Even after all this time...

Everytime he says my name, everytime he calls, everytime he holds my hand, everytime I catch him looking at me, everytime I see him perform, everytime I hear his laugh, everytime there is a knock at the door, evertime I think of him... I still get butterflies.

Dragon Boat Festival

Baba and I finally went to the Dragon Boat Festival at Sloan's Lake this year. It was so much fun, especially since my dad could explain to me the why of everything that was going on. Stories from his childhood were inspired to surface, as well.

It is a traditional festival that has to do with a dragon that would wreck ships and eat the people it was carrying, but a man eventually sacraficed himself to the dragon in order to save the remainder of the people and ships.

Anyway, there are dragon boat races where rowing teams are lead by a drummer at the front of the boat who keeps time for them to stroke to. It's actually pretty exciting to watch.

There were also several performance from various Chinese dance studios. Many of them were very little girls, and they were so stinkin' cute. Our favorites, however, were the hula dancers-- I'm going to learn how to shake my booty like that some day.

Anyway, it was an absolutely beautiful festival with beautiful people. A truly unique experience.

Watching the family grow...

Dinner tonight was perfect. Thanks for your performance, Erin and Kasia, that gave us the excuse to come together.

Side note: you both have amazing husbands. I'm claiming them and brother-in-laws :-).

Movin' on.

The test has been completed, and now I'm off to the practice room!

I am quite grateful for the high ceilings, nice views, and for the fact that I am not a percussionist who cannot enjoy such lovely ammenities as these.

I'm running a race Sunday. I decided this today, which means that I have not been training, and there's no guarantee that I'll do well.

Who cares? It's for a good cause will be a lot of fun :-).

Hard work pays off.

Allow me to brag, for a bit, about Michael (because we all know he won't do it himself).

He has spent the past three years working his little hiney off becoming a better percussionist. He gave an absolutely phenomenal junior recital, and is now preparing to go to Denmark for the next few months to study in Copenhagen with Gert Mortensen.

He is going into his senior year, and thus has to be considering where he will be attending grad school. A top choice of his has been Cleveland State University where Tom Freer (percussionist for the Cleveland Symphony Orchestra) teaches, and he has spent the last two days in Cleveland taking lessons with Mr. Freer.

The week and a half leading up to these lessons I saw very little of him because he was spending 5 and 6 hours a day in the practice room. I honestly don't know how he does it. Anyway, Tom was impressed with his playing (who wouldn't be?) and has invited him to come and study with him after he graduates. It is an incredible honor, and I'm not sure I can think of anyone who is more deserving.

Well done, sir :-).

Monkeying Around

Have you tried doing the monkey bars recently?? I mean, as a grown adult. Kids are always boasting about overcoming the feat of swinging across the monkey bars, and seldomly are we very impressed.

But I dare you: the next time you're at the park, try them out. You'll have to bend your knees to keep your feet off the ground, and you will be suddenly aware of the weight of your body.

Never again will I brush off a child's announcement that he/she has conquered the bars.