My mother once told me she believed that a child who sings is a happy child. She told me this when I was 5 or 6 years old and she found me sitting in the backyard, making daisy chains and singing to myself. There was a feeling of embarrassment at being caught singing to myself, but thankfully I was assured that I was still normal. Occasionally I would go to church with my godfather Brian. I would sit quietly, drawing on the collection cards, until it was time to sing. Opening the hymnal (and figuring out how to read it) was a wonderful feeling. Listening to Brian’s lovely voice, the one lady who always sang louder than anyone and to the entire congregation in song was a truly heart opening experience. When I was older I took a singing class, which was an unfortunate turn in my enjoyment of singing. My voice is naturally low and the teacher never instructed me on how to use it correctly. It was embarrassing when I sang a final solo in front of the class in what I’m sure is an octave or two above my natural range. That experience didn’t discourage my love of singing, and since then I have continued to do so.

I sing along with musicals, the radio, other people, I sing a lot. When I don’t know the words, I hum. One of the biggest perks of working at Challenger, as a teacher, was their very thorough use of songs as teaching tools. It was a dream, I got to sing every single day and with other people. Usually it was with a bunch of kids, but occasionally the teachers would sing together too. I often got goose bumps when that happened. It was so nice to feel the human connection that comes with singing in a chorus and to listen to children burst into song in the middle of an activity. They all knew the  words and it was the closest I’ve ever come to living in a musical.

It got to the point where I was singing so many school songs at home every night that Luke asked me to please stop singing Challenger songs. Luckily, country songs are nice and easy to belt out, and living in Idaho there is an abundance of country music. As much as I love singing with Porter, in the car, doing yard work, cleaning the house and in general I would love to have some more formal experience singing, and that is number 3 on my bucket list.

1. Travel to 6 of the 7 continents. Let’s be honest, Antarctica is a long shot. So far I’ve been to North America (Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica) and Europe (France).
2. Spend time practicing yoga at an ashram in India, with my brother.
3. Join a choral group and sing with them regularly.

Collecting sticks

“Mama, you don’t have any sticks! Let me give you one, or maybe three, of mine. Really, it’s no problem.”

Descendant from monkeys, the natural desire to climb.

Hurray! Acrobatic skill level unlocked.