Another busy day with Ken home, focusing on stuff needing done around here. I had his laundry to do, plus we went to lunch and shopping - our only chance to be together! He fixed the front door (again - sorry, Dad!). I packed some things up from Jonathan's room and cleaned off the dining room table.
A family in our ward came today to take the dinner table. We had two tables and really only needed one - why move both? We're keeping the heirloom table from Ken's grandparents. The other was given to us by my grandmother, but it wasn't an heirloom, just a useful table that served her - and us - many years. Now it goes to a serve a growing family. It's nice and sturdy - good for their three boys!
After Ken left to go back to Chickasha and we ate dinner, Analiese and I went for a nice casual walk around the reservoir. The weather was perfectly beautiful and we saw a lot of neat birds. At one point we sat on a swing bench overlooking the water, just talking. It was so calm and relaxing!
Tuesday, March 28, 2017
Today was a hurry-up-and-wait sort of day for the weather. Everyone kept saying storm/tornado season. I took my rain coat to work...and forgot my umbrella. It was grey skies, then blue skies. Windy, then nothing. The radar would show stuff headed our way, which then conveniently went around us.
I started sneezing shortly before I had to be at work and was pretty miserable the whole time I was there: sneezy, drippy, and then the onset of a sinus headache. Oh joy. But I got a lot done before my lunch break.
The tornado watch alert came on my phone around 3:30. We started watching the weather more closely, then. While I was on my break at home, the library called me. "Don't come back; we're closing now." The storm really didn't hit us until after six, but it hit...with heavy rain, wind and thunder. It looked to be a long, wet night.
Wednesday, March 29, 2017
If Analiese hadn't woken me, I would have been late for Seminary again. As it was, it was 6:15 and I had to hustle, shower-less, to the church. It was all my fault; I'd turned my phone off at one point and forget to turn it back on!
It's very damp and mushy outside with off-and-on rain. I hear Lawton and south into Texas and Wichita Falls got hit hard. Apparently in some places they had base-ball sized hail. We got hail so tiny that melted so quickly I wasn't sure it WAS hail. The wind drove the rain so hard into the window that I thought it only sounded like hail.
It rained off and on for most of the day but by the time I left work for my dinner break, the sky was clear and the sun shining. My garden looks very happy right now!
Thursday, March 30, 2017
Early morning library visit to Analiese's EPIC teacher again. Hopefully for the last time for a little while. She took a practice test in math today and we identified some weak point for her to work on between now and Monday.
My boss kept me busy today. I learned about preparing audiobooks for processing. That means taking them out of their cardboard boxes and sleeves and putting them into sturdy plastic ones. It involved a bit of time at the chopping block...I mean the paper cutter! Gotta watch me with those sharp things!
I also learned about cataloging some kids books from a publisher that provides very little information; so you have to go hunting online for it. Plus I processed a few more paperbacks from off the floor. My work table (across from my desk) was piled high!
Friday, March 31, 2017
This was a buckle-down day for Analiese. We spent hours - literally! - going over math, formulas, and some science. I am trying to get her to take notes - the brain-to-hand-to-paper evidence on memory and understanding is staggering! I think we will work on that skill more this summer in preparation for high school studies this fall.
Our rigorous study session was interrupted by her lunch and my taking a short trip to the library to get my paycheck and then to the bank. Then...back to work!
This evening, though, we paused to go to WOSC to see the production of "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat." I've always been fond of that show. I knew two people in the cast, one in the orchestra, the set director (one of my Seminary students), and the director (who lives in our ward). Several ward members were there to see the show, as well as people I know from 4H and the library. We sure enjoyed it and it looks like the cast had fun. The sets were awesome, Megan! 💗
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| Cute friend Sarah and Michele, the World's worst selfie taker |
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| Chris Sherlock, he of the best line in the show, with Analiese! |
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| Megan's marvelous desert set. |
Saturday, April 1, 2017
THIS IS NO APRIL FOOL'S - I have to pick up Jonathan at the airport today. He's coming home to take care of some things. We're not going to say more about it, so please don't ask or vocally conjecture. He needs all of our love and support. Here's a section from an article in the July 2016 Ensign about suggestions for dealing with an early returned missionary:
For Loved Ones: 5 Ways to Help Missionaries Who Come Home Early
Don’t judge. People who come home early are in the process of healing or fixing something, whether it’s their body, mind, spirit, or even family. Be kind to those who are striving and struggling.
- Stop asking questions. While it’s genuinely nice to have people care, probing questions can be harmful. Even if you have kind intentions, don’t interrogate an early-returned missionary. Show your love through other kinds of support.
- Help them stay busy. It’s difficult to adjust from the order and activity of a mission to the downtime and new choices at home. Help them find productive, fun, and wholesome things to do.
- Let them receive their own revelation. Whether or not missionaries choose to go back into the mission field is between them and Heavenly Father. Encourage them to seek heavenly counsel and trust them to receive their own answers.
- Be a friend. Most likely, this will be one of the most difficult trials in an early-returned missionary’s life. Many have their faith severely challenged. That doesn’t mean that they cannot be happy or progress, but they need a friend who is willing to love them unconditionally.
- Thanks for your love and respect. We're going to need that (and prayers) for the next bit.
- Sunday, April 2, 2017
- Okay, I don't know why Blogger insists on double-spacing everything now (I think it had something to do with the Ensign article), but I apologize.
General Conference was an awesome blessing this weekend. Yesterday, because I work in the back of the library and am all by myself on Saturdays, I could listen to the sessions. I was so grateful for that...last October I was really bummed because I missed them and then hurried had to watch them before Seminary on Monday! I only missed the last talk - Elder Andersen's because I had to leave to go to Lawton. But it all seemed tailored to me and my family. I LOVE CONFERENCE!
Today was wonderful. My whole family sat around the television, watching. Jonathan, dressed in a suit in front of the TV, took notes and made comments. Since I'm a fanatical note-taker, it warmed the cockles of my pen-and-paper heart (guess what Analiese is learning this summer? Wah-ha-ha!).
I gained so much courage from seeing President Monson stand - old, tired, worn out in the work - giving us the counsel from the Lord that I'm sure is most vital as he contemplates the closing of his life. So many people spoke about the Holy Ghost and the Godhead, that means it's very important. My particular motivation to act came from Elder C. Scott Grow of the 70 - I want to try to pursue the desires of God ahead of my own better.
With all the craziness surrounding life (not just mine), I find General Conference a place of great peace, hope for the future, and movitivation to keep me going for the several months. In our house, we call General Conference the Super Bowl of the Church (only better). The highlight of the season and something we look forward to every 6 months!
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