Friday, Nov. 29, 2008

Wow, we have had a whirlwind week! Everything just happened to come at once and it has been like having all of your dessert for a whole month all at once. We have had a great week and are still enjoying it.

We left Laura in Austin this morning, (the day after Thanksgiving,) and traveled back to Corsicana just in time to take a shower, get our supplies and head out to The Murrays where they had congregated another group of people who wanted to make bread. There were five members there, (the non member couldn't make it,) and we made bread. It was very casual and we enjoyed the visit.

I need to stop and digress to our Thanksgiving in Austin with Curtis, Jen, and family and Laura. It is about a three hour drive to Austin so we arrived there early afternoon on Tuesday. Just in time to drive over to the elementary school and do the things that Jen had lined up for us there. It was fun. Elder Whiting and Dad went in and read to Rhett's class for about 1/2 hour. By then it was time to go to the program for Thanksgiving that was also by his class. Rhett had a part and knew it and did very well. It was all about the Pilgrims and the things that happened.

Then we went to Nelson's class and made Thanksgiving Turkeys with Jen. That is Laura and Grandpa and Jen and I all helped out. They were very appreciative and loved the treats that were with the Turkeys. Later we went out to the playground and watched Lillie and Rhett play while we waited for the other kids to get out of school. We saw some other mothers and teachers that Jen knew and we visited with them. Lillie thinks she is a school kid and plays with all the other kids too.

After gathering the kids, we came home and relaxed and enjoyed the kids for a while. It was very enjoyable to be with the kids again. That night Grandpa and I stayed home with the kids and Jen and Curtis and Laura went over to some people's house for dinner. They had a young man close to Laura's age and they just ate, played games and visited. Evidently though, he was a dud because nobody mentioned him much later.

The next day we went shopping and Dad stayed home with the boys and built a go cart. They all loved it and we had fun shopping too. Mackenzie and Macy both had birthdays so they were able to find a few things, as well as Laura. Then we walked down to the lotion store and I got some lotions that I needed.

Later that night I fixed the chicken and rice dish. That was after Jen got Laura all dolled up to go on her date with W. They were rock climbing at some super center. Laura had a good time and he was very nice. I think it was a diversion and a fun thing for her to do. We stayed at home and played games with the kids. When Laura got home we played "Take Two" with Laura and Curtis and Jen. It was so quiet we didn't want to go to bed.

On Thanksgiving Day we really had a feast! Jen baked two turkeys, dressing, two or three salads, Sauteed green beans, corn, sweet potato and other things. They had two extra people for the ward and all of us. It was very nice and we sat at their big table and ate on their china. Afterwards everyone but me went down the street to play street hockey with brooms and hockey sticks. Even the company and Grandpa played. Later W. came and joined them. I stayed home with Lily who was asleep.

When they came home, they were all sweaty and tired so we had pie and desserts. We watched movies, played games and goofed off. The kids and I were playing a dice game and Lillie couldn't play because there was nothing she could do. So she told me I was "meat." The kids didn't know what that was either. So I ask Lillie if Macy was "meat" too. She said, "No, Macy is nice!" She is a fun girl and sometimes gets her words mixed up!

We left Laura in Austin this morning. Curtis is taking her to the Austin airport at 4 a.m. tomorrow morning. She has stops in San Francisco and Phoenix. It will take her until afternoon to get home. It felt so good to see Laura and Jen and Curtis' family. Now we are ready to work hard again and get to know our new area.

We are packing tomorrow and cleaning on Monday. We are excited and hopeful that we will be well received there. The people here have spoiled us and have been so kind to us. We will miss them. But we are planning to come back and go to the Temple with Bob next November when he has been in the church a year. We will be able to see them all again.

Last Sunday, Bob and Millie were called to work with the Missionary Committee. They did it just as Relief Society was starting. When Millie came back and sat beside me, I ask her if she had a calling. She said, "yes!" And then she looked at me and smacked me on the shoulder. Then she said, "and it's all your fault! you knew about it!" She just kept smacking me. So I told her it was not my fault, but Sis Zimmermans'. Sis. Z is the Ward mission leader's wife. They will work together and will meet every Sunday. They are probably one of the most consistent organizations in the ward. That is what we wanted for them to be kept busy and active and needed. Se was okay after that. Actually we couldn't get the Branch president to give them a calling so we asked to have them on the missionary committee. (pretty sneaky!)