November was a really good month. Even alongside some professional challenges, the stress of traveling, and a very full calendar, I felt more grounded and happier than usual. I can only attribute that to writing my 23 Days of Gratitude series, which forced me to focus on the wonderful things in my life every day leading up to Thanksgiving.
Happy Thanksgiving! Today is the culmination of 22 daily expressions of gratitude, and it is only fitting that my final post focuses on my inspiration for this series.
There will be plenty of turkey, stuffing, and pumpkin pie today, but most importantly, I’ll be surrounded by family. I’m grateful that Thanksgiving gives me the opportunity to celebrate the very best part of my life.
One of the best parts of having our families nearby is that we’ve gotten to continue many of the holiday traditions that were established when my husband and I were growing up. Although we’ve had to adjust a bit as our own family has grown, it is so much fun now getting to include our children in those traditions.
When I purchased the domain name for Listen & Learn Music a little over 9 years ago, I never imagined this would become a place that would help me connect with hundreds of music therapists, teachers, and parents across the country. Every time I attend AMTA national conference, it’s especially apparent just how many friends I’ve made through this tiny corner of the internet.
Being a business owner is not easy, especially when your profession is more unconventional than most. Luckily, I live in a community that supports music therapy, and has always been willing to show its support in a variety of ways. Over the years, my work has been featured in numerous newspaper articles and television news segments, as well as promoted by other professionals, schools, and local organizations.
Since my children were born, I’ve been away a handful of times. There have been a few conferences and work-related trips, as well as several girls’ weekends with my friends. That time away is so good for me, and I enjoy it to the fullest, but I always look forward to coming home to my family.
Tuesday and Wednesday mornings are pretty much the highlight of my week. I get to spend them making music with the most wonderful groups of children and their adults in our Listen & Learn for Little Ones classes. Singing, dancing and playing instruments with toddlers and preschoolers just never gets old.
For the first 5 years of my career as a music therapist, I could have never imagined that one day I would have other music therapists with whom to consult, work and collaborate. My once-solo practice now includes two of my favorite people ever, and I am honored to call them colleagues.
For my husband Zach’s 30th birthday, I wrote a list of “30 things I love about you” and framed it. He did the same for me a few months later, and now both framed lists hang in our master bathroom. I like to reread them every once in a while, and each time I do, I’m reminded of how lucky I am to be married to him.
Every November for the last 8 years, I’ve spent a few days with 1,000+ other music therapists learning, presenting and exhibiting my work. I’ve met countless therapists from all over the country, and built friendships with many of them through my conference experiences.
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