

He walked beside her, hearts filled with warmth,

that ran so deep they could not feel the cold.

Overwhelming beauty, autumn bestows,

drifting to the ground so far below.

Memories cherished, engraved in forever,

Imprints that lie so deep one can never know.

So reach out and trace the stars, my home is right here.

Sweet, precious memories will always keep you near.

She Hung the Moon

A lullaby for you tonight,

Sweet autumn snow walks 'neath moon's pure light.

Our paths have crossed so that I might once meet,

the girl who hung the moon.

Lovely your soul, and warm your arms,

sweet are you kisses and lingering charms.

Our hearts are twined so that I might once meet,

the girl who who turns the room.

Piano you played whilst I sat near,

Filled me to bursting with sadness dear.

By your side I sat so that I might once know,

the girl whose heart is gold.

We must have met so that I'll always love,

the girl who hung the moon.

~Kelly Scollin

Woven

Woven;

you are woven

so intricately,

through the fabric of my life.

So vibrant are the colors,

so strong the thread,

so elegant the design.

A texture soft and worn,

held against my cheek.

Stains of tears and deep red wine.

Peaceful;

clement and peaceful,

is this cloth,

because of you.

Tightly;

I hold so tightly,

to your thread,

as it runs through.

So vibrant are the colors,

so strong the thread,

so elegant the design.

A texture soft and worn,

pressed against my face.

Stains of tears and deep red wine.

"I'll love you forever,

I'll like you for always,

as long as I'm living....

my baby you'll be."

Four Weeks

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CerC_6tboGI&feature=player_embedded

Offered a teaching job. Good day :).

So precious.

"I am fulfilled by all that I do"

Dear Austina,

You did a grate gob- I lisind from the begining to the end. You playd like and angle.

Love: Tatum

Have I mentioned that I have absolutely incredible friends??

Cameron was crying a lot last night, which translates into a loss of sleep for me. So, Kelly and I went for a midnight stroll in the snow. It was absolutely magical! It was so peaceful, and the combination of the darkness and snowfall completely transformed the image of my neighborhood and the sweet parks it includes. Three miles of trail and the occasional stop to look up into the snowfall to allow myself to be entirely entranced provided so much healing.

During weeks like this, precious moments sometimes come at the expense of sleep--but I would argue that the rest I received on that walk was significantly more valuable than an extra hour of shut-eye.

I really, really like to smile.

I can officially say that "this Friday" is my recital!! I'm so flippin' excited!

My new roomie doesn't take up very much space.

When I see the little light come on...

...I know I have succeeded.

I am very sleepy these days...

Little prince.

It truly is miraculous,

and I got to be a part of it :).  

Thank you, Shazia for allowing me to be a part of this pregnancy.  How sweet it has been to watch your unbelievable growth, strength, perseverance and faith these past 38 weeks.  You truly are amazing, and are an absolutely wonderful mother.  I so look forward to watching little Cameron grow.

Congratulations!

38 weeks later...

...we meet Cameron Marcus "Squirt" Jenkins, and he is absolutely beautiful!

I have two hours with no schedule. Sure, I could practice more, but I think I might watch a movie and make a scarf.....

Baby is soon on his way!!!!!!!

Katy

This girl is an example of why I love my school. I have been assigned to so many people as their accompanist, and Katy really stands out. If ever I need a smile, I can go to her. We will spend hours together sight reading and playing through music just for fun.

Never have I seen anyone as excited to see me as she was Tuesday night as I walked by the rehearsal room--she almost knocked me to the ground when she came to hug me (and it wasn't like it'd been a while since we'd seen each other, we had had dinner the night before).

Anyway, yesterday I went to get my music to practice, and she had filled my locker with sunflowers and homemade toffee. Talk about putting a smile on my face!!

Love you, sweet Katy girl!

Go figure.

My accompanist backed out on me. Go figure. Three weeks before my recital. So, what do I do? I scramble and ask all of my friends to see if there is anyone that can play for me. I finally found a grad student willing. I took the music to her today and she told me that it was going to be $300. ARE YOU KIDDING ME???!!! I don't have $30, let alone $300. That's when the tears came. I have been the accompanist to bail so many people who were stranded out, and now I'm in their shoes.

Anyway, I interrupted Reggie's rehearsal, crying, because I didn't know what to do and the office has already been on my case about other recital stuff. Of course he offered to play for me. Damsel in distress kind of thing, ya know??

Anyway, it is just not very nice to leave someone hanging like that. Not one bit. But, it is also silly to worry because it's a waste of energy and things always have a way of working themselves out.

Some people...

Shazia and I went to breakfast at good ol' Cozy Cottage this morning. Considering that it is a beautiful day, several people chose to eat outside. Jeanette does NOT like having to go outside to serve people, but she doesn't let them know it.

This morning, one particular couple sitting outside were fighting the whole meal, and took off without paying.

This poor lady works her little hiney off in her breakfast nook with six tables, so for people to skip out on the check is such a disappointment... the two college girls ended up picking up the check.

