The pretty yellow flowers were in bloom across the road, so we hurried up and did a quick photo shoot with the girls and their favorite instruments on Sunday afternoon.
It took several tries to get some of these shots as for some reason, everybody and his or her brother was out for a Sunday drive on our road at the same time! I kept saying, "Go home and eat your roast chicken, people!"
Natalie plays alto saxophone in the school band, and bass guitar in the jazz band, but her true love is her guitar. She is self-taught, but takes lessons with Todd every Tuesday night. Todd claims that he actually takes lessons from her! The two of them are a great fit. She enjoys learning to play all kinds of music and he is not fond of top 40 hits, so they often play songs from the "good old days". Todd plays in a couple of bands and is a Christian, so it's a great influence as well. Natalie heads up a band consisting of herself on lead guitar and vocals, her sister on keyboard and hopefully back up vocals, Luke on bass guitar, and newcomer, but amazing on drums, Shane. Even better, these kids have known each other since they were toddlers. What a blessing! Hopefully the band will be able to get together and practice and begin to perform. Right now they are trying to agree on music styles, choices, and trying to learn how to play as a team. It's a lot of work and they don't get a lot of time to practice. With God's help, the band will succeed.
While we have enjoyed watching our daughter play sports, I have to say there have been a lot of moments we have not enjoyed about watching sports. Knowing our daughters were working their hardest and putting every effort forth and still not being given a chance was really hard to watch. Knowing Natalie only had a couple of years to play sports because of her upcoming spinal fusion, but watching her sit the bench was excruciatingly difficult at times. There is no fairness in sports. Coaches have favorites. Parents complain and get their kid more play time. Bickering is common in the stands. I've even heard parents talk terribly about other people's children, openly in the stands! Skin has to be so thick to play sports. I'm not sure I want my girls walking around with skin like that, to be honest. If it was their choice, I'd support them, of course, but I'm so glad for music. Music lets everyone play!! Yes, there are favorites. The ones who play best tend to play solos, it's true. But the proof is in the listening and parents don't get to say anything! Only the teacher gets to choose who really earns the play time and it's not about winning. It's about pleasing the audience. But still, everyone gets to play because as a band, everyone sounds better as one. The clinkers get covered by the ones who practice, but they still get to play. The better ones cover the ones who don't work as hard and make them look better so as a whole, the band shines. It's what a team is supposed to be.
Perhaps a sports team could learn something from the band? Last year during volleyball a player was heard putting several of her teammates down. In band, that is unheard of. If someone is struggling, you take them aside and help them out. It's a buddy system and everyone gets help.
In some areas, these are the types of programs people want to cut! Art and music. The band. It's sad. Sometimes these are the only programs a kid has to keep himself interested in school. Sometimes it's the only class where he is treated with any kind of respect or feels any capability. Band was my saving grace in school. I'm so grateful that my girls both have a passion and talent for music and a great teacher to guide them.
What was this post about anyway?? I love it when I think I'm posting about one thing and another takes over.... :)
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