New things

So, the most exciting of our newness.... Evelyn officially rolls from front to back.  She's done it before but I think now it's official.  She did it 4 times in about 12 hours.  (And about 10 of those hours she was sleeping.) 

Another new thing was that we were early for the Symphony.  Amazing!  Though it did come with a price.  We left our kids with my friend Mary and her family (I really hope they were good for you!  I know you said they were, but I hope you just didn't leave things out!), and Judy and I left at 4:30 to pick up Jer and Jim from work and head up to SLC to hear Beethoven's 9th symphony.  It was kind of frustrating.  We left early so we could go out to a nice meal and be on time.  It took us an hour and a half to get both Jer and Jim.  There was an accident on the freeway and then a rainstorm that made everything slow down dramatically.  Finally got Jer, made our way over to get Jim and another street was closed because they were getting ready to dedicate a statue for the 10th anniversary of 9/11.  So finally got around that, and got Jim... then it took another 1/2 hour to get the car parked and walk to the Hall.   Barely made it at 7pm and it turns out that we didn't really have to be there til 8.  Whoops!  So we went to the lecture before it, which was actually kind of cool... about the new kettle drums that they had gotten that sound like the ones from Beethoven's time, but can still permeate the concert hall. 

We had third row seats, which in some cases is a good thing... in this case it made you a little too close to the orchestra, but it was still amazing!  First they did a modern piece that was written about 9/11.  It was interesting, but not something that you just enjoy listening to.  I felt like it was more of a performance art piece than anything else.  Then they did the 9th.  AMAZING!  Maestro Thierry Fisher.  AMAZING!  He was fun to watch too... very animated and extremely absorbed into the music.  And the chorus (the choir) made me want to cry!  Usually you get that one soprano that's a little too shrill or that one baritone that thinks he's more important and booms it out too loud... but not this time!  How perfect!  And it was fun to see many different aged performers too... from 20 year olds to 80 year olds... What made it even more exciting for me though... was sitting next to Jeremy!  He'd giggle silently at all his favorite parts and I think he even teared up at the end!  Every time he giggled, I knew that it was worth every penny.

Then we went to eat at PF Chang's because we were starving.  We had to walk 5 blocks back to the car, which normally is nice but at this point it was late... and my shoes were too small.  We left the parking lot at 12:30.  And surprise, surprise... there were two accidents and construction on the freeway that brought it to a stand still.  We had to drive out to Redwood Rd and down to Lehi... where the road was closed and we were detoured around that.  Grrrr.... Finally got home (thank you Mary!) and to be by 2:30 am.  Even with the 4 hours of driving that I had to do, I would do it again if I could hear that symphony played in that way again!