Beautiful Noise

I have a memory of myself, my sister (Mimisuu), and my cousin, (Mara) playing the piano at my grandmothers house. Now our choice of music was the Beatles - anything Beatles! Mostly I remember us banging on the piano and screaming "I wanna hold your hand", or something like "yea, yea, yea" , whatever it was I know it had to be excrutiating for our family to listen to. I have always wanted to learn to play the piano (pretty, not banging). My sister in law tried to teach me once but without a piano in my home it didn't work out so well.

A couple of years ago when my husband and I went to an auction, I asked him if we could purchase a piano if there was one there. Low and behold, there was. And, he bought it for me. I still haven't learned to play it but I am closer to learning now than I was. My hubby would like for our boys to learn to play the piano as well.

When we were kids growing up and got too loud, my papaw would always say "stop that racket." I also remember growing up that anytime we had loud music playing or the tv too loud, someone would always say "Turn that racket down" or " you all are making too much racket." I have often wondered what "racket" really was and why don't people care for it? As a parent of two young rambunctious boys I am finding out what "racket" really is.

Racket is two young guys wrestling in the middle of the living room floor. Racket is two young boys fighting over toys. Racket is two young boys yelling at each other just because they can. Racket is two young boys doing flips on the furniture and crashing into the floor with tons of laughter. Racket is fun; fun for children but not so much for the adults.

Now, when my boys climb up on that piano stool, I start to cringe because I know the "racket" is coming! However, it isn't racket to them. The other day they both climbed up on the piano stool, and Cole looked at me and said, "Do you want to hear some beautiful noise?" How sweet! So he and Franklin began to softly play the keys of the piano and I listened to the "beautiful noise" with pride - because I now know the difference between "racket" and "beautiful noise." Until next time, the doctor is out ... listening to beautiful noise.

The Doctor is in....

Well, this doctor is jumping on the bandwagon and joining the world of bloggers. So I guess I should start with my background. I am the oldest of five children raised by two great people. After graduating from my small country high school I went away to college then came home again. Going away didn't work for me, so I then enrolled into local college and continued to play. After marriage and divorce (and living away in California) I came back to my small city to be with my family and raise my young daughter, Susie Q. I wanted Susie Q to have the opportunity of being around family, not just me, but our extended family as well. For 12 years it was just Susie Q and myself making our way in the world. My dad talked me into going back to college when Susie Q was in the first grade. That decision eventually led me to a doctorate degree. In between that time, I met and married my wonderful husband who had a son one year older than Susie Q and we became a blended family. In the meantime I continued to work on my education finally graduating with my doctorate in Educational Psychology and Research December 2007.

Three years ago, after our two children were grown (one married and one away to college) my husband and I were blessed with the opportunity to raise my two nephews due to some unfortunate circumstances of their own parents. Franklin was a baby of 2 days when we got him while Cole was 3 years old. At first it was somewhat difficult but I think we have all adjusted. They both bring a lot of joy to our lives.

So I am still thinking about what I can contribute to the blog world. I think it will evolve as time goes by. I tend to be a quiet person so this may become my platform for things I don't feel comfortable saying in person - who knows. It may also be my platform for just letting friends and family know what is going on in our lives. I do know that it will be a challenge for me - one in finding time to write, another in sharing my life with the world, sharing my personal thoughts, etc. But I am hoping it will be fun. Until next time.....the doctor is out.