Choosing Gratitude

We've started the process of saying goodbye to our beloved elementary school.  There are a series of events that lead the process.  I don't want to say goodbye to these years but last chorus concerts, orchestra, flyers coming home about the Fun Fair all push time ahead, and we have no choice but to follow.

This was one of those events.  On an unusually hot day last week it was her last elementary school concert.  We don't lack in concerts around here.  In fact there are many more that will happen late spring and early summer.  But this one pulled at my heart stings.

Maybe because we've belonged to this school for ten straight years.  And maybe its because I can remember Anna's last when Abigail was so little.

'Time is a thief' I've heard.  But I won't let a thief win.  So in these 'lasts' moments I choose gratitude. The gratitude in my heart for this school system, for these schools, for the 'golden path' of teachers we've had in our lives is bubbling up inside me.  I am oozing with pride for my daughters and they years they've spent at this school.  And now as Abigail prepares to leave I can take a deep breath and smile... at each event.

So here, here is last chorus/orchestra school concert.

No airconditioning means no tights when it's 90!



I snap my camera when I want to hold on to a moment. Just how she looked that night.



There were flowers that night. Our family is an orchestra family and if I bought flowers for every single concert it wouldn't be special, but this one was a 'last' so I wanted to mark the occasion.



This particular list of songs they sang was beautiful.







She played in a mini chamber group as they stage behind her was being prepared for the band.



Her size doesn't say middle school yet, but her heart does.





So the first of a string of events is over. And I 'made it through' this one. Instead of tears, gratitude. This time of year... it is such a mix of emotions, and I am so grateful they are all mine.

I thought I'd link this here... this was Anna's last concert at this special school.

Anna's Viola

We took a big step with Anna last week.

It's been a long time coming. Planning. Thinking, wondering, questioning, thinking more (on our part). Practicing and falling love (on her part)

We took a big step and decided to purchase Anna a viola.

I know it doesn't sound like a big deal. There are viola posts for years all over this blog. But we'd always rented a viola for the girls through a company in Boston that works with the Sazuki school here in Connecticut. Renting is really the way to go at their age.

Rented instruments are not the same though as the 'real deal'. Not even in the same neighborhood, state, or country for that matter.

So after eight years of playing we knew it was time for Anna to have her own amazing instrument. The pieces she's working on really require more depth. (she's playing this piece that brings tears to my eyes at what she's done)  Her hands, her fingers can only do as much as her viola would let her. It was time to have a viola that would allow her love for playing and creating rich, velvety, chocolate-like music to shine through.

So with the help of her Suzuki teacher we contacted shops in Boston and New York. It's a process Scott and I knew nothing at all about.

They sent us two violas, bows, and cases. We were told to have her use them for a while before deciding. And with the investment that it was we really needed her to take her time.

And then they arrived. Almost hard to believe, really. I kept thinking, 'this really happened'. Anna was so very excited.



That night we opened the boxes and she got her first look at choosing a viola.

























And then her teacher came over a few days later to walk her through the process of deciding which viola would be right for her. And which bow would sound best on which viola. She actually had three choices to make. The viola, the bow, and the case.



Scott and I decided not to let her know the cost difference in each so that her decision wouldn't we wavered. We knew our decision and we knew it was time to make the investment. So we (tried) put it out of our minds and just watched our girl have these every special moment.

She played on each one. And her teacher played on each one. When it was time to really listen to the bow and how it sounded on the strings he had her close her eyes so that she could really listen.



He spent a few hours with us. And it was a beautiful process.



We watched her concentrate, and listen. Reflect, and think. And one viola above the others, one bow above the others stood out to her... spoke to her.

And she chose.

That night we hugged her in bed and chatted about 'this new viola' and where it might take her, where she might play it, how it would be an integral part of her life.

Just a few pictures of her practicing for the first few days with her new beauty.





On a post script... there is nothing like the sound of this instrument. Just to her her tune this viola makes me stop in my tracks and smile.





And there it is hanging right next to that little one played by Abigail.





"Music exists for the purpose of growing an admirable heart." Shinichi Suzuki

The Very Last Tooth

As all parents do, we've gone through many stages and ages with our girls. Obviously, more with Anna since she's older.

Some new phases come so slowly you don't even realize that it was 'the last' of something until months or even years later when it dawns on you that "wait! Anna doesn't do that anymore!"

But this one came suddenly and honesty stopped my world for a moment.

