One is the loneliest number

I enjoy having a large family.  The crowd, the noise, the hustle/bustle, the liveliness  --  added up, mean fun and excitement (though involving a lot of hard work).  Silence and inactivity, in the context of family, is booooring and totally dulls-ville. 

So, our main acitivity on Saturday mornings is music lessons from 8:45 am till about 12:15 pm  Last Saturday after Junior Choir class, we ran into Anne, Camille's former Flute teacher through WC-CSA.  The day was so warm and sunny that she and her three students were practicing outside, away from the usual 'ol stuffy classroom. If it were still last year, Camille would be right smack dab in the middle of the group, practicing/playing her heart out on her Pearl flute.  She bacame such a good flutist  because of Anne's expertise, and her own efforts and rigorous practice sessions. Yes, it was good to see Anne once again.

How I miss Camille and how I miss flute lessons! I miss the applause during Recital season for her playing so well.   I miss being spoiled with the constant "noise" of flute and piano music throughout our home.  Her siblings still play the piano quite often, thank God (now you can add Clarinet to the mix); and Kristi picks up her guitar and sings now and again, but the Flute has been silenced -- at least temporarily.  In 3 and a half years, Lord willing, we'll have a Flute-playing Registered Nurse in the house!

That's the best-case scenario.  Realistically speaking, the children will slowly, but surely be leaving and living on their own, taking their music with them.  Their future families will certainly benefit; but as far as the music being exlusively mine and Romy's, those days are numbered. So, will the fun be over in the future?  Will the noise level in our home be finally reduced to dead silence (horrors! yuck! no way!).  Hopefully not.  Lord willing, there will always be RRE Family parties and get-togethers.  And Christmas parties.  And...I can hardly wait for this:  our children's weddings, their future families, our future gazillion Grandkids!  May it be so, Lord, may it be so.

Camille modelling a John Atencio Yellow Topaz ring with her Pearl-brand Flute.

Camille in her Fencing outfit/uniform (modelling my Chanel bag)

...how can one be warm alone?  And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a three-fold cord is not quickly broken.   Ecclesiastes 4: 11, 12

Taylor Guitar Girl and Hard-core Musician

DD Kristi is a dyed-in-the-wool Musician. During Jim and Tess' Wedding Reception, she slipped away to the Sam Ash Music Store (tagging along were Camille and Jill). She took a look around, made a few small purchases, and returned to the Banquet Hall about an hour later. When the Wedding Reception party was over, we all made a bee-line to Sam Ash based on her rave reviews. The place IS awesome, and chock-full of all things musical. They even had a private, glass-walled room where customers can oggle/play guitars. The guitars ranged in price from approx. $99 to over 3k.

Trying out a Taylor Guitar
Do you want to live here forever, Kris?

Happy as a lark

A friendly SA, who happens to be a PHENOMENAL guitarist!

A week later: DD on her way to another wedding. She was the Pianist for a fellow Music Therapist's Wedding. Hot day; Hot Girl; super-hot Piano player, wearing her hot Maxi dress ! WooooHoooooo!