Festive Weekend

PHEW! I survived the weekend.

Friday morning I hosted the Christmas Party for David's preschool Co-op. Basically I gathered the kids, got them all jazzed up with present-related games and crafts and then stuffed them full of sugar. I'm sure their parents were thanking me...


Sunday morning was our Ward Choir Christmas sacrament program, and it other than a few little mix-ups, it went wonderfully. I'm really blessed to be in a ward with a TON of talented singers, and so our ward choir is outstanding.

While I love putting on these programs, they're very stressful. Because rehearsal time with the ward choir is limited, there are several musical numbers as well. And being the control freak that I am, I always worry that something will go wrong. And though a few things did, it was absolutely lovely (as usual). We sang the following pieces:

Ward Choir- Joy to the World (probably my favorite Christmas song of all time).
Men's Ensemble- Good Christian Men Rejoice (This was absolutely STUPDENDOUS! We had a dozen men up there singing A CAPPELLA, for crying out loud--and doing it all with musicality and dynamics. I was blown away)
Amber and Melanie- What Child Is This (Also lovely--they're voices blended perfectly)
Ward Choir- From Swaddling Wrap to Crimson robe (gotta love those schmaltzy triplets!)
Me, Steve, Christine and Rob- Jesus, Jesus Rest Your Head (I love this little song--and just about anything arranged by John Jacob Niles)
Ashley Crawley & Robin Osborn- When the Son of God Was Born (This was a father/daughter duo, and I'd never heard them before. Robin told me that when they practiced it sounded just like the recording, and he was RIGHT! It was amazing).
Congregation- The First Noel
Ward Choir- Far, Far Away on Judea's Plains (LOVE LOVE LOVE this bass part)
The Haddocks- Were You There on that Christmas Night? (They sang it as a family, IN HARMONY, and Steven accompanied on guitar. Very reverent and sweet).
Women's Ensemble- By Candlelight (women's voices always sound like angels to me--at least our ladies do).
Ward Choir- O Holy Night (our yearly constant. The text of this song never fail to move me).

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(Random picture of Melanie Livesay and me at Stake Choir practice)

That evening, we sang in the STAKE Christmas program, directed by our Stake Choir Directer, Paul Busselberg. Bro Busselberg is a professional choir director at San Jacinto college, and he and his wife are also professional singers. The program was an absolute joy to participate in. Paul arranged most of the pieces, and they were excellent. We even had hand bells and a small orchestra of SJC students.

This was an amazing experience for me. Since I have small children, I've always regretted not being able to join a community chorus, like the AMC in Arlington. But being under Paul's direction was just as wonderful, and probably better for us timewise (as it only happens once or twice a year). I made a point of telling him and his wife that they were NEVER to move out of stake boundaries.

I was telling someone that I feel like I have a little aesthetic cup inside of me. When it's on the low side, I usually start feeling a bit sluggish and think that maybe returning to work is the answer. Or maybe I start reading lovelier books or start fixating on art I love. But I have to say that after all the beautiful musical experiences I've had this weekend, I feel like my inner cup is overflowing. I'm so content.