Fall

One challenge of backtracking to catch up on the blog is that I have to remember things that happened 5 months ago. And if anyone is familiar with how my brain functions (or fails to function) during pregnancy, you're aware that this is a problem. I haven't been diligent with my journal writing, but fortunately, I kept my planner from last year, so that gives me lots of hints about what was happening.

Without further ado, the first installment of Fall 2010:

When September rolled around, I was feeling more energetic (I spent a lot of the summer sleeping on the couch, super exhausted from pregnancy), and I decided to involve Cassie in a co-op playgroup and a weekly music activity in our ward. It's funny to look back and remember how hesitant and shy she was at first. She definitely became more reserved and attached to Trevor and me when we moved, and even though she is much more comfortable now, she has retained a little bit of that clingy-ness and caution, which I don't remember ever noticing when we lived in Provo. Anyway, she loves playgroup and "music makers," and I immediately felt busier when we started those activities.

Deseret Chamber Singers also began in September (yup. I'm a choir nerd, through and through), and I was especially excited because we have a "guest" conductor (Tim Workman) this year who had taught a few of my undergrad music courses at BYU while he was a masters student. But I wasn't just excited because I know who he is. His sense of humor was a highlight of my music education experience. Let's just say that on more than one occasion, he had me laughing so hard that tears flowed. A few of my music ed friends and I kept a little notebook where we wrote funny quotes and experiences, and I think his quotes fill up at least 1/4th of that book. I should probably mention that he is also an excellent choir conductor.

I finally started teaching piano lessons again in October. I think I was a little afraid to get started again; I'm always worried that I won't know what I'm doing. I always love it and feel confident again once I get started, though. It incorporates a lot of the things I loved most about teaching choir, especially the challenge of finding creative ways to teach new concepts and keep the students motivated. I just took on 4 students, but with that and the new activities for Cassie, I was feeling like my schedule was full, especially because I was still feeling a little tired with my pregnancy.

So, starting to feel a little busier than I was comfortable with, I was pretty overwhelmed when I received a new calling that completely blindsided me: first counselor in the Relief Society Presidency in our ward. I felt completely inadequate and cried a little and took lots of deep breaths, and felt embarrassed when I stood to be sustained (her?!), but of course it has been a wonderful experience. I love the sisters in the presidency, I love the Relief Society teachers, and I love meeting and getting to know all the sisters. I still feel inadequate and wish I was better at my calling, but I feel like I'm in the right place doing the right things right now (isn't that a good feeling?).

Another exciting October event: we bought a second car! I bet you're impressed that we had been surviving on only one car. Well, Trevor has a co-worker that lives about a mile away, so they were carpooling, which meant that I got the car every other day. That worked out great when the weather was nice and Cassie and I could walk everywhere on our carless days. But with the weather getting colder, I knew I would have to mooch rides occasionally, and I felt uncomfortable with that, knowing that we really could afford to buy a car. We did lots of research and decided on a 2005 Nissan Altima, and found a great deal on KSL. Woot woot!