JUST A WEEK

Monday, August 20, 2018
No construction guys in sight this morning. Still, I kept the copier and a TV cart with me in the Primary/Seminary room for the week. I want to make sure I have what I need when I need it!

I am not pleased with our internet provider. We had only two options here: a slow one or an intermittent one. We chose the latter and it had been working well enough until lately. Today was on and off nearly all day. This was hard on me Seminary-wise, because I study and create on my laptop and then send the finished lesson and other info (like video clips) to my phone and tablet. Very techie here! Can't do that if the internet is down! Also, Analiese and Jonathan will be starting school soon...they're REALLY going to need it!

CONFESSION...
I was a bad journal writer this week. I didn't write a single thing down after Monday. Yes, I write on paper (old school) and transfer it to the computer for this blog. But the paper didn't happen.

I could blame it on Seminary. The first week is always so busy and physically/spiritually draining. My head is still trying to get things straight and I find all kinds of things I want or ought to do. The construction stuff has been an added stress...or at least it was last week. It really wasn't an issue this week.

It's coming along...

Clock Partners: a way to mix things up!

Doctrinal Mastery activity...a littler harder than I'd planned!

I could blame it on a stomach bug. Something's going around in town...according to Ken's TB employees. I know Tuesday night/Wednesday morning I was up all night being ill. This wasn't a food disagreement, this was sick! I felt pretty dragged out all of Wednesday and off and on the rest of the week.

I could blame it on the heat. It's been in the upper 90's all week and doesn't look like it's going to stop. The a/c in the house and the van have been fighting to keep things marginally cooler. The poor rabbits have been brought up into the dining room because their little room is too hot and they were showing signs of heat exhaustion!

Honestly, I was just being lazy.

WEEK HIGHLIGHTS
With all that being said, I cannot say the week was a total bust. Seminary didn't skip a beat, I drove kids to and from work and did some errands. I swept up dead bugs (where do they all come from?) and even vacuumed up a dying wasp. Yeah, in the house. Ugh.

Friday afternoon, I took the kids over to the Grady county free fair. It's at the end of town. Nice little fairgrounds. Not very big, but bigger than Altus. They didn't have many animals that day - only pigs - and the rabbits didn't show until Saturday morning, which is when Jonathan had to work. But we enjoyed the local vendors and the displays. We even purchased a few cupcakes from a local bakery to take home for dessert when the missionaries came to dinner.

Curly tail!

I like that color!

Buffalo quilt!!!

Saturday afternoon, when Jonathan came home from work, his pal David who lives up near OKC  (not far from the temple) came for a visit. Usually Jonathan goes David's way, but this time it was the other way around. He's one of our friends (and his family) we met in Altus, but they moved before we did. I talk to his mom occasionally, but since they're a cat-and-dog (as well as rabbit) family, we don't visit them much.

INTERESTING REALIZATION/TESTIMONY
Probably the most important thing I discovered this week was about my Seminary calling. Wednesday morning, I felt just awful and flat and wondered how I was going to be able to do Seminary. I dragged myself over to the church...and then I was fine. I went through the lesson with plenty of energy and we had a great experience. I thought maybe I was over the illness and went home hopefully.

I got home and felt like all the goodness of the past hour had evaporated. I went to bed and slept and felt ill the rest of the day. It was like Seminary had been a dream.

Then I thought about it. Most of our Apostles and 70s in the church are getting up there in age. At a time when most people slow down, they're picking up the pace! How do they do that? My experience taught me that the Spirit sustains them as they do the Lord's work. And when it's okay to rest, then they have their downtime.

There was an online article this week about why spiritual experiences in the scriptures were so draining to the people involved in them. Paul. Alma. Joseph Smith. The physical and the spiritual are intertwined. And when the Lord has something for you to do - regardless of how you feel - He makes a way for you to do it! Then afterwards, you collapse for a while and recuperate. After all, we're only mortal!

Still, it's an amazing experience to go through!

LIVE SEMINARY...LIVE!

