Christmas Concert

December 5, 2015: Sarah waiting for the concert to start.

I didn't realize her neighbor's bow was blocking her face until I got home!

This afternoon we drove to Snowflake to see Sarah's annual Christmas concert with the White Mountain Symphony Orchestra, one of my two favorite concerts of the year (the other being their patriotic concert). This was the first concert with their new conductor, Dr. Ted Vives, since the retirement of Maestra Theresa Dick. In fact, a couple of Christmas medleys composed by Dr. Vives were featured in tonight's performance.

My favorite number at tonight's concert: A medley of tunes from The Polar Express.

My favorite number of the concert was a Polar Express medley right before intermission. The soloist, Karen McByrd-Bell, was amazing. With her bluesy voice, I could imagine her singing jazz in a speakeasy of the 1930s or '40s.

During intermission, Mark, Chris, and Jake went to  take a stretch (Dylan had to work) while Chris's mom Brenda and I visited. When Mark returned at the end of intermission, I asked where Chris and Jake had disappeared to, and he said, "Over there," nodding toward the backstage door. There they were, animatedly conversing with Ms. McByrd-Bell and hugging her.

When the guys rejoined us, I said, "Aren't you a couple of star-struck stage-door Johnnies!" (Say that three times fast...) Jake said he just had to tell her how amazing her voice was and how her performance nearly made him cry.

Aliberto's Mexican food at the Show Low location after the concert.

Poor Sarah has been really sick with a cold for two whole weeks. She started to get better but relapsed on Tuesday, so she took a few days off work. Nonetheless, she loves her orchestra and dragged herself to rehearsal on Thursday night and the rehearsal and concert today. She said she managed to make it though the concert with only one coughing fit. By the time the two-hour concert ended, having been at the arts center for about 5 hours, she was feeling beat down and starved.

My dinner of enchiladas and beans and rice. The tamarind drink was nasty!

So we stopped for dinner at Aliberto's, which she said made her feel better, but to me it appeared that the poor thing needed to go home, drink some fluids, and put herself to bed! I hope she feels better soon. We mommies don't like to see our babies sick.

But it was an awesome concert. Great job, baby girl!

Chris and Sarah in Aliberto's.