And so the cycle goes

As I sit down to practice piano with Carter feelings start to flood back to when I took piano lessons myself. Quite honestly, it sends shivers up my back.

My older sister and I took lessons from a mother/daughter team. They were like the nice witch and the mean witch. The mean witch happened to be Mrs. Gibson, the mother. Her daughter Mrs. Brown was so sweet.

Our lessons were always at the same time. The mean witch had lessons in her very elegant velour filled room with her beautiful grand piano. While the nice witch taught in the piano room that was full of light and piano books. Also in that room happened to be a painted picture of Mrs. Gibson's dog. It was the strangest, oldest, Pomeranian dog. It had seizures when it sneezed.

While we were supposed to take turns switching teachers, it rarely happened. Somehow in the short 3 minute drive to lessons, Brenda convinced me to be stuck with the Mean witch! To this day I wish I could remember the conversations driving there. I wish I knew what she promised me? Because if I did I am pretty sure she still owes me!

Mrs. Gibson would always wander from her very elegant room in to the kitchen to get herself some coffee. While she was in there she would holler, "Wrong note!" "Did you practice?"

I always wondered how she knew if it was the wrong note if she spent most of her time in the kitchen drinking her coffee?

She'd always return long enough to show total frustration with me while slapping my hands down to the keys. Ugh! She was scary.

As I would sit down to practice (at least 2 times a week, after much riding by my mom) my mom would often come in the room and sit with me to help (here's where the feelings start to flood back). I remember as we sat there I felt like I would rather be listening to someone run their fingernails down a chalkboard than listen to my mom count with me or help me figure out a note.

Mom and I would argue whether or not I was going to take lessons anymore and about how if I would practice, I would be better.

Now as I sit down with Carter not only do these memories come flooding back but I can totally hear him saying the same things I said to my own mom. I actually annoy myself at times!

But I do know this, one day when he is older he's going to tell me thank you. He'll be telling me thank you from a microphone on a big stage, because after all he's going to be in a band. And the 'Howling Wolves' are going to appreciate what their moms made them do to become who they are! Just like I appreciate my own mom for making me stick with it.

Even though I am not famous and in a band, I am able to sit down and help my own future rock star sit down and pluck out the notes.