Monday, August 13, 2018
The morning has been gray. The rain started spotty at first, gaining momentum. But, as Ken called it, it was a gentle summer rain. No lightning. No thunder.

It basically did that most of the day. It was gray enough that I had to turn the lights on in the house as I did my chores. Ken and I went out in it to go shopping. It was wet enough to need an umbrella; muggy enough to not want a coat. It is August, after all.

A friend from the Branch brought me farm fresh eggs!

I put Pom in the hall today to see what she would do. I closed all the doors so she couldn't go hide in a bedroom (I'd never find her). She enjoyed herself: flipping her ears, binkying (! First time!), flopping down. But I don't think I'll do it again. She peed on the towel I put on the floor for her, but she pooped everywhere. It's dry and innocuous, but still, you don't really want to step on them.

Tuesday, August 14, 2018
Analiese went with Ken early this morning to TB. I took Jonathan to work at seven and thought I'd go over to the church to set up for Seminary. But the construction guys were already there. Bright and early. Seminary will be interesting on Thursday.

After taking my shot and eating breakfast, I went back to TB. Analiese had hoped to get off at eight, but I knew it'd be more like nine. As it was, I walked in and Ken told me he needed me to go to the bank for change and then to Walmart for dry-erase markers. And yes, Analiese was off at 9:15.

Apparently we've had enough rain to grow big puffy white toadstools (there are a few smaller black or sandy-colored ones, too) all around town. I always have a hard-to-control urge to kick them over. To me, it's kind of fun. Weird, I know.

Wednesday, August 15, 2018
It was four-thirty. In the morning. I heard odd little foot sounds going up and down the hallway. I got up, looked around, didn't see anyone, and went back to bed. Ken did the same. Then we heard some seriously strange noises coming from the livingroom. Ken said, "That sounds like a rabbit." "How? They're in their cages." Sure enough, Alice was out and running happily free. Analiese hadn't secured her cage properly. We put her back, but she'd had her fun.

Stinker Bunny chewed on my journal!

I went with one of my soon-to-be Seminary students to visit another possible one. The girl was quiet and shy and her family doesn't really come to church. But she loves Seminary. Cool! I'll take her!

Thursday, August 16, 2018
I awoke at 5 am because my bladder said to. I realized ten minutes later (in bed) that I was not going to go back to sleep. So I got up, showered and shot (ha-ha!) before waking Analiese and heading out to my new Seminary class.

With the construction there, the church is a mess - the chaos was enough to drive me crazy. There was a table saw and lots of electrical cords and sawdust everywhere in the foyer. I couldn't find the photo copier and the TVs at first. They'd been stored in the chapel!

So, it was a stuttering start, but as I've told someone, we're pioneer stock and we make do! Plus, they tell me they should be done by today or tomorrow. I hope so, but I won't hold my breath. Our lesson took place in the midst of saw horses, sanders and nails. My first words of wisdom to the class - don't go around here barefoot!

Friday, August 17, 2018
Our classroom was a little neater today, but the foyer was still a mess! I had to pull a TV cart out of the chapel and over the cords and debris. Plus, I pulled out the copier into the foyer to plug in and use!

The sisters came to dinner tonight. One left Wednesday for a new area, but the here is here now with a greenie! She's training. The new one is a little quiet (and seems so young!), but I'm sure she'll warm up to us quickly!

Saturday, August 18, 2018
Ah! The luxury of sleeping in! I didn't get up until 8 am. Then I remembered: I had a bunch of stuff to do. So, I forced myself out of bed.

First off was watching the rabbits so Analiese could clean cages. I had to laugh at Pom: she kept trying to climb on my laptop (I was trying to get some Seminary work done simultaneously) and was attempting to lick the screen.

I'm not sure what she thought she was getting out of it.

I drove to Moore, OK (city of the tornadoes) with some of our youth. They were holding a back-to-school themed dance with multiple stakes attending. There were a LOT of kids - and adults (chaperoning) - I got to visit with friends, students, and girls from camp from Lawton and Norman stakes. It was over at ten and we had a 45 minute drive home (part of it through a crazy downpour!), but at least we didn't have three house like some of our friends from Seymour, TX had!

