Orientation week

Before classes have even started, we had...

exams.

To be in the school of music, they need to know where we are in several different areas to make sure we're up to grad-school standards. So we spent two days taking exams in various forms of music theory, music history, voice, piano, and even conducting. And what did I pass? The thing I've never taken a class in; conducting. Everything else was too far from memory to be able to jump in graduate level courses. Which means... Every day of the week I have an 8am. So earlier this week I was stressing out a TON. My brain knows that this will help the ministry I've been called to, but the rest of me can't seem to get over how much I had learned that I just can't remember or even study to remember. I had understood some concepts so well, that I just can't put my finger on anymore. Is that what happens when you get older? I just hope I can remember what I learn here for a couple of years at least...

Aside from all of that inner-brain vs. heart vs. body thing, this week has been great. I've met most of the faculty in the music department. (Glenn, Dr. Bolton is still the Dean... and we've all been invited to his house this evening!) It is a definite change from Miami. It's a little more relaxed, though standards are still very high. And the interaction between the faculty and the students who have been here for a bit really seems like a family. All of the professors have said that their door is open for things academic as well as for listening and guiding students in personal problems. The musicology professor even invited me to work-out with her twice a week at the rec center! And on top of that, the Dean of the entire seminary has also said that his door is open if you just need to talk. I've never heard of anything like that at a school before. It is still lonely here, because we haven't had a lot of time to get to know people... But I think after a while we will be alright.

It's kind of odd feeling to be a female student here who doesn't have a husband doing a higher degree. Most of them are men, or married men who have a wife working toward an associate's degree, or just doing a couple of classes. So, to say, "I'm going for a Master's in Church Music" gets a lot of "oh, really?"s. But on the plus side... We had a worship service with just the new students and their spouses. It was AMAZING to hear all those men together singing strong. I've only heard something like that before on CD or in Hunt for Red October... I really like to sing with them! (^_^)

We are still church hunting... We've tried NorthSide Christian over in Indiana, but I don't think that will go so well with us. It's a mega-church... something I thought I liked... but it was just too big. We're going to try a few other places in the next couple of weeks. One of them sounds like a mix between Veritas and Vineyard... but we need to go and check it out. It's tougher than I thought to get an idea about a church before you go... but I guess that is for the best to keep away from bias.

We're missing everyone in Oxford, and hope to have people visit soon... as well as us going to visit people. But I think we'd better get a little more settled so we're not just running away. We hope you are all well. *HUG!*