As per the previous post, I'm taking advantage of all the things available here in Zion (you got it right Liz J...and by the way, I'm waiting for you to "come to, come to us, come to us" a la Oakland Temple Pageant). The one thing I asked for on my birthday was a ticket to see a session of conference which I've never been able to do before. I've stood in line many o' times but have never made it in to either the Conference Center or back in the Tabernacle days.
After hinting to Scott to score me tickets, I had to move on to a reliable cousin of his. She was successful in securing me tickets from yet another cousin who has major connections (lots of cousins on
that Jacobs side). In her pursuit of such things, the kind cousin with connections also got us tickets to a fabulous concert at the Conference Center two weeks ago featuring the Utah Symphony guest conducted by Erich Kunzel (of Cinncinnati Pops fame), Mormon Tabernacle Choir and two guest artists presenting "The American Songbook".
At the outset, let me just say this would be a fabulous concert even if we had had seats on the back row. For my first experience ever in the Conference Center, we had tickets for the front row!!! We got all the way down to our seats where we were met by a hostess with the mostest telling us there as a slight change in our seating for the night. President Monson had decided to attend the concert and would we feel comfortable sitting in the second row, Row B. "Ummm, ya." If the prophet wants me to sit in the lobby to hear the concert I will. Our seats ended up to be directly behind President Monson and his daughter. This is going to be one event tough to top. The music was spectacular! Too many favorites to name but its pretty hard not to love the Armed Forces Medley when active and retired servicemembers stand at the sound of their military branch song. "New Words" a song written by Broadway smash composer Maury Yeston is now a new top song in my itunes library after hearing it sung by Brian Stokes Mitchell (Ragtime fame).
These two pictures were sneakily taken from Scott's iphone on the night of the concert.
The kind cousin still gave us two tickets for conference, the Saturday afternoon session. Our tickets were once again on Row B. I kind of feel ownership now. I wonder if you can buy a timeshare on conference center seats? Luckily Scott and his dad only made me meet Senators Bob Bennett and Orrin Hatch. I don't do so well with hobb-knobbing so I'm glad they took it easy on me.
Maybe someday this kind cousin will get me hooked up with her nephew who happens to be a guitarist for Maroon 5.
So all in all, I ended up being able to do lots of birthday celebrating in good ol' Row B. Thanks Row B. Thanks kind cousin.
Since I can't possibly post without pictures, here are some pictures of Gracie on her first birthday....thanks Susie and Anna for the birthday cake!