Sunday, August 19, 2018
I was very tired this morning. There have been to many early mornings and late nights as of recent. Even though the speakers were excellent today, I found myself yawning frequently during the first meeting.

And then I had to teach Gospel Doctrine class during Sunday School. It was all about Proverbs and Ecclesiastes. Basically, I had seven different themes from the two books and I let the class choose which ones to discuss. Then I led the conversation with scriptures and we discussed their pertinence to the topic. It went well and most people participated.

After church, it was home and nap time...after getting Ken from TB. He'd had to run off there in the middle of church! Still, I had a chance to recoop a little of this week's busy-ness.

NOT SLOWING DOWN

Monday, August 6, 2018
A headache last night and this morning left me feeling rather flat. Yes, I had plenty of things to do...but, no, I did not feel up to them! Too bad, Michele, do it anyway!

Normal stuff got done. I got a hold of the dentist and made an appointment for Wednesday I paid some bills. Analiese and I set up her ACT account and scheduled her first (and hopefully last) ACT test for September. She had to do a bunch of future-thinking. Where would you like to go to school? What (specifically) do you want to study? What kind of career do you want? It frightened her a little, but she found it exciting, too. Right now, she's considering a job with the national parks service. She loves the outdoors, nature, and history.

The sister missionaries came to dinner by themselves tonight. Everyone was a little goofy; I'm not sure why. Maybe we were all just tired.

Tuesday, August 7, 2018
Ken's tablet alarm went off at 3:30 this morning. Why???? It was still set from last week when we had to get up to go to the airport. I turned it off; he didn't even stir. Grr!

I was alone most of the morning into the early afternoon after I took Jonathan to work. I did a little linen laundry, cleaned the front bathroom, but mainly worked on Seminary. Since I'm teaching live for the Chickasha branch this year, I have to pace my lessons. On top of that, I have to incorporate the Doctrinal Mastery activities. They say that next year the Doctrinal Mastery will be incorporated into the lessons. For now, I have the toilsome job of figuring it out.

It was a long afternoon, though, as I went to pick up Analiese from TB at 2 pm. She was stuck there doing dishes until nearly three, then we sat there and ate while we waited to pick up Jonathan at 4. Getting to Walgreens, we find out he's not off until 4:30, so we waited in the pharmacy lobby area for him. On the way home, Ken had me pick up his phone and a box of straws...and go back to TB! I am so tired of driving.

Wednesday, August 8, 2018
I slept in (hoorah!) until 9 am - very late for me. This was great, except...I had a dentist appointment in three hours and lots of stuff to do. Including taking my shot. All the signs of a lovely day!

I got a little done and left with Analiese to go to the dentist and do my pre-crown stuff. I promised her we'd stop by the library afterwards because...this won't take very long. Ha! Famous last words! Even with a bite block my jaw ached; my tongue kept getting in the way. They kept packing stuff in my mouth and making impressions. At one point I had four hands and four tools working on my left side. At one point I had a mini panic attack: I felt like I was choking. Two and half hours later...

It was a very tender, soft-things-only evening. I made pudding and Ken brought me home some TB beans and cheese. I loaded up on pain meds and let my kids cook their own dinner.

Thursday, August 9, 2018
I forgot to set an alarm for this morning. I awoke at 6:45. Oh no! I had to leave in ten minutes to go to Paul's Valley. It's a little over an hour drive and I was headed there to help train my online seminary replacement.

I spent over two hours with her as we struggled with the technology issues (old computers and weak wifi - the joys of country living), talked a lot about procedures and lesson planning and students and such, and downloaded church apps to our phones to help us. Yes, plural. You'd be amazed how much we can get done on our phones alone. I felt like we were pretty productive, plus she's so amazing and fun!

