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Aug. 31, 2006
What a fun summer!
We had a wonderful time learning this summer about Japan and our exchange student's life and language. We had a meal cooked by her. It was Somen noodles dipped in a dipping sauce. You use your chopsticks and take the noodles from a common plate. Then you put your noodles into your dipping sauce. Then you, using chopsticks still, take the noodles out of the dipping sauce and eat them. Boy was this funny! My youngest son was trying to eat and couldn't, so he put a chopstick in each hand and did it that way.
Got to go help my daughter with math. ttyl!
I'm back! Our family is so excited! We are a very musical family. We wanted each of our children to learn an instrument during their "school" years that they could use to lead praise and worship with, if necessary. Well, so far, this is how it's turned out. Our oldest daughter wanted drum lessons! Hmm...can you lead praise and worship and drum???? Oh well, that's what she's really interested in. Okay.
Second child, he was interested in electric guitar. Oh my.... Well, since you're highly interested. Then after a couple of years of lessons, his guitar and amp got buzzy sounding. Would it be wrong to smile here? ;) We found him an acoustic that had a pick up in it so that it could be plugged into the church sound system. Oh, I love this guitar! It sounds soooo pretty!
Third child, didn't want to follow in anyone's footsteps, so he chose the bass guitar. Hmm...can you lead praise and worship? Well, no, but he's really interested...well, okay. It really does add to the music to have that bass sound in it. So, we are very thankful for his talent.
Skipping the 4th child for the time being, we put our 5th and 6th children into piano lessons. The youngest one asked to take them. As soon as he signed up, his older sister wanted them, too. Well, God provided an instructor for $5 for 1/2 hour, so both went into piano lessons. The youngest didn't enjoy practicing but boy did he enjoy "goofing off" on the piano. They both made it through the first year of piano. My daughter, 5th, loved the piano! And she hosted the Japanese Exchange student this year. Her friend, Midori, also played the piano! So, we had lots of piano playing this summer in the house!
Now, to this year, we really wanted child #4 to learn an instrument. He said that he was a "sound man" and didn't want to learn and instrument. So, Dad and I discussed it and hadn't really come to any conclusions on the matter yet. Then, all of the sudden, "Hey, Mom! I'd really like to play the flute!" Great! Can you lead praise and worship with it? (I didn't ask him this, of course! I was thinking it though.) I was really excited that he wanted to learn how to play the flute, because I've always wanted to learn how to play the flute! So, I told him, "You take band, and then teach me!" Dad wasn't so sure. He had "preconceived" ideas about what gender plays the flute. So, Mom went online and hunted for flautists. I found it was about 1/2 and 1/2. 1/2 male 1/2 female. Then I was reading a blog from one of the male flautists. He recalled the first time in his life that he saw a -female! - play the flute. He didn't know women played the flute! So, I told Dad about my findings. By this time, he was fine about it anyway. He just had to overcome some preconceived ideas. Then we discussed the "leading Praise and Worship" topic. He was all for guitar...it could be carried anywhere! Even into jungles! Then the thought occured to me...what could be more portable than a flute? It's tiny, can be carried very easily. You could start the song with the flute, stop and sing, then add riffs in as you all sing! Bingo! That did the trick! So, #4 is starting band today!
We're having to travel so far for band, that I felt we should add another child to the mix. Sweetie #5 wants to take drum lessons...daughter, that took piano last year. Well, maybe she could do that in the band. That didn't turn out, because it's only percussion, not the full trap set. So, low and behold, our youngest...#6 (took piano last year)...wants to play the trumpet. Hmm...Can you lead praise and worship with it? ....hmmm...oh well, he's had 1 year of piano. (and Dad played the trumpet :) ...so, okay, that settles it. Two to band this year. One flautist and one trumpeter!
One minor problem, we've lost our drummer at church. Our oldest daughter has joined another church because they are more missions-oriented and they have college- age kids and youth that she can minister to. Our youngest daughter wants to play the drums. Now...(ahhh...mom's getting nervous here...lessons and band aren't cheap when you're homeschooling...you actually have to pay for all this.) Dad wants her in drum lessons this year. (She's also taking piano lessons this year.) I haven't reconciled to the "oh, well..." just yet...
What an exciting year in the Smith household! Off to band!
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Aug. 31, 2006 - :)