How Far We've Come

Music is a love of mine, I don't know, maybe it's in my genes. I have always regretted not having learned how to play an instrument, in fact, for years I blamed my father for not being around to teach me but as I grew up I realize there's no one to blame but myself. It's not like I didn't have opportunities, I just didn't have anyone there to teach me the importance of music when it was crucial to my keeping with it.

I knew the boys learned how to read music and how to play piano at school (Tristen had asked me to let him practice on the keyboard my dad had given me forever ago) I just didn't know it had made any kind of lasting impression.

Christmas 2007 Seth asked for a guitar. I didn't even know he was interested! We bought him a First Act from Toys R Us (just thinking it was a phase). He jammed on that thing for months until one day I noticed he had put it away. When I asked "why?" he said he just couldn't make it sound right so what's the point. I felt horrible! I thought he just wanted it as a toy but come to find out, he was genuinely interested in learning the propper way to play! When I brought that up to my Mom on a visit in the summer of 2008 she told me to look into private lessons... "yeah right" I thought, "we can't afford that" but I called around anyway. I found a lady who's not too far away and who only charged $18.00 per session, Mom offered to pay for the lessons and then... what's the saying? "Monkey see, monkey do" Tristen
miraculously became interested in learning guitar too!

On the whim, Mom bought him a guitar and he was able to join the lessons too. The great thing is that we get two-for-the-price-of-one! Seth is growing out of his little First Act but Jim (Papaw) has a guitar in Afghanistan that he's bringing to Seth in May, the teacher says this one will work until then.

The boys were so excited until they found out they have to practice every day! It's amazing how fast they wanted to quit! I told them that quitting isn't an option for them right now, give it at least 6 months to a year and see where it takes us. They are only asked to practice 15 minutes a day. It has taken US (me remembering to remind them and them actually listening)4 months to get on a regular routine with practicing and it's really paying off. Mrs. Sandee (the teacher) says Tristen has improved 100%


and Seth's improvement is 75% better than before Christmas. She says Tristen has the self-motivation driving him to accomplish any goal she sets for him and Seth has the love of music driving him. The songs are beginning to sound like songs and not just random notes and they seem to enjoy it much more now that they can "make it work right".

Thanks Papaw and Nana for paying for their extended musical education! (They still pound the keys on the keyboard daily and visit the piano lab at school weekly, even Garrett is learning piano and loves it!) I love hearing the music fill the air, I can't wait 'til Garrett and Hayden are old enough to choose an instrument! Garrett already says he wants to play the drums and Hayden is a great singer!



I am so proud of my little musicians!
Jonas Brothers? HA! Logo Brothers!