Sometimes You Hear Something...

Sometimes you hear something so beautiful you want to cry.

Theo has been singing in chorus for two years. It seems they work on the same songs for years, and, if I am totally honest, they don't seem to get much better. They sing fun songs. They try to do harmonies. It is never quite good enough to pull off for the concerts. So why does he keep doing it? I love the chorus teacher.

Plus, Theo loves to sing. He wakes up singing every morning and he always has--even before he knew any songs. That is just how he opens his eyes to the world.

But yesterday he sang "Ben," the Michael Jackson song. I never knew it, or had even heard it. But it is an incredibly beautiful song--and happens to have the name of my second son.

Theo began to sing in the sweetest voice I had ever heard him sing with. He sang this sweet sweet song about a boy named Ben--but he might as well have sung to his brother.

It was beautiful. So so, soooo beautiful. Michael Jackson would have cried. I swear to you.

I wish you could hear him. Right here.

I Wish My Name Were...

The other day Benji, first grade, had a fun assignment. Come up with a name for yourself, and say why. They were looking for He-who-runs-to-the-top-of-the-mountain, or He-who-eats-spinach, or He-who-scores-goals. Something Indian-ish. Instead, Benji wrote, "I wish my name were Eliot, because it would be fun."

He has never known an Eliot, met an Eliot, seen an Eliot. How did he even come up with it?

Jonathan poitned out he actually has a half uncle (who none of us have ever met) named Eliot.

i have been wondering about it for two days. Where did it come from? And why?