Well, hi:-)

OK, so since my last post, I officially became a music therapist, went to Black Butte with the fam, was the operations director for the Creative Arts Day Camp (see May 10th post), and suddenly began gaining a lot more music therapy clients than I ever excepted this soon, but couldn't be more thrilled about! Oh, and Josh and I just got back from our end-of-summer vacation to Yellowstone National Park. See, who needs weekly blogs anyway>;-) Just kidding....sorry for the lapse.


Can I just say that I LOVE being a music therapist??? This feels especially good to say because after all the classes, practicums, and a beast of an internship, it would not be ideal to hate my job:-) Seriously though...it's a blessing. I'm working with two memory care groups in assisted living facilites, a little boy with autism, a preschool group, a daycare group, and in another month, 5 adults with developmental disabilites that I'll be inheriting from a colleague of mine who is expecting a baby. Such a variety, which was really nerve-wracking at first, but they are all amazing and I am loving all of my new adventures:-) I am also working part time for an organization called PHAME, which is a fine arts academy for adults with special needs...but that needs to be a whole other post, because the whole PHAME organization holds a really special place in my heart (I originally worked there as an intern last year) and I still can't believe I get to be back with them.


One thing that's still looming over my head is the music therapy boards...I still have to take them. You can obviously practice music therapy without them (or I'd be in HUGE trouble:-)), but it's still better to be board certified, and I want to get it done as soon as possible. My goal is mid-October. I didn't expect the work pace to pick up quite as rapidly when I finished my internship...whew:-)


To end this post, here are some pictures of our trip to Yellowstone National Park, which, by the way, was the United States' first national park...one of many things I learned while there:-) It's a pretty huge and amazing place. I would highly recommend paying it a visit if you haven't.



Oh, also...I am deliciously excited that fall is coming. It is absolutely my FAVORITE season, and as you know, we get some pretty beautiful Falls here in Oregon. Start savoring it!


Old Faithful, faithfully erupting



Morning Glory Pool...isn't God creative???


Beautiful mule deer

Elk chillin' on a lawn in Mammoth...quite common

Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone

Buffalo in the road...another common occurance:-)

And finally...an amazing bull elk!