piano

FULL.

You have no idea how much of a blessing that word is to me today.  If you would have told me a year ago that I would lose 11 piano students within the next year, I would have laughed at you. 

really. I would have. I couldn't have even imagined what that would look like.

11. Just to give you some stats on that number. 11 students a week brings into our family income $198\week, $792\month.  I'll let you do the math from there, and really, I never imagined that it would happen. Piano teaching is often cyclical, and it just so happened that the cycle happened at all once. It was hard to lose that many students and really wonder where on earth I was going to get more, especially in this economy. 

then....
one of my dearest and best friends husband got a new job and she told me they were moving. 

MOVING. 

I'm not really ready to even talk about her leaving yet, because I get teary just typing those words, and well... I'm just not ready to say goodbye to her yet, but in, (literally) a miraculous turn of events, she basically handed me her entire piano studio because of the move. 

I got several calls in the spring from her students asking if I would have availability. Truth be told, I had no idea that I would, but I told them all I would contact them in the fall, and figured I could always work more and we'd figure it out. But then.. one by one, my students quit for various reasons, and one by one, I filled up my studio with new (to me!) piano students. 

Seriously, the Lord works in mysterious ways. I'm so very thankful today, for the Lord providing for our needs, even when it means I have to say goodbye to a dear friend. 

I am beyond thankful today for both an amazing friend, whom I will miss dearly, and a full piano studio. 

All GLORY to God.

high praise

This past Friday was my kiddos piano recital. They all worked so incredibly hard for the past few weeks, working on their songs, learning new things, and allowing me to push them a little farther than I normally would on a piece.

I love teaching.
I love my kids.
I love sharing music with them.

A grandparent said to me at the recital on Friday...
"You should be proud. You have a natural ability to work with these kids, and you make it fun."

That's probably the highest compliment I could ever receive.

I certainly believe that what I do is important, but I find that most times, private music instructors push kids too far, trying to turn them into professional musicians, which, in my opinion, is ridiculous. 98% of these kids will never do anything beyond basic lessons, and I don't feel it's valuable to push them towards performing. I want to instill in them a love of music, a way to share it with other people, and be proud of their accomplishments, whatever they may be.

I am honored to teach these kiddos, and I'm so thankful for them and their families. They bless my soul immensely, and I can only pray I do the same for them.

recitals and sickness

Friday night was my kids recital. They did an AMAZING JOB! I am so incredibly proud of all of them. We counted during the recital and had 145 people in attendance! Not too shabby! :) Only 1 MAJOR flub-up, but life goes on, and hopefully a life lesson was learned! :)

Have I mentioned I love my job? I love watching kids learn something they'e never learned, and feel confident enough to play in front of a crowd of people. Sometimes during the recital, I sit there and think.. wow.... I can't believe they are playing that piece! For all the weeping and gnashing of teeth over practicing, it is worth those moments, when I see the smiles on their faces, and the pride in their eyes, that they accomplished something SO big for them.

It is an INCREDIBLE pleasure to teach my kids, and I'm so thankful for each of them. They all teach me something every day, whether it's a little more patience, how to love a little more, or how to forget the "plans" and just let them talk if that's what they need... It is a rewarding job, and I am incredibly blessed to have it.



So after the recital, Mike and I went home. We crashed, ordered a pizza, and enjoyed our evening.. then....
I woke up in the night not feeling well. Yucky, crampy, stomach hurt really bad. I hardly slept at all.

Saturday morning I woke up and immediately threw up. Then, I felt better. April and I were planning on going shopping, but she was getting her haircut first. So the plan was to leave our house at 7:30, get her haircut in Mason at 8, breakfast, then the Okemos Mall. Well, I felt better, so off we went. However, on the way, I started feeling not so hot again. Just before we got to Mason I told April, I can't do this. So, I called Mike, and he was going to come get me, while April got her haircut. I was sitting in the car in the parking lot, trying to maintain some composure. I again threw up, this time in the bushes. Mike got there, and he drove me home, where I promptly put my PJ's back on and climbed in bed. I slept most of the day yesterday. Basically getting up to use the bathroom. I drank Pedialyte and had 1 piece of dry toast and 2 small bowls of chicken broth... Mike and I were supposed to have a "date night" Complete with Red Lobster and a movie.. Instead Mike went and rented a movie, and we sat in bed, watching a movie and eating Chicken Broth.. not quite the "Date" we'd imagined! :)

Thankfully I slept through the night, and this morning, although not 100%, I'm definitely feeling better. No more "yuckies" at least.

I decided to stay home from church just to relax and hopefully kick whatever this is. I do think that maybe it was food poisoning, because Mike wasn't feeling great either.

Such is being sick I suppose... hopefully I'm now on the up and up...