A Summer Evening with the Bells

This post makes a lot more sense if you start here.

Last night we finally made it. True, Ethan's bell obsession has faded the way I knew it would. He doesn't really have an obsession right now, which is rather refreshing. He may no longer be completely enamored with churches and bells, but we had a feeling he'd still enjoy the carillon concert on the lawn of the church Dan grew up in.

We were right.

We arrived at Trinity United Methodist church, found our spots on the lawn, and got our sandwiches and chips.

Ethan kept an intense eye on the bells and asked about 147 times, "Can we go up in the tower to see them?"

Lots of people turned out on a warm, breezy evening.

We managed to honor Ethan's request and finagle away up the tower. Here is the carilloneur (a woman from Norway who may or may not have spoken English) playing.

We wound our way up this cool staircase.

 

And got right to the biggest bell of all, which she promptly began banging very loudly. Both kids stood frozen in fear, so we made our way back down.

After more music on the lawn and a few cartwheels and races on the grass, it was time to go home.

 

You know what I loved? Dan was the one who remembered we had to bring Ethan to the carrillon concert this summer. Some dads long to relive their childhoods and connect with their sons by urging them to play ball. Others long to pass on their love of computers, or fishing and hunting. I know sometimes Dan feels disappointed because he's just not sure if Ethan will have the interest or ability to build model rockets or other types of models with him. Things like that frustrate Ethan due to his fine motor issues. Never mind that no one on my side of the family ever attempted to build anything.

But I think this is part of what parenting is about. We love our kids for who they are, and for what their interests are, instead of attempting to mold them into mini versions of ourselves. We let them be who they are.

We let them be.

I love my family.