A Brilliant Mind

"OUCH!"

are you ok?

"Mommy! My elbow feels spicy!"

whaat?

(toddling in holding said elbow)

"I SAID my elbow feels spicy!"

Ohhh.. you hit your funny bone.

"NOT FUNNY! SPICY!"

Ok, Cocopugs. It'll be fine in a minute.

Go Play!

Sneak Peak!

I am singing at a recital on Monday, July 13 at 7PM at the Mennonite Church in Normal. The recital is a fund raiser for the Van Leer Scholarship Program at Immanuel Bible Foundation, and is also being used as a research project for some doctoral students at U of I. One of the projects for research was to write a vignette about how taking music lessons has changed your life. The following is going to be read at the recital while the stage is being changed before my piece:

How taking music lessons has changed my life...

Taking music lessons was a rite of passage in our busy home. My parents created an environment where music was not only a source of fun, it was a respected aspect of our education. I am the 3rd child in a family of 8 children and early on each of us had a required 2 year stint with the local piano teacher. Some of us did pretty well and continued far past that time, some of us did not; but the message was clear: Music is important.

My parents sacrificed so that we could take lessons. My parents both loved music and changed my life by making it a priority in our home.

It was destined to be, as they first met in high school chorus when Dad pulled Mom's ponytail. Thus began a soundtrack of highschool sweethearts: He the marching band drummer, she the drum majorette with her high stepping white go go boots. Later, he the rebel drummer in a rock and roll band, she the oratorio singing chorister. And not too far after that, they were married and created a home of their own. As a child, I was equally exposed to a steady diet of eclectic extremes. Mom jamming to the Beach Boys in the station wagon, turning it up ridiculously loud, Dad discovering the New Testament and being touched by Handel's Messiah, introduced by Mom. We danced to Three Dog Night in our socks, trying to not jump too hard thus causing the record to skip, and we sang in close harmonies on the way to church. Dad drummed in a dance band to pay for all of our piano lessons initially, and then continued as we all started various instruments at school. Mom had music playing at home on a regular basis, and in seasons: Brandenburg Concertos in the fall, Vivaldi Four Seasons in the spring, James Taylor, Mary Chapin Carpenter and Beach Boys in the summer. And at Christmas, we listened to Messiah, all the way through. Saturday nights were for the Muppet Show and Austin City Limits, Sunday morning was for Sounds Of Faith on the radio.

Dad was encouraging by being present at our recitals and by talking philosophically about music as it related to faith and life. Mom was encouraging because she listened and helped shape practice time, she organized our schedules with the piano teacher, and went to bat for me when I wanted more musical information from my lessons. She had a plethora of books about history and the arts, and she gifted us with new music at birthdays and holidays. Both of my parents told us how much pleasure they got out of hearing us play piano, or drums, or flute, or trumpet, or trombone, or oboe, or saxophone, or singing, or guitar.

I am blessed to be the 3rd daughter in this family where so much more than pop culture and outside life was celebrated in our home. Our relationships with each other were the priority, and of course things were not perfect. But we had a true gift in the attitudes led by my mother and father in their love of music.

What? I have a blog?

Hello, Internet world.  Yes, I have a blog, I write in in occasionally, very occasionally as of late.  I have had lots of ideas for good stories lately, some ideal things to ponder about, funny life situations, but alas, I have pregnancy stupids and this post is already riddled with red underlinings denoting my bad spelling.  

I can't remember what I'm supposed to be doing, let alone writing about what I am thinking.  SO here's a quick update, rundown, new photos, etc etc etc:  Latest and Greatest:  

• CB has new glasses.  They haven't yet left her face since getting them yesterday which confirms in my mind how needed they are.  I had an idea she was a little far sighted, but when we went to the Optometrist, I was surprised at how much she needed them.  When she put them on, the first thing she said was how big things looked, and how she could read little things.  While I was driving home she said "Mom!  My hands have wrinkles!"  Let's hope this will help when Kindergarten starts in the fall.   
• CB is also riding her bike with NO training wheels.  She is thrilled with her new sense of freedom because she can ride so fast like the wind.  So she says...  Cocopugs hasn't gotten to use her bike with training wheels yet because her little legs are too short to reach the pedals for a full turn.  She is sad about this, but still chases her sister while she rides.  It's been a pretty fun summer so far.  
• Cocopugs is potty trained!  She is a sneakster, though and has figured out that the simplest "I have to go potty" throws her mommy and daddy into a hustle bustle of getting her to said location.  Now, she REALLY has to go when we tell her to finish her milk at supper, or when she is sitting in time out.  She smiles when she knows she's in trouble...  Which alternatively drives me crazy and makes me laugh.  
  
• Our new baby is a girl!  She will arrive this fall, due on Oct 30.  I have already been telling her that Hotel Mommy closes on Oct 15, and if she wants to stay a couple of days after it's ok.  BUT absolutely no later that Oct 25.  It's never too early to establish who the boss is.  (this will be a fun post to read on November 5 when I am writhing in labor pains because she naturally will be my most stubborn child)  
• Pat is working a whole week this week, which has been rare this year, due to the weather.  The economy isn't helping my business too much, lots of kids off for the summer, and we'll see who returns this fall.  But anyway, Pat is booked for work for the rest of summer and into the fall which is good news if the weather cooperates.   It has been a good exercise to see that we CAN exist on a bird wire budget for a while.  I am ready for it to be over, though.  
• Someone is knocking on my door-  gotta run!!