This morning, Nathan called on his way home from work (7:30 am) to ask if Clementine and I would be up for going to the farmers market when he got home.  Even though we were both still in bed, of course I said yes.  I got up and quickly got ready, and we headed out the door to beat the crowds.

I love the farmers market!  I love the people-watching, and the food samples, and the fresh flowers and herbs and veggies and the buskers and the local arts and crafts for sale.  I love being out in the cool freshness of the morning and feeling awake and productive.

Even though we live pretty close, we decided to drive on over.  We took Samson and loaded the little lady up in her stroller, and even found an amazing parking spot.  We did one and a half circles around the market before settling on our spoils.  Clementine snagged a new darling dress from a local hand-made clothing vendor, Tiny Tot Threads, after trying on several color and style options.  :)  Nathan got a new leather wallet, which will be a wonderful upgrade from carrying around his loose cards and cash unprotected, as he has been doing for a while now.  And for breakfast, we both got fresh fruit danishes and the famous mint limeade.  We donated to the homeless fund, which got us a copy of the Homeless Newspaper, and I donated a dollar to an awesome little violin player saving up money to go to ISSI.  We sat in the grass and enjoyed the atmosphere, and then Clementine begged to play at the park.  Samson got many compliments for being so dang handsome, and he got to meet many friends- both human and canine- along the way.

Thanks, Farmers Market.  I'm sure we will be back again soon.  

A Fair Dose of Karma and Reminiscence

I came home from school Friday afternoon, parked my car behind my house and made special care to lock my doors like I always do... "in case all of my junk gets stolen," I used to say.  My '97 Ford Escort with multiple dents and chipping paint is definitely not fancy, not the kind of car I'd expect to get busted into.  

Saturday afternoon I was leaving to meet up with some friends for lunch.  I walked out to my car and was surprised to see that the back drivers side door was open.  And both drivers side doors were unlocked.  Hmmm.  Curious.  Then I noticed a screw driver on the floor by the gas pedal and I thought "Silly Nick must have left this here when he was fixing my broken rear view mirror.  Mental note- return screw driver."  I was in a hurry, so I turned on the car and glanced toward the clock to see if I was going to be late for lunch.  And where the clock usually is, I saw this: 

Someone STOLE my CD player... and my AC/Heater!!! And left the gruesome wire guts dangling out!  Finally I started to make sense of all the clues that I should have put together in the first place.  The open door... the screw driver... Ugh!   And I was really upset.  

And I'm still kind of upset.  But driving around in my now silent car has allowed me some time to ponder things a little bit.  I think I'm a believer in Karma- or at least the principle of 'what goes around comes around'.  All winter long I made fun of Nick's BMW for lacking a heater and a CD player.  And now that Nick is out of the picture... look at my Escort.  Lacking CD player and Heater.  Correlation of karma?  Perhaps.  Or maybe it's this:  Just the other day I was thinking to myself "I wish my ipod to radio adaptor worked better.  It's so annoying to have to listen to static sometimes!"  And now it's gone... stolen along with the rest.  Is fate telling me to be more appreciative for what I have?  Or maybe it's God very boldly telling me to turn off my loud music and take time to listen to my thoughts every once in a while.  

OR MAYBE it's just some Kalamazoo hoodlum desperately trying to sell my bottom of the line CD player and static-inducing ipod adapter for drug money.  Sad life.   He (or maybe she) is going to be real disappointed the next time he gets the itch to steal and realizes that I have his screw driver.  Karma.  

Also worth mentioning.... Exactly a year ago today was Easter 2008.  The day Nathan gave his farewell talk, the day Nyle came with me to Relief Society, the day I didn't win the Easter hunt, and the dreaded day I said "see ya later" to my best friend for two whole years!!  After a good talk in the hammock, an impromptu photo shoot in our matching scrubs, a sweet dance in the street (with music coming from my car CD player... ok I'll stop now) and many a great kiss, I somehow made myself drive back to Logan knowing that I wouldn't see him again for at least 730 days.  *sigh* Bittersweet memories.  I've been thinking a lot about this today.  

He actually didn't go into the MTC until March 26, so his "hump day" will be on Thursday.  Stay tuned... more Nathan blogging is on the way! In the meantime, here are some pictures from March 23, 2008:

      

Happy??

Two starkly different conversations happened tonight with two drastically different friends... practically back to back. The topic of both conversations= happiness.  The two perspectives on this topic=  radically different.  And this has spurred some blog-worthy thoughts in the past few hours- Let me throw 'em atcha and see what you come up with.

1- What makes you happy?

