Catching My Breath

It's been a long couple of months. First I was sick for weeks with a cold and cough; then Phillip was. Holy Week and Easter were wonderful but draining for us as a church worker's family. Prior to that I had several intense weeks of accompanying four different schools at solo and choir contest. There were trips back and forth to Nebraska and Missouri to pick up and return college kids. My mom was sick for a while. There was an--um--incident with the car (minor) that necessitated its being in the body shop for several days. Evan received his First Communion! And, oh yeah, there were corporate and personal taxes to do. Plus, I filled in as organist/cantor last weekend (not my comfort zone!) and still managed to write a few more articles along the way. Phew! No wonder we are tired!

Over the last few days I finally feel like I've been able to catch my breath and check a few things off the task list while doing so. I took the dog to the vet, my mom to the podiatrist, and signed Evan up for swimming lessons. I treated the perimeter of the house for ants (a problem we didn't have in Illinois!). I did some online shopping for a certain young man who's about to graduate from college. And I caught up (a little) on the housecleaning. The piles are smaller and neater and the dust isn't a quarter inch thick anymore. Yay!

Another yay is the big news from my son. He has been offered, and has accepted, a full tuition + stipend assistantship to study piano performance as a Master's student at Texas Christian University. TCU is the home of PianoTexas as well as the host for the Van Cliburn international piano competition. Trevor will be studying with Tamas Ungar, professor at TCU and also director of PianoTexas. It is hard to believe my son will be graduating in less than three weeks. We have started looking at housing options in Fort Worth and may have found something. Since Trevor is still in Nebraska at this time, my husband and I may try to drive to Fort Worth this week to look at it. Trevor is a bit unusual in having lived in the dorm all four years of his undergraduate career. I think he is ready for his own apartment now. Wow!

Church news is that our pastor, who had a stroke last month, is progressing well but is still easily exhausted. He is coming to church and putting in a few hours in the office but is not teaching or presiding at worship yet. We are blessed with a pastor emeritus and outstanding elders who are doing a great job of filling in. Other big church news is that we have found a piano to purchase for our sanctuary! It is a 7-foot Baldwin artist grand and should be arriving within a week! (happy dance)

It is raining today, but rain or shine, Phillip and I are going to have our caipirinhas on the patio (luckily it is covered). The temperature is pleasant and we have not had our Sunday patio time in many weeks. Cheers!

Caipirinha