Not as planned

The first thing I was going to write about didn’t happen. The second thing I was going to write about happened but there were no pictures taken. So this post is definitely not going according to plan. It will be all words and no pictures…except Sequoia being super cute driving with me in the car. Because naturally.
First event was a Women’s Service conference that our church put on today that I was excited for because all my girls could go with me. Then Neil had a trip to Berlin scheduled to fly out this afternoon…so we’d have to leave the conference early. Then Corra told me about an all day event for her Lego League…so I had to drop her off to her school by 6:45 am. As we got closer to today I realized that I just wanted to hang out with my husband before he left not be scrambling to make it to all of these different functions. It was the right call. Naomi hosted her Dungeons and Dragons group and all the kids were here at my house when I got back from dropping off Neil. So, you know, the usual crazy.
Speaking of Naomi, after our driveway cleared out I sent her to go pick up Corra from the school. By herself. Because yesterday (after a 6 hour wait) she passed her drivers test and the timing couldn’t be more perfect. Usually when Neil is gone, seminary driving in the wee hours of the morning is complicated. Made extra so with our puppies. Not anymore. Naomi will now be able to drive herself and Layna on the mornings that Layna goes to seminary AND this week I start to reclaim my time and my sanity. Two days a week I no longer have 3 different pick up times. Naomi can always drive herself home from rehearsal and on Corra’s late days they can drive together. I haven’t actually experienced this yet, but I’ll let you know if it lives up to the hype. I think it will.
The second thing I wanted to write about was my piano recital that happened last night. Back in June I had a brief moment of bravery and talked to a friend in my ward about giving me piano lessons. She has enough other students that she thought it would be good to hold a recital to show off everyone’s progress. A recital experience is exactly why I need to be taking lessons with someone else. I can learn new songs at home, but I lack the discipline and motivation to really dig in and make progress. Knowing I had a performance coming helped me be diligent and consistent. Plus I really want to work on my ability to accompany people singing…hard to make happen at home where my available singers don’t make me so nervous my hands shake. About that…One of my songs I played was the opening song that everyone sang. It was rough. I made it through and even when I messed up I was able to keep going. Because I’ve been playing the longest of all her students my actual piece was the most difficult. As such I assumed I’d be last because that’s how it went in every other recital I’ve ever been to ever. Going first probably didn’t make things better or worse. Sigh. I wish there wasn’t such a huge decrease in performance quality when you are nervous. We did the math and it’s been around 23 years since I played in a recital. “Out of practice” absolutely applies. I can play this song 95% perfect. The recital performance was no where near that. Again I say, Sigh. I’m told it gets better. My hands might shake less the more I do it. Recital aside, I’ve loved taking lessons again, mostly because they are holding me accountable for daily practice and I’m loving playing everyday.
Like I said earlier, Neil is on a plane to Berlin until this time next Saturday. He went with a list of souvenir ideas (platform tennis shoe heels for Naomi, Ample Man socks for Corra, and maybe a puzzle for Layna) and should have a great time. I wish I was sitting next to him, but there is plenty of life to be lived here. Especially with all this new found time I’m recovering as I pawn off driving duties onto my daughter (who is only too happy to oblige).