celebration surprise...

guess who celebrated 100 years of statehood?

and guess who is married to the most wonderful man on the planet?!

before Christmas i heard about the mormon tabernacle choir coming to phoenix for our centennial celebration. it was really special because the choir had not been here in over 40 years.  i wanted to go as a family, but tickets were going to be way too expensive. so that was that.

or so i thought...

john told me he had a surprise date planned for me. he knows how much i just {loooove} surprises!!! we had just gone out on thursday for our weekly date so i wasn't sure what he was up to!  we left to head out and he asked where i wanted to eat. i gave a suggestion but he went in the opposite direction, heading towards downtown phoenix. i thought "whatever!" we noticed that the suns must be playing, as there were crowds and full parking lots.  we decided to go to majerle's right by the arena, where we love their blue cheese burger. we shared an appetizer and shared a burger -- it was perfect!  john even had me call home to have kameron record the suns game!  we talked about how awesome it would be to take the kids to a game - just like old times going to utah jazz games! tickets are so outrageously expensive that we know that will never happen, but it was nice to daydream.  after dinner we were heading to the car when john just kept walking.  i was like "what's going on? are we seriously going to the suns game? oh my gosh, how cool is this!!" we walked in to will-call and picked up tickets.  i still had no idea what was going on! i thought everyone was there for the game! he handed me a ticket and i about died!!! i was so excited! he told me how he knew i really wanted to go -- how touching is that?!  we got to our seats, people watched and watched the choir fill in. we noticed leo beus from our previous ward there with his wife. and then on the row behind us were some more foothills ward members! it was so crazy - in the whole arena, we were right there by people we actually knew!  the concert was beyond AMAZING!  they totally rocked it!  they sang a couple african songs and one from nigeria -- oh my gosh! it was incredible! they even moved: did really cool swaying and hand movements! trying to even explain it wouldn't do it justice.  for one of the final songs they had a guest conductor: former supreme court justice sandra day o'connor. it was great!

before leaving on our {surprise} date, i was feeling guilty because kerianne was soooo sick.  she climbed into our bed, coughing and crying.  i had arranged for the little kids to make their own dinner and watch a movie, and ordered them to let her sleep.  half-way through the concert she was up texting me grocery items that she needed picked up for her!  luckily they all did great and my sweetie and i were able to enjoy an amazing night :0)

sandra day o'connor conducting! 

the final applause!