The MoTab Christmas Concert

Christmas concert pictures from YouTube video

One of the fun things we got to do with my pal Alice was go the Christmas concert of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.  Jeff and Alice's oldest son, Josh, sings in the choir.  We always watch for him during conference broadcasts or anytime we have had an opportunity to view Music and the Spoken Word.  This was our first chance ever to hear the choir perform in person.  

They put on quite a show with the Muppets and and Santino Fontana as guests.  

 As we walked out from the show we saw Santa Clause speed by on a bright yellow motorcycle

Photo by Alice Walker

and we got to take in the Christmas lights on Temple Square

Temple Lights photos from Mormon Newsroom

My emotions were all over the map as it really begin to sink in that we would be very far away from home on Christmas.  The enormity of our decision was hitting hard.  I felt grateful, scared, sad, and excited all at the same time.

Realizing the next two Christmases would be spent in a land far away and that I would not be seeing my family for the next 23 months brought a lump to my throat.  I kept fighting back tears.  Yet through it all, I knew without question that I was exactly where the Lord wanted me to be.  That knowledge is what sustained me through all the confusion.  I was ready for the big adventure to begin.