Sore hands

I had so much to do at work today that my fingers actually got sore. We are getting thousands of transcripts ready to give to our juniors and seniors. I like being busy though. The days go quickly. I worked a little late today to try and make up some time for yesterday. I am now missing only 45 minutes and I can make it up next week.

Yesterday I learned that Ian, one of our students, is the global champion whistler in his age group. He is going to Japan for worlds. I had him whistle for me, he whistled the theme from
steamboat willie and it was very good. Dad is just as good. He is a fabulous whistler.

After work I took Grace to her practice with an accompanist for solo and ensemble. Then we came home and Bub and I put together her new bed. That was a 2 hr long ordeal and it was hard on our hands as well.  It looks nice now.

Last R and I went on a date. We went to bath and body works and I bought some lotion for my hands:) The end.

Arts Festival

Grace was feeling especially not well today.  She texted me a lot asking if she could go home.  Some days her pain is worse than others.  EDS always stinks, we are grateful for good days and sad when there are bad ones.  Anyway eventually I told her I'd take her home during my lunch break.  As I was driving back the carpet guy called.  He said he'd be there in 30 minutes.  I told him that our appointment was for after 3pm.  He said he couldn't do it then and we'd have to reschedule for next week.  We had an unpleasant conversation where I said I had already taken off a day of work last week and waited only to be stood up.  Then it took another week to make an appointment and we had already paid in full.  Long story short it didn't matter, we were his last appointment of the day and he wasn't going to honor the 3 o'clock time.  So I told Kirsten (the school secretary) what happened and she said go so I went.  I hate being flaky.  That is, for sure, the worst part of my job; when I can't be there for whatever reason it makes me feel very stressed. I hate that.

So the guy came, he installed the carpet, and it went fine.  When he left Grace and I decided we needed some Disney therapy so we went to Epcot.

We were only there for a couple of hours but we had a really fun time.  It's the Festival of Arts season, which is very nice.  Also the weather was "bad" so it wasn't very crowded.  We rode a couple of rides, looked at the chalk art and walked through a couple of shops then we went home to have dinner and put her room back together.

Elsa and Anna's house is adorable.

Lincoln was good.  He's more willful now, I guess he's a teenager.

3-D chalk!

Lincoln on the Mexico ride.

Puppy college

This duo earned their first certificate. Beginning obedience. Lincoln is a fast learner. Grace is practicing not being snarky when she thinks she knows better. It is a challenge but she kept all her words to herself. Her face is pretty loud and that is harder. 

When we got home we took a four dog walk. Grace often dog walks for our neighbor Kristy who has two schnauzers. She’s a cop and works nights from time to time. The boys are not very easy walkers. They run crazy and tangle their leashes into everything. They also bark at every passing dog/person/raccoon. It’s quite a circus when we take them all. We don’t let her do the walks after dark by herself so I always go. Also I don’t want to go twice so if we are taking “salt and pepper” we also take Z and L. 

Heigh ho

The band is always hard at work. I love it for Grace and it’s fun for me too. I wish with all my heart that we had some band under our belts before we got Linc because we would never have got him. I thought it would take up a lot of time but I had no idea how much. Lincoln is cute but a pain in the neck and I didn’t want my life to revolve around a dog, yet it does. Also my greatest fear is that when she goes off to college she will not take her pets with her (as promised) and I will be stuck with them for the next decade.

That being said I went to the basketball game and a) we won! Go wolverines! And b) the band was great!

I made homemade bread and a real dinner tonight. The boys loved that.

I also made my reservations for Utah in March and booked an Airbnb for Presidents’ Day weekend. And work was busy. So all in all a good day. 

slowest month

Can I just say this January has been the longest month for me.  I feel like it's January 47th.  I don't know why but I am really looking forward to February.

Today was a normal Sunday.  We slept in until 8ish.  Walked the dogs.  I made breakfast.  Grace and I hung out in the kitchen for awhile talking.  Then she somehow talked me into making brookies for her lesson.  We went to church.  The talks were okay, not awesome, not bad.  Grace taught the YW lesson and did a pretty good job.   After that we stayed for Tatum T.'s baptism which was very sweet. We had to rush home and make dinner and I made cookies for our fire side tonight and then it was back to church.  We had a special fireside on teenage mental health and suicide.  I thought it was very good and we had a great turn out.  Now the weekend is essentially over (way too quickly I might add) and we are getting ready for bed.

