I am feeling so dang thankful.
Back in February, our beloved music teacher, James, moved for a new job. I was about to cry buckets of tears, but then he told me he was still willing to travel to The Dalles for lessons with the kiddos, hopefully 2 times per month. I thought I'll take it! However we fit into his life is what we will do. We had been doing lessons for just about 3 years, and he has been wonderful with the kids. We didn't want to loose that. We were all set to work with him on his schedule, and then Covid happened. We were busy homeschooling, and James was likewise busy being a teacher at his school over zoom. Life was chaotic and we decided to postpone any form of lessons.
So the kiddos had gone since the beginning of March without music lessons. Sure, they would take their instruments out every now and again to play, but it's not like when they are actually in lessons and practice every day. I really missed the music. And honestly, I refuse to let the kids just drop their instruments. I know they would regret it later in life. And they are just sooooo good for their age!!
About a month ago, we were lucky enough to catch a gig James was doing at a saloon in The Dalles. Afterwards, we invited him over for a drink and chit-chat. By the end of the evening, we agreed that Zoom music lessons would be a good fit for all of us right now. He wouldn't have to drive in, we wouldn't have to drive in, we could each do it in the comforts of our own home, we would be saving money, and he would get all the money instead of paying a share of it to the place we were doing lessons out of. It was a win-win for everyone.
A few weeks ago the kiddos had their first Zoom lessons! It was so much fun!! Doing lessons this way is really going to be wonderful.
The kids have now had a couple of lessons under their belts. Anthony is working on major and minor scales and applying them to jam to music on his own, and Molly has been working on a Christmas song and had the additional homework of writing her own song!
Her latest song will crack you up. It is a good one! I thought it fitting that she should write a blues song....a Covid-19 blues song, lol. She loved the idea.
I helped with the lyrics (I am totally great at writing kiddo songs by the way, haha!!), but Molly Lynn figured out what chords she wanted for the song all by herself. She got out her chords sheet, hopped on YouTube to find ukulele blues chords, and figured out what chords sounded the best for her song. Together we got her song 2/3rds of the way done before her next lesson.
After presenting her song thus far to James during her lesson, her homework was to record it. So here is that recording.
Next, her homework was to finish the song, which she has done! Here is her recording of her entire song! ENJOY!!
I am so thrilled that the kids can continue their music lessons. There was definitely a void in our lives without them!
With love, Mama Hauck
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