Playing my Piccolo

The instrument I chose to learn to play in order to join the band in elementary school was the flute. I took private lessons through the end of high school and during that time span also learned to play the piccolo. In college I played my piccolo in the pep band at home basketball games. Since I graduated from college in 1992 I've periodically made use of my flute at church but haven't had the opportunity to use the piccolo. I just played flute solos until 2004. I played my flute even more at the church I attended from 2004-2008 as the choir director and handbell choir director both selected music for their groups that incorporated a flute part on a fairly frequent basis. I hadn't found a way to let it be known at the church I've attended the past year that I play the flute. Another woman in the choir plays the flute. Recently they had announced they were looking for volunteers for a "Night of Praise." I volunteered to play a flute solo, and I asked the choir director to be my accompaniest.

Last night I went to church to rehearse with her as the Night of Praise is this coming Sunday night. She was very excited to find out that I can play challenging flute music. She asked if I majored in the flute in college (no). I mentioned that I had continued to play my flute at church but hadn't used my piccolo since college. She said that there is a piccolo part for a song the choir is singing in the near future. They were going to sing it on March 7, when we'll be in Maryland as Wendy (and two of her three kids) will be in town from Chicago; so the choir director said she'd rearrange the schedule so that they will sing this song when I can be there. She also asked me to sing with the choir this Sunday as they're doing a song I've rehearsed. I haven't sung with the choir since December 6. I am excited about getting back involved with the music ministry although I'm not ready to resume going to choir rehearsals on Wednesday nights yet, and I'm really excited that I get to use my piccolo for the first time in many years!

Last night Ian had his longest stretch in the Nap Nanny - ever. I put him down a little before 8pm and he slept there until 12:50am - almost 5 hours. WOOHOO! He cried briefly at 11pm, but by the time I went downstairs to nurse him, he had fallen back asleep. I had a hard time going back to sleep since I was feeling very full (in terms of milk) and also had to make many trips to the bathroom. Unfortunately he wouldn't sleep in there the rest of the night. This has been the pattern the past 3 nights. The first stretch is in the Nap Nanny, and the rest of the night he's been in my arms. At least the first stretch was much longer last night.

Nadia definitely is in a growth spurt. She is a bottomless pit. I am hoping Ian follows suit. :-) We put her to bed at 7:30pm last night. She woke up a couple of times during the night (9pm and 4:30am), but thankfully didn't get up until 6:05am.