Turning 10 and playing with clay

Yesterday I hosted a birthday party for 10 year old Emily at the new Mud Slingers location. There were 13 girls including the birthday girl and older sister (who also had her birthday celebration at Mud Slingers!). We made "tube vases," using paper towel and toilet paper roles to form the shape. The ladies were a rambunctious group, but all went smoothly. After everyone went their separate ways, the new and larger studio was quiet as I cleaned the equipment, broke down tables, and wedged up scrap clay. I really enjoy this work of helping construct an event, but it's just not the party part. It's the urgent sense of making sure everything is prepared, the loud celebration, and the serene after math. I am in the center of attention for a moment when attempting to give clear and concise directions, but then, I am allowed to be a fly on the wall as I watch the quirks and joys of being a birthday girl play out. Yesterday, I gained a bit of hope and was reminded that I might really like teaching middle schoolers science, and that I'm not just biding my time until I can move on to do pottery full-time.