On the plus side look at this adorable picture of Clayton and Jenna and Cora and Ruby.  I can't believe they are almost 2!!
And I loved these pictures of Hannah and Sawyer announcing Baby Crawley!! So cute.  Hannah's friend Sam took both families pictures and did a great job.

I ❤️ To See the Temple

Michelle, Sarah, and Alecia are on a girls trip. I met them this morning to go to the temple. It was early but so very nice to see them. I love those ladies and it was as if no time had passed. We just chatted and hugged. It was fun to hear about their families and lives. 

When I came home I took Grace to a clarinet lesson then she and I did our grocery shopping. 

Rob and Lincoln went fishing. Rob’s favorite activity. 

This morning he cleaned the garage. No one’s favorite but it needed doing. 

This evening we went on a date. Ethan went to the Roddy’s and Grace has been group FaceTiming with her friends. They spend hours a day doing that.  I guess that’s how teens hang out in the 20’s.

raining

It's been cold and rainy.  We are enjoying our 3 days of winter.  

Yesterday I took the day off from work.  We bought a new dishwasher because ours didn't clean the dishes, which begs the question "what's it's purpose?" Also we ordered new carpet for Grace's room. 

No matter how many times we shampooed and aired out that room it never recovered from Lincoln's illness and I couldn't take it any more.  Grace was nose blind, but not I.

Both were scheduled to arrive yesterday.  Only one did, which was super frustrating.  The carpet got cancelled somehow and now we have to wait again for it.

While I was home I took the opportunity to clean clean clean.  I miss being home alone during the day and having lots of time to clean things.

I also made "cafe rio" style sweet pork salad that was very delicious.

Today was quiet at work.  The counselors were all at the middle schools talking to upcoming freshmen so we helped kids out, answered questions, told them to send emails, etc.  I took an ennegram test. Turns out, no surprise here, that I am a 9.  Personality inventories are very fun to take and interesting to read about.

It was pouring rain today.  

When I got home Bub and I went to the movies to see Knives Out.  We both liked it a lot.  Then we ate at Chicken Guy.  I brought some home to Grace and after she ate we walked the dogs. 

Puppy college

Lincoln is working toward his canine good citizen award, and his star puppy. He is literally the smartest dog and learns everything as soon as we show him. The instructor of beginning suggested we skip ahead a couple levels and go right to the CGC class and take the test.

Who’s a good boy?? (Said in an annoying dog mom voice)

A not entirely merry birthday

Grace turned 15 today.  Yay!!  Today was also her friend Zach's funeral.  So this is how the day went. We slept in a little! (8AM) When I got up I went to her room with her birthday present, a loungefly backpack that she wanted.

Then we got ready and took care of the dogs and went to the 1st viewing. They had an open casket for the clarinets and the family. I went in with Grace but just sat in the back quietly.

After Madison, Grace and I went to Target for dog treats (her 2nd present) and then went to the church for the 2nd visitation.  The clarinets went to practice their song.  I sat in the chapel for an hour and a half.  The church was huge and there were so many people there.  We were all there to mourn with those who mourn.  To try to be whatever comfort we could. Never have I felt that sense of sitting in mourning as I did today. Normally funerals at our church are warm, celebratory, sad but full of hope and the promise of eternal life with our loved ones. I’ve even been to funerals of young people that were very sad but still full of hope and joy in Christ. This one wasn’t like that. Sitting quietly waiting for hours (which not everyone did but since Grace is a clarinet we had extra) and being in a this.is.the.end setting, even though I know better, was so so sad.

The service was beautiful.  The clarinet choir played the most touching rendition of Amazing Grace. The family is not religious at all so there were no prayers or hymns.  It was very secular, except the pastor of the church did speak and he did a wonderful job.  It was the saddest, most exhausting funeral I have ever been too.  Mr Darragh spoke and he was so very heart felt and sweet.

