December 10, 2007
We started the week with a most important Christmas event; the Institute Choir Christmas Concert. This year we did more advance planning. Since it is very difficult to find a date and location at SVU during December we tried a little different approach. After a little talking we convinced the stake president and the bishops (bishops were not hard to convince since this meant one less FHE activity to plan) to allow us to schedule the concert on Monday evening Dec 3, in Chandler (main performance center on campus). The big day finally arrived; Sister Cottle and the Choir had been practicing for months. The chairs and risers were in place, seven lighted trees, poinsettia, greenery and other decorations added a festive air. At 6:55 there were 30 people in the audience and we began to worry that the crowd would be small. By 7:03, all the seats were full and we were scrambling to set up another row of chairs. Students do not like to arrive until the last possible moment! We ended up with a great crowd (the promise of refreshments never hurts) of about 250 and the concert went without a hitch. And what a performance! Sister Cottle is such a good director and gets the most from each student. The Institute Choir gives students who otherwise might not have an opportunity the chance to display their musical talent. The program included both choir and individual numbers. The concert was a resounding success and I pay tribute to Grandma for her talent and willingness to share the same with others. All week she received accolades from all quarters. See photo of the Choir in action on the Cottle blog site.
Let me introduce the four Karn sisters (I think I may have mentioned them last year). Melanie, Sarah and Tasha are triplets and in their second year at SVU and this year they have been joined by their sister, Heather. The do most everything together and you rarely see one without the others being close by. They all sing in the Choir and all take an (the same) Institute class. So we see them often here and there. Last Friday they all crowded into our office for a visit and to talk about the concert. I showed them some photos I had taken of the performances and they finished of a bowl full of Hersey Kisses. Before leaving they ask us for directions to our apartment, and so that evening the door bell rang and the Karns, bearing a gift of homemade Peanut Butter Cups (yummy), burst into our tiny apartment. What fun we had for the next hour or so as they regaled us with stories of life on campus. We heard how hard it was to find an empty dryer at the main laundry because some students don't remove they clothes from the dryer and how funny it was when they decided to clean out a dryer and found it full of MEN'S clothing! "We come from a family of girls - we don't know about men's stuff." The confusion of trying to order at a Taco Bell drive through when everyone is speaking at the same time and all ordering different things. We heard about back seat drivers, early morning fire drills that caught some in the shower, exploding microwaves and so on. It wasn’t just the story - it was the telling - more than one girl talking at the same time, finishing each other's sentences and animation galore, with lots of giggles and outright laugher. They had as much fun telling it as we did listening. For a picture of the Karn's in action check the blog.
Last week brought an end to classes for fall semester with test week coming up.
Hope this finds every one well and happy and making preparations for the holiday season. And amidst all the shopping and other activities remember to take time to honor the one whose birthday we are celebrating, even one Jesus Christ, the son of God and savior of all mankind.
Love
Elder/Dad/Grandpa/Cottle
We started the week with a most important Christmas event; the Institute Choir Christmas Concert. This year we did more advance planning. Since it is very difficult to find a date and location at SVU during December we tried a little different approach. After a little talking we convinced the stake president and the bishops (bishops were not hard to convince since this meant one less FHE activity to plan) to allow us to schedule the concert on Monday evening Dec 3, in Chandler (main performance center on campus). The big day finally arrived; Sister Cottle and the Choir had been practicing for months. The chairs and risers were in place, seven lighted trees, poinsettia, greenery and other decorations added a festive air. At 6:55 there were 30 people in the audience and we began to worry that the crowd would be small. By 7:03, all the seats were full and we were scrambling to set up another row of chairs. Students do not like to arrive until the last possible moment! We ended up with a great crowd (the promise of refreshments never hurts) of about 250 and the concert went without a hitch. And what a performance! Sister Cottle is such a good director and gets the most from each student. The Institute Choir gives students who otherwise might not have an opportunity the chance to display their musical talent. The program included both choir and individual numbers. The concert was a resounding success and I pay tribute to Grandma for her talent and willingness to share the same with others. All week she received accolades from all quarters. See photo of the Choir in action on the Cottle blog site.
Let me introduce the four Karn sisters (I think I may have mentioned them last year). Melanie, Sarah and Tasha are triplets and in their second year at SVU and this year they have been joined by their sister, Heather. The do most everything together and you rarely see one without the others being close by. They all sing in the Choir and all take an (the same) Institute class. So we see them often here and there. Last Friday they all crowded into our office for a visit and to talk about the concert. I showed them some photos I had taken of the performances and they finished of a bowl full of Hersey Kisses. Before leaving they ask us for directions to our apartment, and so that evening the door bell rang and the Karns, bearing a gift of homemade Peanut Butter Cups (yummy), burst into our tiny apartment. What fun we had for the next hour or so as they regaled us with stories of life on campus. We heard how hard it was to find an empty dryer at the main laundry because some students don't remove they clothes from the dryer and how funny it was when they decided to clean out a dryer and found it full of MEN'S clothing! "We come from a family of girls - we don't know about men's stuff." The confusion of trying to order at a Taco Bell drive through when everyone is speaking at the same time and all ordering different things. We heard about back seat drivers, early morning fire drills that caught some in the shower, exploding microwaves and so on. It wasn’t just the story - it was the telling - more than one girl talking at the same time, finishing each other's sentences and animation galore, with lots of giggles and outright laugher. They had as much fun telling it as we did listening. For a picture of the Karn's in action check the blog.
Last week brought an end to classes for fall semester with test week coming up.
Hope this finds every one well and happy and making preparations for the holiday season. And amidst all the shopping and other activities remember to take time to honor the one whose birthday we are celebrating, even one Jesus Christ, the son of God and savior of all mankind.
Love
Elder/Dad/Grandpa/Cottle
2 comments:
Have I been in that hall? It looks familiar...
That looks like a great concert. I love Holiday singing. Good job Grandma!!
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