2- When you're unhappy, what do you change?

3- How does religion affect your happiness?

4- Do you think you have control over your own happiness?

Lately, I've been learning a lot about what makes me happy when things get tough, and I'm down with telling ya all about it.  But right now I want to know what YOU think.  I would LOVE any and every comment you've got!

In the mean time, here are some happy pictures from a wonderful weekend...

Snow in my front yard!

One countdown tower filled up!

Egg nog, whip cream, almond milk and cinnamon!

Good friends, good conversations, good drinks on an almost winter night!

Gloria!!

...Introducing...

GLORIA!!

My new baby guinea pig!

Today I am thankful for Nathan for inspiring me to buy a pet, for Brianna for helping me choose which one, and for Gloria for being herself.  

Elder Morris speaks on Passion

Somehow, even through letters from across the country, my missionary always knows the PERFECT things to say to his girl.

(excerpt from letter on October 14, 2008)

"... Massive props on the perfect card pick out!  What do you wish for at 11:11?  I wish for you to have more happiness.  You sound way depressed.  I hate the idea of my shorty feeling unpassionate!!  I would not date someone who is bland.  You are not a bland person and refuse to accept this as a personality flaw that you have!  One of the things that I love about you the most is your passion.  Your passion for life, music, poetry, art, people, the gospel, :) and me.  (I left out food and sleep.)  You are full of passion!  Don't take Bruce's critiquing too personal.  We know you are a passionate person because of how many people love you in your life.  I love who you are, and your friends love who you are.  Don't be frustrated about music.  Ask for help.  Ask God first, then Bruce.  Don't take his advice personally though, and know that your man always loves you.  I'm so proud of you and all you do!"

Now a quote from my new favorite soundtrack, "The Last 5 Years"-

"Have I mentioned today... how lucky I am... to be in love with you?"

About Passion...

So as you know (if you read the last post), I've been doing a lot of thinking about passion lately.  Particularly how to channel my inner passion into my music by channeling it into my daily life.  

Ishtar, my hot Puerto Rican violinist friend, says that all I need to do is think about sex.  Probably not the best idea for me right now, Ishy!  Yikes.  

Pianist friend ashley helped me muster up some strong inner feelings and then after forcing me to play in my emotional state, boosted my ego by telling me I sound like Jackie Du Pre. 

I've been trying to feel emotions stronger, be more happy, get more angry, be more dedicated.  

I guess I didn't realize the negative results this experiment might have on my life.  More depressed?  More lonely?  Extremely homesick for my missionary?  In exploring my suppressed emotions, I've found some very deep ones that in my opinion, are best left alone!   

Yesterday was a dark and dismal day.  Emotional... yes.  Passionate... yes.  Productive practice, and incredible cello sound... yes!!  But seriously, I can't function on such a constant stream of passion and high emotion.  Not like that.  

Thus the need for further self revision:

Earlier to bed and earlier to rise.  I'm seeking health, wealth, wisdom, and BALANCE.  I'm still channeling passion.  But hopefully with healthier sleep habits, I'll have better coping skills.  

I'm wearing my new pumpkin-color sweater and bright yellow rain boots.  I woke up at 7 am with 8 hours of wonderful sleep.  I'm feeling strongly optimistic and ready for a fresh start.  

The Michigan leaves have chosen today as the day to change color.  The world is a beautiful place!  This is something to be passionate about.    

Top of the Second Quarter!

Yes it's true.  The first six months of my Elder Morris's mission are over!  I am officially at the top of the second quarter in this waiting game, and I think I'm ahead by at least 12 points.  I don't know what I mean by that.  :)  

In the most recent best letter of my life, Elder Morris sent me his MTC name tag, a SD card full of pictures, and half of an old tie.  It's a missionary tradition to burn a tie on your 6 month mark.  Sweet Elder Morris decided to share half of his tie with me so that we could both celebrate the landmark together.  It was so thoughtful of him to include me!  I love how well he knows me and how much something like that would mean to me.  It absolutely made my day.  

Waiting for a missionary really isn't so bad at all, folks!  I love writing letters, I love getting letters... I am even learning to love scrapbooking.  I appreciate having this time apart.  I know that sounds weird.  But we are both getting the opportunity to "find ourselves" on our own.  We are individually becoming more of who we want to be.  But I love being included in his life, even if he is devoted to serving the Lord on the other side of the country!  

I for sure have my lonely days where I want nothing more than to curl up in his arms and tell him all about my stresses and issues and have him calm me down and help me feel like I can manage it all.  I wouldn't mind going to a concert with him and singing our favorite lyrics at the top of our lungs.  It would sure be nice to have a hand to hold and a good night kiss sometimes.  I'd even go for a phone call now and then.  

