A new decade has begun!
We had a beautiful Christmas. We never did put up a tree, but put the gifts under the nativity. The kids put lights around the nativity so I wouldn't feel deprived of Christmas lights.
We left the day after to SLC and visited with B's family Saturday evening. On the way out of town we got a call asking if we would consider hosting a foreign exchange student from Germany. We were really trying to get on the road in the next hour, and had to tell the coordinator we would consider it but we would call her back. She needed a home by the end of the month - New Year's eve. We were planning on being out of town until Wednesday. Wow!
We had a nice visit with B's parents on Saturday. Sunday we attended our G2 ward.... that was a "Blast from the past!" I believe it is in Nemo that he travels all over the sea, and comes back to say "Are you still here?" We couldn't believe how many people are the same in that ward! B and I both grew up there, and so there are lots who know us from way back. We went to coordinate some final details for B's baptism on Tuesday. It was amazing to see so many we have known for our whole lives!
Monday morning I sent C and L skiing with Grandpa V early while B and J went to Provo to rent skis and then they joined the other group on the hill. They left me with J's jeep which we had towed up a few months earlier, but it just doesn't like that elevation! It was NOT running well and was a test of prayers all day! Needless to say we didn't run many errands! We made the necessary stops and that was ALL! That afternoon we met at Granny's house for sledding, dinner and a nice evening with my side of the family. It was a great night!
Then Tuesday we spent the day preparing for B's baptism! I am not sure where the day went, but returning skis, preparing Yolka Toka (3 entire boxes full!) making 7 poppyseed cakes (none of which turned out!) finding keys to the stake center, filling the font, etc. etc. the day was gone before we knew it! That night B was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by her brother J! It was beautiful! She was confirmed by her Dad! She and S sang a beautiful musical number of all four verses of I am a Child of God with L at the piano. C gave a beautiful talk and bore strong testimony about a 14 year old boy (his same age) who went into a grove to pray. It was sooo special! He cried and it made him mad, but he did a great job! Then L played "Walk Tall" beautifully, and then Grandpa V followed with a fabulous talk on listening to the Holy Ghost, and shared a time when he was first married and worried about life and providing for his new little family. One day passing Cottonwood Mall on the way to work, the spirit came so strong, whispering "You're going to be OK!" His heart was calmed, and he didn't worry, he trusted in God! It was fabulous! Then we had the most important part the baptism and confirmation, and then Bishop S opened the meeting for sharing of testimonies. My favorites were Grandpa C's who bore strong testimony about Grandma O being there watching over these proceedings from heaven, and his strong testimony of the Gospel. It was fabulous! My other favorite was little S's! She said she wanted to be "same, same, same" as B! Same! She is so darling! I am so grateful for cute little girls who love being together! They are really two years apart, but you wouldn't know it looking at them! They are so close, in fact, S might be a tiny bit taller than B! B looked beautiful in both of the two white dresses she got to wear that day! One I bought her, and the other was provided by the stake for her to wear into the water. She was beautiful!
The next morning we headed home to St. George. The weather was not good, and the roads were slushy or snow packed all the way. Visibility changed quickly from bad to ok and back to bad. We passed two serious crashes, reminding us to really go carefully! We pulled D's big trailer with J's jeep on it so we could go jeeping the day after New Years! We made it, but missed J's Dr. appt for his mission completely! It took us more than six hours to get home. We are just grateful we made it safely! J will have to find a doctor in Lexington to do his physical for his mission. I am just grateful that he now has a truck and he won't have to ride his bike to the next town for that appt. Blessings from heaven!
Arriving about 6:00 p.m., that night at 7 we met with the PAX coordinator regarding the foreign exchange student, and she came the next morning. We had only a few minutes to unload the car, find something for dinner quickly, pick up the house since we left it just the day after Christmas in not top shape. It all worked out, and we welcomed R into our home the next morning. Wild! I am so grateful for family, especially my fabulous one! Laus Deo!
