Where It All Began

Everyone has a place where it all began.  Our place is in the mountains of Virginia, White Oak Mountain to be specific.

This is where we were engaged and from then on have been virtually inseparable. Over ten years have passed since that moment.

It's amazing to see where we are now.

I hope the kids remember this place too, when they grow up.

Our New Baby

Just over nine years ago Joe and I were married...and somewhere within that first year he gifted me with Roland, the digital keyboard. This was no small feat and should not be overlooked - living on a grad school salary (<20K), overseas was an interesting time for us...and a digital keyboard which cost, well, too much of that meager salary was huge.

Poor Roland...relocated to the basement.

Roland has been with us through it all - traveling to Sweden to live, coming back to the US, stopping in Virginia, staying in Wisconsin for 5 years (at 5 different residences) and then moving up to Minnesota - you should have seen the box after all of the moves, duct tape anyone? He has been played, our oldest has begun to learn how to play on him and the youngest likes to pretend to play. With a full keyboard, weighted keys, sustain pedal and custom-made stand (thank you to my father-in-law), I shouldn't ask for more...but, there has always been one thing missing....Roland is NOT a piano. To function electricity and speakers are needed, something which is hard to forget...especially when the speakers start to fail.

Meet the newest inanimate member of our family.  It's not a sexy, top-of-the-line piano, but it is a piano.  A nice piano.  Which in my opinion is perfect for the family with children under the age of 10, a dog and a tendency to move. I'm so excited! Unfortunately, this has meant that our family room is now relocated into the basement...unfinished...so now our house resembles more of the disorganized college time-period....but still, we.have.a.piano :o)

I'm not the most gifted pianist...in truth I have to practice a lot and I respect those individuals who have the natural ability to just sit and play.  My time at the keys is from the heart - maybe that's why it means so much.  Maybe one day we'll purchase the dream piano, maybe not.  For now we'll have an actual instrument and that is something to celebrate.

P.S. To my neighbors - we apologize for the banging that I'm sure will follow, especially as the youngest starts lessons :)