LION KING!

So, I know I am cheesy...but watching Lion King with my family was one of the neatest things I have experienced! My parents took my brothers, sister & sis-in-law, kids, husband and I to see the play of Lion King that is showing down in San Diego. David's sister watched Tyler and we went to a 2:00 show and had dinner at Bucca De Beppo afterwards. What an amazing show! Victoria was mesmerized. How the actors portray the animals and the scenery was amazing. It truly was a beautiful stage production and I highly recommend it to anyone who has the chance. It was fun to be with my family and to experience this with them. I forgot how much this story reminds us about family and that we have to stick together. Thanks Mom and Dad...it was AWESOME!

Kindergarten Visit!

So, on the back of my truck, I have my website listed: www.harpsdesire.com. Occasionally, I will get a call from someone that saw my address on my truck. A few weeks ago I got an email from a mom who wanted me to come and play for her daughter's kindergarten class for her birthday. Her birthday was Friday, October 30th. I decided it would be a fun birthday surprise for this little girl and a good way to make a little money (I didn't charge her my normal hourly fee of ***.**) I showed up to the school, dressed all fancy, and I felt like a celebrity. This little girl could have asked for a princess to come to her school, but instead her dream was to see a harpist! What a rewarding 30 minutes. All the kids got to touch the harp and I played several Disney selections and ended with my own rendition of"Happy Birthday!"
Some weeks, I get really stressed out trying to write all my lesson plans for teaching music at Victoria's school and worried about the big performance we will have next month (with all 300 children), but it is a an awesome thing to expose these little kids to the power and the magic of learning about notes, instruments, beat, rhythm, and just how to express themselves through a way, other than watching TV, playing video games, getting frustrated and angry or being completely introverted.
When I was teaching one of the Special Ed. classes "Catch a Falling Star" and this little severely autistic boy looked right at me and started to sing, I knew what I was doing at that moment was important. This little boy lives in a world where he can't communicate, he can't sit and experience life the way the other children do, but boy, when I started singing that song, somewhere in his brain, he recognized it and sang the whole thing while having eye contact with me.....that is a first for him in two months! Music is so powerful for children.....My life is crazy and hectic, but I love what I do and I wouldn't trade it for a second. Yes, I am getting paid a little bit every week to be at the school, but I would be there even if I wasn't.