Happy Birthday Josh!!

Today is my son Josh's 27th birthday. Yes, I know I couldn't possibly have a son that old, but I guess the fact that I had him when I was 12 explains all that...... right? Josh is an amazing musician and has turned out to be a pretty fabulous son as well. He keeps us all laughing with his weird sense of humor, so when I passed by the birthday card pictured above - I just had to do it. I know it's a little unconventional to give your own son a birthday card that calls him a freak, but I meant it in only the nicest possible maternal sort of way.

Josh is an inspiration to me. When he was in the 4th grade, he brought a trumpet home from school and announced that he would be playing it in the school band. I wasn't sure our ears could handle it, those early practice sessions were pretty rough (OK - really rough) to listen to. He kept at it all through high school and eventually went on to be accepted at Berkeley Institute of Music in Boston for college. He had just finished his sophomore year there and had done some touring with several different small jazz bands when he decided to quit. He was tired of school and wanted to be a musician and be active in the music scene. Being the parent that I am, I let him know that I didn't agree with his decision, but he was old enough to make his own life choices. I added that if he did quit, that on an emotional level, I would always support him in whatever he did, but on a financial level, he would be on his own.



That was about 4 years ago. Josh eventually migrated from Boston to Seattle where he is now deeply involved in the music scene. He plays in 3 different bands, has expanded from just trumpet to keyboards, vocals, guitar and bass. His life is filled with music - rock, punk, jazz and he loves it! He delivers pizza to survive and is one of the happiest people I know. When my kids were growing up, I always told them it didn't matter what they wanted to do, as long as they worked hard at it and loved what they did. To me that makes him a great success!
XOXO
Curtsy Mama
Mary Jo