We Are Not The Von Trapp Family

We are not the Partridge Family. Or the Duggers. Or that family on America's Got Talent.

I know people that need music like fish need water. People who have perfect pitch and can play musical instruments and who seem to always know every single song on the radio past and present. It is part of who they are and without they would be lost. I had a friend in college who said that the most important thing she was looking for in a husband is someone who loved to sing. I remember thinking, "Really? Really?! That's the most important thing?" She and her husband probably have accapella sing-alongs on long car trips where the children sing all the different parts like the song "Daddy Sings Bass."Outside of church and small groups, I'm not sure that Brad and I have ever sung together. Brad has trouble remembering a simple tune and I couldn't tell you anyone on the radio unless they've been on Sesame Street. We're just not that family.

Unlike Brad and I (both sets of parents are better than average singers), Eli has followed right along in our footsteps. The boy cannot carry a tune in a bucket to save his blessed little heart! He told numerous Sunday school teachers that he didn't like to sing and would just sit during Children's Worship (or play air guitar, but that's a whole other bowl of beans!). He never sang little ditties or asked me to sing any song while potty-training and when asked what he wanted to listen to while riding in the car, he would usually say "just talking". The soundtrack to his life would be gunfire and Star Wars sound effects.

But now Eli has Music every day at school and it seems some little tucked-away place buried deep inside of him has been set free. He sings (yes, sings!) while going about his day. He asked me to google "double bass" the other day because I wasn't quite sure what it was and he was trying to explain something to me. We even talk about music everyday.

Eli: Mom, you know that guy who played music that makes your brain smart?
Me: Um, Mozart?
Eli: Yeah, him. He's my favorite song guy after Elvis. (I'm not sure he even knows anyone beyond Elvis and Mozart!)

Eli: At school, Mrs. Vokes brought her French horn to school and let me blow in it.
Me: Really. A French Horn?
Eli: Yeah, it's like a horn. But it's French.

Eli: Mom, I want to play a violin.
Me: Why? It takes lots and lots of practice.
Eli: I want to play in a band. (Can you just see what kind of "band" Eli imagines himself playing a violin?)

Watch out, Von Trapps! The McCall's are on their way up!


For the record, Phoebe is VERY musical. She is always singing and making up songs and she seems to light up when music is played. When she hears music that moves her (whether Pachelbel's Canon in D or Hey Mickey, You're So Fine), she starts dancing and wants everyone around her to dance with her! Regardless of whether you're standing in the check-out line at United or in the bathroom at Dillards. It's a little embarrassing. I think I'm going to need to send Phoebe over to someone's house who actually knows something about music. Or maybe I'll just send her to the grandparents house. They weren't embarrassed to sing in the middle of the capitol building, they probably wouldn't be embarrassed to slow dance with Phoebe at the grocery store.