THEY are the why's

How often as adults are we pushed, stretched?  Maybe it's just me, but I haven't been pushed this way in a while. I mean running a half marathon pushed me this summer and I'm pushed daily as a mother trying to be patient, kind, loving to each and every child around here.  But today was my first day as 2nd grade Music Docent.  These kids are seven and eight years old, how hard can it be right?  I'm not someone who gets nervous very often, but boy did I get worked up as it got closer and closer.  Teach harmony, melody, beat, and rthym, composers vs. conductors, sing for them (I even attempted playing for them) Twinkle, Twinkle, different instrument groups and their timbre...yikes!  It's over, and it went great.  They didn't eat me up and spit me out, they were attentive and full of questions and comments.  "When do we get to learn to play the recorders?  My sister plays the piano.  I want to play the flat guitar like my uncle." 

Aubrey helped me last night pound out Twinkle on the keyboard and was so cute AND so patient.  What a sweet reminder to be on the other side.  I know I'm not that patient with her and her piano practicing.  She calmly told me about sharps and flats and then was jumping up and down with her hands clasped at her chest when I finally did it right.  It was slow, not perfectly timed, but right.  Then this morning after I was done curling my hair, she said, "Mom, you will do great today, and for sure you'll be the prettiest music docent ever".  Just what I needed, a little extra confidence going in.  Once I got into the classroom I remembered WHY I volunteered to do this twice a month.  There was my Andrew at his desk, beaming.  His big (seven year old, not so straight teeth) smile reminded me of the WHY's I do so much in my life right now. Even the slightly hard stuff.