After the funeral the clarinets went to eat.  Grace went to just be with them for a few minutes.  At that time it was already 3:30 and we still hoped to get a little birthday fun in so she spent half an hour at Strombolis then we went home to change clothes and head to Disney.

We picked up Mary and went to Animal Kingdom.  It was a perfect night there.  Not too crowded and the weather was cool.  The news warned us the night before to bundle up! so we brought our sweatshirts and were glad of it ;)  The news actually reported that it would be "dangerously cold" but it was actually in the 50's and sunny, which isn't warm but it was pretty nice still.

We rode rides, met Mickey & Minnie, saw the celebration light and water show, ate Simba pretzels, got Grace a Mickey vest for Lincoln (her last present), and had a fun time!

We got back to Mary's a little after 9.  She had made cupcakes that morning for Grace so we went in, Katie and Stephanie were waiting for us.  We sang happy birthday and she blew out her candles and we ate funfetti cupcakes.  How super sweet is that? Lu has some amazing friends!

Lincoln also got to come celebrate.  He did great. He even rode a couple of rides and did super on them.

Grace said thank you for a good day.  I was glad to be with her for the sad part and for the fun part.

and I am sad to be going to sleep at 11pm on a school night.  Very sad. Tomorrow will be a long day.

Ward Conference

Ward council before ward conference today was really good. Each of the stake auxiliary representatives presented. We learned a lot about how to do our callings better, at least I did. When I walk out of a meeting with a personal to-do list that’s a good meeting.

Joy Jones, the general primary president, was visiting our ward on vacation. The bishop invited her to say a few words and the Bishop and Stake President both spoke. They all did a good job. Sunday School was good. It was an enriching, spirit filled 3 hours.

Main take aways:  the Stake Primary President spoke in ward council.  She said the most important thing is to teach our children how to seek answers by the spirit on their own.  She is a cute young mom, maybe in her early 30's.  She told us about her son, Tate, who is 7.  She said they were teaching a gospel principle in their home and he just wasn't getting it, he kept questioning and confronting her about it.  For two weeks they taught him.  They had object lessons, they read scriptures, they discussed. Finally in exasperation one night she said "Tate, I'm your mother. Do you think I would lie to you?" He said no, but you might be wrong.  Finally the spirit whispered to her that he needed to learn for himself.  So she had her whole family kneel down.  She told him that he needed to ask God if this was true.  The Holy Ghost can not and does not lie to us so if he witnessed to Tate that the principle was true then it was.  The whole family prayed individually at that time and when they were done Tate popped up and said, "well, you were right" and ran off to play.  We can teach and show and read all we want but until our children learn to hear the voice of the Spirit and know for themselves it won't stick, it won't penetrate their hearts.  She said this experience changed that way she taught her children forever.

Joe Thompson, our stake high counselor/YM president taught about resilience, or rather the lack there of and how critical that is for our youth to have.

Bro Jones made a comment in Sunday School.  He said the whole point of "come follow me" is to convert us to Christ, not to "the church", not to programs, but to the Savior Jesus Christ.
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When we got home we got ready for the Junker’s to come over for dinner. We all enjoyed the evening. Dinner was good, we played games. Jackson and Ethan played with us then went off to play video games. It’s a nice way to spend an evening: dinner with friends, games, visiting.

Day Date

Cleaning team 3 was assigned to clean the ward building this morning. No one was too excited to get up and get going but we went and the cleaning went quickly. None of us mind going, we are just a little lazy and like to sleep in on Saturday mornings.  When we got home I made pancakes and then we got ready to go.

The annual Highland Scottish Games Festival is this weekend.  I really wanted to go, when I told the family they were less excited.  My "everyone leaves the house every day" policy of child rearing has resulted in children who never want to leave the house? How is this a thing? They all love to be home and I have to force them out...unless it's to play ball (for Ethan), band (for Grace) or fishing (for Rob).  Just kidding about Rob, he likes to do more than fish.

