Sweet Story. . . From a Sweet Heart

I just have to share a Mei Li story that happened a little over a week ago, and it warmed my heart. I had to go to the ENT to find out why I was experiencing hoarseness. It was noticeable to me when I spoke, but especially when I tried to sing. It had been going on for a while, and wasn't getting better. So, I loaded up Anna Grace and Mei Li and took them with me to the ENT. He scoped me and took pictures of my vocal chords while he had me sing certain pitches. Long story short, it turns out that I have acid reflux, and some irritation of the vocal chords from using my speaking voice too harshly. I'm guilty of calling to the girls from upstairs and downstairs, refereeing their minor arguments and laying down "the law" with my "Mommy voice" too much. So, he prescribed, Prilosec (for the reflux), Prednisone (to bring down the irritation, as I was to sing in a benefit concert the following week), and vocal rest.

We got home from the doc, and Mei Li came to me, very concerned. She asked, "Mommy, ni binglung?" (Mommy, you sick?) I told her that Mommy's voice is hurt, and I can't sing for a little while. I have some medicine to take, and I have to rest my voice.

Mei Li's eyes widened and a dark cloud came over her little face. Tears began to well up in her sweet brown eyes, and she began to cry. She said, her voice breaking, "Mommy, wo yaw Mommy better. Wo yaw mommy sing".

You see, Mei Li absolutely loves music. She loves it more than most children. She can't get enough of it. But, at the top of her list is her Mommy's music. I sent her one of my CDs in a care package when she was in the orphanage in China. I had no idea if they were going to play my music for her, but my hope was that they would. And, I hoped that she could begin to know her mother's voice through my music---especially, song #6 "Songbird". I recorded that song in Mei Li's honor. It is her song, sung to her by her mother who was waiting for her. Since she has come home, all she wants to do is listen to Mommy's music. She has a very opinionated musical palate. She will quickly tell you that she doesn't want to hear quite a number of musicians! Lol! But, she will ask to hear "Mei Li's song" all the time. Over and over she will ask me to play it, and she will comment on the lyrics in the song. "Mommy, Mei Li boo yaw cry", after I sing the line "For you, there'll be no more crying". And, as soon as the last note plays, she asks me to play the song again.

What an angel with a sweet heart. It broke her heart to learn that her mother, who's music means so much to her. . . and comforted her while she was in that orphanage in Shanghai. . . could not sing because her voice was injured. Those tears caught me by surprise, but taught me, even more, what a loving and special little girl we have the honor of calling our daughter.