Remaining Faithful...

Well... I'm back in Princeton!!! Surprise, surprise! lol. Though to be honest, when I left here in December to come home for break, I was absolutely unsure of whether I was going to return or not. My first semester here was just an absolute nightmare in so many ways, and I wasn't really sure if this was where I wanted to be. So many things were left up in the air academically, because I was forced to take an "Incomplete" for my voice lessons since the entire month of December I was sicker than a dog. (Which by the way, I have finally for the most part been able to get over! After 4 rounds of antibiotics, a steroid, a chest x-ray, and a heroic combination of Mucinex Extra Strength, Robitussin, Delsym, Nyquil, and Mucinex DM... whew!) And at Rider, the "I" turns into an "F" after 4 weeks, which gets factored into my GPA. And for my academic scholarship, I have to maintain a 3.0 GPA every semester, which I thought was not going to be an issue! Well, thank the LORD that I was able to work my tail off and get all A's and an A- for the rest of my final semester grades, because with the F factored in there now for my voice lessons, my GPA is... *drum roll please* ...3.01! Wow! That still absolutely blows my mind. So what it came down to, was when I learned about this whole GPA debacle, I asked the Lord, I said "Father, please show me whether or not You want me to return to Princeton. I know I don't want to, but if it's where You want me, Father, I'll go. I trust You, and I know that the plans You have for me are good, as Your Word says, Lord. Show me, Lord, and let me know that it's from You." ... Talk about the Lord showing me that this is what He has for me! My GPA now will not affect my scholarship, and I took that as the Lord telling me to get my butt back here, right where He put me! Now, before you wonder how me - Jessica Hann, perfectionist and obsessor over grades - is dealing with an F, let me tell you! All I have to do is give 2 studio performances for my voice teacher and she will change my grade! That is how I am dealing with such a ridiculous letter on my transcript... :)

My break was absolutely stupendous! I spent so much time with my family, both at home and in Indiana, and I even got to surprise my kids at their HS Choral concert! It was so amazing! I miss those silly IHS kiddos every single day! And mainly, I slept...  A LOT! I've never been so sick in my life as I was for the past month and a half. But it was amazing to be able to rely on the Lord for healing, and to see Him work faithfully in my life through it. Christmas was beautiful!!!!!! I've seriously got the best Momma in the world, the most beautiful sister in the universe, and the most phenomenal family and friends ever known. Goodness me! What a blessing!

And now I am back... in the midst of the chaotic academic life of a first-year graduate student at Westminster Choir College. The first week has really been great. My classes are ridiculous - super hard, but at the same time I'm super excited about them! Especially Ped 2, which is all about the methodology of teaching voice! Whooohoooo!!! What I came here for in the first place! :) I'm also taking a Music History Special Topics called "Russian Dreams" just on Rachmaninoff and Tchaikovsky, which contrasts well with my Performance Elective - "Singing in Russian" ... whew! So much Russian!

I'm also doing Symphonic Choir again! I have never loved choir so much in my entire life! Let me rephrase that - I've never loved singing in choir so much in my life! Because I have loved choir this much, when I was student teaching! This semester, Symphonic Choir has the opportunity to sing at Carnegie Hall with the Berlin Philharmonic doing 2 huge Wolf works and Mahler's 2nd! And what's even more awesome, is that I was chosen to sing in the choir for it!!!! I'm so excited!!!!! :) First Bocelli Choir with the NY Philharmonic, then the Brahms Requiem with the Philadelphia Orchestra, and now Mahler and Wolf with the BERLIN Phil?????? DUDE.

Other than that, not much has been going on! I've been working in the music library again in my grad assistantship and spending time with my church family here! I am so blessed to have such an amazing family here. Last night a group of us from Bible Study got together and had pizza and watched the movie "Courageous" ... WHAT AN AMAZING MOVIE! Of course, I cried the whole time, but it was so wonderful!!! :)

But alas, it is time for me to get back to my gazillion amounts of homework! It's Sunday, so I'm lounging around working on my homework after having slept it, perfected my omelette making skills, and doing my laundry! I have church this evening, which I'm always excited about, and then tomorrow starts the hectic crazy busy week again!

I miss home terribly, but I'm feeling ever more content being here. Last week at church, Pastor Nate talked about remaining faithful, and being faithful right where you are - exactly where God wants you. And that really had to have been divine intervention, literally I can just see the Lord pointing His finger at me and saying "Jessica! Listen up! Listen, listen, listen and stop thinking you know better than me, missy! I have a plan for you!" It was an amazing message, and it made me even more thankful for such a loving Father, who wants nothing more for me than to confide in Him and trust Him with the plans He has laid out for me even before I was me! So I am going to take that and run with it this week - I am going to work on remaining faithful, resting in the truth that the Lord has placed me exactly where He wants me, and His amazing provision is all I need because He will provide for my every need!

Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

~ 1 Thess. 5:17-18

I don't have many new pictures, just 2! ... that are coincidentally food related. LOL!

Friday night I went over to my friend Carola's place and we had dinner and then went out for dessert! Which of course = ice cream!!!!! :) So I got Nutella ice cream... Yes, NUTELLA ice cream! It was amazing! And I had Reese's peanut butter cups blended in!

I have finally perfected my omelette making skills! THANKS MOM!!!! :D