Concert

The first weekend in December we packed up and drove to the other edge of the state to see YaYa’s college Christmas concert. I had been looking forward to it for months, because I have gone to this special concert numerous times in the past, and it never fails to have special, deep meaning for me. Every time I feel like my soul has been filled up all the way down to my toes. In fact, in the fall when I found out that YaYa would be playing oboe in the orchestra, I made immediate plans to go to not one but two concerts, and that turned out to be a very wise move because I ended up crying through all of my favorite parts during the first night. I still cried through part of the second night, but not as much! Also, going twice gave me the opportunity to sit in two very different places, and the perspective was very different each night.

This was the first time YaYa’s siblings had been to this concert, or any other concert at her college, and all of them were incredibly impressed. I actually only got them tickets for the first concert, and Mr. TOF mentioned multiple times that he sure wished he had a ticket for the second night as well. After the first concert we drove to Valley City to stay with Grandma Kathy, and then just Dr. Peds and I went the second night, while they had a special time with Grandma. My parents also came the first night, so it was a fun weekend of family.

I am still mulling over the texts of some of my favorite pieces. In particular, there was one piece for choir with clarinet that was truly stunning. I have always loved the sound of clarinet with choir, and have often lamented that it isn’t a combination we hear nearly enough. This piece was astounding. The clarinet complemented the choir in every twist and turn, and it was played so well. Both nights I ended up in tears by the end of the piece because it was just sung and played so expressively.

In addition to getting to go to the concerts, we also got to visit YaYa’s dorm room and meet Grandma Robbie and Grandpa Ron for breakfast the next morning.