Our past Stake President and recently returned Mission President of the Ventura, California area, President Ellsworth, came by with his wife for Sunday dinner. As we were sitting across the table from this unassuming couple and participating in small talk I kept telling myself it was alright, they are just like us. Our discussion focused mostly on the missionaries staying in our basement. It was a delight to be able to share some fun stories and experiences we have had. He said when he was a missionary he served in Chile and saw his mission president maybe twice. That meant he didn't know how to conduct a personal interview and so came to this calling a bit untrained. But he soon learned what needed to be done. Then they shared a few stories about "their" missionaries.
Because he is not retirement age President Ellsworth, who had left a booming construction business in the hands of his partner, was hoping to come back and pick up where he left off. But because of the economy the bottom has pretty much dropped out of the construction industry so he is now facing some serious choices. But they both remain optimistic about being able to revive the business and are anxious to jump in and give it their best shot.
Saturday was an exciting day. Rick asked if I would go with him to a car dealership. He'd picked out a few cars he wanted me to look at. We'd been talking about getting a smaller car with good gas mileage. Although my car has been running well the mileage is getting up there and the few repairs that are needed would be a spendy. The motor for the fan wasn't working right (which affects the heating and cooling)and the mechanic quoted almost $800 to fix it. So he thought we should transition to a newer car because I still have several years of commuting ahead. He picked out two nice cars and it wasn't hard to pick the one that seemed to be the best value. After the paper work was drawn up and we were walking out the door the just washed and detailed car I had picked was parked next to a wine colored sporty Pontiac GT. Hmmm. After checking the sticker price I discovered it wasn't much more than the one we were buying and it had some pretty cool features. The tires had chrome hubcaps rather than plastic, the steering wheel was wrapped leather, the seats were nicer upholstery, etc. And the color! Well, needless to say they had to scrap the paperwork and begin again. So I'm now the proud owner of a wine colored sporty 2008 Pontiac GT. This means car payments begin again but that's the lot of a working woman.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Friday, July 18, 2008
One More Missionary
Can you believe we now have three missionaries staying downstairs? It's true. And to make it even crazier the third missionary, Elder Holt, is from DRAPER! His call was to Mexico on a Spanish speaking mission and he has been in the MTC the requisite time learning the language. Evidently there has been a serious hold up on visa's and everyone asking for entry into Mexico has to have a personal interview with someone in authority in the Mexican government. The process of getting missionaries in has slowed to a trickle. But since missionaries are still coming into the MTC room must be made. So I believe about 20 missionaries have been assigned to the Spanish speaking missionaries in the Utah mission. I can't imagine how difficult it must be to be so close to home. Elder Holt already ran into someone he went to school with and she had a hard time understanding how he could be serving in Lehi of all places.
He's quite the impressive missionary and it's been fun to have them all come upstairs at the end of the day and just visit for a little while. Talk about a good example...Elder Holt makes sure his bedding is folded and carefully positioned atop his air mattress every morning. His clothes are hanging from a pole stretched between two storage shelves and he seems to be adapting.
Water has been an issue because for the last week we've had clear indications that the water heater is ready to die. The flow of water has been substantially decreased because we keep getting lime caught in the faucet filters. Enough that every day we have had to clean the filters just to be able to wash your hands in the bathroom or do dishes. So Rick bought a 50 gallon water heater and is planning on installing it on Saturday. Then we can all have hot water when we shower, yeah!
We heard from Jill Heaps and the doctors are pushing for a bone marrow transplant for Emily in a big way. The big question is do they go to California to have it done or go to Primary Children's in Salt Lake. Already the little neighbor boy asked Emily if she would be taking medicine to make her hair fall out. Luckily Jill was within earshot and could answer her questions about it. Unfortunately she had to tell her that Caleb was right, her hair would fall out. But everyone would still love her just as much, because they love her not her hair. This experience will be a lot different for Emily because she is old enough to understand what is happening. I'm so glad that Matt and Jill are her parents. They seem to have the skills to navigate through this frightening experience.
