Music

I'd like to take a few moments to brag on my oldest child, Emily!
As you all know she's been playing the violin for 2 years.
During 5th grade she played with her school's orchestra.  During the summer after 5th grade we did private lessons as she had done so well with it and was loving it.
During 6th grade she played with her school's orchestra as well as our area's advanced 6th grade silver strings.  She again did amazing.  It just seems to come naturally for her.
This summer we decided to again do private lessons, but found and adult teacher for some more intense advanced work.  She's now doing lessons for an hr a week.  Her teacher can't stop going on and on about how amazing she is doing.  She's beyond impressed with how well she sight reads, her technique, her sound, and so many other things.  Her teacher puts a brand new never before seen piece of music in front of Emily and she is able to play right along side her teacher.  They have skipped ahead by many books, to get Emily some challenge.  They are also working extra hard on perfecting technique and rhythm.
We will be talking about switching Emily up to a performance level violin before the next school year starts.  7th grade will start her at playing 5 times a week for 45 minutes a day, plus practice time of course!
Emily is determined that music is what she plans on doing with her life and it definitely seems like this is what she will do.

Not much news with the rest of us.
Jace, Ben, and Ari are just staying busy with the summer.

Bob is still pretty numb and trying to stay busy.

My numbness is quickly slipping away.  I'm having vivid bad dreams detailing out that night and am waking up at 4am (around the same time that he passed) more mornings than not.  Sometimes I can slightly fall back asleep, many nights not able.  This is causing stomach issues and alot of headaches.  I'm having alot more tough moments and alot more tears.  There are times where I feel like my chest is so tight and I can barely catch my breath.  Music used to be my solace, but right now every song some how makes me think of Eli.  Some how every song seems to fit what's going on in our lives, which just brings more tears.  I'm just trying to get thru each day, and feeling very isolated and lonely doing it.

Like most of my posts I will close with a few pics from this part of our journey.

A few hrs after Eli passed away we all (all 11 of us) went to Build a Bear and made Eli a bear.  Everyone has their birth bear and it seemed only right to make his passing bear(His bear is buried with him).  This is a photo of most of us lined up kissing our hearts before placing them all in his bear.

Another picture of a group of us kissing and crying on our hearts.