I'm back in Ohio after my vocal pedagogy certification course in Virginia!  It was exactly what I was hoping for, and so much more.  It's philosophy is the most straight-forward and comprehensive I've come across as a singer and singing teacher, and at the same time, so inspiring.  I'm ready to open my studio and start working with some students!!  Btw - I'll be announcing the launch of my website in a few days!  Yay!

In other news, today is an awesome day!!  What to know why?  It's because on this day, six years ago, Rob and I celebrated our marriage with friends and family in Las Cruces!  As they say, time flies.  Anniversaries are always a fun time because you get a chance to reflect back on all the incredible experiences you've had together.  I'm always left in awe, because I couldn't have asked for a better partner to share my life with!  Times have not always been sunny, we've been through challenges like everybody, but it's these challenges that really bring you together and make your relationship so much deeper and stronger than you could have imagined.  I'm so lucky and can't wait to see what happens for us in the next six years!  I'm no psychic, but I anticipate us being very busy and going through a little bit of Sweetums-Sweetpea withdrawal - since we've had so much time together the past year and we'll have to get used to having just a few hours a week together again!  At least we've been through this before, when Rob was in the Navy, so we have some idea of what to expect.

Thanks to everyone for your love and support of us over the years!  We are who we are today because of all the generous guidance and help we've received.  We hope we have been able to return some of that to you!  XOXOXO

Do any of you frequent the public library?  It’s one of my favorite things I do.  And let me let you something, our new Ohio town has the most awesomist public library I’ve seen yet.  They are up-to-date on their technology – touch screens for catalog searching!  There are rows and rows of DVDs and all the popular TV shows you could think of.  They have wireless internet and printing.  When I walk in, I hear angels sing.  It’s a dream come true!  I just got caught up on Dexter, Season 2 of Glee, started the first season of House, and have holds for True Blood and The West Wing... 

This is what life is about my friends, watching good shows – among other more “serious” things of course.  Should I be cleaning or organizing our house instead?  Nah, I’ll watch some show.  I like to consider myself an Investigator.  I’m just investigating TV shows and searching for the best ones.  Hm…maybe this is another e-book I should start writing!  “Amy’s Favorite TV Shows and Why.”  This would make the hours of TV watching much more legitimate.  Although, I’m not sure if anyone would read it considering I do love “Roswell.”  (Don’t judge until you’ve tried it!)

In other news, I am going on another road trip to Virginia.  Unfortunately, I won’t be anywhere near where family and friends are, so no visits this time.  I’m going to a vocal pedagogy certification course outside DC.  I’ve wanted to take this course for awhile and decided that now is my chance.  I’m doing a really crazy thing and taking all three levels back-to-back!  It’s going to be intense, but very rewarding. 

So, I’m heading out and will be gone for 10 days.  It’s a 6-hour roadtrip each way, which I have to do on my own this time.  I have lots of audiobooks to keep me company (thanks, library!).  Rob will be all alone, taking comfort in his anatomy coloring books.  Pobrecito!

So now you know to expect a little blog absence from me.  I’ll write as soon as I return!

Thanks to everyone who has followed our blog so far! We feel so loved that you take the time to stay connected with us.  In this day and age, it is hard to know what to spend our time doing; we have to sort through it all and decide what’s worth our effort.  We are humbled that reading our blog is on your list! :)

When I started this blog a year ago, it was to document our year of travel.   Now we are entering our “settled” time and I have spent much time considering what to do with our blog.  Should I stop here?  Should I keep writing about our new adventures?

I feel compelled to continue writing.  I’m discovering that I really like this blogging thing, and like that I can keep in touch and connect with people through this platform.  However, in order make the blog still relevant, I need to make it more expansive and encompassing of our life as it is now. 

It will now include normal day-to-day successes and failures, possibly some spiritual talk, a journey through medicine, and hopefully some more travel.  As I open up this blog to our lives, I want you to know where we are coming from. In the past, Rob and I weren’t sure what we believed or where we stood on important issues, but after this year of travel, we have figured it out.  We have found “what we are.”  We are Unitarian Universalists who follow a Buddhist path, so that is the perspective we see from.  Regardless, I say now that I respect your point of view, I respect what you believe, and will always keep that at the forefront of my mind when I make any post.

Our new move to Columbus is bringing with it much change.  Rob starts medical school in August and I will be starting my music teaching business in August as well.  These are huge leaps of faith for us, but we are ready and eager for this new path.

When we were in India, the word “faith” kept coming to me.  Have you ever experienced that?  An image, word, feeling, person, etc. just keeps appearing to you?  At this point, I guess I had opened enough spiritually to allow the word “faith” to re-enter my life.  I went back to its roots and really asked myself, “What is faith?”  I think there are many answers for this, and it depends on what angle you are coming from.  

Because “faith” is so often associated with religions, I had closed it off from myself for a long time.  But now, after an eye-opening year, discussions with people from all over the world, and seeing true humanity flourishing in the most difficult of situations, “faith” has definitely re-emerged in my life.

I am proud to say that for the first time, in a long time, I have faith.  And it feels amazing.  I have faith in others – with their ability to love and be loved.  I have faith in myself – that I can create beautiful and important things.   I have faith in the universe (my term for “God”) – that it is a complicated and mysterious thing that I am trying understand.

So here is my BIG leap of faith:  I am starting a teaching studio (voice and piano) out of our home and am currently writing several e-books (on various topics) and singing e-courses that will be available online.  It is scary to go out on your own and open yourself completely to everyone, but here I am.  I will post details for my music website very soon!!

So here’s to a new beginning and a new chapter in life!  We are thrilled you are on this journey with us. 

Much love,

Amy + rob.