Rinda Christensen and I took over a traveling bag for Jill and inside was the money we had earned from our little fund raising venture. She and I made cookies (oatmeal, chocolate chip, raisin filled, and almond crunch)and we packaged them in sealed cello bags. I brought them to work and every package sold! Can I tell you how great it was to fill an envelope with travel money for Jill. We're thinking of doing cinnamon rolls next time. I can't imagine an easier sell that the smell of fresh baking rolls (because we have an oven in our company kitchen)waifing through the air, especially around breakfast time. We'll have to see how that goes.
He's quite the impressive missionary and it's been fun to have them all come upstairs at the end of the day and just visit for a little while. Talk about a good example...Elder Holt makes sure his bedding is folded and carefully positioned atop his air mattress every morning. His clothes are hanging from a pole stretched between two storage shelves and he seems to be adapting.
Water has been an issue because for the last week we've had clear indications that the water heater is ready to die. The flow of water has been substantially decreased because we keep getting lime caught in the faucet filters. Enough that every day we have had to clean the filters just to be able to wash your hands in the bathroom or do dishes. So Rick bought a 50 gallon water heater and is planning on installing it on Saturday. Then we can all have hot water when we shower, yeah!
We heard from Jill Heaps and the doctors are pushing for a bone marrow transplant for Emily in a big way. The big question is do they go to California to have it done or go to Primary Children's in Salt Lake. Already the little neighbor boy asked Emily if she would be taking medicine to make her hair fall out. Luckily Jill was within earshot and could answer her questions about it. Unfortunately she had to tell her that Caleb was right, her hair would fall out. But everyone would still love her just as much, because they love her not her hair. This experience will be a lot different for Emily because she is old enough to understand what is happening. I'm so glad that Matt and Jill are her parents. They seem to have the skills to navigate through this frightening experience.
Rinda Christensen and I took over a traveling bag for Jill and inside was the money we had earned from our little fund raising venture. She and I made cookies (oatmeal, chocolate chip, raisin filled, and almond crunch)and we packaged them in sealed cello bags. I brought them to work and every package sold! Can I tell you how great it was to fill an envelope with travel money for Jill. We're thinking of doing cinnamon rolls next time. I can't imagine an easier sell that the smell of fresh baking rolls (because we have an oven in our company kitchen)waifing through the air, especially around breakfast time. We'll have to see how that goes.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Miss Emily
I had a long chat with Jill Heaps several days ago and it appears that her youngest daughter Emily will be needing a bone marrow transplant, and soon. They sent lots of test information to a doctor in California and are waiting to hear his recommendation. She had a transplant when she was several months old but it has stopped providing what it was originally intended to provide. The doctors have been watching her progress very carefully and are now starting to sound alarms. To top things off she has stopped growing. So many things point to transplant that as a family they are now determining where it should happen instead of if. Several years ago Rick coordinated the completion of their basement at no cost to them to see if it would make a difference in Emily's health...and it did.
The most likely place is California because the doctor who seems to know the most about Emily's type of illness resides there. The process will take at least two months because they will be doing a series of tests, doing chemo to eradicate what little immune system she now has, and then the bone marrow transplant. Follow up will take place at Primary Children's here in Salt Lake.
Rinda Christensen, a neighbor down the street from the Heaps family, and I got together and baked almost seven dozen cookies, packaged them in two's in cello bags, and I brought them to work in a big basket to sell. It's our idea to provide Jill with some traveling money. Whether it's California or Salt Lake the money it takes to come and go will be sorely needed. We anticipated about $80 for our trouble and received over $100 in donations. Yeah for a good cause! We may be doing this again in a month or so, but it's a great start to help an incredible family. My surprise was when several people paid more than necessary for the cookies and said "keep the difference" because it's for a good cause.
The most likely place is California because the doctor who seems to know the most about Emily's type of illness resides there. The process will take at least two months because they will be doing a series of tests, doing chemo to eradicate what little immune system she now has, and then the bone marrow transplant. Follow up will take place at Primary Children's here in Salt Lake.
