Climbed a mountain & I turned around

Love this.

It's an anthem for many seasons in life
but I'd never heard it sung by children before

& it's a haunting fit.

Read more here.
Sending love to many people tonight.

Landslides come in many forms...

xo

Recital day

Let's say you have a daughter

who makes things look easy

and has a cheery outlook

and a willing heart

so that

from the outside

others think everything 

comes easily,

effortlessly.

From your motherly vantage point

you know

that the placid facade sometimes 

belies

an anxious, worried interior

that invades her night-time dreams

and terrorizes quiet awake moments.

She still chooses difficult things.

She still chooses sunshine 

and defies the pointy, dark worries.

Feeling proud of Miss Maddy today

who rocked her Seitz concerto

in spite of some rocky, worried weeks.

Is there a more heart-filling feeling

than seeing someone you love do difficult things

with courage and grace?

Adele and me

For our anniversary gifts to each other in February, G and I went through the schedules for events this year in Boston and chose a handful that we would enjoy together. (What a treat. I think we'll do it every year...it's the gift that keeps on giving! Plus it makes me feel zesty to be out on the town with my guy.)

One of the ones we (read=me. I influenced this decision.) chose was Adele, Saturday May 2nd at the Orpheum. Oh, I love me some Adele. As the night drew closer we started realizing we had a problem. Both of our babysitter daughters had commitments that couldn't be changed and Sam's too young to stay home alone. But we had a plan B. 

Which fizzled. 

And a plan C--that on Saturday became impossible.  G kindly offered to send me with a friend (the Celtics game 7 that night might have had something to do with his generosity) and I tried a few but it was a beautiful spring Saturday in May!  Everyone already had plans & it was too last minute.  Even when we offered both tickets to anyone who could go that night, no one nibbled.

I was so sad.

An hour before the concert started, I sat down to listen to the cd and have a little pity party. The boys were camped in front of the tv with the Celtics.

I listened to about 30 seconds (and had a Facebook conversation with Jen) and decided to just go.  By myself (gasp!).

I've done movies by myself without blinking. Traveled solo a bit.  I'm generally kind of a happy-go-lucky-by-myself kind of person.  Solo concert-going felt kind of...lonelyish. 

But.

Oh. My. 

It was so worth it. She is one of those artists who is incredible live.

So talented.  And heartfelt, emotional. And young (she turns 21 this week).

I had chills. And (I'll admit) some inspiration tears.

So I've been a bit obsessed* since, humming & playing her music.

And I found footage of the Orpheum concert so you can come with me (virtually):

This is a sneak preview of a song on her next album:

And my favorite (already posted here; I'm redundant), a cover of the Bob Dylan song:

Also good:
Best for Last
Right as Rain

I was so glad I went.
But sorry not to share it with someone.

{Until now!}

* also? I'm kind of embarrassed to admit this: Afterwards I waited a long time in line for the ladies' room.  When I came out of the theater there was Adele!  Getting into her bus!  What did I do?  Walk coolly away? No.  Take a picture? No camera.  No, I ran over and asked for her autograph and she signed my (two) tickets. I'm sure when I walked away she thought what's with the loser soccer mom who came alone? And I was thinking what am I going to do with two scraps of paper with a sharpie scrawl on them?  What can I say? I was dazzled.

Oh, hello exercise!

Where have I been, you ask?

Oh, you know.  Around.  In bed, some mornings.  Or running here and there (but, no, admittedly not that kind of running.) There are several things that I re-learn. Again and again. And again.  And this is one of them: I am happier when I exercise.

Sigh.   

Why do I forget how great it makes me feel? Why does languishing in bed start to rule over feeling energized and lightened and vervey?  (I relate to this New Balance ad "morning") Well, I'm back after a month or two of junky sloth. Feels good. Exercise + happy music=even better:

Music Playlist at MixPod.com

Meanwhile, where's Maddy in China?

Saturday she went to see the pandas at the Beijing Zoo, then the Spirit Way.
Sunday she went to the Temple of Heaven (how very Sabbathy) and the Hongquiao Market. Then the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, and the State Grand Theater in the afternoon & evening. Then they took the night sleeper train to Xi'an.
Today she went to the Han Yanling Tomb, then to a welcome lunch at the Sunshine School and met her host family (please say an extra prayer for her tonight...this is the part she was nervous about).  For the next few days, she'll attend middle school in Xi'an.

Lyrical

We're in the car on the way to Lauren's flute lesson.  The sunroof is open because it is 63 DEGREES today.  Music is playing on the radio and we're singing along to Jason Mraz's I'm Yours.

L: "...listen to the music of the Mormon people dance and sing. We're just one big family..."

A:  What did you just say?

L:  What?

A: Did you say "Mormon people"?

L: Um, yeah.  Those are the words, Mom.

A: (chuckling) Really?  So is he telling people to listen to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir?  Or David Archuleta?  What music of the Mormon people do you think he's talking about?

L: (laughing)  I know, right?  I just think it's cool.

A: Honey, I don't think that's what he's saying.

L: Really? Oh, that's sad. And embarrassing.

A: I've got your back.

It made my whole. day.

****

Have you ever misheard/misunderstood song lyrics? (Matt was telling me one line of the National Anthem he misunderstood as a kid but I can't remember which line it was...help me out here, Matt?).

Also, as anyone else noticed that the sad, poignant music they play on Lost is the same as the chorus from Hall and Oates'  "One on One"?  Every time Lost gets dramatic there it goes again and I think "one on one, I wanna play that game tonight..."