It was a dark and stormy night for a piano recital.

A year ago I decided I wanted to start teaching piano.  I had been teaching my own children and a few friends and neighbors asked if I would teach their kids.  I'm lucky enough to have my mom, mother-in-law, and sisters as a resource on the subject ("Don't do it!  It's a bad idea!") and they were extremely helpful in getting me started.   I've learned a lot and and it's become a great source of joy in my life.  I love having music in my home and seeing kids develop a love for music themselves.  Last night I held my first student recital at the Steinway Piano Gallery in St. Louis.  There was a tornado warning and a hailstorm and a huge ward party (that I was partly in charge of) and many other events that day, but everyone made it there safely. 

I learned last night that no matter how many weeks I spend teaching a student a song, or how many times I let them hear how it is supposed to sound, or how many times they have played it perfectly, once they get up on that stage it's up to them.  So if they decide that New World Symphony Theme is supposed to sound like a thunderstorm, that's their choice.  As a teacher and a parent, this is something I struggle with every day.  Stupid free agency!

I had a few Olympic cry moments during the recital.  It was great to see kids who had struggled with their songs get up and play them beautifully.  There were kids who had to work extra hard in recent weeks to complete their level and earn their trophies.  I could see how much it meant to them and it gave me a warm fuzzy feeling.  This was my favorite moment, though:

I look forward to more years of learning.  I know Miles is looking forward to being able to reach the piano someday.