Yanni

Last week Wednesday I had the pleasure of accompanying Brennon (a.k.a. Daddy B or Pepaw) to a Yanni concert at the Civic Center.  Tam (a.k.a. Memaw) was his original date, but she had to go on an important business trip to D.C. and I sadly and most graciously accepted to go in her place.  I had grown up listening to Yanni with my mom playing it for her dad care kids.  I best memories of it were when you just were in a mood that needed something to listen to that is soul healing and it was just her and I just doing the normal everyday stuff.

Our family met up with Pepaw at Cattleman's (in the stockyards of OKC) because it was said to be one of the 1000 things you should do before you die.  Rylan was so happy with his steak that he just ate his salad and steak.  The kids ate french fries, bread, some meat and more french fries.  Dinner was good, but as I kept seeing pies delivered to tables I decided I would stop eating to try their Lemon Meringue Pie... YUM!!!

After dinner as a family I said goodnight to the kids and Rylan. Pepaw was a wonderful date and treated me like every girl should be treated! My favorite was having my doors opened for me. We got to the Civic Center in plenty of time!  I am amazed at the seats they had gotten!! This was the view from sitting (Sorry it isn't very good, but you can tell we are CLOSE!)

We took a picture at the stage together to remember our time and to send to Memaw.  (Again Memaw I am so sorry you couldn't go!!!)

While taking our picture I got brave and asked one of the kind old ladies who help you find your seat if we could take pictures during the show (normally it is the first thing they tell you when you are getting seated, but we hadn't heard anything).  She said for the first time ever that we were allowed to take pictures during the show!!!  And you better believe that I clicked away with my picture taking and this was the best shot!!

Yep, that is Yanni at one of his 3 pianos playing with his 13 other musicians!! It was amazing and as he said in the show... "very intimate setting." He could see our faces and reactions to his music. And there was me.... crying! Yep, I cried throughout the show so over come with emotions and memories.  It was a very healing concert for me and as I listen to his music over pandora, I can still feel the same emotions I felt that night and all the way back to my childhood home listening to Yanni with my mom.  

Yanni played for nearly 2 and 1/2 hours!! There was dancing, clapping, tears, kisses (yes he gave/received 2-3 kisses while on stage talking with audience), laughter and joy.  Well worth every penny for one of his concerts!!  He came out for two encores and the audience loved it!! And if you look real closely, you can see his drummer wearing a OKC Thunder shirt! It was a great concert and wouldn't think twice about going to see him again!

Thank you Pepaw for a wonderful evening and again... Memaw I am so sorry you couldn't go and wish I could put it into words of how much I enjoyed it! It healed my soul!