DATE NIGHT

Yesterday I left THIS cute boy...

To go on a date with THIS cute boy.

It's been awhile.  Maybe a few months even.  I spontaneously stopped at the Outlets on the way home and picked me up a sassy new outfit...because I could.  I love surprising Steve.  When I got home, he greeted me with his infamous BEAR hugs.  How I love his hugs.  I told him we were going out.  He was giddy.  I snuck upstairs and got dressed.  I came down and the house went wild.  "WOW" they all said.  "Where'd THAT come from?" asks Steve.  I tell him I've had it for forever and blow it off like it was nothing.  (that's my favorite answer to that question...makes Steve laugh everytime)  Stevie spotted the tag hanging out the back that I forgot to cut off.  "It's BRAND NEW!" she tells me.  Darn, she's smart.  ;)  Steve was feeling a little under-dressed and left in a hurry to go change.  We kissed the kids goodbye and headed out for date night.  Fratello's.  It's my favorite local restaurant.  We happened to have a $50 gift card, even better.  Paul Warnick was there.  He's a music/band teacher at my children's middle school and an EXCELLENT performer.  I love to hear him sing/perform.  He was playing at Fratello's that night.  Even BETTER!  While we were sitting at dinner, talking about the past week as single parent's...trying to catch the other one up on the other half of the family, Paul walks over to see us.  He proceeds to tell Steve and I how much he LOVES having Stevie in band.  You see...she's a music nut.  I started her in piano a few years ago.  (like the rest of my kids)  She's loved it the most.  She would have me give her a lesson daily vs. weekly if I gave in.  She could be a lot better if I were more diligent in teaching her.  Last year she was allowed to start playing an instrument at school.  I had the flute and clarinet lying around but she wanted to play trombone.  Thankfully my mom had one of those lying around.  She excelled.  This year she's not only playing band for HER grade, but also SIXTH grade.  A few weeks ago she snuck the clarinet out my door and to school.  She's been wanting to play that too.  I told her no.  Mostly because I didn't think she'd be allowed to play two instruments.  Paul told us about how she forgot her trombone instrument for her lessons one day but she mentioned that she had a clarinet and told him she knew how to play it.  He of course was skeptical, gave her a book and sent her to a practice room to try it out while he finished trombone lessons with the other kids.  30 minutes later he came back to check on her...thinking she might be able to figure out the first few songs in the book.  She was already HALF.WAY.THROUGH the book at that point and played the songs better than some of his students that have been playing for a couple years.  From that day on she continues to attend her trombone lessons after school on Monday's and now attends clarinet lessons before school on Wednesday's.  BUT...in band class?  She plays BOTH.  He says she faithfully sets out both instruments in front of her at the beginning of class and when Paul works with the brass section, she's picks up her trombone and when he works with the wood wind section, out comes the clarinet.  He LOVES it.  Thinks it's so cool.  Remember the flute that I mentioned we had sitting around?  It's no longer sitting around.  This child has a serious musical drive.  I'm thinking I might have to hide Kaleb's trumpet that's now sitting dormant or else she might start to overwhelm her band teacher. We left with full bellies and full hearts.  It's always nice to witness success in your children's lives.  We spent the rest of the night socializing with some dear friends and fell into bed exhausted.  Today I made the long drive back to be with Benjamin.  Back to our second home.