Schedule for October 7, 2009

7:30 Wakeup

8:00 Gym

10:00 Breakfast with Shazia

11:30 Write two papers for class

2:00-4:00 Practice practice practice!!

4:30-9:00 Class

Then, maybe grab a beer and sleep in tomorrow! Good day :).

Sometimes things just work out.

Between Shazia and I, we've got our work cut out for us emotionally. I think it's fair to say that we carry a lot.

Nevertheless, we continue to be taken care of, and we continue to receive continuous affirmation of our hope. So, we just keep swimming, and just keep smiling :).

Pesky Squirrel

This morning, I allowed myself to sleep in. It's been a few nights since I've gotten more than five hours of sleep, so I went to bed early and wasn't going to get up until late. Little did I know that I didn't get a say in the matter.

I woke up to my window rattling. It does that when the wind is blowing, so I just thought that a storm was moving in. The sound, however, suddenly moved closer to me, so I shot up off my pillow, looked over with my blurry vision, and saw a giant ball of puff looking up at me. Both parties startled, we both began to scurry. I toward my door, he toward my window.

(For those of you who don't know, I LIVE ON THE TOP FLOOR! The little guy had to climb the side of the building and gnaw through my screen to get in. What a rascal! )

I ran out of my room and closed the squirrel in. Shazia and I giggled about the situation for a bit before I decided that I would try to shoo him off to the balcony on the opposite side of the apartment. But when I opened my bedroom door, he was gone. Hopefully he figured out his way out of the window, and is not hiding out in my closet!

Whew! What a way to wake up...

Young

A good night with friends and their music...I'll sacrifice a little sleep for that. I don't go "out" often, but when I do it's to Dazzle where I am always comfortable.

Dubois

Bach, Mozart, Chopin, Faure, and.....? I need to submit my program today, and don't have a final piece. Haha!

Where did the sun go?

It's time to run the day off before the sun goes down.

Current time: 634 P.M.

I am missing the long days!

Baba woke me up this morning: "Um, Mei Mei, sorry to bother you.. but would you play the piano for me before I go?"

Sometimes his tough exterior just disappears. Love that man.

In my element.

Today we celebrated. Celebrated Mike's life, and the beautiful creation we live in. Thank you, Lord, for sweet friendships.

"In my rear view"

Ice cream at the Donut Mill

Painting wall art for our apartment.

Death is so hard.

Where's Waldo?

We did Waldo Canyon this weekend (before winter crept up on us), and oh my goodness was it gorgeous!

Wish me luck.... I'm about to walk the 20 minutes to class in the rain.

Happy 9 Months!!

Shazia is nine months today!! Squirt is over 6 pounds, and I wouldn't be at all surprised if he comes early (neither would she). So, we're getting our "ducks in a row," and getting the apartment ready for the baby. It is so, so exciting!

Bath area.

Squirt's closet.

Nursery area.

His little bassinet :-).

Grad Students Making Art Projects

We have had the most amazing art class for the past three weeks with Juli Kramer. She has a contagious passion for creativity, and has inspired us all to incorporate it in our classrooms in anyway. From day one, we began making canvases as a group, and on the last day Laura won the canvas but chose to give it to me. What a sweetie. Anyway, here are the finished products:

On my wall :-)

The other group's.

Mine.

None of us are artists, but we had so much fun, and there is so much personality and meaning in the works. Love!

"I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always, as long as I'm living, my baby you'll be."

I named him Steve.

He is playing a steel drum.

For all those who are already asking...

I am already being bombarded with "what do you want for your birthday?" So to all those who plan ahead:

I would like books for my classroom library. Books that you don't use anymore, that you find at Goodwill, or at a garage sale. They will be handled by children, so I do not need brand new books. I need help, however, building my library because I believe that my mom has commandeered all of my childhood books for hers. Haha. So, if you must buy me a gift, go to Goodwill and drop a couple of quarters for a well-used picture book, and I will be eternally grateful :-).

Love.

My Beautiful Campus

I walked to the doctor this morning, and was late because I kept running into people and stopping for conversations. I have to say that I enjoy walking and getting to stop and play with dogs and talk with friends. I even ran into my building manager on the way back who is a sweet as can be, and ran around with his dogs for a while. All of these interactions are sweet little reminders of my blessings :-).

I love that I call the doctor's office to make an appointment, and she asks, "what is your schedule today?" then gives me an appointment that fits in perfectly and allows for plenty of transition time.

P.S. Yes, Mom, I finally made an appointment and the co-pay is only $10. Ha. Hopefully they come to a conclusion today!

Congrats Shaz and Squirt!

Shazia gave an absolutely beautiful performance tonight. Her playing is so musical and joyful, and I was so proud of her :-). We kept a fan backstage because between the nerves, stage lights, and pregnancy, the odds of getting sweaty were stacked against her.

My princess.

Showered with flowers.

Drying off with the little fan...