Summer

I can't believe it's August already! And mid-August at that. I feel like this summer has been such a blur. John and I have had lots of fun trying new things and being new places. Last weekend we went hiking up in Mission Gorge with another couple from John's ship. I had so much fun! I told John that it reminded me of home. San Diego goes to a lot of trouble to make itself look tropical but underneath all of the palm trees it is still high desert just like El Paso.

John on the other hand may not have had as much fun. He was responsible for carrying Nora two miles each way on his back. Haha Sorry John! But he was a good sport about it. This weekend we're going camping and we are very excited! This will be our last hurrah before I start school on the 19th.

I decided to finally take the plunge and register at our local community college. I want to get into San Diego State's Music program next fall but SDSU is pretty competitive since it is the only affordable University in town and because almost all of their transfers are guaranteed acceptees from the local community college system. To be honest SDSU is the only place I can apply because it is the only University that wouldn't put us in debt for the rest of our lives and is local. Their transfer requirements are pretty extensive since they have so many applying transfers. Which is why I decided to take community college classes to meet every requirement that I currently lack and give me the best possible chance of getting accepted.

This is kind my hail mary guys. After three years of college, six semesters of voice, six semesters of choir, three semesters of theory, two semesters of diction, aural skills, juries, and performances will kind of be thrown out the window. They will not transfer. These courses that I've already taken can only be waived by a single audition that will last roughly seven minutes, a theory placement exam, and a piano placement exam. So basically if I totally biff it on my audition I could be turned into the twenty-one year old freshman. I realize that it's unlikely to happen but it is a possibility. And let's say I ace the audition, that doesn't mean I'll be accepted to the University. I've done this before when I transferred to UTEP, but at that point I had only done a year of college and had very little to lose. Now, it feels like I have so much to lose - my dignity probably being number one on the list.

But one day I just woke up, realized that I was going to be here for three years anyway and that if I wanted it I should just try and do it. I can apply and audition this October and I'll receive an answer by March. In the mean time, I will be taking three classes at the CC next week and I will be leaving Nora with another mother admire in the ward very much. So, prayers would be much appreciated.

I will be especially sad to say goodbye to Nora for a few hours a week. I will still spend the majority of my time with her but it is still hard to think about not being with her 24/7. And even harder thinking about maybe doing school full time next fall. Lately Nora has been blossoming into this sweet little girl. She's not a baby anymore and all the things we have been working on for weeks - words, signs, names, games - are finally being realized. She finally understands what's going on and I can actually communicate with her. It's amazing! So, to hand the job over to someone else, even if only for a little while, will be difficult.

Isn't she so big?!

Yesterday we caught her watering the plants with her sippy cup

And today she was trying to feed her teddy bear pasta. She is the sweetest little girl! I think even John is slowly becoming wrapped around one of her tiny tiny fingers.