Me, an alto...?!?

For anyone who has ever sung in a choir with me, they'll know that I am most definitely a soprano... My voice is soprano, and my mindset won't move from that of a soprano...

So imagine my surprise and joy this morning when I was going through the hymnbook and playing some hymns and sight-singing the alto parts with about 95% accuracy! I struggle to sing the alto part if I've been taught it, let alone playing all four parts, and then picking out the alto. But I did it!

It's been a long time coming... In Primary School I sang alto, not very well, purely because I was a music student, so the music teachers decided that I should sing alto because I'd be able to sing a different part. Also, my speaking voice is relatively low, so I think most people are surprised when they hear my singing voice, which is definitely soprano. So as soon as I got to High School I moved over to soprano, and that's where I've stayed ever since.

Then three and a half years ago I was called as the ward choir director (one of the callings that I think I've enjoyed the most ever) and I started having to work with the other parts a lot more. I was able to sing the men's parts with the men to help them, but when I tried to sing the alto part I still struggled. To all those altos who sang in my choir, they'll know how often I had to give up part way through a verse, and I just wasn't very useful to them.

Then a couple months ago I got released, because with a second baby approaching it was becoming impossible for me to lead the choir anymore. My dad was called in my place, but because of conflicting demands on his time he was released and my Uncle Ron called a couple weeks ago (Uncle Ron and his new wife, Pamela, moved into our ward a little while ago). The choir was very much in need of altos, so I decided to try and help them out as much as my children would allow...

Well I struggled... and struggled... and struggled... My mind just didn't want to allow me to sing below the sopranos. I'd get it right occasionally, but I still needed to be thoroughly taught the part, then sing it against the full accompaniment, and only then could I try, usually unsuccessfully to sing with the other parts. Very time consuming and frustrating! I read music! I should be able to do this!

And then suddenly in the last 2 weeks my mind has finally shifted (probably helped by Sis Jean singing in my ear...) It's been more that 15 years in the coming, but it has finally allowed me to sing alto! In the practices, at least. But then this morning I was able to also break the problem I have of not being able to sing a part when I'm playing all 4 parts on the piano.

After playing/singing about 5 hymns almost perfectly I was so totally amazed, I found myself just having to say a very awestruck prayer of thanks. It may seem funny, but it brought me such joy to get this right! I walked around with a smile on my face for a long time afterwards!

Now I've just got to see if I can still sing the alto so well with other people singing full voice around me!

Six years!

Today is our sixth wedding anniversary! Six very good years, and now we find ourselves in a very different and exciting time compared to 2004...

The most obvious is that we are now the parents of a very active toddler and our baby girl will be a month old tomorrow. In terms of parenting I think I can say with confidence that you just don't have a clue on your wedding day what is in store for you. But whatever you are imagining will be less amazing than the experience! I won't say anything more about our two angels here, because most of this blog is dedicated to them anyway...

When we got married I was half way through my final year of my BCom (in fact I wrote my last June exam 2 days before the wedding...) Now I'm a qualified Chartered Accountant, but not working in practice. Before I graduated I didn't really know what kind of job I'd do, but I think I did imagine working in practice. Now instead I've got a job that hadn't entered my head as a possibility, but is so much better - lecturing accounting at UCT! I love what I'm doing! Before I graduated I had started tutoring first year students for the university, but I wasn't thinking about working full time for the university. I'm glad that my path has taken me here!

Andrew's also come quite a long way. In terms of his work, when we got married he was pretty much a one-man sea freight imports department, but now he's got 4 guys who work under him. And he had just written off his first course in his part-time studies in May 2004, but now (by doing 1 or 2 subjects each year) he's just got 3 left to go. It's slow going studying part-time, and then even more challenging once your family starts growing, but there is progress each year.

We've also managed to buy a house 2 years ago, and end of last year we did some renovations (which are actually still waiting for the finishing touches by the contractor). We've also managed to pay off the car that I'm driving, and Andrew is lucky enough to have a company car. So our only debt is our bond.

So those are the most obvious changes in our lives. We've come a long way! And I can honestly say that these have been the best 6 years of my life, and I know that Andrew agrees with me. We are very grateful to our Heavenly Father for how He has blessed us to find each other (despite our ages working against us on that one ;o)) and to be able to build our little eternal family!

And now we set off on the rest of our lives together. I'm very excited to see where the next 6 years and beyond take us!

Shelly Herbert CA (SA)

I am officially a Chartered Accountant! I got a letter from SAICA today confirming that my registration has gone through, and as of 1 July 2009 I am a member of the Institute.

It's been a long 7 years of preparation, and a bit of waiting now for my registration, but I can finally use the designation that I've been working for all this time.

And so the next chapter can now properly begin...