Hi there! I have a fascination with people’s stories. I love to look up creators I admire and find interviews, articles, and bios that help me see how their life has shaped them and prepared them to share what is unique about them with the world. So here’s a little (lot!) about me!
My name is Laura Harper. I grew up in Colfax, Washington, surrounded by the rolling wheat fields of Eastern Washington. Growing up on a farm (my dad was a wheat farmer), we enjoyed lots of space to run and play, and owned many different animals throughout the years. I had a special love for a cat named Lawrence, a dog named Chewy, and horses Donkey and Chocolate. My dad was wonderful at helping us run after our passions- mine involved oil painting and horses, both of which he was a big part of encouraging.
My mother grew up in a home where music was a big part of her life and shared that music with our family. I began piano when I was young (1st grade?) from a wonderful teacher and took lessons through most of high school. Singing around the piano was a frequent family activity (particularly on Sundays) and we would sing rounds in the car on almost any trip we went on. I learned to sing alto by sitting beside my mom during church and following her strong alto voice. Throughout the years I have loved the challenge of harmonizing- whether following an alto line, making up my own part, or singing tenor an octave higher.
When I graduated Colfax High School I attended BYU-Idaho (in Rexburg, Idaho) and transferred after my freshman year to BYU (in Provo, Utah) in order to study my chosen field- Speech and Language Pathology (wanting to be a speech therapist). I loved studying about communication disorders and development, and at times was so enamored by the material that I would read textbooks while walking across campus. It is just that fun!
I met my amazing husband, Jonathan Harper, at a BYU2Tall club (the tall club- yes there was one!) volleyball activity the first month I got to BYU. I’ll save our story for a future post, but we were married for time and all eternity in the Mount Timpanogos temple in American Fork, Utah on December 29th, 2005 and we have always said that we’re on cloud 9 in case you need to reach us.
After we were married, I moved out to Houston to join him (he had moved there a few months earlier to start optometry school) and finished my bachelors degree in Speech and Language Pathology from University of Houston just before Baby Boy #1 was born. I had made the decision long before that I wanted to be a stay-at-home mom, so there was never a plan to go to graduate school immediately, but I figured eventually I would have that opportunity and would someday work in a school and teach kids how to say their “s” sounds and “r” sounds correctly!
After Jon finished school, we found a job in a small town in Washington State that has been a great fit for our family. Baby Boy #2 came shortly after that move. Boy #3 arrived a few years later. As you can tell, we specialize in boys around here. 🙂
I love being a mom. It’s one of the biggest dreams of life that has come true- 3 times and for 10 years (stay tuned on later posts to be introduced to each one)! And yet as much I love motherhood, about a year after baby boy #3 was born, I found myself really needing an outlet that helped me remember who I am as a woman too. I knew that finding something I loved to do that I could do in my limited spare time would make me a better mother because I wouldn’t be dipping from an empty bucket. I dabbled in several different areas before I discovered writing music, but when I started to write, I knew that would not be a temporary passion; this one was here to stay.
Over the years I have taught piano to my three boys and various other students throughout the years, as well as general music to over 700 students in the elementary schools in Colville during my time as a sub for Ms. Richie who has since passed away.
I have a love for music, a love of life, and a desire to share with you my melodies- Melodies of Light!
MELODIES OF LIGHT 