Stop and Hear the Music

I haven't blogged in awhile, we've been very busy with the move and sickness. (We all had a turn with the stomach bug going round YUK!) I will post later about us moving, its been quite a blessing!
But when I read this it touched me because I LOVE this music, my parents did a wonderful job instilling a taste for it in me when I was younger. SO I had to put it on here while I was thinking of it, or I'd forget. One of the many blessing of being a mom, you don't remember anything your supposed to do until it too late! LOL!
I looked it up on youtube and contrary to the story there were people who stopped and listened and clapped. It was refreshing to know that there are people willing to stop and listen.




From The Effective Club

A man sat at a metro station in Washington DC and started to play the violin; it was a cold January morning. He played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, since it was rush hour, it was calculated that thousands of people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.

Three minutes went by and a middle aged man noticed there was musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried up to meet his schedule.

A minute later, the violinist received his first dollar tip: a woman threw the money in the till and without stopping continued to walk.

A few minutes later, someone leaned against the wall to listen to him, but the man looked at his watch and started to walk again. Clearly he was late for work.

The one who paid the most attention was a 3 year old boy. His mother tagged him along, hurried but the kid stopped to look at the violinist. Finally the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. All the parents, without exception, forced them to move on.

In the 45 minutes the musician played, only 6 people stopped and stayed for a while. About 20 gave him money but continued to walk their normal pace. He collected $32. When he finished playing and silence took over, no one noticed it. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

No one knew this but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the best musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written with a violin worth 3.5 million dollars.

Two days before his playing in the subway, Joshua Bell sold out at a theater in Boston and the seats average $100.

This is a real story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of an social experiment about perception, taste and priorities of people. The outlines were: in a commonplace environment at an inappropriate hour: Do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize the talent in an unexpected context?

One of the possible conclusions from this experience could be:

If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world playing the best music ever written, how many other things are we missing?

Another great one from overheard in the ward,...

Primary Leader: The Temple is the House of the Lord


CTR boy whispering to his neighbor: If the temple is Gods house, then the church must be Gods garage.

Trying to clean

This was me this morning, I swear little elf's came in last night and trashed the house.

I need to write,...

...But nothing exciting has happened lately, (that I can talk about anyway.)
No I'm not pregnant,,,,, but our family does have alot of things going on right now that if all goes well might mean some changes. Dont worry good changes.
This is totally a journal entry. I just want to look back and see how good I had it.


But none of this is very interesting to the common reader.
However, my reader's tend to be anything but common.


SO here's a day in the boring life of Becka:


Good-Morning to Ethan! Every morning I look forward to seeing Ethan and his mommy, he's not happy to see his mommy go but as soon as he realizes I have toys, food, and lots of hugs, he's totally fine.

Then its, "Good Morning my Beautiful Girls!"
I seriously want them to remember me saying that every morning.
We go through the typical routine of,
"No you cant have Popsicles for breakfast" and "No were not going to church today so you cant wear your poofy dress yet."


Then we break out the mass destruction toys.
Blocks, puzzles, dolls, cars, books, musical instruments, (including jingle bells & drums), tea party, play food, you name the noisy annoying Leap Frog toy we've got it!
I dont know why Tim says he cant sleep in the morning,.....


Around 9:am my 16 yr. old brother comes over to do his homeschool courses on my computer. But before he can get started, he has to get his wiggles out too. Which means WRESTLE MANIA! Rolling around on the floor is a staple in our household.
(Hiya!, says the little girl who wanted to wear a poofy dress that morning.)


During this time I'm walking through mess dodging all aforesaid activity so that I can get some real cleaning done, the kitchen, bedrooms, laundry, etc.
I'm a real acrobat!

Oh there's a snotty nose grab it! Darn it got away. Wait, there it is! Hold one which kid did I wipe? There's more than one snotty nose.
Wait a sec, did I just wipe the dog's nose too?

I have to start thinking about what I'm going to make for lunch @ 11:00 so it will be made by 12:00, otherwise I'm scrambling around with hungry screaming kids at my feet by 12:05!!!
The teenager "needing" food is right there with them.

While they eat they just get so worn out from watching mommy run around that sometimes they just zonk out right there at the table.
So after cleaning all sticky concoctions, created with the once upon a time beautiful lunch set before them from in between pudgy little fingers,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

ITS NAP TIME! YIPPEE!

