Sara Groves' Music

I just thought about adding this to my blog because I think that there are lots of people out there reading this that may not know this story...

Back in the mid 90s when I first started working at Rosemount High School (right out of college), I worked with a young woman named Sara Groves who also was starting her teaching career. She taught in the English and social studies department and I taught world languages. Both being newbies, I remember seeing her quite a bit despite being on opposite ends of the school. Well, a few years past and at a Sno Daze coronation ceremony (in Jan of '98 I believe), she performed one of her original songs (she had been writing songs for years). She was absolutely amazing. Shortly afterwards, she left to pursue a music career. Her first CD came out the following year and of course it was immediately for sale at RHS for all of her former colleagues. I bought it and fell in love with her message, music and voice -- the whole package.

Fast forward to 2009 -- more than 11 years have past and Sara has made quite the career for herself in inspirational/Christian music. She has put out 8 CDs now and does concerts nationwide (many in churches). I saw her perform at St. John Neumann in Eagan (our parish of 11 years) back in 2002 or 2003. She is an amazing performer and she includes stories between her songs. She particularly relates to youth (perhaps due to that secondary teaching training and experience).

Funny thing is that often when I tell people that I work at Rosemount High School, the first comment back to me is, "You must know Sara Groves". That is exactly what happened in August of '04 as I went in to Fairview Ridges hospital to be induced to have Connell. I was SO nervous and so as I was trying to get over my anxiety, the nurse assigned to me started talking to me and asking me questions. When she found out that I had been teaching at RHS, she went on and on about Sara and how they lived in Sara's neighborhood and so much of the conversation in waiting for the doctor to arrive was about praise for Sara Groves!

This fall as I took over as prayer leader of my CAPPstone (Catholic Parents of Preschoolers) group on Tuesday mornings, I knew that I would use some Sara Groves' songs as part of our opening prayers. I've used a couple of her songs that particularly "speak to me" (and also related to the topic at hand). Since she is 36 years old and raising 3 children, Sara's songs relate pretty well to any of the women in CAPPstone. I found that many in the group had already listened to Sara's music and some others looked into buying some CDs for themselves. My friend Corene compares her sound to Norah Jones or Sarah McLachlan -- but with Christian/inspirational words. Sara has a very distinct voice -- it's very pretty and very soothing.

So I am just writing about this in case there are those of you out there that read my blog that haven't heard of her. You can check out her website: http://www.saragroves.com. She has lots of songs and videos on YouTube. I strongly suggest her album "Add To The Beauty" as a first one -- it was named "best album of the year" from CCM Magazine back when it came out. It has a song called "Something Changed" which is from the 2007 nationally released movie called "The Ultimate Gift". I also love the CD "All Right Here" which contains many wonderful songs -- many with a more "folksy" feel though.

Anyway, I've been better lately at finding time to listen to her music while the kids are busy playing and it helps to calm me. Just thought I would share with you all in case someone is looking for that "perfect" music for life's "ups and downs" and might find it in Sara.

Stomping In Puddles

Since it was so nice out this afternoon, I took the kids around the block to stomp in puddles. It was a blast!

Photos

Since Ray just finally loaded some software on our new computer to download photos, I am going to post a few choice photos from the last few weeks...


After watching the Backyardigans episode called "Tea Party" many times, Liam was convinced that he wanted to have a tea party. I told him that I didn't think that he would be thrilled about the flavor of tea. Here he is trying it anyway....




Here are a few photos from Valentine's Day --- Mylar balloons and Peeps as usual.



I had to document Connell's ear infection. It's a painful picture to look at!

Monday

Well, I tried to download some photos from the digital camera and it didn't work and so I will have to have Ray show me on this new computer.

Saturday eve we celebrated Valentine's Day with a supper of salmon, rice and veggies and gave our little presents to the boys --- Peeps and Mylar balloons as usual. They were pretty hyper after the Peeps and chasing their balloons around the house. Connell managed to have his wrecked by bedtime and so by morning it was in the garbage.

Sunday afternoon I talked everyone into going to the Target Free 3rd Sunday at the Children's Museum in St. Paul. We arrived about 3:20 and the boys made it about an hour before we felt like they were overwhelmed and tired from playing. It really isn't worth it to go there when you have to pay full price ($9/person regardless of age) because we would feel like we had to stay all day and everyone would end up regretting that decision.

Today we are just laying low before a busy week of preschool, CAPPstone, ECFE, Bible Study, etc. I have a few presentations to do for the groups this week. My French contest is starting to get busier although somewhere around mid-March is when I will have little time for much other than it.

Once of these days you will get an updated photo of the boys when I learn how to use this new computer.

Illnesses...

For the past two weeks we have all been a little under the weather. The boys both got colds and Connell ended up with an ear infection and needed to go to the Minute Clinic. Both boys still have slight coughs. I have a cold as well and it is really just more annoying than anything. Ray goes back and forth with a sore throat but his hasn't turned into anything like the rest of us.

We now have the new computer up and running and the old one is set up in the spare downstairs bedroom for Connell to use. We don't want him touching our new one since often our problems on the old computer were right after he would use it.

Ray says that adding photos onto the new computer is easy, but I haven't tried it yet so that is why you haven't gotten any photos recently.