I love to sing; it transforms moments into something with wings.  Some days, I sing better than others.  My perfectionism tells me some days, "UGH! I can't believe people used to listen to you sing," and then there are days where something clicks ("In the zone" as we called it when I played basketball), and I think, "Wow - my voice is sailing!"

People have been very generous with compliments over the years, but strangely, I still had this low self-esteem in regards to my voice.   Even here on OS, I've posted three songs and you have all been so very kind.  I SO appreciate you!

I won't go into specifics, but I will say that there have been times I should have been supported in my singing, emotionally.  But it has not been there and it has brought a wilting sort of pain.  Like part of me was taken away, and I'd already given up so much (love, intimacy, etc.).

(Uh-oh, tears... Get ahold of yourself, Ang...)

Every night, my daughters, who are almost 8 and 9-1/2, have a bedtime ritual starting at 7 p.m.: 

• They change into their pajamas.  
• They brush their little teeth.  
• They each choose two books for me to read to them or for them to read to me.
• The girls must then figure out which of the four books comes first alphabetically and go from there, so we can choose the order in which we read (gotta find those teaching moments).   
• We snuggle under the covers in my room and share the books.
• We go into their room where they kneel beside their beds and say their prayers.  They always start out with the same words: "Dear God, thank you for the lovely day that I had. Thank you for Mommy [then I whisper "yeah!"], my sister Faith [Faith whispers "yeah!"]..." and it goes on for other family members. Then they say whatever else they want.