Itches

I've had two particular itches lately that both got scratched last night. The first was that for the past several months I've been noticing that my children annoy me. I've not particularly enjoyed being the peacekeeper, judge, warden, and parole officer to a bunch of people who can tell I don't love it. I'd stand back and look at this big group of people who are getting bigger and LOUDER every day it seems, and I'd think, argh. I didn't realize how stressed I felt about it until Jeff's teacher suggested he read to me to up his reading level, he read me White Fang and I enjoyed spending that time with him so much, I found that I was more patient with him and we were more friendly towards each other when we spent that time together. So I pressed my luck and I started reading Anne of Green Gables with Leah. Traditionally Bug and I butt heads a bit. But I loved reading with her, I found her charming and funny and sweet. And I loved sharing that wonderful book with her, I found myself looking forward to it as the best part of my day and I think she looked forward to it too.

Don't think I didn't think of how I could get books and read with Tess and Alana too, but I realized that I don't happen to have two solid hours per day to spend lying on my bed reading the classics with my wonderful children. So I lamented my lost little daughters and how I hadn't found that connection with them in a while. So that is my first itch (remember the itch from the beginning?), it was that I wanted to connect with Tess and/or Alana. Hang in there folks.

On to itch #2. This time of year I get a bit antsy for song. I need to sing. I have to gather Annie, Whitny and Audrey or some suitable replacement if one of those ladies are unavailable or across the country, and we have to find or make a four part harmony Christmas song. We have to practice it at least twice at someone's house, this practice will consist of mainly laughter, talk about children, compliments are freely given about how good we all still look, and then there's a lot more laughter. We manage to run thru the song once or twice. My eyes tear up thinking about how much I love those practices and those girls. We sing the song at someone's Sacrament meeting, or Relief Society, or Relief Society Enrichment Christmas Program (what do they call those now? Relief Society Christmas Program Meetings?). Anyways, there will be a performance or two of the song we "practiced" for 4 hours. It will be lovely and I will get choked up at an inappropriate time in the song because we sound so pretty and I know we won't get to sing together for a long time again. But my Audrey girl is far away. My Whitny sister is too busy. And my Annie friend is swamped. So what do I do? How do I scratch my songy itch? And how could I possibly have scratched both of those itches last night?

We went over to Ryan's parents house to play last night and Arnon has been helping me choose music for a couple of Christmas related occasions that I was asked to prepare songs for. Arnon is a huge blessing in my life, little did I know that when I married my Ryan he would come with so many wonderful bonus prizes. So Arnon is our talented accompanist and I'm so grateful to her. We rehearsed our family song and it was lovely, then Tessa sang "Could I Hold the Baby?" and I was so very happy because that girl can sing. I'll admit, when my babies were born I had visions of a family singing group and I am just ever so pleased that they all are tuneful and that one of them will sing with me without being bribed, threatened or tricked. My Tessa loves to sing.

And here's the part where my itch got scratched, Arnon suggested we sing a song from the Children's Songbook and we lighted upon "Mary's Lullaby" and Tessa started singing the melody and I thought, what the heck? I'll try the harmony and see if she can hold her own. She held it. She did it, I even sang the descant and she still held to her melody like a champ. I was giddy. I am still giddy. I am so grateful that I found something to bond over with my sweet little Tessa, and I am also grateful to have a singing buddy who lives with me and likes to sing with me and probably won't move to Toledo. Hallelujah!