Outstanding Musician:)

So Carlie has been in the East Valley Youth Symphony this year.  This is an audition-based group made up of mostly high school students (about 90% are 9th grade and up).  I wanted her to experience a challenge and truth be told, I wanted her to get her butt "musically kicked."  Sounds like I'm a horrible parent but with this child I am always looking for a challenge--something that will require her to work harder.  Well, she showed me:)

So we are at the end of the year concert for the Symphony.  I'm sitting there with Ethan and Tatum who were both getting a little restless towards the end of the concert--Chris and Max were recording the concert for Chris' company.  Right before the last song, they give out awards--Most Improved Musician and Most Outstanding Musician.  So I'm just sitting there waiting for the last song definitely NOT expecting Carlie to get any awards because usually the Concert Master (the 1st chair violinist) gets the top awards.  Well MUCH to my surprise, the conductor announced,  "This year, the Outstanding Musician Award goes to our Principal Oboist..."  HUGE PAUSE.  Okay, the pause was probably like 10 seconds, but in those 10 seconds, my thoughts were, "WAIT!!!  The Principal Oboist....that's MY daughter RIGHT?!  She IS first chair oboist BUT she is 12!"  Then then conductor continues, "Carlie Meeker" and then went on to say some awesome stuff about her that I don't even remember because I was in total shock!

So she was the one doing the butt-kicking this year which leads me right back to the question I ask ALL the time..."NOW WHAT Heavenly Father?!  You sent this child to me and I am constantly wondering if I'm pushing her hard enough/not enough!  Now what..."  But I figure it's a pretty wonderful burden to bear.

The concert was Saturday night right before Mother's Day so I'm thinking this is the BEST Mother's Day present EVER!!!  So proud of this girl:)