Of course you did. What else would I have expected?

So today we went to the Conference center to hear Natalie Cole, David McCullough and the Tabernacle Choir wow us with their musical skills. We brought along Terri and Shawn who had brought along Taylor who graciously agreed to watch Cal & Ellie. The concert was quite fabulous. We even enjoyed Music and the Spoken Word beforehand. A lovely experience resulted, although Scott nearly didn't make it inside. (A family tradition we have been establishing for a couple of years by having him park the car in Murray while we find our seats.) He got inside and we were able to sit together. Sigh. For me perhaps the biggest highlight was at the end of the concert. It being the last performance, President Monson came up on stage to congratulate & thank the artists and to present them with a memorial photograph collage. I have never seen anyone hug President Monson as long as Natalie Cole did. Really. He said "I am proud of you." and "Thank you" Natalie Cole gushed about how touching this experience has been for her. David McCullough had high remarks for the choir and told a touching story to illustrate his praise. The choir sang"God Be With You 'Til We Meet Again" Natalie Cole cried. The choir out-did themselves. Of course they did. What else would I have expected?

After-wards we left the building to find Salt Lake being covered in a slush of very wet, deep snow. The police, for some unknown reason, were diverting traffic up the hill past the Conference center. I was scared. Going up was slippery, what would going down be like? I will tell you. We slid for at least 25 feet. Into a parked car. The wreck didn't hurt anyone,but getting out of the car proved to be treacherous. Picture a 45 degree incline. Shawn slid for over 20 feet grabbing the bumper of the car we had just hit in order to stop himself from going the rest of the way. This would be the first of several falls. I had, in the meantime proceeded to find the owner of the car. The Sorensons, the sweet family who owned this car turned out to be our first repair of the day. We were invited inside, and treated to a buffet of delicious food. Apparently the Russian ward it was intended for would not be celebrating it's 10th anniversary, because of the storm. They soothed and talked and listened and treated us like family. Fully what you expect when you hit someones car. Right? This is the way things are done at the Sorensons. So of course they treated us like family. What else would we have expected?

I called my dear friend Meghan to ask her if she would let our children know where we were. Our home phone wasn't working for the second time this week. A few minutes later her Husband Brett was on his way to Salt Lake to pick us up. Scott had to remain behind for the tow truck driver. Brett showed up in his 4-wheel drive pick-up with his trademark smile and brought us safely home. Which was quite a feat under the conditions. But of course he did. What else would we have expected?

Not long after returning home it was discovered that the tow truck driver wouldn't be bringing Scott all the way to Lehi after-all. It was a busy day. So Shawn and Taylor jumped back in the car and went back to Salt Lake to rescue my husband. Of course they did. What else would I have expected?

A highlight for me, and perhaps the defining moment in all of this was when we returned home. There was a note on my counter,.. "I took Cal to his meeting with the bishop. Ellie came too of course." Taylor was already back home by now so we got the first-hand account. Caleb had remembered he had his baptismal interview with the Bishop at 12:30, but he hadn't heard that it was being re-scheduled by a series of people called into action. So Taylor had them dress in their church clothes, he in his basketball shorts, and they proceeded to walk the mile to the church. Taylor couldn't remember what kind of a mile this was. A kind neighbor saw them and gave them a ride to the church. From there friends took Cal and Ellie into Sacrament meeting and Taylor walked part of the way home again, before being offered a ride. When I heard the story I was both amused and overwhelmed. What kind of a young man takes two little children to church, walking in the snow, for an interview? The kind of young man that grows up to be the kind of man who drives to Salt Lake in a storm to bring friends home. Or the kind of man who invites strangers into his home and offers them a meal and warmth. Or maybe the kind of man who grows up to influence others with his talents.

All day long I have been hit with the unexpected. I have felt like crying for most of it. But I realized just a little while ago that it wasn't the difficult parts that were making me weepy. It was the Christlike actions of others. As we seek to celebrate the Savior's birth and why we celebrate his birth, may we realize that the reason for which we worship Him is because he lived like he lived and he died like he died. Of course he did, what else would we have expected? We worship him best by doing as he did.