As I was driving home, I yawned. Pop! My left jaw popped in and out of its socket. In my van, on the highway, I screamed in pain. I'm sure this was a side-effect from yesterday's mouth wrestle. Afterwards, my ear hurt and my jaw would click a little if I was too vigorous with mouth movement. I think I'm staying on soft stuff for a while. I'm more than a little afraid to open my mouth too wide!

Friday, August 10, 2018
It was a morning of typical chore-juggling. I was sorting laundry, but not doing it. Jonathan wanted to do his; he was down to nearly nothing. I took Analiese to work, came back to do some seminary work and get a shower and FINALLY start my laundry before taking Jonathan to work at 2 pm.

Then, Analiese got off at 3. Do I waste gas and go home or just sit in TB for an hour (or more) until she was done? I took my tablet (book) and stayed at TB. Time went by fairly quickly.

Saturday, August 11, 2018
I did not feel like driving today. Jonathan didn't have work, so I let him play taxi driver. He could take Analiese to and from work. I also let him go to OKC to visit a friend after bringing his sister home.

I spent my day straightening up and working on Seminary projects (do you see a theme here this week?), My biggest issue is incorporating those Doctrinal Mastery lessons. I was spoiled last year; online seminary is all integrated together.

We had a rainstorm today. The sky went gray, the air went boom-crash (we can't have rain here apparently without thunder and lightening) and - GUSH! It came straight down and hard for about fifteen-twenty minutes. Then it petered off to a light rain for another half hour and that was it. Hi and goodbye.

Analiese makes a meme reflecting her reality.

Sunday, August 12, 2018
I went with Ken to church at 8 am. He had a Branch presidency meeting and then Branch council. I needed to go to the latter. But I didn't want Jonathan getting up just to take me to church at 8:45. But I got to meeting up with last year's Seminary teacher during the time before council.

My attendance at the council was to ask for their help in encouraging our youth to enroll and attend Seminary. I had five registered on a potential list of twenty. Not that it's accurate...that was another reason to talk to people in the know. But it all helped! I managed to bring the list down to ten and had another student enrolled by the end of church.

Rain or no rain? It drizzled a little in the morning and had yet to make up it's mind this afternoon. We're supposed to get a lot this week. Mushy ground, muggy air, and huge puddles on the road. So much fun. Jonathan went up to Norman for church and said it rained heavily all the way up.

OREGON VACATION - TWO WEEK SPECIAL!

Monday, July 23, 2018
Jonathan took the car to work; I slept in, but not too much. I had to get laundry going and assemble my stuff for packing. Poor Viktor got woken by me vacuuming dirt out of a suitcase. He's a night owl and it was 10 am!

Ken & I took him this afternoon to a little grocery story closer to our home than Walmart. We wanted him to have a place to go shopping closer to home if he needed anything. It's not cheaper than Walmart, but one pays for convenience.

By day's end I'd pretty much finished packing except for the last-minute things: pjs, pillows, etc. Even though Southwest Airlines allows for 2 bags checked in, we're trying to consolidate, and it's a week-long trip! We have to squeeze all of our luggage plus Aunt Cathy's in the rental van, which is tricky.

Tuesday, July 24, 2018
We awoke at 4 am and were out the door by 4:30. Viktor got up with us to see us off...I imagine he went right back to bed the moment we were out of sight. Our flight was at 6:50 and we got to the OKC airport with an hour to spare.

Our trip had two legs, even though we didn't have a layover. Our 737 SW airplane

stopped briefly in Phoenix to let off and take on more people, but we didn't have to get off.

Then off we went to Portland! Both flights were uneventful except my back did NOT like the seat! Whenever I could, I stood up in that narrow aisle.

Cathy landed in Portland nearly the same time we did and met us at baggage claim.

We all took the hotel blocks back to have lunch at Panera. Back at the hotel, Cathy and the kids went to the pool while Ken & I stayed in to take a nap and enjoy their a/c!

Wednesday, July 25, 2018
Jonathan & Ken might have got up early (Analiese stayed in Cathy's room), but I slept in and then took a luxurious shower before heading to the hotel breakfast. We all lingered and relaxed until we had to pick up the van at noon and then headed for Fishermen's Bend.

