so thankful

There are two things I have really wanted for my home after I win the lottery:

One, an eight octave rosewood marimba.

Two, an old upright piano.

We didn't win the lottery today, but the day has closed with a new addition to our family - a 1940s Janssen console piano. I think we're going to name her Barbara after Bryan's grandmother. She's a beaut! The Hater has now clenched Husband of the Year for making the free piano happen!

It's a nice, dark wood, and I'm not going to have to paint it. After Baby went to sleep I immediately pulled out the oil soap and wiped her down - and now the house smells yummy and Barbra shines in her new corner.

This was a family piano and the lady who was looking for a home for it said that her grandparents purchased it in the 40s. Three generations of their family have learned to play on this piano. I assured her that it will be well loved and well used.

I've been doing the happy dance for several hours straight. I've been secretly hopeful that someday things would work out and we'd get a free piano - and voila, here we are.

I'm know a gal who knows a guy who tunes pianos. I'm going to email her tomorrow to see if he'd be interested in seeing if this is tunable. Apparently the family said they tried to have it tuned twenty years ago and "it couldn't be tuned." Fingers crossed.

Baby was so excited. She kept saying, "My Pee-no! My Pee-no! No, Daddy, I can play. I the teacher." We had to set the timer to give her some time to play before bed tonight.

It's tearing me up because I want to sit and play so bad I can't stand it, but it's more important that Baby get some good sleep tonight. She's been having sleep issues for several days.

And so begins the next exciting, yet slightly out of tune chapter in our lives.