Mae I dont want to see you in another outfit again!

Liza and Ethan go down really well, and then its my one-on-one time with Mae.
She and I do her "school work". Which consists of lots of crafts (thought up by mommy earlier that morning.) And her workbooks that she just LOVES!
(F.Y.I. Next week were making ants out of egg cartons, I know everyone remembers doing that, FUN!) I think I get as excited about her school as she does. Mae and I get about an hour to an hour and a half together.

Mae did you just change clothes again?

Then Daddy wakes up! I know what your all thinking, why is he sleeping all day? Well when a guy works till 3 or 6:am, I tend to let him snooze in a little. Then of course Liza & Ethan are up and everyone wants to play with Daddy! Of course he's still kinda half dead walking around but they dont care, they follow him around from the instant he gets up, they get kinda perturbed when he wont let them follow him into to bathroom.

DOwa! DOwa! DOwa! DOwa! (For the record, I hate Dora the explorer.)


"Mommy?"

"yes?"

"I want to go to Grandma's house."

"We cant honey she lives two hours away."

"Then I want to go to Nonnie's house."

"We cant."

"Why?"

"Look! Did I just see a flying pony?!?!?!"

"Where! ,,,,,Mom, where are you, MoooooooM! Where did you go?"

"Look Mae! Play-doh!"

"Oh, thanks Mom!"
Distraction, my best ally.


Now is the hardest part of my day. The day is coming to a close and I still have so much to do! But yet I'm SO exhausted! I want to do so much but I'm trapped in this stupid teeny tiny house, with no money to go out and do what I'd like anyway.

Mae quit changing clothes and pick an outfit!



I cant think of that anymore so we all go outside to play.

Someone is crying,,,,,never mind were just having a diplomatic discussion over who the toy belongs to.


Run Becka Run! The phone is ringing for the tenth time today! Run, OUCH! Dont worry about your bruised shin, walk it off! Be a Mom!

On the phone with the important insurance agency, when AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH! Screaming coming from the kitchen! Time to play referee again, SHARE, SHARE, SHARE, SHARE, SHARE, SHARE. I say the word all the live long day!
I'm tempted to just say, duke it out kids! (I've got ten bucks Liza wins,,,,)

Off the phone, kids are fine, bad behavior was rewarded with Popsicles to keep them quiet.

Holy Crap! Its 5:00 and I haven't set anything out to thaw for dinner yet! Nothing is going to thaw in an hour, but maybe with my Jedi mind powers I can make it! So I try.

Okay, so mind Jedi tricks only work on Tim not the pot roast.
Looks like another veggie night for us!

"uuuuuummm, mommy, I forgot."

"Forgot what?"

"Forgot to go potty."

"Dont worry honey, robot Mommy has been programed to wash five loads of laundry a day."

(Mae changes again.)

After Ethan goes home, Liza starts saying Me-Mo-Me-Mo-Me-Mo! Which in translation means Nemo, so while I make dinner I repeat the entire movie line for line along with the T.V. I dont know why the kids want to watch it, I could just say the whole thing out loud for them.


After hugs and kisses for Daddy he goes off to work. Then we girls eat our awesome vegetarian spur of the moment dinner, with cookies on the side.


When she can my sister will bring a chick flick and some chocolate and come over. Ahhhh, the part of the day I look forward too!

Mae you may change into pajamas!

Bath and Brush teeth. An adventure unto itself.

After reading 'Fancy Nancy' twice, 'Where the Wild Things Are' twice, and 'Jesse Bear What Will You Wear' twice, were ready for prayers and goodnight kisses.

"WAAAAA! I ont to be wi Mama an An Sissa!!!!!!"
(Translation; Complaint, I have a request to stay up with you, Mother, and Aunt Lissa please.)

"Mama, I ont bott-l. peeese."
"Yeah Mom can I have a drink too?"
Up and down the stairs I go!

After staying up too late with my date of chocolate, I'm too tired to clean up from dinner.

SO I go to bed. Jump up, CRUD! I forgot the dog!
I have to bring Bullet in from the cold night air, feed him then put him in his indoor kennel.

I finally get to bed, and my mind wanders, I wonder how my best friend Jess is, How Nicole, Kristina, and Fiona are all doing in there pregnancies.
Gee I wish I had a little boy.......


.....WAIT! Am I crazy! I have enough to do!!!!!!

Good night to crazy lady, sweet dreams.