Friday, January 16, 2009

It's the Little Things

Things are humming along here in our lives. School is definitely back in full swing and clubs and extra-curriculars are too. Music lessons re-started this week, and both of my kids are participating. Andrew has piano and euphonium lessons (he decided to return to the keys instead of continuing guitar....he is my boy after all!) and Emma is beginning flute. She has desperately wanted to and we have discovered that she's a mite small yet. Her arms hardly reach down the length of the flute when she holds it in the right spot. We will probably work her into it with some recorder lessons, but keep the flute as part of her practice and lesson schedule so she doesn't feel disappointed. We have practiced making noises by blowing into a soda bottle today and we have made some "twee" sounds, as Emma calls them, on the flute's head joint (which is basically the mouthpiece).
Andrew was thrilled to discover that, since his lessons are no longer on Thursdays, he can join the chess club at school.
Sigh.
That boy will be the death of me. He wants to do everything. I told him we'd look at it and make a decision soon. I'm feeling very much in-the-trenches right now and as such am indisposed to making new commitments.
I mean, it's not a bad thing. This is the part of mothering that I always meant when, growing up, I said I wanted to be a mother. Their interests are growing and they are unfolding as people right in front of my eyes. It's very exciting!
But still.
It's kinda sad when one of the most beautiful things you've seen all day is a warm ray of sun glinting off an instrument case.

Rather, it's kinda sad when the most beautiful thing you've noticed all day is a warm ray of sun glinting off an instrument case. Because that's the most still and quiet you've been all day - the most able-to-notice-things you've been all day.
I've always been one to look for the beauty in simplicity - to find things that feed my soul wherever I am. But still. People looked at me a little weird when I whipped out my camera in the lobby of the music studio and started snapping shots of a beat-up euphonium case...

DAILY BLISS: music teachers gushing over my son (his piano teacher said that talent and ability were "just oozing out of him") and a gorgeous, deep-orange to velvet-midnight-blue sunset.

5 comments:

Amy Button said...

God bless you! I *seriously* could not do all of that. When your kids are grown and have kids of their own they'll understand how difficult it is to let them do so much. I still appreciate how involved my dad was when I was in school but there's no way I'd be as involved as he was. I don't know how he did it.

60ish and Glad said...

Amy is right. Read your own blog for the proof of the matter.
BTW - let him join chess club for heavens sake!!!

Mary said...

My parents were involved but having 5 kids they limited us to one "thing" a year. It was the only way they could stay involved to the level they wanted to be. I don't plan on doing as much as you do...however...I'm not there yet looking at their excited faces knowing that talent and ability are oozing out of them. So...no promises.

Anonymous said...

that is the most fabulous photo I have ever seen! you were so right to take it, weird looks or not.

Christy said...

Thank you so much, Christina!