Classical Harmonica

Until today, I was unaware that there was such thing as a harmonica virtuoso. I took the fifth and sixth graders to the Louisville Orchestra today since we had studied the orchestra and all its instruments in class. Today in addition to a Brazilian group of pieces and a Brahm's Concerto they did a concerto for the harmonica. Robert Bonfilio performed the harmonica solo. It was AMAZING! The kids were watching with their mouths hanging open. I never knew that someone could make sounds such as he out of a harmonica. WOW! Besides getting to hear some wonderful orchestra pieces, and being able to open the world of something different to a group of children, I learned something amazingly neat! I love it when unexpected things like that happen! I was aware there was going to be a harmonica involved today, but was unsure what to expect. Of course, he played three encores which were all blues pieces and the kids really ate it up! However, in the meantime, they were exposed to some wonderful orchestrated pieces. We were able to do this at just $9.00 a child. It was such a fantastic experience. I have decided that when I am "retired" from teaching I will make it a point to attend more of these "coffee concerts" as they call them. Anyone want to go along? I am off to the iTunes store to see if Robert has anything I can download. Amazing!

piano lessons

I have started teaching piano lessons again. I am excited. I didn't really how much I missed it. I have only two students at this time. They are doing great! I have found I am a different teacher since Ben took Suzuki. I know I am not a trained Suzuki teacher, but I am using some of their thoughts and ideas. My two students saw their mom reading my blog, and mentioned that they thought I was "fancy" since my picture was on the internet. Well guys, now you are "fancy" too! Keep practicing!

Not as Planned

Isn't it funny how you spend your time planning, and one little twist turns everything upside down. As a pastor's family, this happens often. You get used to it. But, when I have things all planned out, I am unhappy when it all changes at a blink of an eye.

Today's plans were as follows:
1. Go to Sunday School
2. Worship at 10:30 a.m. Divine Service
3. Make breakfast for lunch for the family
4. Attend the funeral of a member at St. John's
5. Take Ben to Youth Group
6. Go to a planning meeting for a group Disney Cruise in 2009

Ben woke up with the gunk that I had been dealing with all week. I think he maybe has it worse. I didn't have the green stuff. EWWWW. So.....we did not attended Sunday School or the Divine Service. I ran to the funeral home while Rich was home for about and hour. I picked up some meds. for Ben on the way home. We all got our own lunch. Rich had soup, Ben had toast and applesauce, and I had leftovers of this and that. Not the yummy breakfast I was planning.
The rest of my day will be spent at home. I have made some cards that will be put in sets of homemade cards that will be given away at the Katie Retreat (Our IN district Pastor's wives retreat) I fixed some broken jewelry for people and made some things that they ordered. I put together kits that deaconess Pat Nuffer will be using during her talk at the Katie Retreat. I will soon be working on catching up at putting my grades online.

Soon, the funeral will start at church. The bells have just started ringing. I can see the tent all set up for the burial right outside the window from where I am typing now. I will probably watch the graveside service from here, and offer up prayers of strength for the family. Is it strange that I watch? I usually do if I am at home and not at the funeral, which isn't often.

I guess it is not an awful day. It will be productive. It just isn't what I had planned.

Star Lab

Today was a cool teaching day. Yes, they are all cool, but some are more cool than others. Today was an exceptional day. Today we enjoyed the benefits of the Star Lab. It is a portable planetarium that tours schools. We had it on loan for a few days. It is blown up by a fan and is really quite large. This afternoon we had 40 people inside, although most of them were smallish! The children crawl in through the long tube you see shooting out. Inside there is a light upon which a cylinder is placed. There are several cylinders to choose from. One shows the constellations as the Greeks explained them through their stories. Another shows the constellations as the Native Americans saw and explained them. They are shown in a sort of "connect the dot" fashion. Then, you put on the cylinder that shows the night sky as we see it, no lines giving outlines. It is great fun. Mr. O., our 3/4 grade teacher is great at telling these myths. He explains everything so well. He begins by telling the kids that if they are outside, and want to find out which way is North you have to first think of where the sun rises, that is East. Now where it sets, that is West. If you are standing pointing to the East and West and it spells "WE" the way you are standing, you are facing North. If it spells "EW", you are facing South. I had never heard it explained that way before, but I won't forget it. So, we go into the lab. It is set to show the night sky as we would see it here in Southern Indiana in January. Very cool. He shows the "connect the dot" constellations to lay it out for everyone. He tells the Greek mythology, even pointing out how J. K. Rowling uses them in her books, and then shows the constellations without the dots. He hands to pointer to the kids and has them show where things are. So fun. But, I am sure you will find it hard to believe, came my favorite moment when we all sang, "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" while Mr. O. changed cylinders. The acoustics in that dome are so great. It sounded wonderful! It was a fantastic ending to a cold and ill week. Thanks Wilson Center for the use of the lab. Thanks Mr. O. for amazing teaching skills! Thanks kids for your fabulous singing and constant wonder and amazement as you learn something new!

