Having a free weekend, which was WEIRD!!! But fun…. let me be a spectator to a few things this weekend, in the best possible way. I had the honor and absolute pleasure of seeing two of my favorite people do things that I can’t even imagine doing. Like, ever.

Now my brother in law Noah is a genius. In so many ways. Most specifically, in music. How he hears it, how he feels it, how he plays it. Especially how he composes it. Noah was awarded a prestigious grant from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation that only goes to eleven people every year. What an accomplishment that was in and of itself!

Noah then spent the last year composing ‘Know Thyself’ a 13 part suite for septet that premiered on Friday night at Weslyan University to a packed house.

I was on the verge of tears watching and listening to Noah play that night. He is just, well, Noah. My unassuming brother in law! We crack jokes at eh dinner table and swap parenting stories and laugh along with Beth, our sister in law at our silly ‘Ten Eyck’s By Choice’ club we have during family gatherings.

But on stage Noah was someone else entirely.

For me to see that, and the respect he commanded from not only the over the top talented musicians that played up there with him but from the audience that sat in awe at every note?

Well.

That was just awesome to see!!

So Noah, I offer you my own little bow of gratitude for the incredible man, parent and musician that you are and am completely honored to call you my brother!!

XO

Part Two of my Spectating:

Saturday follows Friday and me, Dominique and our kids whizzing up to Sturbridge MA to watch our little Katie Slater compete in her first ever karate tournament!

We did it on the sly, to surprise her, because those of you that know me know how much I love 1) scaring people and 2) surprises

So we opted for the surprise on this one!

We super sleuthed our way in to the tourney, and found out where she would compete and staked our claim, ringside.

When Katie saw us she freaked out!!!! It was awesome! So I guess I got a little of the scare there, which was an added bonus.

Now, in the studio we are a close group. We share laughter most of the time, tears some of the time and we try and scare each other all of the time!

So Dodie and I both knew how nervous and scared Katie was for this! To not have her know we would be there to support our friend on a life milestone killed us, but the thrill of the surprise held us over. See, Katie takes on lifes challenges with a big hiiiiiii-YA and doesn’t look back. She is scared. She is nervous. But she does it. That makes her someone pretty awesome in my book.A doer. Not a talker. Not someone who is too scared by the things in life that she is immobilized with fear.

Not my Katie!

So here she is, during the first part of her tourney doing her One Pinion. Looks like Onion but it’s not.

She is fierce! She can YELL and she was GREAT!

Check out the look on her face when she realized she won FIRST PLACE!!!! I was so beyond proud of her that I overflowed with proud and cried my eyes out. That she competed was the victory for her. That was enough. But to WIN!!! Well holy shit I was PUMPED!

And a little embarrassing, I could not stop crying!

Katie and her awesome sister Meghan hug it out!

Then Katie spars with the biggest gal in the room! Look at the fierce look of determination on her face! I was scared but ready to jump in if need be! I got your back Katie, if I could only stop blubbering!

The proud new woman, Katie Slaughter holds her trophies- first for Form and third for Sparring! There will be no mention of the bloody nose she gave her other opponent, bless her heart!

Katie and Noah thank you both for inspiring me so much this weekend to make sure I surround myself with friends that are smarter, stronger and WAY more talented than me!! I look better by default!

XO

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