One thing about Oregon: Moss.

There is moss on all the trees here. Regular old moss, thick teddy-bear like moss (makes the trees look like stuffed animals),

and Spanish-type moss hanging down.

All kinds, all over. Plus the tree population here is in itself staggering.

We arrived at camp around 3:30 in the afternoon. Wilcox family members were just started to assemble together in our group campground.

I only recognized one of them: I remember her being at Ken's grandmother's funeral. But everyone was very nice and welcoming. I even had a little baby playtime!

Sweet little Macie. She's a very happy baby!

Rare photo of Ken with baby Ryker. I remembered baby names much better than people's!

Ken & I are sleeping on a queen mattress in the van;

Analiese will be in the top tent area.

Jonathan and Cathy have tents to themselves.

This evening I wrote by the river as the sun was setting. It's a beautiful view. It's been a hot day, but by the river it's very comfortable. Peaceful.

Thursday, July 26, 2018

I did manage to sleep, even though this "princess" felt "peas" under that thin mattress. It wasn't a full night (the heat didn't help), but it was enough to keep me going.

After breakfast, Analiese and I took a walk down the river trail. You can hear the river lightly in the background from our campsite and it is easy to follow that sound down to the water. There are several spots to access the river, some less treacherous than others! 

I loved this long grass with yellow flowers. Very delicate!

Top of the trail, looking down on the pool. Difficult to get up and down there!

Most everyone just hangs around playing games, that being the main activity. Cathy, Ken, Jonathan & I made a trip to Salem to buy what we needed for our turn at group breakfast tomorrow. Analiese stayed behind to get in on the games as soon as possible!

After dinner, Jonathan and I had another nice restful visit by the river. I stuck my feel in - cool & refreshing! The day had been plenty hot, but the riverside was shady and cool. Maybe I'll sleep better tonight.

Friday, July 27, 2018

I DID sleep better, which was a good thing. We had to be up early to cook sausage and eggs for breakfast burritos for the whole fam. I haven't done camp cooking (and cleaning) in many years...

I took a nap after cleaning up breakfast. I know it seems early (it was around 9 am), but it's too warm in the afternoon to be able to sleep. And I was so tired.

After lunch, most of the camp headed to Detroit Lake - 30 minutes from camp.

Of course we find wild rabbits!

Analiese loves any time she can go to the water!

Ken and the kids went with the group; I stayed behind. I wasn't feeling well and didn't think I'd enjoy the lake. So I gabbed with a group of women who stayed behind.

When everyone came back from the lake, we had dinner and then I took a shower!!! I hadn't had one since Wednesday morning. It was a camp shower - you know, two minute intervals, slightly warm. But at least I was clean!

Saturday, July 28, 2018

I awoke before breakfast was ready, so I dressed and took a walk along the river trail to the end of the park. Then I backtracked a bit, found a comfortable-ish bench, and read my scriptures by the river. What a delightful place to study and pray!

These little man-made ponds are attached to the river in the park for safe splashing!

Small tree-filled island in the middle of the river.

Queen Anne's Lace

Field of Queen Anne's Lace

Rough Rapids 

Wild blackberries

It was cool enough this morning to have a campfire. The evenings haven't been, so they decided to do smores in the morning! This being the first one, all of the little boys in our group were fascinated by it. What fun their Scoutmasters are going to have one day!

It got crowded in our camp as more families came up for the weekend. A couple of dogs came up, too. Poor Analiese, she was dying to touch the golden retriever puppy!

This is Murphy. Sorry he's upside down. He is so much fun!

I got into a five-person game of Ticket to Ride...a version that had boats as well as trains. The board was huge and it seemed like a lot to keep track of. I've played the original and can usually hold my own. But my brain couldn't get past the traditional way to play and separate the boats from the trains...and do the docks! So I ended up in last place. Oh well, it was fun and NEXT TIME...

