Music in the Heart

Warning: This post is a mother-gushing post. Read on at your own risk. 

Last night Sammi had a choir concert, the final one of the year. I actually had to miss a Relief Society panel, on blogging and time management. I was going to participate in it, but I felt that supporting Miss Sammi was clearly a priority. I had to choose between better and best. I chose the best. Family always trumps all in my book. I was looking forward to participating on the panel though. It is hard to be in two places at once; I can only manage that sometimes.  

It is probably best I wasn't on the panel, because I am not one to teach on time management. My days are so random, and I rarely do things in routine; other than the basics and necessities. Sometimes I blog first thing in the morning, sometimes at 2am -- it just depends. Sometimes I run first thing in the morning, sometimes in the afternoon. For me it is not about when or what order I get things done, it is about just getting it done somewhere in my day, if I am lucky! I do not have a board with a detailed rundown of my daily activities. I do have a calendar with the "must do" things on it, and if I get those done, yea for me! Somehow, it works for me. We are all still alive. 

Anyway... I'm babbling and getting off topic... time management, ha! 

During Sammi's concert they handed out awards for the different choirs. The awards were: most improved, most outstanding musician, and the most inspirational. The students vote on who will be the recipients of these awards. Before the teacher announced the results, I had a swelling in my heart, like something exciting was about to happen. I was sitting in the last row in the auditorium, as to keep Henry's "singing" from interrupting the whole concert. But I could still feel something in my heart that made it thump faster. I looked on in great anticipation. 

The choir teacher stood at the microphone and began announcing the awards. And then he said that it was almost unanimous, the vote for both the outstanding musician and the most inspirational award went to the same person. He then said her name: Sammi van Ormer. 

Sammi walked down from the risers with the biggest smile on her face. She was bursting with joy! The smile on my face was pretty big too. I actually had to hold back some tears. My heart was so full, and I could feel Charles beaming with happiness for his daughter. There was an almost tangible, thick, light in the auditorium -- at least that is what my eyes beheld. 

The 2 awards were just from her choir class. But then he announced that they also had a combined vote for the full women's choir, and he said again it was almost unanimous that Sammi won the most inspirational student award. At this point, Sammi was glowing with excitement. She hugged everyone around her. I could feel her pure and hard earned joy. I added my vote to that of her classmates: Sammi is inspirational. This is the second year in a row she has received that award. She is the girl that went to school the day after her dad died, she insisted upon it. She is the girl that if you ask her how her day went she will say, "Fantastic!" Sammi is a seeker of light and it makes her shine. 

And though all of those moments were wonderful, and caused my heart to burst; there was another moment that stood out to me as the most profound and cherished moment of the evening. During the concert Sammi was one of the pianists, while her teacher led the choir. From a very far distance, I looked on as my daughter sat at the piano in front of all those people and played with such beauty and grace. I was shocked, it took my breath away. Sammi has never had formal piano lessons. Other than a few pointers for style from her grandma, she is self-taught. She learned how to read music in elementary school band, and she just transferred her knowledge to the piano keyboard and began practicing daily on her own. It was never forced, it all stemmed from her individual love and passion for music. I truly believe that if you do what you love, you will thrive at it. Miss Sammi loves music. 

The funny thing is, as Sammi was deciding what electives to take a few years ago, she was not interested in choir. The choirs in elementary school are not super impressive, and so she was not interested in being a part of something like that. When it was time to walk through the junior high, I took her to the choir room, just for fun, and they just happened to be playing a slideshow of the Les Mis concert they had put on. That was all it took: Sammi was hooked. 

Last night she expressed her gratitude for taking her into the choir room that day, as she recognized that some of her most amazing moments in life have occurred because of that small moment in time -- that gentle nudge in the right direction. Sometimes that is all it takes; a little soft nudging. Force is no good. Pressure, and pestering, it doesn't work so well. They must choose for themselves. All I provided was a glimpse into the musical world she might enjoy. I never said, "You have to take choir!" I did say she would likely love it if she gave it a chance. The choice was always hers though, and clearly, she chose wisely. Music and choir is all she ever talks about. She lives and breaths it. It has been such a joy in her life. 

I am excited to see where her love of music takes her. 

Here is the cute pin she got for playing the piano... 

This is an awful picture... but that is Sammi at the Piano practicing before the performance started... of all the days I did not take my camera, and my phone ran out of battery. Aargh. 

Daniel went in early with Sammi. Daniel met with the choir teacher and now he, too, is very interested in joining. Music kind of runs in the family, going back generations. Daniel is currently living it up in band, and loving it. He plans to do band and choir in junior high next year. He is doing awesome at the baritone. Next year he plans to play the trumpet, since the baritone is quite the large instrument to cart around everywhere. 

Next year should be pretty exciting in the concert department! Whew! Bring on the music! 

I have some recordings of Daniel playing, but I need to get them off of my mom's phone. The love of music is in his soul. He takes it very seriously. Junior high is often when that love and skill is able to really flourish. I look forward to it. It makes me happy to see Daniel so enthusiastic about music, and I especially love to hear him singing. He and Sammi love to sing duets together at home. It is pretty cute and entertaining. I love it. 

I can't wait to see where Daniel will take his love of music. 

Oh, and another funny thing from last night is people that didn't know Daniel thought he was Sammi's boyfriend. He, he. 

I don't have a picture of Dan for this post because I ran out of battery last night. But here is random cute picture of Dan the Man... and a picture of his trumpet, I need to take some pictures of his baritone before he turns it in for the year! 

Here we are in the car last night waiting to go into Sammi's concert, we were way early... 

 Time for a haircut, maybe?

William was enjoying changing all the music stations. We had some silly conversations. He loves music too, he loves to sing, but not sure what he will choose when he gets older. He still has a few years before they do band, etc., at the school. In the meantime, we rock out to music together. He likes music with a good beat, so he says. I let him pick the music when it is just us in the car. He has an awesome voice when he is willing to share it. If the music is turned up and he is singing along, he can let out some impressive qualities with his voice. He will not sing for you if you ask him though, so we will see how that goes in the future... it is totally up to him. One thing I know for sure is you can't force a love of music. True music has to come from the soul. 

Cheese! Henry loves to sing too. He has the alphabet song down great. He sings the letters, the sounds, and a word that goes with it. I had some old kindergarten learning letters DVD's, and he watches them a bunch to learn his letters. It is pretty cute. He also sings Les Mis, Let it Go, Say Something, All of Me, Try, Tangled, and a variety of other random songs. He is getting my playlist down pretty good.

I love music. I am so grateful it is part of life. What a blessing. 

I am still working up the guts to sing again in public. I just don't know if I might lose control of my emotions. I don't mind getting choked-up while speaking/teaching, but singing is a whole other story. If you lose it singing it is hard to get it back! Eek! We shall see... 

Meanwhile, I am enjoying music in my car, while I run, and I get to enjoy the music that my children make. I love it. 

I love it so much.