So we left the kids home and Rob and I went on a day date.  It was a good day.  There were tons of people there and lots of cool things to see and do.  We watched the parade of Clans and then walked through the shops.  They had different activities to try.  When I saw axe throwing I thought I'd be really good at it.  While we were standing in line I was pretty excited, I thought I might even get more of my axes to stick to the target than Rob.  I was wrong.  I was really bad at it, and he got a couple axes in.  I might need private lessons.
We watched the pipe and drum competition and a rugby match and caber tossing.  There were high land sheep and shaggy cows and highland dance lessons and a dance competition. It was hot outside. They had haggis for sale, and fortunately tacos and popcorn and stuff.

After we were done seeing all we wanted to see we went to Cafe Rio.  Yummy. We haven't been in a while since it's about an hour away from our house.  It was only 10 minutes from the festival though so that was awesome.

Lastly we went to Bass Pro shop to look at boats.  We thought we might buy a pontoon boat, turns out it won't fit in our garage, so there you go.  No boat.  I was picturing Tatum and Penny, Marshall, Cora and Ruby wearing little life jackets and going out on the lake with Mimi and Grandpa and jumping off the back into the cool water laughing and swimming, hanging on to a tube while being pulled around past gators and fish and birds of prey.  I thought Grace and her friends would love to go out and teach Lincoln how to swim.  Rob could fish and I could nap in the hot summer sun.   But that life long  flash-in-the-pan dream faded as quickly as it came.  Next time the kids come visit we might just rent a boat for the day.  That'll be way less expensive and we won't have to clean the garage...so win-win.

Joy

"Men are that they might have joy", I listened to a devotional today that talked about Joy.  It's importance in our life, the potential we have for a fullness of joy some day, the source of never ending joy.  President Nelson in a recent conference address said there was one thing that we would need to survive the world in these latter days, and that is joy.  Obviously this joy is a very different thing than fun, or even plain old happiness. It is a deep and abiding peace that comes from obedience to God's laws, from a knowledge of the fact that we are His heavenly children, and from the power of the priesthood and covenants and eternal progression.  When the great plan of happiness was presented we shouted for joy.  Not shouted with joy for the great news but for joy, for the possibility of the eternal joy that is enjoyed by our heavenly parents. For the joy we felt knowing we could become like them. 

This has been a sad and long week.  It's been really hard with Zach's passing.  Suicide is like the flu, it's contagious. We have had a lot of kids crying and upset. This morning I was checking in the kids who were late.  One boy reached out to type in his number and I saw 20ish slash marks on his wrist that were red and angry. I wrote down his name and alerted his counselor.  The kids have been finding out more details about the suicide, which is a new level of upset with each revelation.

In other sad news Khloe is in the hospital.  She can't move her legs.  The doctors are saying she will likely not make it to Easter. Which is also hard.

Riky, Tatum's hamster passed away yesterday, and Ms Robbin's dog Duke is dying.  All these things and more are hard.  Life is a hard thing, by design.

In the middle of the challenges and hardships we can still find peace, peace and joy don't come, and can't come, without challenges and sorrows.  It's an eternal law.

Thankfully while the hard and the ugly is happening there is also good and light and joyful happening.  

Cora and Ruby, what a delight their little smiles and sweet voices are.  I talk to them on the phone and they exclaim "Mimi, Mimi!!", also they shriek and cry but I don't care.  Grand children are the.best!  I love talking to all of them.

Grace got a letter for band. Today Belle came over after school and the girls hung out.  The weather is perfect and we have a long weekend coming up! All great and happy things.

Last night the pep band decided to play at the basketball game. In honor of Zach. A mix of sadness and joy.

Hug them a little tighter

Yesterday started like every day. We got up. Walked dogs. Kids went to seminary. We went to work. 

The same kids were late that always are. It was busy at the front office. A boy walked in to school dropping a condom out of his wallet and onto the floor while I he was getting out his ID. Parents dropped off things kids had left behind. Jennifer and I told each other about our evening. 

Then we got an email. Zach had committed suicide. I was shocked. I know this kid, he was Grace’s section leader in band, a straight A student, just got back from all state for band, kind and funny and handsome. A boy with everything going for him. 

The day turned on a dime. Now what? The whole school went into crisis mode. The district sent over 18 mental health counselors to join our 10 guidance counselors and 1 social worker that are always on staff. (It’s a big school with 4000 students).