We had a beautiful Christmas. We never did put up a tree, but put the gifts under the nativity. The kids put lights around the nativity so I wouldn't feel deprived of Christmas lights.
We left the day after to SLC and visited with B's family Saturday evening. On the way out of town we got a call asking if we would consider hosting a foreign exchange student from Germany. We were really trying to get on the road in the next hour, and had to tell the coordinator we would consider it but we would call her back. She needed a home by the end of the month - New Year's eve. We were planning on being out of town until Wednesday. Wow!
We had a nice visit with B's parents on Saturday. Sunday we attended our G2 ward.... that was a "Blast from the past!" I believe it is in Nemo that he travels all over the sea, and comes back to say "Are you still here?" We couldn't believe how many people are the same in that ward! B and I both grew up there, and so there are lots who know us from way back. We went to coordinate some final details for B's baptism on Tuesday. It was amazing to see so many we have known for our whole lives!
Monday morning I sent C and L skiing with Grandpa V early while B and J went to Provo to rent skis and then they joined the other group on the hill. They left me with J's jeep which we had towed up a few months earlier, but it just doesn't like that elevation! It was NOT running well and was a test of prayers all day! Needless to say we didn't run many errands! We made the necessary stops and that was ALL! That afternoon we met at Granny's house for sledding, dinner and a nice evening with my side of the family. It was a great night!
Then Tuesday we spent the day preparing for B's baptism! I am not sure where the day went, but returning skis, preparing Yolka Toka (3 entire boxes full!) making 7 poppyseed cakes (none of which turned out!) finding keys to the stake center, filling the font, etc. etc. the day was gone before we knew it! That night B was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by her brother J! It was beautiful! She was confirmed by her Dad! She and S sang a beautiful musical number of all four verses of I am a Child of God with L at the piano. C gave a beautiful talk and bore strong testimony about a 14 year old boy (his same age) who went into a grove to pray. It was sooo special! He cried and it made him mad, but he did a great job! Then L played "Walk Tall" beautifully, and then Grandpa V followed with a fabulous talk on listening to the Holy Ghost, and shared a time when he was first married and worried about life and providing for his new little family. One day passing Cottonwood Mall on the way to work, the spirit came so strong, whispering "You're going to be OK!" His heart was calmed, and he didn't worry, he trusted in God! It was fabulous! Then we had the most important part the baptism and confirmation, and then Bishop S opened the meeting for sharing of testimonies. My favorites were Grandpa C's who bore strong testimony about Grandma O being there watching over these proceedings from heaven, and his strong testimony of the Gospel. It was fabulous! My other favorite was little S's! She said she wanted to be "same, same, same" as B! Same! She is so darling! I am so grateful for cute little girls who love being together! They are really two years apart, but you wouldn't know it looking at them! They are so close, in fact, S might be a tiny bit taller than B! B looked beautiful in both of the two white dresses she got to wear that day! One I bought her, and the other was provided by the stake for her to wear into the water. She was beautiful!
The next morning we headed home to St. George. The weather was not good, and the roads were slushy or snow packed all the way. Visibility changed quickly from bad to ok and back to bad. We passed two serious crashes, reminding us to really go carefully! We pulled D's big trailer with J's jeep on it so we could go jeeping the day after New Years! We made it, but missed J's Dr. appt for his mission completely! It took us more than six hours to get home. We are just grateful we made it safely! J will have to find a doctor in Lexington to do his physical for his mission. I am just grateful that he now has a truck and he won't have to ride his bike to the next town for that appt. Blessings from heaven!
Arriving about 6:00 p.m., that night at 7 we met with the PAX coordinator regarding the foreign exchange student, and she came the next morning. We had only a few minutes to unload the car, find something for dinner quickly, pick up the house since we left it just the day after Christmas in not top shape. It all worked out, and we welcomed R into our home the next morning. Wild! I am so grateful for family, especially my fabulous one! Laus Deo!