Out of shape

I've been back at school for about 2 weeks now, and once thing is becoming rapidly apparent: I am dramatically out of shape. My intellectual flab keeps me from nimbly maneuvering through homework and critical reflection in the same way my lithe mind perfected last semester. Life just seems to have piled up a huge mountain of administrative tasks to take care of. Laura recommended that I write down in a list everything I have to do and then just start checking them off one by one. I haven't done that yet, but think I'll probably need to, just because the concept of raising support is way too overwhelming otherwise.
Not only am I out of shape academically, I'm also sucking the proverbial air through my proverbial toe nails with regards to relationships. It's pretty tough to find time for all the people I need to make time for, and it seems like any care-free frolicking is out of the question.
I'm not sure I should even talk about what kind of shape I'm in physically. I watched Rocky 3 a few nights ago and left the room after feeling at once very depressed and very motivated.

Two More Days

Two more days of Christmas break. Two more days before my last semester of classes. Two more days before minimal sleep, lots of exercise, and late nights. Two more days before I see my Laura again! Two more days before I'm surrounded by my best friends and closest confidants. Two more days of my last Christmas 'at home' (not literally).

This Christmas has been hectic, crazy, wonderful, hard, and enlightening. Urbana was way more than anything I thought it could be. It was amazing having everyone home at the same time. I enjoyed bonding with my nieces, especially all the times I took care of Hannah and walked with her.

Christmas with the Nieces

Well, Christmas for the Tebbe family has come and gone. Because of Urbana and the fact that my brothers' families were only here earlier, we ended up having our Christmas on the 17th. It's kind of strange being a spectator as the rest of the country (and world) gears up for the traditional celebration of the 25th. It was really sweet having Dan and Michelle, Dave and Andrea, and their respective daughters Hannah and Olivia all under one roof. We took tons of pictures, did a lot of fun things, and ate a lot of food.

End of the year triumphs and stresses

The last two weeks of the Fall semester of my Senior year. I can't say I'm sad about most of it. I'm going to miss Christian Thought and History of Economic Thought, two of the most valuable classes I've taken at Wheaton. But the other two will be welcome absences after Christmas. The papers have been thick and incessant recently. I tried counting the number of papers I'll have written this semester, and I think it was about 12 or so. Yeah, I know, compared to a Psych. major that's nothing, but these 12 were by and large obnoxiously difficult to write. I've gotten the research genre down, as I have critical reflections. I haven't mastered the meaningless, vague, fluff genre though. I can't write about something I have no respect for.
You know you've become a type-A snot when you get a paper back and it says 95 and you're disappointed, which happened about 15 minutes ago. I think I'm holding on to my academic performance way too tightly. God, help me to find contentment and purpose in You and not in my abilities.
I have two pretty good friends graduating this semester. I'm going to be really really sad to see them go, especially Tim. It'll be interesting trying to figure out how to spend time with them this week and next with all my tests and papers. Less than 2 weeks until I see my family back home! I can't wait!!

The calm before the storm

Boy, it seems like every time I get through a crazy-stressful week and look forward to some calm, the next week only ends up just as packed as the last. Thankfully, this week is stuffed more with Glee Club events than school work. I found out today that we have rehearsal every day and then performances on Friday and Saturday... Throw in small group, Mukappa, and a 5 page book report, and that calls for some serious time management!
On another note, Thanksgiving break was really good. I've noticed a lot more energy and enthusiasm in my attitude this morning; I think I was able to get some much-needed rest. It was good to see David again and I can't wait until the whole Tebbe clan is under one roof in mid-December. We need to start hoping for a good snowfall so sledding works out.

Back Home

Back home at last. It's a struggle to stay awake, but I'm doing my best for the next hour and a half or so; don't want to get my days and nights mixed up. Yesterday I drove Laura and her brother Mark up to Minneapolis where they are spending Thanksgiving with family. It was really good to meet her grandparents - very kind, welcoming people. This afternoon I drove back home and now I'm sitting in front of a roaring fire talking about books with Mom and Dad. David comes tomorrow night - can't wait!! Although many would disagree, I think the Midwest is extremely beautiful in the winter, especially western Wisconsin. I love the different shades of browns, reds, and golds. Everything is dead, yes, but there's a sort of comforting solitude to it all. Makes me want to wear Carhartt pants and sweaters.

Tight vocal chords

Well tonight is the first basketball game of the season. All my housemates are painting "Fiddler" (our starting center housemate) on their chests and going together. I, however, am going to a dress rehearsal for Bruckner's Mass in F Minor. The angst. There is absolutely no way I can complain, though. Glee Club has been an amazing blessing to me this semester. I love singing with a bunch of guys who also love it. I love getting out of practice and it's already dark. I love performances, and the nervous jitters that accompany them. In the large group performances I love standing in what feels like a sea of people, all singing their hearts out. I love singing with an orchestra playing along. I love working with Dr. Somerville and how his praise draws instant grins and proud, straightened postures. The Bruckner especially has been a privilege to work on - I confess I am completely unworthy of performing it - it deserves a voice far more accomplished than my own. So I've found myself at once humbled and in awe this week as we've been rehearsing it. It will truly be a joy to perform it tomorrow in front of my family. I don't think my dad has heard me musically perform since I was in 8th grade.... The other great thing about this mass is that it stretches my range almost as far as it will go in my natural voice. Octave or 6th jumps are routine, and I've found my voice has grown much stronger the longer we've worked on it. I'm off to rehearsal now, but I'm going to take pictures tonight and I'll put one or two up. Lord, thank You so much for music....