re-discovery

All through high school music - specifically, singing - was a part of me. I sang. A lot.

Then I nannied for a year and kinda stopped the constant stream of song and dance that was typical for me beforehand.

When I went to college I auditioned for the Women's Choir and didn't make it.

For the 5 years that followed, I didn't sing much. At least not AS much as I did before. Even after Dave and I got married, not many people knew I liked to sing.

For the last 2 years I've been on a slow path of re-discovering that little piece of my soul.

My Road to Re-discovery
in 5 parts

1. In our first ward in Rupert I was called as ward music chairman/choir director. At some point when a musical number I had arranged fell through, I decided to sing my favorite arrangement of the hymn "Sweet Hour of Prayer" in Sacrament Meeting. That musical number led to being asked to sing that same song in every ward in the stake, which was cool. And I realized again that I liked singing.

2. Growing up my sisters and I would do "concerts" in the living room (usually standing on the piano bench) with wire whisks as microphones. Our signature song was Trisha Yearwood's "She's in Love with a Boy." We did it often enough that we even performed at my sister's wedding reception. A few months ago I purchased this song on iTunes and now Ana loves to sing along, with, of course, a wire whisk as a microphone. This may be one of my proudest mommy moments.

3. Seeing as how my house is all hard wood, it has awesome acoustics. I've been singing a lot more lately.

4. The other night when I was upset/annoyed/frustrated about something ridiculous that I can't remember now, I turned on my iPod to the Dixie Chicks and sang my heart out while I folded laundry alone in my bedroom. It was very therapeutic.

5. Tonight I feel happy. While I was doing the dishes, I walked into the other room to see Ana dancing to "Good day Sunshine" and I joined her. Then we moved on to Taylor Swift. It was a blast. Jack joined in too. We danced around our sun room/"dancing room" for a good 20 minutes.

I feel like I have just uncovered a piece of me that was lying dormant. It didn't come all at once, but tonight I realized that it was missing. I've been turning music on around the house more just because. That was something that was always present in my home and somehow I just forgot. And now I remembered. Its a wonderful memory.

I want music to fill our house until its bursting at the seams and slinking out of the cracks in the doorways. All kinds of music. And I want dancing. They just should go together. I love that somehow when music is playing, the kids aren't begging to watch another Blues Clues, but they are standing next to the player wiggling their little bodies.

Its awesome.

I hope I don't forget this ever again.