Friday, December 25, 2009

201

I just passed my 200th post and didn't even realize it......so much for marking the occasion!

It's the evening of December 25th, and I am sitting in my parents' kitchen - what used to be a tiny divided space is now one huge kitchen/dining area, and I love it. We celebrated here last night with the whole family and it didn't feel crowded, for the first time in a long time. I've just come in from a walk through my hometown with the dog - it's a warm and windy night, and the rain has finally stopped. It was lovely.

This is me right now, courtesy of the webcam:




Christmas is a holiday that I still celebrate with the family, even though my heart is pagan, and Yule is the day that I mark as spiritually significant. There was a lot of food this year, as usual - more food than even our large family could possible eat. My brother was here from Boston, my 98 year old grandmother came for the evening from the nursing home...I arrived on Christmas Eve, went home that night, and came back this afternoon for turkey dinner. I'm staying tonight - Emily is tucked into bed with her cousin, after a long day of playing, reading, and sitting in the hot tub.

I received a few gifts this year that I love:




and this from my daughter


which I love, love, love!! She was almost as excited as I was...and couldn't wait for me to open it so she could watch it with me. Amy, Amy,Amy!

But the best gift of all was discovered by accident, a few minutes ago in my parents CD collection.

I guess I'm a typical mother. I'm proud of what both of my daughters have accomplished. A few years ago, when Megan was 12, she was invited to participate in a project with her school choir and a local church...and the result was a CD.

I used to cry when she performed as a child. At Kiwanis, during church solos, sometimes even when she sang with her children's choir. I have several CD's from her years as a chorister, and while I treasure them all, I loved her little moment in the spotlight.....until the CD went missing about a year ago. I think that she probably took it out of the CD cupboard and forgot to replace it, but I remember looking for it last Christmas, and being quite upset when it could not be found. I wanted Emily to hear her big sister singing.

Lo and behold, I found a copy of the CD tucked away at my mom and dad's. I uploaded it with a still image so that you could hear the music that still has the power to make me cry, even though her voice has matured, even though there were, and will be other moments for her to shine.



 I plan to end my day sitting in my parents' sunroom, in the dark, watching the shadows and listening to the wind sigh through the balsam firs in the back yard. 

Blessings to all on this magical night of peace.

15 comments:

small town dyke said...

wonderful!!

Murray said...

Congratulations on 200+ and receiving the Indigo Girls, too! And I loved the song by your daughter. How could you not cry? This was a wonderful post! I hope you write many more.

Making Space said...

Congrats on your 201st post! Thanks for being out there! Beautiful Christmas gifts, and you look peaceful and radaiant in the midst of it all. Your daughter's voice was so sweet and pure. What a lovely children's choir sound, truly lovely! And those adorable Canuck accents... Hee hee... Does your daughter still sing at all? I know her voice has changed, but that musicality must still be there...

Kalisis Rising said...

Beauty all around! How wonderful. Congrats on 200+, that's a milestone for sure. And your daughter's voice is amazing.

Happy Winter!

Angie said...

Congrats on 201 post...awesome post. Your daughter has an amazing voice I would love to hear it now if she sounded that well at 12. Thank you for sharing your not the only one cried listening. Awesome gifts too. Blessing to you I hope your enjoying yourself with the family. :)

Anna said...

Megan cut her musical teeth on two well-known children' choirs. When she was small, we lived in a small town that is home to (imo) one of the best children's choirs in North America. Her choir experiences took her all across Canada and the US. She's performed in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, BC, Albany, Indiana, Michigan and Disneyworld. Choir gave her something that has served her well in all areas of her life - discipline. She took private vocal coaching for a few years as well. When she was 15, she was offered a small role in a local production of Carmen, but had to withdraw because she contracted Mono. she appeared in a local production of Annie when she was 13. She had re-joined her old choir last year when she was hit by the car....and now that she's feeling better, she's hoping to sing again. She's always singing - she could sing before she could talk, and I hope that she continues to sing for a long time. Her voice is still beautiful, and always will be to me.

Perhaps if I can get her over here, we can record something. Maybe even together..that would be fun!

Dreama said...

love your Tibetan singing bowl...I was eyeing them the other day. I want one!

* said...

love the tibetan bowl. very nice.

happy 200th post.

LilliGirl said...

Beautiful. I am so glad you are in a good place. Happy Yule!

Making Space said...

Hooray - I hope she can enjoy singing again soon! I'm also drooling over the bowl - I keep thinking of it when I'm supposed to be doing other stuff like washing the dishes...

Margo said...

This is just the kind of well rounded post I like to wake up reading in the morning.

Accomplishment (congrat on sticking with blogger long enough to see 200)

Reflection
Peace
Surprise
Contentment and it all ends in the dark on a breezy night -
Perfection

Margo Moon said...

Lovely.

I think things hide on purpose sometime, just to hear us be happy to find them again.

Anonymous said...

Congrats on 200. Yeah I do the same, celebrate Christmas with family, but to me it is about Yule. Hey, why not. :-)

Awesome on the CD!

Erika said...

So glad to have found you...I responded to your comment over on my blog.

Me. Here. Right now. said...

Hey Camlin - Have a great 2010 - you deserve it!