Amazing Week

My family has had an amazing week and it is only Tuesday. Saturday we went to a wonderful concert at the Kirkland Performing Arts center. We were privileged to watch and listen to Mary Youngblood, a two time Grammy award winning Native American Flute artist. We were treated to music by her and her cellist and with stories from her childhood. These stories resonated with me because they could have been my childhood. Spending summers studying jars filled with tad poles. Having blackberry stained fingers from eating blackberries warmed by the sun. The music is that kind of music that speaks to everything inside of you. It makes your heart soar and all of your feelings come alive. We were treated to duets with friends of Mary Youngblood, including Gary Stroutsos. The concert also included Eric Tingstad, an incredible guitar player. Eric played with an ensemble that including his partner Nancy Rumble, on the oboe and French horn. They played music from their album Southwest. Again music that inspires you to want to see the southwest and to learn to play music. It inspired me to pick up my flute again.
Sunday we got up and went to the Kent School District Clothing bank to help out. We were part of a large group of volunteers that included Hailey's Brownie Troop. We had a good time as a family working to help others in our community.
Monday came and the girls had the day off from school, so we had another day together. That brings us to Tuesday. We kept the girls home from school for an extra half hour and watched the inauguration of our new president. Last year we took them out of school for a day to watch hime when he came to Seattle it seemed only appropriate to keep them home to watch the culmination of all of it.

This has been a celebration of music and new beginnings for our family and we are looking forward to what else is coming.