Beautiful Noise

Last night was Jake's first band concert. And-- even though the whole thing was hot, crowded, and way past bedtime--I was just so proud of my Big Guy. What a long way he has come!

For years, Jake went to speech therapy to deal with major articulation issues. His tongue, jaw and palette were so weak, as a preschooler he couldn't even blow soap bubbles or drink through a straw. The speech teacher and I spent hours with him using all kinds of tubes and whistles to strengthen those muscles. Now, the fact that he can play the clarinet (quite well) in the fourth grade band is a mini-miracle that I don't take for granted.

If you are his grandparent and want to watch, he's in the front row, mostly hidden by the music stand, just right of the microphone. Hopefully, you'll recognize the tune.


This was also his first year in Chorus and the music teacher is fabulous! (If you don't believe me, just glance at her shoes and listen for the ambitious harmonies. Fierce.) Jake is in the back row, right under the "s" in MUSIC. Special appearance by the principal.



The final song had me in tears...by this point a younger sib had confiscated the camera and I gave in because I was hot and cranky and up past my bedtime. So, I have no recording of the chorus singing this song, but listen to it anyway. Imagine these words in pure, sweet fourth grade voices, you might get misty, too.