Busy, Busy

I haven't posted in awhile because things have been so crazy around here...these are just a few things that have happened...

1. I finally finished my Masters degree...and with a 4.0:) My thesis has been printed and mailed in for binding, so hopefully I will have a bound copy of it soon. This program has been such a wonderful experience, both personally and professionally, and I think it will really impact my practice as a music therapist, even if it doesn't have much of an impact financially. At some point, I plan to have some kind of graduation party/get-together but I'm not quite sure what we're doing just yet.

2. I applied for a faculty position at UE. Though I did not get the position, it was a surefire way to motivate me to finish my thesis so that I could have my MA and be qualified to apply for it. The woman who got the position was way more qualified and I'm excited to meet her. She has lots of credentials behind her name, as well as a lot of experience. She is also a FAMI, which means that she has completed all three levels of GIM (Guided Imagery in Music) training, which is something I hope to do at some point. I'm looking forward to meeting her once she settles in. Though it would have been a great experience to have a job like this, it would have been a really stressful year and it is probably for the best that someone else got it.

3. We had carpet installed a couple weekends ago. We are still putting some of the house back together, but I love the new carpet. It was a really hectic week or two when we had the house torn apart, but it is getting better.

4. I am working on some possible contracts and other ideas. One of these is starting a Music and Wellness course for adults. I'm currently looking into venues and fee structures. I've also been emailing alternative medicine practitioners and other wellness facilities to gather any suggestions they may have. I'm hoping to have this figured out by the beginning of the year. I'm also hoping to be able to leave CrossPointe by then and be completely on my own.

5. We have decided to refinance our house. Because the rates have dropped so much, our loan will now be a 20 year loan, instead of a 30 year loan, for only $13 more a month. This will save us about $60,000 in the long-run.

In other news, Ani is now walking! She is still a little unsteady on her feet at times, but she likes to run through the house and get into things, so we've been pretty busy chasing after her!

So even though I no longer have homework, I'm still waiting for the extra time to show up...with everything else going on, it doesn't seem like there is that much extra time. I guess there is always something to fill it.