Laurie has been singing and writing songs her whole life -
and so has Jeremiah! They are stepping into this new calling of
"music ministry" with great JOY! We believe that our souls seek joy
and singing is an awesome opportunity to touch and express
the essence of our bliss. Music is Rooted In Our Souls!
When Laurie was growing up, her mom saw Sound Of Music one too many times and turned the family of 7 into the "Vela Family Singers". They sang at various
community locations and events during her early childhood.

When Jeremiah was in utero, he went over 25,000 miles with his
performing mom listening to her sing, rhyme & "Mother Goose Rap".
Jeremiah also heard the song his mom wrote for him sung to him over
and over.When he was born c-section (51 hours after the water broke),
Laurie spontaneously sang his song as a way to touch him across the room.
The effect was powerful for both of their souls and for the hospital staff
who dubbed her "their first singing c-section"!

Some of Jeremiah's songwriting is featured on the
Small After Small CD; his line,
"One small thought gives the whole world energy" started the whole
title track song. He wrote the chorus of "I'm Just Right" at age 4
after soloing one of the verses of Bob Blue's "I'm Not Scared" at the
Children's Music Network's National Gathering.

Laurie was also writing and composing at a very early age as the flowers
on the ranch she grew up on talked and sang to her. She was producing musical plays in grade school encouraging the kids on the playground to take part.
Laurie has written hundreds of songs and produced 28 audio recordings
of songs and stories. She toured the nation's schools and libraries
for well over a decade and her style is one of encouraging participation
rather than perfection. Laurie has an MA in Education & curriculum design
and believes in intentional content. She is a long time member of the San Francisco Folk Music Club, The Children's Music Network &
The Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators.
Many of her current New Thought songs were born in developing the
youth choir at the Spiritual Life Center in Sacramento.
You can hear some of their beautiful, zealous voices
on the March '06 recordings,
Small After Small & I Am A Seeker:

In December of '06, Our Circle of Love CD came about
as what Laurie dubbed a merry miracle. read all about it here!

Simply Singing: A Merry Miracle!

A miracle .... mmm .... when things just come together ... well, miraculously.
This new CD is my own version of the Christmas Story ... when the Star of
my Spirit said, "Rise up and follow", I did. Now, I'm not exactly Mary and
this CD is not exactly Christ but I gave birth to some Christ Light under seemingly "wrong" conditions. Stubaloo provided the studio stable,
Jeremiah was my Joseph, strong, wise beyond his years, forgiving
and supportive in his innocence. Many musical, singing angels & shepherds appeared and lifted the songs from paper to heart and ear.
I was called to put the sound of community and family out and
here it is. I was also called, as always, to be in service to the songs
and here they are. Some with higher professional standards could argue,
this is a disservice to the songs but I contend if they need to be redone in slicker versions, they will be, in their own right time.

So, I was going to Stubaloo's studio to dutifully do my preschool CD for the
ChildSing Song Circles grants I am working under. My soul was called to make
that 1 CD into 2 ... Without a budget and in the middle of the Christmas season.
Wrong timing! No money! Everybody's busy! I already put out 2 CDs this year!
I need to sell more of those CDs! I should put my energy into making money,
not spending money! Will anybody even listen to these songs? No room at the Inn.

I said yes anyway. I made room. I spent the (very little) money. I have faith that
hearts will listen. The angels that came forward touched my heart so much ... the
real miracle of all it was how it all flowed into being ... how 1 YES just got bigger. It was essentially recorded & mastered in less than 1 week!
That Sunday, I asked a few of the young SLC angels to stop running for a
minute and circle up on the labrinyth. With the wonders of digital camera,
the cover picture was born.

I was blessed to co-create or bring forward 40 something songs in 2006
and produce 4 CDs thanks to Stubaloo, and thanks to the choir of angels and shepherds, both young and older that I have been blessed to know through the Spiritual Life Center and beyond. It is through these "ordinary" folks and that willingness to say YES to Spirit, that this merry miracle unfolded.
Albert Einstein says,
"Either everything is a miracle or nothing is a miracle" .
I am grateful for this miracle of life and love and music.
Thank you for being part of it.
Now hear the songs!