Sunday, July 29, 2018

It was another cool morning. I actually wore a jacket and drank some cocoa and ate breakfast by the fire.

Camping is always strange to me on the Sabbath day. The group didn't have any plans (they don't beyond meals and the lake trip) and we didn't have any Sunday clothing with us to go visiting; we didn't have room in our luggage. Ken and I took some time with our kids and the scriptures, using the opportunity to hear testimony and give thanks for our family (including our newfound ones), our vacation, and the beautiful part of the country we got to visit!

Bathing babies!

Jonathan & cousins playing Magic

Ken & Analiese teaching cousin Chupacabra. It was a hit with the young ones!

Ryker has breakfast!

Today really heated up. I think we brought the OK temperatures with us! Jonathan and I tried to find a cool place to sit beside the river, but it was difficult to find a good place to sit that was in the shade. We ended up sitting on a log in a parking lot about 20 feet from the river. It was not comfy for long (the creosote on it stained my pants) and it wasn't as cool as I would have hoped. My only respite came after dinner when I took a shower again.

Monday, July 30, 2018

This morning camp was hustling and bustling as we packed up and cleaned up so we could leave the campground no later than 9 am. The kids were no slackers - Jonathan took down his and Cathy's tend all by himself!

We made a few stops on our way back to Portland

Happy Valley is Boring! HA!

: souvenir shopping, a rest stop break, and lunch. Then we unloaded the vat at the hotel and Ken went with Cathy to return the van. I was happy to be resting a cool, air conditioned comfortable hotel again!

Ken, Cathy, and Analiese took off for the pool; Jonathan and I took naps. Then we walked a couple of blocks to a diner for dinner. They had an awesome blueberry lemon sour cream pie! We spent the evening chilling and watching TV until I called a 9:30 bedtime. After all, we have to get up at 3:30. Got a plane to catch!

Tuesday, July 31, 2018

WAY. TOO. EARLY. The shuttle left the hotel at 4 am. We boarded the plane at 5:20 and left at 5:50. I sat next to a couple with a four week old baby. She fussed a little at first then fell asleep. I dozed myself quite a bit on the first leg of our trip.

We had a layover in Denver for at least two hours. We spend some time walking up and down the corridors, past the gates: partly out of curiosity, partly out of the need to stretch, and partly because we were hungry! We ended up settling for McDonalds - not because we love it (I don't) - but because it was our cheapest option. Airport food is expensive!

Gratefully, our last leg was pretty short - only a couple of hours. But the turbulence from Denver to OKC was awful; I had to do a lot of deep breathing and hymn-reciting (in my head) and did not sleep this time. I had to work too hard to remain calm. My anxiety did not like it!

Will Rogers Airport, OKC

We drove home to find that Viktor had dinner ready for us. What a sweetie! But there was little time to rest after dinner; I had laundry to do, plus I needed to do some grocery shopping. Bread and milk are important! Back home, back to the grind.

Wednesday, August 1, 2018

It was another early morning: not as bad as yesterday though. My alarm went off at 6 a.m. But I was leaving at 6:45 with Analiese and a sister in the Branch to go to Norman. Re-root canal time!

I had to take two "stay cool" pills 45 minutes before my appointment - around 7 am on the road. Boy, did they loosen me up! By the time we arrived, I was starting to feel a little wobbly. They took me right in, slipped the nitrous oxide on my nose and...I don't remember.

I vaguely remember getting into a wheelchair afterwards. But I don't remember getting into the car, driving home, or getting into bed. I awoke around 2:30 p.m, got up and dozed in the recliner until Jonathan came home after 4. I was floppy and loopy for the rest of the day. I think I did make a couple of necessary phone calls. I think. It's all very fuzzy...

Thursday, August 2, 2018
There's pain and inflammation in my mouth this morning. I had a banana and mac and cheese to eat yesterday; this morning I had a protein shake. I'm tired, but it's not that drugged-out foggy feeling from yesterday.

