a timeline of sorts

Okay. Let's recap the past week:

Friday evening, my friend Jacquie takes me to dinner and offers her home piano studio to me every Wednesday with the promise that she will send every new referral my way. I can charge $8 more an hour for lessons in her area of town because it's very wealthy.

Saturday and Sunday, I ask God to show me where I should go next. All my mind keeps going to is that I am to teach piano more. A peace descends. Joy follows. I love teaching!

Sunday evening, I talk to one of the cantors from St. Columba about something unrelated to teaching and she tells me she's been looking for a piano teacher for her daughter. She lives about a mile from my house. When I tell her I could come to her home on Saturday morning at 10:30, she says that is perfect because she has adoration from 10 to 11 and this way her daughter would get up and get ready for the day instead of sleeping in until she got home after 11. Quick and solid affirmation from God that I'm on the right path! I sign up to be a member of the MN Music Teachers Association and Music Teachers National Association. Make a note to call them in the morning to be put on the online list of piano teachers in the area. (Did this on Monday; I will be on the list as soon as it's verified that I paid my dues.) God is so good to me!

Monday evening, my friend calls to tell me she happened to be talking to an elementary music specialist in the school district near her home. He told her he'd referred a family to her. She told him she's going to start referring all new students to me. She tells him about me and asks that he spread the word. He says he will. An elementary music specialist! If I were a parent looking for a piano teacher, he'd be the first one I'd ask!

Tuesday, play with my grandchildren at the Children's Museum. It gives their mother and me an opportunity to talk about Liam being diagnosed with a mild form of autism (Asperger's) and how we are feeling about it. I take a half hour nap afterward. Begin working on updating my resume. Peruse jobs online, just in case!

Wednesday, continue back and forth emails with a friend who knows about resumes and is generously giving me her expert advice on it. She calls herself my nit-picking friend. I tell her nit-picking is exactly what is needed and ask where she was when two of my kids had head lice when they were preschoolers. I certainly could have used a nit-picker then!

Thursday, get an email from someone, giving me info on potential students near where my grandchildren live. Their grandmother had been teaching them but now she has Alzheimer's. She tells me that other of the grandmother's students may be interested in me. I work on my policy brochure and a funny flier to advertise my little "cottage industry" all over town. I send the flier to many people I know. Get one call so far!

Friday, more networking through calls and email to some home school associations. Attend musical "Into the Woods" with Meg, Wendy and Trista--"my girls"--a belated Christmas present from me to them. Awesome fun! Cantor Amanda is, as per usual, stellar as Cinderella's mother, Snow White and Granny. Reminded me of my "Into the Woods" experience in the orchestra pit and as rehearsal pianist of long ago.

Saturday evening after Mass, I see a man with whom apparently the Holy Spirit is nudging me to talk. I race down (well, not really...I saunter down, very lady-like!) the aisle before he can leave. I tell him a little of what happened and ask that he pray specifically that I stop being prideful. He assures me that he will and then we talk about what I'm trying to do with the piano studio. He tells me he has a friend who teaches piano in North Oaks, which isn't far from my house and where I teach 6 students already. He said the last time he talked with him, he told him that he was getting full to capacity with students. He promised he'd call and ask him to refer anyone he isn't able to fit into his schedule to me. Spend the rest of the evening at daughter's future in-laws' home, getting to know them and they getting to know us. It was fun!

Today, choir sings Blest are They so beautifully. I see this as a sign that the saints and angels are here praying, too. All is well with the world!