the recorder strikes again...

Good news people! Gavin got his black belt! For the recorder that is.

There's this new-ish thing going on in public school music classes. The kids play a song for the music teacher. They pass "the test" and they get a little "belt" for their recorder. Actually it's a color coded piece of string that gets tied onto their case. But that's neither here nor there.

The fact is: G is a black belt in the recorder. AND, not to brag, but he's the FIRST FOURTH GRADER TO RECIEVE THIS HONOR THIS YEAR.

Okay..... how did this happen? I think the standards have been significantly lowered for musical prowess since I was a girl.

But I haven't even gotten to the best part.

Today is my daughter's birthday. MA BABEEEEEE! She's a TEENAGER! And while we were having our 6 am birthday present opening session before the kids got ready for school, Gavin decided to give his sister the most thoughtful gift he could imagine.

A SERENADE OF HAPPY BIRTHDAY ON THE RECORDER.

Are you KIDDING me? I had to close my eyes. I was pretending to really focus on the beautiful music being played from his heart, but really I was cringing at every flat note he played in lieu of the correct one.

Finally, Abby, who had been so sweet (for once) to listen to his off key rendition, said, "Thank you GAVIN! THAT WAS SO SWEET!" (thus signalling an end to the song).

And in the quiet, dark of morning, across the room, Scott said:

Gavin. Sports. Yo.

The moral of the story is: A music career is not in your future, son.