BUT then I think about how hard he worked to get out there, and how proud I am for his willingness to serve.  I think about all the lives he is blessing and how much we are both learning from this experience.  I really am happy to be where we both are right now.  And 6 months went by FAST!  Bring on the next 18!!!

Burning of the tie!

This is my friend Breanna and me, dousing the tie in alcohol

The alcohol all burned off but the tie wouldn't light!!

So we made a hobo fire out of Jana's old italian textbook and let it burn!

This is me holding the hot ash remains of what once was the tie.  And also the remains of Jana's italian textbook under my arm.

This is me being a happy MG.  I love these shirts that Torrey had made for us.  And I love my missionary.  And I'm excited for the next year and a half! And everything that comes after that!

Ike Yikes!

As many of you know, Hurricane Ike ripped through our country this weekend.  I was worried about my Texas missionary, hoping that he wouldn't be evacuated and that everything would be safe and sound with him.  It didn't dawn on me that as a mid-wester, I should worry about my own safety too!  

I spent the weekend in Nauvoo Illinois at a YSA conference with my good MG friend Sarah (blog post and pictures to come...).  It was rainy and windy and HUMID, but I heard that Nauvoo is always rainy and awful, so I didn't connect it to hurricane weather.  

Then I tried to drive home to Kalamazoo last night.  It should have taken about 4 hours from Sarah's house in Normal Illinois.  But thanks to Ike- Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and many other midwest states were pounded with torrential rain that evacuated homes, flooded roads, and closed all the major highways that I knew how to take.  After gridlock traffic jams, 100 extra miles worth of confusing detours, toll roads that I didn't have money for, and 3 extra hours of trying to find my way in blinding rain, I finally made it home safely... at 2:30 am.  

This is a flavor of natural disaster that I'm not quite used to.  I know that my Father in Heaven answers prayers because he made my gas tank last me 100 more miles than it should have.  He helped me stay safe and calm in a very stressful and scary situation.  He guided me home.  

In my email today from Elder Morris I found out that the storm skirted around Seguin Texas where he is serving, and they only experienced light rain.  We are both very lucky and blessed to be safe and dry in our own homes tonight.  My heart goes out to all those who face more devastating circumstances from this storm.  

Woah Today...!

My blog got a new look... do you like it?  Somehow while changing the template, I lost all of my old gadgets.  So I had to "rebuild".  's ok I guess.  

I waited all yesterday for an email from Nathan.  Nothing came and I thought I'd have to wait clear till next Monday.  What a happy surprise to come home from school today and have a wonderful new email from him in my inbox!  

And I got to go look at the Yellow House studio apartment today!  It's TINY but adorable and I WANT it.  I'm crossing my fingers that it all works out.  You can too if you want.  

I had my orchestra audition and I MADE PRINCIPAL CELLIST!  That was a good boost in my grad student confidence here surrounded by amazing undergrads.  

BLARG!  Intro to music research class is going to kick my butt.  There are only 10 of us in the class and we all meet around a big table in a tiny room in the library.  "knights of the roundtable of writing million-page papers of doom" class is what I think I'll call it.  I need to find a music related topic that interests me that I can research and find at least 50!!!! sources for.  And... I need this topic by Monday.  Any recommendations?  

I went to lunch today with new michigan music friends.  :)

My "pitch systems and tunings" class is fascinating!  

My first cello lesson with Bruce was inspiring!

My first days of school have been exciting!

Hot Child In The City... plus some

I took a spontaneous day trip to Chicago yesterday!!  I LOVE that city!  And I love it that I'm close to it now!  I definitely want to go back and spend more time.  We went to drop off a friend at the O'Hare airport, so we just bummed around for a while before she had to check in to her flight.  It was such a blast.  And the girls I went with are amazing.  I took about a billion pictures.  I'm just going to post some highlights:
          

This is me at the Lincoln Park Zoo.  It's free.  What a cool idea, huh?  It felt so cool to just walk in.  I took pictures of pretty much every animal I saw, but as some of you know, I have a dear spot in my heart for puffins.  I'd never seen one in person before, and this little guy came right up to the glass to say hello.  It made my day.  

     

     
Wow, this place is cool.  If you've never been there before, the first picture is of a giant bubble/ mirror thing that reflects the city in crazy ways.  And I was really entertained by taking a thousand pictures of myself in front of it.  The pillar with the face is a giant fountain that looks clear up close but far away is a projection of a really realistic looking face. There are two fountains like this and between them is a plaza full of water and a bunch of splashing little kids and sunshine and fun.  