I called my allergist because I had finished my last vial set the Sunday before we left for Oregon. I'm not supposed to go more than 14 days without it. So she asked me to come in today. Day two in Norman. But I could drive this time.

WHINE TIME: My mouth hurts. I don't want to chomp down on anything especially tough or hard, not with an uncrowned tooth. I'm trying to find the softest foods I can that aren't too bland. Not an easy task.

This evening, Jonathan and Viktor went with me to pick up the bunnies in their country vacation spot. It's hard to tell if they missed us or enjoyed their time. Analiese was glad to get them home, though!

Friday, August 3, 2018
I slept in this morning. I was sick in the night (infection, medication?), so I hadn't slept well until very late.

Busy day! The sisters have a soon-to-be-baptized investigator and they're all coming over here - along with the elders, one of whom will interview her - to have dinner and do the interview. Our building is undergoing some construction and, while they clean up for Sunday services, during the week they've asked us to try and not use the building. Hence, my house. So, I had to make cookies (VERY important 😉) and prep for mock tacos, which is a crowd-pleaser. I'm also prepping for tomorrow's dinner, because I'll be in Norman for most of the day then for Seminary training. I also had to bunny-sit for a while so Analiese could clean cages. She's going to the temple in Dallas, TX with the youth tomorrow and they had to be cleaned today!

Dinner was crowded, but fun. We had a total of nine people squeezed around the table. They liked the mock tacos very well and adored my chocolate crinkle cookies. But I left my kids to clean up the kitchen. I'd spent all day there and I was tired!

Saturday, August 4, 2018
Another early morning for another trip to Norman. But first, some side trips. I dropped Analiese off at a Branch member's home to hang out until they went to the temple

Branch youth at the Dallas temple. (I did not take this photo. Obviously.)

, got gasoline for the van, dropped off Jonathan, and then - with Viktor tagging along - drove to Paul's Valley (1 hour +) to pick up another Seminary teacher. On to Norman - another 45 minutes!

Viktor went along because he was going to catch a bus to Dallas later that afternoon. He accompanied us to the Institute and I'm pretty sure he learned a lot! As it was, our group (four stakes - it was crowded!) had three different get-to-know-you games interspersed with our discussions. I know Viktor enjoyed participating and meeting all of the teachers. They were fascinated with him!

I was very uplifted by the training, as usual. I came back with some new thoughts and ideas to use in my class this year. I certainly felt renewed energy and enthusiasm. I am looking forward to teaching my second year of Doctrine & Covenants!

After that, I dropped him off at his bus station, took the other teacher back to Paul's Valley, and made the long trudge home. I was so sleepy! But I had to get Jonathan, who was waiting for me at TB, and then drive home.  I kind of flopped on the sofa and didn't manage to make dinner until after 6 p.m. I was too tired.

Sunday, August 5, 2018
Going to church with me: a thank-you note for the sister who drove me to and from Norman Wednesday; a thank-you gift for the couple who watched our rabbits when we were in Oregon; and cookies (from Friday) for after the baptism that's after church. Busy day of rest 😏!

Besides all the stuff I had to take with me, I had some talkin' with people to do. Because...cat's out of the bag... I will not be teaching online seminary this year. I WILL be teaching seminary, just in the Chickasha Branch. Yesterday, the sister from Paul's Valley I took with me to Norman - she's my online replacement. Even more, she graduated from my online class last year. Yep, she's a young 'un! But she was one of my most amazing students and demonstrated that capability yesterday in our breakout groups. I'll be going to PV again this next week to train her and will be her mentor throughout the year. They're even keeping me on the online course as a consultant so I can look at her stuff if she has any problems. I'm confident she'll be amazing.

We were going to stay after church for the baptism. In fact, we got as far as the baptismal talk. But then we had to leave. I had been feeling ill all throughout church and it only got worse. By the time of the baptism, I was dehydrated and had a headache on top of a stomachache on top of the usual mouth pain. Exhausting! We came home, I took some medication, got in my pjs, drank up a whole Gatorade, and went to sleep! Guess it needed to be a day of rest!