| Thirty years in a nutshell? This may need
to a pretty big shell, but here goes...
In 1979, I graduated from Cincinnati Bible Seminary (Ohio)
with a bachelors degree in music. During the summers of
1976 and 1977, I toured with the Come Alive Singers, a group
that represented the school with nightly programs in different
churches across the country. The first year, we traveled
all the way home to California; the second year, we stayed
mainly in the midwestern states.
On the 1976 trip, I got a little better (okay, a lot better)
acquainted with a fellow Come Aliver named Bob whom I married
in 1979. After a year in Ohio, we moved to California in
1980, to begin ministering with a church in Rialto. In 1984,
we expanded our family with a beautiful daughter, Jennifer.
December 1986, after 6 1/2 years in Rialto, we moved to
Bakersfield to begin a new ministry there. I filled the
role of music director and children's minister at both churches.
Our son Jeffrey arrived on the scene in 1989.
In January 1995, I was offered a position at Stockdale
Christian School as part-time music teacher for grades 4-6,
a turn of events that proved to be quite providential when,
in August, without warning, my husband's career came to
a halt. He spent some time searching for what to do next.
It was a very hard time for us. In 1997, he started working
for Greenlawn Mortuary as a pre-need counselor, helping
the pre-dead, as he refers to it. When he is not selling
funeral plans or cemetery property, he's into music, as
well. He plays trombone, guitar, and piano, and he enjoys
arranging music for the men's ensemble that he's a member
of at the large Baptist church we attend. We both sing in
the adult Praise Choir which just finished recording a CD.
As I've continued to work at the school, the job has expanded
into full-time (Grades K-6 -- three class each -- most meet
twice a week). In January 2002, I accepted the position
of Children's Choir coordinator at our church. Bob and I
are now the co-coordinators. We staff, organize, train,
and oversee a choir for each elementary grade level.
Teaching music is very fun and rewarding, but also challenging
and demanding. The most stressful time at school happens
at Christmas and spring as I prepare two concerts/musicals
for each season. At church, we also have a big Children's
Choir program at Christmas and I direct the upper-grade
musical in the spring.
Bob and I celebrated our 25th anniversary this year with
a fun trip revisiting our honeymoon locations. After 17
years in Bakersfiled, we've grown to like it despite the
fog in winter and the 100 degrees plus temperatures in the
summer. Bakersfield is a big city with a small town feel.
Kern County is probably the most conservative area of the
state and the most affordable to live in. Our kids have
attended great Christian schools and have had wonderful
musical opportunities and mission-minded activities to be
involved in.
Jenny graduated valedictorian of her high school class
in 2002. This fall, she will be a junior at UC Santa Barbara.
She is a regent scholar with a full four-year academic scholarship.
She's majoring in history of public policy with a minor
in physical fitness. She continues to get excellent grades.
She's played the flute since third grade and, in more recent
years, has been teaching herself to play the guitar. During
her band years, she participated in Kern County Honor Band
several times.
Cindy- Fall, 2003
Jeffrey just graduated from jr. high in June and is headed
to high school in the fall. My part-time job at the school
allowed me to home-school him for three years, but by being
enrolled in the school's ISP program, he was also able to
participate in some classes and activites with his friends
on the days I was at school--the best of both worlds. He
returned to school full-time for jr. high. Jeffrey has played
brass instruments since first grade-- trumpet, baritone,
and finally, (his heart's desire since first grade) tuba.
He's been in Kern County Honor Band (1st chair, 2003) and
this last year, also participated in All-State Honor Band.
He also plays piano. Like all 14 year-old boys, Jeffrey
enjoys bike riding (but can't wait for that driver's license)
and messing around with his computer. He often has to come
to the aid of his technologically-challenged parents.
Jeffrey- 2004
8th grade graduation
SCS has a wonderful band program starting the kids in their
lesson-based program even in the young elementary grades.
As a result, last year, the Advanced Band was invited to
play at Carnegie Hall. Mom and Dad made the trip to NYC
with Jeffrey over Memorial Day weekend 2003. What a thrill
to see your son on the stage Carnegie Hall! And of course,
the typical sight-seeing was great fun, too.
This web site info is great! It's been fun hearing what
all of you have been up to. Let's keep in touch!
Cindy- Fall, 2003
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