The media center was opened up for students to gather and the boy’s brother was brought to the guidance office to sit and wait for a family member to come and break the news. (Awful)

All day we hugged crying kids, sat in shock, and learned bits and pieces. It was a terrible tragedy.

When school was out for Grace Rob and I both met her at home. We walked dogs and then took her and Lincoln on a long awaited trip to buy new tennis shoes and eat at the food court. My strategy was keep her with me, keep her talking. Walks and errands are two great places for hearts to be shared, and she needed shoes anyway. 

Then the evening. A parent meeting, followed by a candlelight vigil at on the practice field. 300 people came and comforted each other. It seemed like we should have had a hymn and a prayer and I felt the lack. Taylor though bore a sweet and strong testimony of Christ’s love. I was proud of him. 

Finally, at 9pm, we were home. A little worse for wear, a little extra grateful for kids that are alive and a God that saves all His children, a diet that needed to be restarted this morning and feeling sad.

Life is hard.

I need another day after Sunday to be part of the weekend

Abigail pleading for her family

Our weekend was busy, busy.  Saturday morning I had stake auxiliary training.  It was really good.  We had a great discussion about the new curriculum and teaching the youth in today's world.  Shannen and I were able to go and we both felt like we got a lot out of it.

After I went to the grocery store. Then I had to go back to the stake center for our first stake youth activity of the year.  The youth committee planned the whole thing and it was great.  The first hour was choir practice, which the kids mostly didn't enjoy. They are singing at stake conference though and need to practice. Then they had break out classes, followed by free choice activities.  They had a lot of options for the youth: kickball, frisbee, art, board games, volleyball, four square, cards and hanging out.  Then they had chick fil a for dinner.  All the kids I talked to said it was fun.

After the activity Rob and I drove to Sanford to meet Tom and Diana and Jess and Isaiah for dinner.  They choose Hollerbach's Willow Tree Cafe.  It's their favorite.  It is a German food restaurant.  When ever I am asked what my favorite food is I say I don't know, that I'm not picky, except I don't like German food.  We once went to a horrible restaurant in Fort Worth called Edelweiss and that was my one and only try for German food, but that was enough.  Anyway, Sanford is a super cute little town, it has  booming night life with lots of festivals and restaurants.  Last night there was a lot going on, which was fun.  We had to wait a little while but eventually got seated on the patio.  The food was really good and we had a fun visit.  They play German music and the waitstaff all wear lederhosen or German dresses at the restaurant, people dance and drink and they atmosphere is festive. I would eat there again and am rethinking my no German food stance that I have previously held.

some beautiful Sabbath day art

Today we slept in! Then I lay in bed and did my studying.  The dogs both "helped" me.  Rob was next to me studying too, they didn't bug him though.

We had BYC before church, then a baptism after church, then a presidency meeting. I was gone from 11-5:30.  I haven't had such a long church meeting line up in a while.  The baptism was very sweet.  Today was a day when the spirit was so strong throughout the meetings.  Luke, who I fasted for last week, was able to get baptized today.  He was very nervous and cried a little before he actually did it. Then it took 3 tries to get him under.  There was not a dry eye in the room during the whole ordinance. I think everyone had a prayer in their heart as we watched this brave boy (who needs to be baptized much less than the rest of us) fight his fears and let his great desire to follow Jesus Christ win out over his anxieties. I felt privileged to be there. 

It was a good day. 

last dinner

Today I facetimed Jenna and the girls answered.  Ruby said "Hi Mimi!" really loudly then told me that Cora was also there by pointing to her sister and saying "Coco". It was so cute!  I guess the girls have been kind of stinkers while their dad is out of town but they sure are cute.  Today Scott went over and played with them while Jenna went to the library.

