Funny story, fun concert

If you're LDS, you've probably got some connection to the Osmonds. I mean, there are 100 original Osmonds, so how can you not, right? ;) My mom's cousin's daughter married Donnie, and my cousin's daughter has been Marie's long-time nanny. However, that's not how we got tickets to the Osmond concert in SLC where the oldest four brothers celebrated 50 years in the entertainment industry and held their retirement concert.

How did I get tickets? Well, that's the funny story ... A few weeks ago I received tickets in the mail to the Osmond Family concert at the LDS Conference Center. The tickets, which came from church HQ, said it was a pioneer commemoration concert. Cool. But why did they send them to ME? The church doesn't randomly send out things like that, so I was stumped.

Paul and I discussed several scenarios, but we could not figure out how the tickets came to us. Oh well, we'd go anyway. I invited my parents to join us on a double date. Turns out my dad and husband ditched us for the Owlz game, so I wanted to find someone else to use the tickets. From what I had heard on the news, they were desperately sought and difficult to get. Again, I was a little puzzled about how I got them, but I wanted to make sure we used them.

I planned to invite Hilary but never got around to asking her. A few days before the concert (four, to be exact), Hilary was at my house and was looking at my calendar. She said, "Osmond concert? Are you going? Did you get tickets?" I said yes, that I did get tickets. She said, "Didn't I call you about that?" After some serious brain searching, I remembered that she had indeed called and said she entered me into a drawing for tickets to "that Osmond thing." When I got the message back on July 3, I thought she was talking about Stadium of Fire. That is a huge independence day celebration with fireworks, and this year they had Miley Cyrus and the Blue Man Group. I had entered several drawings myself in hopes of getting tickets. No luck, so I figured that's what she meant since the Osmonds were the ones who started the Stadium of Fire years ago.

Turns out THIS was the concert she meant. I didn't even remember her message when I got the tickets, because I had put it out of my mind the day of Stadium of Fire. I guess her sister's grandma-in-law REALLY wanted to go to this concert (like a lot of people), so she entered a bunch of people's names. Hilary's sister tried to help her by entering a bunch more names, including mine.

Once we had this all figured out, Hilary hopped on the phone to make sure granny got tickets after all. She did, so we were able to go up and make a fun night of it as well. Becca joined us and we had a fun girls' night out -- even the 45 minutes stuck in the parking garage trying to get out. (I'm sure that part is debatable ... :)



Don't mind my mom's red eyes -- she doesn't blink correctly. (Ha, ha! Mom, remember the optometrist who told you that?) She actually was very touched by the final performance of Come, Come Ye Saints with the Osmonds and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. It was amazing.

The Osmonds did some fun numbers while they were there from their hits. My favorite was when Donny and Marie were going to do a little medley and started the music for "She's a little bit country ... He's a little bit rock and roll" when Donny stopped it and had the men of the MoTab sing, "She's a little bit country." Marie countered w/the MoTab women with, "He's a little bit rock and roll." It was funny. I'm sure spontaneous, too, right? ;)

Anyway, as we watched the Osmonds perform, I realized how horrible it would be to grow up famous! Funny thought to have during a great concert, I know. I think most of the times when we think of being famous we think of all the wonderful things associated with it. However, there are so many negatives that I'm grateful I was just a little "nobody" in Mapleton, Utah! I am also grateful, however, for people like the Osmonds who use(d) their fame to bring the spotlight to the church in such a positive manner. I actually met someone one time who had joined the church because of Donny & Marie. That amazed me, and it made me grateful for those faithful LDS who live in the spotlight.



So, I guess that's it -- I'll decide not to become famous (inside joke there for Paul's sake :). Instead I'll enjoy my life with my "nobody" friends and family like you. :)