I Love the Number 12: September

I can't believe I have failed to mention one of my favorite things that comes in a set of twelve!!

{Source}

{If you don't know what that is, then you really need to visit MS Music Studio.}

But really, I do find it special that the piano, well, western music in general, has 12 unique tones, further justifying my case that 12 is a totally awesome number.  

And in a full circle fashion, I'm going to tell you another hope fulfilled.  This one came long before a baby or a husband - my career as a music teacher.  This is going to be a two parter, but don't worry, I already wrote part two and it's scheduled to post tomorrow, so I promise I won't leave you hanging. 

The Story of How I Became A Music Teacher: Part 1

The year was 2000, I was a junior in high school.  It was early September, and I didn't realize everyone was already thinking about college until school started and my classmates were discussing college visits and majors.  And I had NO CLUE what I wanted to do with the rest of my life.

The band director pulled me aside one day and asked me the big question - to which I had no answer - and then suggested I might want to think about music education.

HA!  I thought.  I never practice, I am barely holding on to first chair bass clarinet, and I play piano like a 7th grader.  Only in my wildest dreams did I entertain the idea that I might be capable of exploring music beyond high school.

Not more than 24 hours later I was sitting in a clarinet lesson (which I was probably unprepared for), and my clarinet teacher/ life mentor opened the same can of worms.  I shared my insecurities with her, and she laughed at me.  In a good way.  "Of course you can do it," said Janine.  Looking back, she had every reason to think poorly of me and my musicianship, but over the years, I think she was my biggest fan.

I'll pray about it, I said.  Talk to my mom and dad.  This is all surreal, I am not talented enough for this.

And then I found myself at a Bible Study, on my knees in prayer, asking God (privately) what I should do with the rest of my life.  An older lady came up to me (who didn't know what I was praying about), and asked if she could pray for me.  She prayed for clarity for "whatever I was dealing with,"  and then when she was finished praying, she said, "I don't know what your future plans are, but I feel like God is telling me you are going to be working with kids."

That was totally sweet and the time that God used three completely different people in a very short amount of time to help me with my decision about college.  

Check back tomorrow to hear about the time I almost changed my major.