Sledding, Drummer Boy and Milestone

Three unrelated topics:

Tonight I had the great pleasure to go sledding with my favorite four-year-old. We tackled the hill down the street from his house. I found out that his three older siblings aren't taking too much to sledding this year, and he needs someone to go with him. So I delightfully filled in. My favorite moments were getting on the sled together (the hill is too big for him to go down by himself) - first I would get situated, then he would plunk down on my lap. He would make sure he was holding both sides of the sled, and just when I let go of him to maneuver us down the hill he would say "make sure you hold onto me." So I did, all the way down the hill. Then we'd chat as we hiked back up the hill. Then down, then up....

I'm sick of the song "The Little Drummer Boy". I hear it at least five times a day (seriously-I'm not joking, it was just on when I began this post). What's with an ox and a lamb keeping time when there is a drummer boy? Isn't the whole point of a drummer to keep time?? Nevertheless, I had the realization yesterday that since I hear this song so frequently that there is something that I should learn from it. So, the next time it's on, I won't groan in frustration or turn off the radio for a few minutes. I will listen, and try to learn something. Perhaps God will meet me through the "drummer boy".

Lastly, there's a big milestone coming up. Anyone want to venture a guess as to what it is??

Oh Tannenbaum

This Advent I've been enjoying (and obsessed with) Christmas music - it's all that I've been listening to for weeks now. Right now the song 'O Tannenbaum' is playing, and it makes me think of our wonderful Christmas Tree :).

My housemates and I had complete intentions of getting a tree, but it wasn't happening (schedule-wise - between finishing up grad school, grad school applications and a yucky virus, each of us have had our tough weeks). But Saturday afternoon I was driving home from a baby shower, and decided to get a tree. An impulse-buy of sorts, but I had bought a tree stand the previous evening.

I quickly found a tree place, and what I thought was a pretty nice tree. The gentleman at the tree place packed it into my tiny Saturn, and off I went. Then I started to think about getting home - once I got there, how would I get the tree into my house, then into its stand? Thankfully, Kat was home and saved the day. With great delight, we put up the tree and arranged it, then Kat went back to work. I've had fun over the past few days adding lights and decorations - all it needs is a star or angel on the top.

In honor of our tree and the wonderful Christmas music:

O tannenbaum, o tannenbaum, wie treu sind deine blätter.
Du gr¨nst nicht nur zur sommerzeit, nein auch I’m winter wenn es schneit.
O tannenbaum, o tannenbaum, wie treu sind deine blätter.
O tannenbaum, o tannenbaum, du kannst mir sehr gefallen.
Wie oft hat nicht zur winterszeit
Ein baum von dir mich hoch erfreut!
O tannenbaum, o tannenbaum, du kannst mir sehr gefallen.
O tannenbaum, o tannenbaum, dein kleid will mich was lehren:
Die hoffnung und bestandigkeit
Gibt trost und kraft zu jeder zeit.
O tannenbaum, o tannenbaum, dein kleid will mich was lehren.

Encore

I went to a great concert last night (Over the Rhine) and at the end there was an encore. Not particularly surprising, and the musicians were expecting it (they didn't introduce the amazing drummer until the encore). After that, there was another encore. This was not as expected for the musicians (one was in the bathroom and didn't have her belt on when she came back). The group didn't have songs planned for the second encore. But they played one of their songs I am more familiar with, which was delightful.

But it got me thinking - when did the encore originate? From where? Does it exist everywhere (I'm assuming probably not. Concerts - as we think of them aren't universal)? If you were from another place, and had never heard of the idea of an encore, imagine how strange it would be. After a live show the performers leave. The audience claps and claps and the performers come out again and play a few more songs. And then they leave again. More clapping. They come back and play more. Very strange.