Around Here - Weekend with Grandma

I think these photos speak for themselves.

This past week was hyped to be a lot busier than it ended up, although still a full 50 hour week - Mom (as usual) came to the rescue so I could attend dress rehearsals and record shows knowing Soren was with one of his doting buds.  Watching these two is such a gift. 

Between May Festival Rehearsals, Concerts, Broadcasts and wrapping up a record - we got some sunshine at Lunken Playfield flying kites, playing tag at the playground, munching Street Pops and watering flowers in the backyard. 

Oh!  And intense games of Scrabble....

And a righteous mama - daughter date to Terry's Turf Club (sadly - no burgers since the power went out), then Arthurs (Greek burger - YUM!) and darts at Haps. Both of us crashing before 11:30pm.  #motherhoodrules

Thanks mom, xoxo 

Soren Says...

Soren has this new 'thing' now.  It's so cheek pinching adorable and frightening at the same time.

This week I posted about his session.  He did the 'thing' here.  Soren turns to both Rick and I and says:

'I want to introduce myself, can I?'

The permission part kills me along with the look of enthusiasm on his face.  We respond,

'Absolutely bubs.  Go for it!'

'Hi - well.  I am Soren and I am 4 years old!  I have a birthday coming up.  I will be 5.  It's nice to meet you!'

Yep.  I'm not exaggerating any of this.  It's that stinking cute.  So in this crowd of mixed adults and older kids - they eat it up.  They introduce themselves genuinely and surround him with kindness.  

The playground - completely different beast.  Last night, we went to play soccer and there was a birthday party going on at the same time.  Kid fest at the playground.  Soren is so amped.  He asks me yet again:

'Momma, I want to introduce myself.  Can I ask them to play with me?'

Me:

'Of course bubs - go for it!'

Soren to a kiddo not much bigger than him:

'Hi! I'm Soren.  I'm 4 years old!  What's your name?'

The kiddo:

'I'm 7.'

That's it.  And turns his back on Soren, NOT with kindness.  Soren looks at me, you know parents - that look - like 'what did I do wrong?'.  On my toes I look over at the other side of the playground and see some other preschoolers - I respond with:

'Buddy - there's a villain over there.  We have to go save the world, hurry!'  

He ran to the other side and was quickly wrapped in play with his fellow preschoolers.  Whew.  My heart still melted for him.  I hope he never loses his enthusiasm for socializing; even if not everyone is up for the task.  Always try bubs.

Full Time ALL the Time

No - this is not a 'work, life, balance' post.  I wouldn't do that.  In fact - if I see one more of those blog titles I might lose my mind.  

Time and time again, I find myself searching in the depths of those blog titles thinking - 'oh! she has the answer!' or 'he has to know how to balance this all out, right?!!' - and honestly? they are filled with listing ideas, tea recipes, yoga advice and 'just breath', like I haven't been doing that already.

The one thing they are almost always missing - honesty.  It's tough people.  Being full time, all the time.  This space sees it the most - the neglect.  For me, it's about letting go.

Letting go of the assumption that it gets easier.  The tough days are part of the reward and it gets tougher and more consuming.  But that's just it - it's consuming.  And letting go of the hefty, weightiness that it is a bad thing to be consumed is a freeing experience. 

Not going to lie - this realization followed a LOT of heart ache and yoga practice, but it happens.  So I guess I did follow some of their advice (*wink).  On the flip side, being full time ALL the time (the point of this post) has it's perks.  Like watching your child work on a tune with his father - who is also full time ALL the time.

side note - these shots are priceless.  the studio they are in was built by Rick's father (Soren's Papaw).  Rick spent evenings here with his dad, not much older than Soren - when he was working on it.  now Rick works there; 3 generations on those wood floors.

Here he is in his first recording session.  The tune will be featured on Around Cincinnati's Holiday Special by Lee Hay.  The song is ridiculous amounts of adorable.  I can't wait to share it with you all!  He was so proud and SO brave.

one of the side effects of being the kiddo of two full time recording engineers - you end up on one of their records eventually.  he proudly explained the whole process to everyone.  

The Journey

'We've been so busy...Sorry I haven't gotten around to...Yikes - last week was like a whirlwind!' 

These lines have graced the blog far too often these days.  What I keep forgetting about is the journey.

I've been listening to some Alan Watts lately and this one in particular really hit me (thank you Rick):

It isn't about the possibility of a Grammy or the finished CD product - it's really the journey getting there.  The obstacles to overcome - the tuning, editing, mixing and mastering.  It's about studying what makes a mix more than listenable - but moving.  Like Joe said to Rick and I during the recording of the project

'it's all theater.  People don't really want the moment they experienced, they want something better!'.  That's my job, day in and day out.

Creating something meaningful and moving.  Something that grabs the attention of listeners.  And through that, is a process.  A complicated, involved - very personal process.  It's quite a journey.  So in the midst of stressful deadlines and final products, Watts and Henry remind me to stay inside of the journey.  Not let my mind wander from the beauty that is the process.  

It's not about the product and what that brings - because when you get there, you are left with the same bag of meaning (or meaningless) as before if you're void during the journey.

With Soren - it's about every moment.  Every trial and tribulation.  Celebrating my moments raising a human being - watching him become his own person.  Not if he will go to college, or back pack through Europe, etc... Those things will come in their own time.

My 2015 is truly becoming about the journey.  My moments with Soren, work and personal life.  I don't want to be 40 and a part of the hoax.  I want to sing and dance WHILE the music is being played.