OLD DOG, NEW TRICKS

Monday, February 20, 2017
It seems like sort of a miracle; I have less loads of laundry to do. I wonder if it has anything to do with having one less person to launder for? 😁

Finally, I got a pedicure! I was really in need of one. It was a busy day at the nail place I used, though, so I sat with my feet in the water for a bit. A lady told me I was brave to choose the light green polish. I had to explain that my daughter dictates my colors for me!

Analiese and I went shopping after dinner. She needed new tennis shoes and I needed shoe glue to put the bottoms (all the way) back on mine. My shoes were just too expensive (5+ years ago) to cavalierly get a new pair. Other than the bottom falling off, they were pretty good.  A little glue made them (almost) good as new!

Tuesday, February 21, 2017
I tried something new this morning that I'd seen on Facebook - eggs baked on bread with cheese. It took longer than expected (that's my oven) and really wasn't all that awesome. My tummy didn't approve, either.

I started cataloguing training at the library today. I began at 3:00 with our Tech person for two hours before going up to the front to work. It seemed daunting at first - a lot of numbers and codes that you have to get straight for the computer system to recognize it. You have to be super careful, precision is a must! With time, I think I will be okay. I already know how to cover and label books; she taught me that a while back so I could help with all the new books they had pouring through from a grant and so she didn't have to recover every book I found that needed it.

The library has put an ad in the paper for my replacement in the front. They've only got two weeks before the two (splitting one position - Mother & Daughter) current catalogers leave. In the meantime, I'm doing a lot of juggling.

Jonathan's second email came today. He's enjoying his companion and fellow missionaries. But he's not so hot on leadership - LOL - I think it's stretching time; he's out of his comfort zone!

HERE IT IS:

Week 2: Who Knew?

First I will start off with the summarized notes from President Rasbands talk,
 *Don't be a whine-er, when you wine about your companionship or area of your mission, you mock God
*Ask "What do you want me to learn from this experience?"
*My job as a Missionary is to prepare, find, teach, baptise, retain the converts,to re-activate, and take converts of the church to the temple.
*Bear witness to everyone!
 Feb. 15
Quote of the day "When you`re on a mission, you can`t go a fishin" - Elder Latu
Ordered a special case for my Spanish scriptures, it will be leather bound, with an engraving of the Quetzaltenango temple on the front with an engraving of Captain Moroni on the back, along with my name and mission. (should have it by next week, but you will have to wait for photos, and did I mention its water proof?)
 Feb 16
Not much just working out at the gym and playing volley ball, got dared by Elder Lloyd to lick a used spoon for 5 Quetzales (which isn`t very much compared to US currency), and had a good practice lesson with German our "investigator".
 Feb 17
Had some dope Chineese food for dinner, realized today that we need to use our own fabric soap for laundry, cause the stuff they have pumping into the washer smells weird.
 Feb 18
Killing it in volleyball today, figured out my serving style and the latino Elders are fun to hang around.
 Feb 19
Had my second district leadership meeting, that was fun :I
Watched an old MTC devontional from Elder Hollands, and that was super cool. Room inspections are tomorrow and so is the next lesson with our new "investigator."
 Feb 20
Awesome lesson with our "investigator" Marcela, and was not prepared for practice with the Latino Elders later. Started working on Come, Come ye Saints in Spanich as a district, and so far we sound pretty good.
 Feb 21
Not much so far today, got up at 6 am in order to be ready for our early temple session today. Met with some Elders from the surrounding areas, and it sounds like my Mission is one of the wesome ones, and everyone says its cold in my mission, we will see about that. Took some photos outside the temple, but won`t be able to load them for a while, plus I will need some other photos from other distric members too.
 And that about wraps it up for today, please send photos of you and your famillies, I would love to hear how ya`ll are doing!
 Elder Bolton

Wednesday, February 22, 2017
I'm a little light-headed this morning. It's not low blood sugar; I ate breakfast. My ears have cleared up, too. I am tired, but that's nothing new. I shall just have to move more slowly, to be steady.

I made waffles for lunch today and did my usual - I doubled the recipe. Mistake. With just me and Analiese eating them, we're going to have lots of leftovers. Oh well, at least they freeze well and it gives us all something different for breakfast. #OneLessMouthProblems

Ken went to OKC for some kind of Taco Bell managerial meeting this afternoon. While there, he helped "control" a grass fire near a local TB until the fire department could get there. Obviously, he came home smelling of smoke and his black shoes were grey with ash. There's fire warnings out around western Oklahoma, due to our very dry winter. As he was coming back, he said there was another (bigger) fire by the freeway.

Thursday, February 23, 2017
Two robins and a little black bird with a white belly were on the church law as I left Seminary. Yes, I spoke to them. Yes, it was baby talk. Yes, I'm crazy.

I gave in to the incredible desire to sleep this afternoon. I had eaten lunch and was spending a few quiet moments with a book. But I couldn't keep my eyes open, so I gave myself thirty minutes (timed it) for a short, but necessary, nap. It was just enough. Afterwards, I had the needed energy to study for Seminary and go to work.

It was pretty quiet at the library tonight, excepting the two meetings in our conference rooms. Those are always interesting because I'm supposed to keep track of attendance and sometimes open or close the rooms. People don't always give me the attendance numbers and I have a hard time locking and unlocking the conference room doors. Every single time.

Friday, February 24, 2017
Day off again. Back at the library for EPIC again. This time, it's benchmark testing - to see how Analiese is doing compared to how she should be so we can remedy that. State testing isn't until April, so they really want to fill in those educational gaps. For her, that means math.


Ken's had Fridays off recently. He likes to go grocery shopping with me. That is dangerous. We always spend more and get things I normally would not include. Today, as he waited for a tire to get changed, he "roamed" Walmart. Let's just say we went over our weekly grocery budget.

One thing he got was a 5 outdoor games thingy. It included a small net, a "volleyball," badminton, and other stuff. He and Analiese had a ball with it this afternoon in the backyard!

The sister missionaries came to dinner tonight. At Ken's urging, I made "Chinese" (my version): rice, teriyaki chicken, veggies, and oven-baked cream cheese wontons (an experiment that turned out okay - Analiese really liked them!). I also made a pineapple cake with a light frosting that Ken particularly liked. Good stuff!

Saturday, February 25, 2017
I did NOT want to get up this morning. I was so tired, but I couldn't find a good enough excuse to stay in bed. I don't believe in just lying there, as Ken sometimes does, because  it soon becomes sleeping instead and I'm too busy to go back to sleep. So, I dragged my tush out of bed.

It was a fairly busy morning at the library in part due to a local GOP meeting in the west conference room. Yesterday, Analiese's EPIC teacher had figured out and shown me how to open the conference room doors. Luckily, I could reproduce the trick and let the people in their room, not embarrass myself. Especially since I knew some of them...not that that's tricky to do around here!

We received PomPom's pedigree papers today. We knew she was a Netherland Dwarf, but her color is officially called Otter Blue. Also, her original name was Athena. Analiese & I can't see it. It's a rather regal name for a tiny tribble. She's definitely a PomPom!

Sunday, February 26, 2017
Ken and I sat down with the bishop during the second hour of church to go over Jonathan's mission finances. Already we see the blessings of his service as others have given that he might serve. May they be blessed, also! Before he left, he didn't quite have enough to cover the whole two years, and now he absolutely does! God and these people, known and unknown, are good!

This afternoon, Ken and I are sharing some kind of stomach bug. It can't be something we ate, because the last meal we shared was Friday with the sister missionaries. Analiese is fine. Who knows? Hopefullly, it is brief.