Happiness is....

Well, actually, happiness is lots of things. I just wanted to blog about a few recent happy events :) As I was so sweetly reminded today(thank you, Deb,) I haven't blogged in a while. This is turning into a once a month event for me. I hate to say that I'm really busy, but it's true. I'm really busy. So there. Now I've said it, and I'm not taking it back!

One very happy October thing was that I started teaching music at our local Christian school. And despite my bundle of nerves, I love it! Currently, I have an intermediate band(which is somewhere between beginning and intermediate,)Jr. High Chimes, Sr. High Chimes, and general music grades 1-6. I am staying very busy between all of that, plus continue to teach private piano lessons to my 11 students. The most challenging thing I have right now is band. I played in the GBS band for 3 years as a percussionist. But I have very little experience with wind instruments. To complicate matters, 95% of my students are in high school. Now, they're not bad kids, but they very seldom shut their mouths. They tend to try to run over me a little, so we had a little chat on Wednesday. After speaking with a couple of teachers and our principle, I told them that I would be sending them back to class if they felt like what they had to say was more important than what I had to say. Also, I informed them that I would be submitting their names to the principle, and that I had decided that I was not going to yell at them all year. Now may the Lord help me to walk the talk. I've got to learn to get tough with them while still loving them.
To help with the band thing, I am currently teaching myself to play the flute. And I'm really enjoying it, and am surprisingly fairly adept at it. When I took the instrumental methods survey courses at GBS, I did better at flute than any other instrument, so that's why I picked it. I had absolutely NO success with trombone, tuba, baritone, or even saxaphone. I was decent at clarinet and trumpet. I tried on those other instruments, but my lips are small, so I had great difficulty filling the mouthpiece to create good sounds. Believe me, if you were to hear me play the trombone, you would think it was a cow dying in the pasture! It's bad, people. Just take my word on it. For those of you who found it amusing that I was teaching myself flute(you know who you are,) I am posting a picture....



I have found that I love teaching smaller children to sing. We are currently working on our Christmas program for school, and it is so much fun! They are so ready to sing, and they have been very attentive, thanks to the tips from my friend, Dixie! Dixie allowed me to come to GBS and shadow her for a day to watch her teaching methods. I have adopted her points system, and it is VERY effective! They are angels for me most of the time. And if they start getting out of hand, a red minus on the board quickly puts things to rights. Dixie, you're a genius. One extremely funny thing that happened this week happened during auditions for parts on Monday. One little boy was reading for a part. The line went something like "What about all the B's?" But he had a little different take on it, being the very literal child that he is. He read "What about all the BS?" It went completely over the heads of the kids, but we teachers nearly died from having to stifle the laughter. We were all shaking, but didn't dare laugh out loud at him! Ahh....teaching is fun! It was the highlight of my week so far :)

Another fun thing in October was my birthday. Yes, I'm still a kid at heart, so I enjoy my birthday. I was teaching that day, so the entire student body filed in during the end of 5th-6th grade music, and sang to me, presented me with a card and a cake. It was very touching. I also got many lovely cards from friends and family, as well as some nice gifts. To top off the evening, we went to Pinto's for a great meal, then followed up at our house with more cake. It was a happy day, and I'll post a couple pics for you. One of me and my mom at Pinto's, my kiddos at our house.





Another happy thing in October is the Booth Brothers. I could say "Happiness is the Booth Brothers :)" I went to the covered bridge festival in early October, and my friend Mark B. rode with me and my cousin Steve. All the way there and back, we listened to his new Booth Brothers CD's. I already owned 2 by them, but now I own most of their CD's! I am completely, hopelessly smitten. They have such beautiful voices, and sing such a nice mix of old and new. If you haven't heard them, I highly recommend them!

I am still working part-time in nursing, enough to keep my insurance. Whatever days I don't work in nursing, I am teaching. So I'm even busier than I was when I was working full-time. But I'm lovin' life. Coming up in my near future is Homecoming at our church this sunday. I am playing/singing with Hope. Sonja has a prior engagement, so I am going to try to fill in for her. PRAY!!!! I am looking forward to seeing Dixie and Heidi for a little while, but we will really miss Sonja. Also, church choir practice continues, and is going very well! Very enjoyable. Then there are other events associated with holidays that will keep me hopping for awhile yet. I probably won't slow down until Christmas now. I'm also going to Pennsylvania in early December, after our school Christmas program. Very much looking forward to that! That should provide some R&R just prior to Christmas. Also helping out with the Youth group at church, and enjoying that as well. There's always something to do, someone to practice with, something...

I'm just really thankful to God for helping me through these transitions in my life, for taking the fear/dread out of it for me, and helping me to really enjoy life. He is good, and He knows just what we can handle. I'm also thankful to family and friends who have been very supportive: Sonja, for prayers and advice: Dixie, for endless patience with my thousands of questions, spur of the moment phone calls for advice, etc. And then there are my fellow co-workers, my principle, etc. Everyone has been wonderful! My family has put up with my crazy schedules, and even tolerated my flute playing :) So yes...I'm happy. I know that there will be low points again, and I know happiness is not dependent on people or circumstances. What it really is is being in the center of God's will for me right now. The deep peace that comes from simply resting.

Well, this is long, as usual. And I really need to work on some housecleaning before Dixie and family get here! So, thanks for reading, thanks for being patient for this post to arrive. Ya'll are the greatest!