2010--Mark applies to multiple music schools; decides on Michigan.
2011--Mark begins at Michigan. There are four performing ensembles. Mark beats the other freshmen and some sophomores and makes it into the #3 ensemble (of 4). Mark also attends a meet-and-greet for the Men's Rowing Team, and signs up.
2012--Mark's entire life is dedicated to rowing. And some music. In the Spring, Mark outdoes the other freshmen in his freshmen recital. Daddy and I are thrilled. He also receives his mission call to the Russia St. Petersburg mission.
2012-2014--Mark serves a life-changing mission in Russia.
2014--Mark receives notice that he will need to reaudition for his music scholarship despite being told before his mission that he wouldn't need to. We all panic. Mark pulls through and gets his scholarship reinstated. Mark is also given an ultimatum by his horn professor--rowing, or music. He can't do both. He gives up rowing.
2014-2016--Mark works hard to complete two different degrees--French horn performance, and Russian--thinking that he will go on to complete a Master's in French horn. But an underlying pain in his mouth when he plays is getting worse. He tries to hold off on surgery at the advice of his horn professor, but it takes him struggling to get through his junior recital that cements the decision.
He also holds down a job, coaching a high school rowing team.
And he gets engaged. And it gets called off.
Summer, 2016--Mark has surgery on his mouth to remove a permanent tooth that is growing sideways, in the gum, above his top teeth. We hope for the best.
Fall, 2016--While the surgery seems to have helped, it's almost too late to catch up. Mark starts thinking about doing other things with his life.
Spring, 2017--Mark gets engaged.
Summer, 2017--Mark takes Chemistry and Physics in hopes of getting into medical school. Try as he might, his brain just isn't made for science.
He quits his job at UPS, and begins working at a research firm, translating Russian articles into English and then qualifying them for research purposes.
Fall, 2017--I suggest to Mark that he look at business school (and more specifically at marketing). Being an artist, Mark has always appreciated how things look and appeal to other people.
Winter, 2017--Mark gets married.
Business schools are interested in Mark despite the fact that he doesn't have the requisite 3-5 years of work experience, and has not taken one single business class in college. As it turns out, his research job is very interesting to business schools.
Spring, 2017--He is accepted into three Russian programs and two business schools.
He graduates!
Today, 2017--I am insanely proud of this boy. I know that if I had been presented with the same sort of challenges, I would not have remained so optimistic and flexible. Although it was sad when he realized that music wouldn't be in his future, he kept looking forward, figuring that God had another plan for him. He has truly amazed me.
2011--Mark begins at Michigan. There are four performing ensembles. Mark beats the other freshmen and some sophomores and makes it into the #3 ensemble (of 4). Mark also attends a meet-and-greet for the Men's Rowing Team, and signs up.
2012--Mark's entire life is dedicated to rowing. And some music. In the Spring, Mark outdoes the other freshmen in his freshmen recital. Daddy and I are thrilled. He also receives his mission call to the Russia St. Petersburg mission.
2012-2014--Mark serves a life-changing mission in Russia.
2014--Mark receives notice that he will need to reaudition for his music scholarship despite being told before his mission that he wouldn't need to. We all panic. Mark pulls through and gets his scholarship reinstated. Mark is also given an ultimatum by his horn professor--rowing, or music. He can't do both. He gives up rowing.
2014-2016--Mark works hard to complete two different degrees--French horn performance, and Russian--thinking that he will go on to complete a Master's in French horn. But an underlying pain in his mouth when he plays is getting worse. He tries to hold off on surgery at the advice of his horn professor, but it takes him struggling to get through his junior recital that cements the decision.
He also holds down a job, coaching a high school rowing team.
And he gets engaged. And it gets called off.
Summer, 2016--Mark has surgery on his mouth to remove a permanent tooth that is growing sideways, in the gum, above his top teeth. We hope for the best.
Fall, 2016--While the surgery seems to have helped, it's almost too late to catch up. Mark starts thinking about doing other things with his life.
Spring, 2017--Mark gets engaged.
Summer, 2017--Mark takes Chemistry and Physics in hopes of getting into medical school. Try as he might, his brain just isn't made for science.
He quits his job at UPS, and begins working at a research firm, translating Russian articles into English and then qualifying them for research purposes.
Fall, 2017--I suggest to Mark that he look at business school (and more specifically at marketing). Being an artist, Mark has always appreciated how things look and appeal to other people.
Winter, 2017--Mark gets married.
Business schools are interested in Mark despite the fact that he doesn't have the requisite 3-5 years of work experience, and has not taken one single business class in college. As it turns out, his research job is very interesting to business schools.
Spring, 2017--He is accepted into three Russian programs and two business schools.
He graduates!
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| His graduating Russian class. |
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| In true Mark form, he was doing something at the very last minute--taping his artwork onto his hat board just minutes before he walked into the ceremony--and in a flashback to a million other times in his life, one of his sisters was helping him ;-) |
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| AWESOME! |
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| Professor Kennedy (not Mark in a strange turn of events), and Professor Unsworth |
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| His horn graduating class. |
Thanks Mama for documenting this, and for always being there for me(: Graduations are definitely more of a team effort than a single person(:
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