Team Hoopes: December 2010

Messiah

I remember when my two children were born. As I would look at them and hold them in my arms, I had many, many thoughts and feelings. But, one of these thoughts was an utter sense of amazement than I could be part of creating something so amazing. This was a little person--with working eyes, ears, hands, feet--all the body parts, my kids had them! It was just amazing to think that Stacey and I could have done that. Well, I recently attended the performance of Handel's Messiah by the Grammy Award winning UMS Choral Union, and had a similar sense of amazedness--as a Choral Union member, Stacey was part of creating the amazing, rich, powerful, and inspiring sounds I heard from the stage. She helped build this sound and experience that was so amazing. Stacey. Wow.

So, Saturday night was the first performance and Handel (this year) by the Choral Union. It was the culmination of a lot of hard work and determination by Stacey. First, she decided she was going to try out for the choir. She went to the try outs, and was a bit unnerved. Many who try out do not get a position, and she feared she would be among them. But, she was not. She made the team, and, so, the practicing began. For the last many months Stacey as been practicing every week, and this last week, she has had several practices. It has been a lot of hard work, a lot of focus, and a lot of singing, but, it paid off. The music was amazing.

Here is the choir, symphony, and soloists on stage at the Hill Auditorium, Ann Arbor's premier concert venue. I was seated on the second balcony, and the sound was amazing. The Hill Auditorium was fashioned after the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, so its acoustics are very amazing.

Here is Stacey with her sister, who came all the way from the commonwealth of Virginia for the performance.

Here is Stacey with me, and with my brother and sister-in-law, who came up from Ohio for the performance.

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Here is a short video of clapping after the whole thing was over. It took several minutes for the clapping to end.

Hopefully my posting this brief post will not discourage Stacey from posting something herself, so we can hear what the starlet has to say about her first big show.

New Shoes

The father of my officemate and cohort is in town from China. He has met Jacob (and saw Rebecca enwombed), and so brought them each a gift. Here they are, showing off their cool new slippers. Jacob was quick to note the presence of Tigger on the sole of the slipper, while Rebecca was extremely pleased to tromp around showing off her new footwear. They both wore their shoes when we went out to dinner on Saturday, and around the house as well. They are very appreciative of their new footwear, and the slippers are certainly cute.

Jacob was not terribly cooperate in the picture-taking department yesterday, so, it was difficult to capture a good picture of the two of them. But, you get the point. Thank you, Mr. Qu.

Both opted to go pantless so as to make sure their leggings didn't distract the eye from their slippers.

Virginia

For Thanksgiving, we had the amazing opportunity to go to Virginia to visit Stacey's parents who live there. It was a grand time. Here are a few pictures:

Here is Jacob and aunt Erin (who came back with us from Virginia) looking at some fish in the Baltimore Aquarium

Here is Grandma M and Jacob jointly flying a kite

We had a little get together with three of Stacey's friends from high school/college who, for one reason or another, find themselves in the DC area. Here are the children of everyone.

It was a great time in VA. Thanks for the good time, Grandma and Granpa McKoy.

Chicago

So, a couple weeks back, we went to Chicago. I went to the National Tax Association annual meeting there, and Stacey (along with my mother), played with the kids (and reportedly had a good time). Here are a few pictures.