making music

Today N will have his first formal guitar lesson, and he is SO excited! He's wanted to learn to play for years now, and it just hasn't come together until here recently. It had come up again recently when we caught this show on PBS, and N was transfixed by the classical sounds of the lute. As always, I told him to just pray about it, trust the Lord, and that it would work out when the time was right. And now, it has! I am so very thankful as well, it's an answered prayer for all of us.

When Chris and I told him (about a week and a half ago) that he'd be starting weekly guitar lessons, I think he was in shock. It took a minute to sink in before he responded with, "Really?!" and wanted to know if he could learn the banjo also. We told him to slow down, and one thing at a time (guitars are cheaper and easier to come by than banjos!), he'd be starting with the guitar. And he's very happily satisfied with that, has been "nervous" and "excited" ever since, about learning something totally new, and having a new teacher.

Since lately he has become very interested in learning to play the banjo as well, it's just extra cool that his teacher (who graduated with a music degree from ETSU) also plays in a blue-grass band and teaches the banjo, as well as guitar. We found this teacher via the recommendation of a friend of mine whose teen-aged son has been taking lessons from him for a couple of years now.

So, Chris and I were all prepared to find a good deal on a used guitar for him to start with when N's Poppa surprised us with a most gracious offer. He volunteered to give N his own guitar, which he's had and played for years, but says he no longer uses much. We didn't tell N of this, but N kept asking about when and where he'd get his new guitar, since he knew that surly he'd be needing one, now that he would be taking lessons and all. We told him "Don't worry 'bout it... we'll take care of it..." and he was in total suspense. Then, last Saturday - it arrived... and yeah, he suspected and guessed EXACTLY what was in the giant box!

But... he still didn't realize who it was from, nor its significance (that it was his Poppa's very own guitar)...

So, we told him, and of course- he thought it was great!

I am SO excited too, that he'll be learning something musical, even how to read music (something I don't even know much of - besides what our recorder book has taught me) and we now have a real musical instrument in our house (besides the kids' harmonicas and recorders). Also, now N can teach me to play, as he learns. I've always wanted to play the guitar too... I know there's some good guitar lessons available on-line too, that I'll have to look up for meself, since I we N now has a guitar to practice on. I love this whole homeschooling thing, I'm my kids are getting to learn so much!

He's been strumming his new guitar ever since it arrived Saturday, looking forward to 5:00 today, his first lesson. T is excited that we'll get to walk around the mall for 30 minutes while we wait on Bubby to have his lesson. It's something we rarely do (mall-time), but she loves, so that'll probably become our own little weekly routine, a half-hour of girl-time at the mall each week while Bub's having his lessons. T is a bit disappointed that she's not able to start taking violin lessons yet- I told her to wait and that there's a time for everything- Bubby's been waiting for this for years. And she's been given the opportunity to ride in a lot of horse shows this year, something that hasn't worked out for N (and he's been so gracious and understanding about, another reason I'm so grateful for this working out for N!).

Thanks Poppa and Grandma, for making our boy's dream come true! He's thrilled, and looking forward to showing you all he's learned by October!

N said that it's neat to think that he's playing the same guitar that his Poppa played. Yeah, I'd have to agree.

Mommy Note: I was blessed today to hear, during our prayers together, N thanked the Lord for providing a way for Chris and I to afford his guitar lessons, and then he asked that the Lord would also provide for T to take violin lessons. Afterwards T prayed for Daddy, and then thanked Jesus for providing Bubby with guitar lessons. I'm thanking Him for their generosity and thoughtfulness towards one another. THAT is music to my ears and heart... and a beautiful melody to our Lord as well, I'm sure.