Wednesday, October 31, 2012

A Trip To The Symphony

Yesterday I got to be K.J.'s guest on the third grade field trip.

 It was pretty much awesome.
We went to see the Southwest Symphony perform 'Peter and the Wolf,' which is the perfect introduction to live music for children, in my opinion. There is a storyteller that takes you along with the music so it is easy to follow the big themes and big emotions. Most of the kids were totally entertained, and K.J. loved it. Plus, those themes are so enchanting and stay with you all day. Every time I was in the same room with K.J. yesterday he was humming Peter's theme, or the bird's theme, or the wolf's theme.
 Which was good for my little heart, because I have such a love for the arts -- an appreciation that is part of my very being -- and it is awesome to see my children share that love and passion. Especially as children, it is way awesome. But then, my love came to me as a child. I give so much credit to my parents for exposing me to the arts at a young age -- we went to so many plays and dance concerts when I was a kid -- it was as normal as going to the football game. There is something that is so expanding about live music, theater, dance. I always call it soul-expanding, because I know of no other way to explain how it makes me feel. Like I can be bigger, stronger, and better. It helps me better understand who I am as a child of God, actually.
But anyhow.
This is K.J. with his best school friend Jadia. Please note her snazzy pink bead necklace she accessorized with -- I know I did. I think this is the darned cutest picture, you can see that they are two little peas in a pod.
 When I was a kid growing up in my tiny central Utah town, the famed Utah Symphony would come down and do assemblies for us every few years. Boy, oh boy, was that an experience I adored! They are a huge symphony with an amazing, huge sound, and I remember closing my eyes and being swept away in the sensory experience. I also remember slowly opening my eyes as the music faded and the kids around me looking at me like I was a weirdo. Heh heh. I have to laugh at myself. I am a little different. And that is cool, because that makes me Me. It is fun to see K.J. on his own little journey. He beats to his own drum, and I couldn't be prouder of the gentle, artistic, kind and funny human being he is.
After the concert we headed to the park for a picnic lunch and I enjoyed visiting with him between bites of his sandwich and trips down the slide. I learned that riding on a bus full of third graders was not designed for the faint of heart.
Mostly I enjoyed my time with my little guy. It was awesome to go with him on a special adventure that he has looked forward to so much, and I know he enjoyed being with me as much as I enjoyed being with him. So thanks, K.J., for inviting me. It was totally awesome.
What a guy.
Happy Halloween!

2 comments:

Ducksoup said...

thank you for posting. this is the second time i have checked your blog today. sounds like a great little adventure. dear marie, please let me enjoy sending my little brade off to school. isn't there any other way for them to learn and grow? (besides homeschooling of course). couldn't we just have school like twice a week for nine months and call it good. this everyday school thing is really throwing me threw a loop. well your pictures are pretty awesome. hope your house hunting is going better than mine and that you have an awesome halloween. i am thrilled because it's warm here.

Elise said...

Hey I think Macey was at that very same symphony on her third grade field trip on Tuesday. Small world, huh? Or maybe it's just a small town. :)