Music

I have a deep dark secret, I lip sing and have for years. Three years in choir and I sang for real very rarely. I lack the talent. I loved sitting next to my brother Matt, He has the talent, I got the looks. Actually He got the talent, Nick got the looks, Marie got the feminism, and I got, I got.... Still thinking. Still thinking. Oh yeah I got the ability to lip sing. Wow am I lucky. I could give MILLY VANILLI a run for there money I was that good. Sure I sang when it counted but when it did not matter I spared everyone the torture. Even today I hum the hymns in church. I could hum your socks off. As a senior in High School I went to All State Choir, but I went as Matt and was warned to not sing by our Choir director unless it was absolutely necessary. And usually my voice was not needed. But I did get to lip sing in the Tabernacle and that was a highlight of my lip singing career. Did you know you can hear a pin drop across the tabernacle, but you can't hear a lip singer across it, weird acoustics huh. Well there is my confession.

The Note

Today me and Tink cleaned out our garage. It took forever and a day. It was like a big bomb had gone off in our garage. But now it is clean and happiness prevails in the Allred Kingdom. While in the midst of our self inflicted torment I went through my mission box. I just about threw all the letters away but something inside told me to stop and go through them. First letter was from my Grandma Allred, and it was the Grandma from my childhood. She was so alive and active and busy. She talked about helping others and her love for my Grandpa and her family and she was happy. And then life comes and goes and a few years later she lost Grandpa and her health failed her and she faded but her love for us never did. And there in my hand was everything I loved about my Grandma, a message so full of love and life and joy. All the things I know she is feeling now, and I knew she is okay and she is still herself. The Grandma Allred of my memories.

Then I dug further into the box and a paper fell out of the box, I went to throw it away and then I noticed the writing.

I think of you
always! I am so
proud of you! I
love you more than
words can tell.

Grandma.

There i stood on my driveway crying, surrounded by the love of those temporarily lost to me in this life. My Grandma Bailey had sent this little note of love to me. I think it was more for me today than 11 years ago when she wrote it. I wish I could cuddle up next to her on her couch and just be with her. Smell her perfume, feel her hands, have her tell me that I was so wonderful and she loved me. So here I go Grandma since there is no address for you I hope you can read my little blog. Here is my note for you.

I think of you
always! I am so
proud of you! I
love you more than
words can tell.

Johnny.