The Joy of Music

Some of the most beautiful, joyful things that I have found the boys doing lately have been related to music. Music has always been important to me, and we often have music on around the house. When Drew was very little, and still to this day, if nothing else worked, I could start singing "Motherland" by Natalie Merchant and he would almost always stop crying immediately and just listen. Garrett has always been a great dancer.

Recently I saw an ad in the paper for a free music class for kids 0-5. Since I'm always looking for something to do with them during the day, and it was music to top it off, we went to check it out. And then ended up signing up for the full 10 week session. So every Wednesday we now go to Music Class for 45 minutes in the morning and it's a blast. Before starting the class, the boys enjoyed listening to music and would ask now and then for us to turn it on, but since we've been going, music has become much more a part of their every day lives and something they are excited about. Some cases in point:

They love to play their little guitars they were given by two guys playing bluegrass at a flea market.

Garrett has recently taken to performing a song and dance routine that involves the lyrics "Awwww Statuuuue!" sung over and over and him bouncing up and down and swaying side to side while shrugging his shoulders. It is such a perfectly beautiful and hilarious thing, I can't help but feel happy and strangely proud whenever he does it.

They both sing songs from Music Class (we were given a CD to listen to outside of class), and now and then do some of the motions. Or at least try...

Drew, we discovered over the weekend, can play the trumpet! My first trumpet was up for sale at our garage sale and during a slow period, he asked to play it. So I explained how, and much to my surprise, out came not only a sound, but not too bad a one either, considering.

Drew also is completely in awe of people playing instruments, especially the guitar. We went with some friends to see Ekoostick Hookah play this past Friday, and while everyone else hung back, Drew pulled me right up close to the stage and was none too happy when I told him we needed a break from the loudness. You'd never guess how much he's enjoying it because he just stares, rarely smiling, never clapping. But he is concentrating so hard, taking it all in.

They also both make up songs for specific people.

What's so beautiful is that they have no concept of whether or not they sound good in their singing or look cool in their dancing - they are just having fun, and really feeling it - doing their own thing and being creative - full of joy. It's a good lesson for me, too.

And in an update of our crazy life, for those who may want to know: This past weekend we made some huge steps forward. We had our first showings - one on Friday and two on Saturday, both of whom stayed for about an hour each. No word yet, but that's to be expected. Both seemed interested, though, and we have one more scheduled for tonight. (*Updated Tuesday - We got a call last night that one of the couples who saw the house Saturday wants to come see it again tonight! Fingers crossed...) We also had a garage sale and are celebrating having made some good strides in lightening the load. So, keep good wishes coming our way for the right people to find this house, and we'll let you know how it goes.