When I was a freshman in high school my family moved to England for six months. I know I’ve talked about it before…how I almost withered away and died but how incredibly grateful I am, looking back, for that little blip in time where I grew more than I ever could have imagined. And I’ve driven my poor husband crazy trying to maneuver ways for us to take our kids away for six months so they can have that same kind of experience. And how it’s somehow not working out for us…at least not right now, darn it! Anyway, side-tracked. While we were gone I missed my friends and life back in Utah like nobodies business. And the worst part: I had to wear a dark brown school uniform and go to an all-girls school. The only silver lining I could see at the time was that at least I had my sister Saren to hang with me. We had one “class” together that saved me. It was a chorus class. One where we happened to learn Handel’s Messiah…all of it. I swear, we learned every single song in that thing because I remember all the parts to this day. I’ve had such an incredibly soft spot in my heart for that beautiful Messiah music ever since. Every time I hear that stuff, my heart gets all mushy. This year, our friends invited Claire and Grace to go to a music concert where they sang along for the Hallelujah chorus and of course they loved it. It started this yearning in my heart for hearing more it. So I snuck Dave away one night while our little kids were at the annual Christmas “Nana Sleepover” and we went and watched an amazing performance of Handel’s Messiah. I sat there with tears welled up in my eyes and sniffling galore (at one point Dave asked if he needed to go get me a tissue) because there is nothing like beautiful music. Especially when that beautiful music has so much sentimentality attached to it. When I called my sister to reminisce our old England days she gave me the great idea to have the kids memorize the verse from Isaiah this week to help them get in the whole spirit so we’ve been listening to this each morning: And they now all have this memorized:
“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”
–Isaiah 9:6 It makes me so happy. Then last night I took my little girls to the Jon Schmidt/Steven Sharp Nelson (The Piano Guys) concert. (Max and Elle got to go last year (here), it was Grace and Claire’s turn…Dave got to have a little “date” with Lucy.) Oh man, I know I’ve said it before, but I LOVE the Piano Guys. Once again, I cried. Claire cried. I think Grace may have shed a tear or two. Because when you hear music like this you can’t help but get emotional. (I think that’s my fav. song in the whole wide world. …Aside from “The Messiah.”) Ok, and this one is so awesome. You’ve got to check out how fast Jon’s fingers move near the middle. Grace and Claire’s eyes were popping out of their sockets as they watched. They showed some of these videos while they were playing. I sat there in awe not only at the music but at the cinematography. Seriously, is that beautiful or what? I wondered who did it and what they used, etc. And there are a lot of other breath-takingly beautiful ones on youtube you must check out. Man alive, serious talent. Then they happened to talk about that very thing just as I was wondering. This guy does it. (I am nerdy and had to get a picture.) He does that with his new Canon 5D Mark III and has done a bunch with my camera (the Mark II). Wow, I better start taking more video footage cause I’m sure I could probably copy him exactly… 🙂 Yes, music is amazing. I’m so grateful for how it can move you. I’m so grateful for parents who exposed me to a lot of it. The girls were spell-bound and determined to meet Jon at the end. We saw the amazing Steven Sharp too but it was so darn late we couldn’t wait in another line. …and then we had to get some hot chocolate on the way home. In other news, Power of Moms is giving away an awesome podcast for Christmas. The offer ends on Christmas so hop over here to get your free deliberate Motherhood podcast.
Awesome!!! Agree to all of it! 🙂 I could go on about every piece of this post, but I'll leave it at that. 🙂
Beautiful! I love the power of music and the Piano Guys are amazing! I was watching the Vivaldi one with my 6 year old and he said "I'd know that train anywhere!" Yep, that's our local Heber Creeper!
Oh WOW! Our family is busy making dinner and setting the table but everyone stopped to watch these with me! Amazing! Thank you so much for sharing!
Oh man, am I glad you shared this. Way back when I graduated with a music degree & I so miss all those concerts I use to attend. This inspired me. I think I'll go practice the piano now…as my 3 little babes hang on my limbs 🙂
oh I love jon Schmidt, I think I have said this before, but all my wedding music was his!! I walked down the isle to Bells of freedom ( UK wedding, civil first, then sealing).. then I walked out to waterfalls…. soooo beautiful!
I love the Piano Guys, too! I have been a fan of Jon Schmidt since he was a solo artist, and went to his Christmas concert every year until he got too famous and didn't give one in Utah this year. Sad for me, but happy for you and your girls.
Thanks for sharing this. I too have wonderful memories of singing The Messiah the first time at the "tender" age of 16 with our church choir in Switzerland. I was very fortunate indeed that I was able to sing it at the Sydney Opera House during our time in Australia. I then sang it again when we lived in Jakarta as well as Singapore. Happy memories of wonderful music. Merry Christmas to you and yours.
My mom has made us sing this every year. I have many fond memories of the Messiah.
Merry Christmas!
xoxo,
Sierra
Oh, Just Living the Dream
i am in your first picture!!! woohoo! famous!!! 🙂
I love the piano guys! Jon Schmidt used to live in my ward! it was great to get to know him. He played at our christmas church party a few years ago. amazing!
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