Rinda Christensen, a neighbor down the street from the Heaps family, and I got together and baked almost seven dozen cookies, packaged them in two's in cello bags, and I brought them to work in a big basket to sell. It's our idea to provide Jill with some traveling money. Whether it's California or Salt Lake the money it takes to come and go will be sorely needed. We anticipated about $80 for our trouble and received over $100 in donations. Yeah for a good cause! We may be doing this again in a month or so, but it's a great start to help an incredible family. My surprise was when several people paid more than necessary for the cookies and said "keep the difference" because it's for a good cause.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Happy Feet
In the nursery we have discovered that if we sprinkle songs throughout the lesson time the children's attention span is lengthened and we can keep them interested. So there are songs to get ready for the lesson, songs during the lesson, and fun songs after the lesson. One of my favorite songs is "Happy Feet". I have a pair of striped socks that I put on my hands that fit up to my elbows and as I sing the song I touch the children with the socks. The words are: "I have two happy little feet to take me where I go. They hop me and they skip me, and make a noise I know. But in my Heavenly Father's house so softly do they fall, that though I walk you can not hear my little feet at all." At the very end I whisper the words so they understand about being reverent. Sunday we went to the home of one of our little nursery children, Ayala Hamblin, to give her mom a duck towel for the new baby they are expecting. Amy asked if I sing a song about feet. Umm, yes. Does it have something to do with socks? Umm, yes. She had Ayala (who's two) go downstairs and get her special sock and had her sing the song. She got it word for word, down to the part where you whisper the ending! Nursery rocks! These little children are listening and learning and even liking it. Yeah.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
CONCERT IN THE PARK
For a Family Home Evening with our Empty Nester's group we went to Brigham Young Historic Park last night and heard the Utah Nat'l Guard 23rd Army Band. It was quite the program. You would think we would just hear patriotic music, but we were thrilled to hear the "Instep" Barbershop Quartet from the band sing "Ghost Chickens in the Sky" a silly take off of "Ghost Riders in the Sky". We laughed and laughed it was so cleverly done. There was seating for approx 200 people as well as blanket room in the back. I've never been to the park which is kitty corner to the Conference Center. There is a small replica of a grist mill wheel that moves the water in a small pond. I didn't get to investigate too much but it looks like they have concrete areas where you can sit and picnic. We may come again because the venue looks pretty interesting and the price is right, free!
On July 11 they are having "Kindred Voices" who sing Celtic folk songs and original music from Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and England. Every Tuesday and Friday during June, July, and August they present concerts. I am thinking on August 12 we should make a return visit. The program features "The Other Three Tenors" billed as a lighthearted musical parody of the world's most famous tenor trio.
Just as we were leaving the concert Rick got a call from the Elders, who had locked themselves out of the house. We have a key safe on the door frame to the basement that requires a code and the key drops out; that way you never have to carry the key. Unfortunately they left the key on the window sill the last time they went in instead of putting it back. They entertained themselves at the Duncan's until we arrived home almost 45 minutes later. The irony was the front door had been left unlocked, which we didn't realize until we got home, and they could have just walked in!
It's going to be a hot 4th of July. Considering gas prices and the heat maybe we'll just celebrate in the neighbor's kiddie pool.
On July 11 they are having "Kindred Voices" who sing Celtic folk songs and original music from Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and England. Every Tuesday and Friday during June, July, and August they present concerts. I am thinking on August 12 we should make a return visit. The program features "The Other Three Tenors" billed as a lighthearted musical parody of the world's most famous tenor trio.
Just as we were leaving the concert Rick got a call from the Elders, who had locked themselves out of the house. We have a key safe on the door frame to the basement that requires a code and the key drops out; that way you never have to carry the key. Unfortunately they left the key on the window sill the last time they went in instead of putting it back. They entertained themselves at the Duncan's until we arrived home almost 45 minutes later. The irony was the front door had been left unlocked, which we didn't realize until we got home, and they could have just walked in!
It's going to be a hot 4th of July. Considering gas prices and the heat maybe we'll just celebrate in the neighbor's kiddie pool.
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