      
Mmmm, Chicago pizza.  Check out that deep dish crust!  We wanted to go to Girridanos, but the wait was too long, so instead we found this little hole in the wall place down a small street, and it was fabulous!  It felt so Chicago.  Watching a Cubs game on TV in a tiny packed pizza place scarfing deep dish.

And that was my first day in Chicago!  Fun times indeed.  I'll be back!

In other exciting Jamilyn news, I got the best letter of my life from Elder Morris that came in a Fed Ex envelope with a shirt that we pass back and forth so that it smells like him when I get it.  It also came with some home made incense that he got from a neighbor in his apartment complex.  Man I love my missionary!  And I love incense!   Wearing this shirt feels almost like a Nathan hug.  I miss those.  Lots.  
      

I started my job as assistant to Professor Bruce Uchimura at WMU.  I had all sorts of boring yet informative orientations and trainings and a really fun lunch meeting to discuss my position and my responsibilities for the upcoming year.  Prof. Uchimura and I met at a Lebanese buffet.  I think it's rad that Kalamazoo has a Lebanese buffet!  With my bachelors degree in music performance, and countless hours of graduate assistant training, my first assignment was (drum roll please...) to decorate the orchestra bulletin board.  My first thought was "you've gotta be kidding me!"  but I actually had lots of fun, and from the before and after pictures, I think that it turned out really well!  
     

Today is Elder Morris's birthday.  My friend AnnaLaura and I volunteered to make dinner for the branch missionaries and I sort of turned it into a birthday celebration for Nathan.  LOL.  At the smell of home made chili, cornbread, and german chocolate cake coming from the church kitchen, about 8 more members invited themselves to the celebration too.  It was completely awesome.  The more the merrier, and we had plenty of food.  There was cake, ice cream, candles, singing, and I took videos of it all to send to Nathan :)  My favorite line was when Elder Smith, one of our branch missionaries said "Man, I wish MY girlfriend would do stuff like this for me!"  Poor Elder Smith.  He's the one closest to the camera in the second picture.  
     

Other news that I have no pictures to document:  I passed all but two of my placement exams, which my advisor made sure to let me know was pretty amazingly good.  I didn't pass renaissance and baroque music history of all things, but it's ok.  I chose my cognate, which is kind of like a minor.  I am now officially a master of cello performance graduate teaching assistant with a music history cognate.  Please step into my office, Dalton 1413, thanks.  I feel so cool.  

I also went on my first date in over TWO YEARS that wasn't with Nathan.  A guy from the branch and I went on a walk around downtown Kalamazoo and then watched The Emperor's New Groove back at his place.  I LOVE that movie and downtown KZoo is cute and charming, but I'm just not sure about how I feel about dating.  I'll think about it some more and letcha know.  

Speaking of cute and charming, I think I might have found THE PERFECT little studio apartment for me to move into.  It's in the historic district of Kalamazoo, and it's in a darling yellow house... already sounds Jamilynish, right?  I'm going to go look at it tomorrow and meet the landlord.  If all goes well, the only trick will be getting out of my current lease.  Wish me luck!

Pictures and Videos Galore!

My mom and I went to the Colbie Callait and John Mayer Concert at USANA for her big birthday celebration.  We totally had fun dancing around and singing, even though the lawn crowd was kinda lame-o!  One of my favorite things about concerts, besides the music of course, are concert T-shirts, and I felt like John's was pretty dang cool this time!  

I got a much needed pedicure and I felt like it turned out especially cute!  I wanted to share it with the world!

I got over my strange anxiety and finally visited Nathan's mom.  We caught up on life and his family and shared funny stories and pictures about Nathan.  It was a fun night and some long over-due bonding with the mother of the missionary I love!  

Speaking of the missionary I love, he's been out for 1/6 of his two year service to the Lord and people of San Antonio Texas.  It was really exciting to fill up half of the first tower of his countdown chart.  Don't make fun, I celebrate even the tiniest landmarks here!  He has less than 600 days left!  Woot!  

This past weekend, two of my best friends ever... Ashley and Katie... came up to Logan to visit me.  They came to the opera which was really fun, and then slept over in my oven-hot house.  What good sports they are!  The next day Katie had to help her brother move :(  While she was gone, Ashley and I floated the Logan canal, tried the new True Aggie cafe, browsed the Global Village gift shop, and sipped a little lavender Italian soda at Citrus and Sage.  Fun day! 

I'm going to miss these girls... and this town!