(2009... first grade)


Last week the girls had to have a tooth pulled. (pre braces stuff)

They did great!

I sat with Abigail during the tooth pulling ordeal

And Scott sat with Anna during hers.

It was only when Anna came home that she told me. "It was my last tooth out mama."

Wait!! What??

I wasn't prepared for that. If I knew there would have been many more pictures in that dentist office.

All night I kept thinking... really? She's never going to come running into the kitchen saying "I lost a tooth!" Really? It's over? Last Tooth Fairy visit for her? I can't stand it!

Sigh.



That was last week. Luckily, for my family. I grieved that last tooth and moved on.

This happened in the morning of the tooth pulls so that they had something to look forward to playing when they got home.





I think I squealed in the toy store when I found this!



So the girls went to school for the morning and then we picked them up. I sat with Abigail through Novocain and her tooth pulled. Scott sat with Anna through Novocain and her tooth pulled. They did great. And that night the tooth fairy came!

Raffi

Disclaimer:  I get it wrong every. single. time!  That is which camera to bring with me.  I was thinking I would be an easy wife, not too high matience on this outing.  Without my big camera and lenses I'd be able to enjoy more, help more with the girls, etc, etc, etc.  When I put the little purse camera in my bag I thought I was so smart because we'd be walking around the city looking for a place for dinner, maybe with umbrellas, and I just wanted to go light.  Wrong, wrong, wrong.  We found a cute place to eat just steps from the parking garage and the theatre, and when I walked into the theatre and saw our closer than close seats I was kicking myself for not brining the big one.  Oh well, I get it wrong all the time.  There are times I've dragged along the big one and been sweating hot, killing my shoulder, and never really even took it out of the bag.  Next time Raffi I'm bring the big lens!  So there you go... these picture are awful... just thought I'd let you know!







Found an awesome pizza place



My brave EE girl who had to eat mom's cooking from home.



Back to Raffi....

He walked on stage, strummed one chord on his guitar and the tears (happy ones) started falling.  I knew that's the way it would go.  He's pure childhood magic.  His songs sum up my feelings about these past nine years home.  I can't hear one song without a flood of memories washing over me. 





All I can say is that it was sooooo good to hear his crisp, clear, soothing voice real and right in front of me. 





We cuddled to "Baby Dear"  We danced to "Shake your Sillies Out"  and we belted out "Baby Beluga". 



The concert could have gone on all night and not been long enough for me.  I will never outgrow Raffi.  I asked Scott what I was going to listen to all those years between their childhood and grandchildren?  And he just looked at me and rolled his eyes with a smile.  (I'm sure he was thinking teach Kindergarten)

I can honestly say that I'm grateful to this singer/songwriter for his love of children, gift of music, and for spending his lifetime putting those two together.  It was a good night. 

The Saint Patrick's Day Parade

I looked at her today a bit differently.  I saw her in a different light.  You know, that 'my baby looks older and is growing up light.'  At first I felt proud like a 'look at my girl' pride but then that melancholy feeling settled in.  I couldn't believe that she was able to march in the whole parade stopping to dance the little Irish Jig over and over along the parade route. 

I pulled a little red wagon in case she got tired, but she didn't need it until the parade was done and she was so tired she could barely walk.  So I pulled her back to the car.

(waiting for her turn to join in the parade)





(love this one of her... waiting, watching the big kids rehearse)





(group pictures... I'm not sure what my goofy girl is laughing at)






(a little friend from her class)


(the beautiful capitol building in Connecticut)


(she's got her flag... lining up in the street.. ready to go!)


(And the Irish Jig which they did over and over and OVER though out the parade route)


(Sandy Hook... Newtown... was very present at this event as a reminder that we will never forget)


It was a super fun but overwhelming for her kind of day.  She really didn't know what to make of the crowds cheering every time they did the jig.  At one point along the parade route (where the crowd was less families and more the college partying kind) the crowd cheered like I couldn't believe.  One person even ran out and gave her a green carnation.  She was delighted.

What a wonderful first experience for Abigail (and for her mom) And what a wonderful way to celebrate Saint Patrick's day! 

When we were home that evening she complained that her feet ached.  I told her that she had PARADEACITIS.  Oh how I love little five year olds who really believe that paradeacitis is a condition.  Bless her heart; her little dancing heart. 

(this was about the 29th time she was doing the jig and boy was she exhausted)
Video