"Idol" Chat

I am a big American Idol fan. The first few years I teased the people that watched it. Then, season 5 rolled around and I was hooked after the first audition. I had Taylor Hicks picked from his first audition. I know he hasn't made it as big as Kelly, but I loved his soulful sound and originality. I hated it when Simon told him he looked like he was drunk at a wedding. We had a party for the finale for two years now and are having one at the beginning and the end this year. It is like the Superbowl for those of us who even have a clue how football is even played!

Well, today I want to write about the auditions. I was bothered by one contestant last night. His wife is in labor, her water had broken, and he would miss his audition. Okay, what was he doing at the audition in the first place? He had no business getting himself involved in something that was going to take him away from his new baby for months! What is the problem with these people? Is it more important to have your 5 minutes of fame than be with your new family? He wasn't wonderful, but he wasn't bad either. It was not like he there just to get a laugh and say he made it onto TV. I really believe he thought he would make it. On top of that, he seemed like a pretty down to earth guy. I mean, he wasn't wearing fake fingernails or paraphernalia that says how much he loves Simon....just a normal every day guy who was willing to miss the first few months of his daughters life to give it a shot at fame and fortune. Well, he already has his fame and fortune, a new beautiful baby girl. She was beautiful too! But what in the world were they doing taking her to Idol auditions a day after she was born? What has this world come to?

Finally, would it be so wrong to be allowed to hear a few of the contestants that made it through? Why won't they let us hear what they call "good"? I am tired of the craziness. A little is entertaining, but why does the entire show have to be about laughing at people and making fun of them? Again, I say, what is this world coming to? Do Americans really find more joy in seeing someone humiliated rather than listening to a great performance?

Small Family Blues

Please don't let my title send the wrong message. I love my family very much, but I always thought our family would be bigger. I am amazed by large families. I love to watch the way they work. One family in our community has become good friends of ours and I just love to be invited over to their home for an event. It is usually an event whenever we are there, no matter what the occasion. There are lists by all the bowls to tell what needs to be done to fill them. I love that. I just step in and start helping. No one has to tell me what to do. I don't have to ask if I can help. It is just assumed that everyone will just look at what needs to be done and do it.

I wish that we would have been able to have more children. I KNOW Ben would have loved a brother or sister. I have come to peace with the fact that this is what God had planned for us, and it is not for me to understand, but I do, from time to time, long for more.

On a much more shallow note, I would love to make a large dinner and not have to eat it for days. I am not big on leftovers. I know, I can share, and I do. I just think it would be fun to sit down for a meal with a large family to eat a big dinner where there are arguments on who gets to finish the last bit in the bowl. No, I am not a bad cook. In fact, I think I am a pretty good cook. I love to do it. There are just not enough people in our house to eat it all without having leftovers for days. This goes for baking too. I would like to bake more often, but then the three of us eat more of it than we should. Okay, you are right, I could share or freeze. I know, I know. I just wanted to whine. Thanks for letting me!

You can invite your family to my house if you like! It would be nice to not put leftovers in the fridge! When do you want to come?

Snow Day

We awoke at 5:30 a.m. to the phone ringing. It was my principal. She called to inform us that school had been canceled for the day! Yes, you are right, you are not looking at the picture incorrectly, there is about 1-1/2 inches of snow out there. I knew we would be on a delay due to the time of day the snow arrived, but I was not expecting a day off!

Ben is thrilled! He is currently outside pretending that there is MUCH more snow that there really is. He is attempting to make a small snowman and enjoy what is there before it melts away. He has been dying for snow. He would prefer a lot more of it, but he is taking what he can get.

I am frustrated. Our first grade teacher and I put a lot of time and energy into planning a special celebration today for the 100th day of school! We had many parents coming in to help with the big day. Now what do we do? Getting all those volunteers back together tomorrow will probably be impossible. We will have are day, but we will just have to amend it. Bummer.

I will take advantage of the day though. I have already enjoyed some "comfort in a cup". It is a lovely blend of cinnamon and vanilla tea. I have graded some papers and I have begun thinking about what to make for supper. I think I will make the coconut and almond chicken we so enjoyed at Disney! I was lucky enough to find coconut milk at the Jay-C store! I will take another day to get healthy. I was out yesterday with a viral infection. I was worried that it was strep-throat. I was thrilled that the tonsillectomy is doing it's job!

Enjoy your day, wherever you are!