For mutual last night we had a planning meeting for the year, and to set goals with the new curriculum.  We are having each girl pick a night to plan an activity that will help her towards one of her goals.  Once they decide on the activity a leader will help get it ready and all the girls will work on it that night.  Hopefully it will be be great and they can help each other and also learn something new.   I think it's going to go well.  I shared with them a conversation I had had earlier in the day.  Keyonata is our head guidance counselor.  I really like her.  She came up to my desk in the middle of the day and said, kind of out of the blue, I was thinking all break about what you had told me about yelling at your kids. (I told her I didn't...mostly)This kind of opened up a whole conversation where I learned that in her youth she had wanted to grow up to be a pastor.  Then she got married instead and that was a disaster.  Since her divorce she's been raising her kids and trying to teach them the word.  She went to seminary college besides getting her degree in counseling and we got to talking about what she wants to do when her kids are grown and gone.  We talked about how it's a such a strange time in life, after you have spent decades being a mom and then suddenly the kids are grown.  We talked about wanting to be useful to God.  I shared with her a little about our new youth program and the goal setting elements that are in it. She's often surprised to find out that members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints have a lot in common with other Christians.  I wanted the girls to know that this is a life long endeavor and that they are lucky to have these, tools and insights now, when they are young.  I love those young ladies and think so much of them.  They are really choice daughters of God.  I also really like the people I work with and enjoy the diversity and insights they give me.

This morning when I got to work I learned that after I left yesterday, and most people had left that 911 had been called by Ms Mack's daughter because she wasn't answering her phone. She had passed out behind her desk, her door was closed though so no one knew.  We aren't sure how long she was there but she got taken to the hospital by ambulance. I was so sad to hear that, and worried.  NaQuanda is one of the nicest ladies you will ever meet.  I am hope hope hoping that she will be well and back to work soon.  Her husband came in to work this morning to bring home her laptop and said they were going to be seeing a couple of doctors.  Her blood pressure and blood sugar were both very low when she got to the hospital.  She has some health problems, including MS, I am not sure if that is what caused this or her medication or what. Anyway she's in my prayers.

The kids and I did some CFM tonight.  We are so blessed to have so many resources and scriptures to guide us in our day. Never in all history have people had such access to God's words or the ability to know His will. I have made it a goal to really read and pray faithfully each day this year.  (like I do every year).

I also have made it a goal to finally get in shape (like I also do every year).  So I am starting a diet tomorrow that I plan to stick with.  Rob and I went out for one last dinner tonight in preparation.  The kids didn't want to come so it became a date.  They ate chicken pot pies, which are also tasty.

When Grace and I were driving to dog class on Tuesday we got pulled over.  The officer told me my tail light was out, which I knew.  I told him thank you, that I knew, and that I had gone the day before to Action Gator to get it fixed but they didn't have the part and so I was going to go back on Thursday to finish the job.  He was super nice and just wrote me a warning.  Today I took the car back to fix the light, get two new tires and an alignment, and to replace the trim on the side that fell off years ago.  Unfortunately Ford sent the wrong light kit so I will have to take it back again but I am so excited to have my little ghetto trim strip fixed.  It looks like a whole new car! Whoo hoo!!

Star Puppy

Grace is taking Lincoln to a couple of training classes. The first one started tonight but it was just the human orientation. It’s at the fairgrounds and it was pretty interesting. There were lots of different classes going on in different arenas. There were lots of dogs. The advanced classes looked really fun. We were in the beginning basic. Most of the tasks that we were told would be taught in the class Lincoln already knows. After we stayed to talk to the trainers. We told them about the things he can do and asked if it was the right class for him. The trainers said yes. There are things we can finesse and it will be good for him to work around the distraction of lots of dogs.  Also he can earn his star puppy certificate, so there is that.

First day back to work was good. I missed my working friends. It was a crazy day. It was the first day of the new semester and there were lots of kids registering and withdrawing, and lots of kids with schedule problems. Also I had to do a training on how to talk to kids who are depressed or suicidal. It was interesting but took a long time since I had to keep stopping to help people. Yami and I also took down the Christmas tree so the day went quickly. 

Made another dinner in a bag. It was hit.

After we got back from puppy class Rob and I took the dogs for their evening constitutional. Cat ran out the door as we were walking out. He is a jerk. He followed us the whole way, slinking in the bushes, staying out of reach, keeping a yellow glowing eye on us. We went pretty far, far enough that we were worried he’d get lost. We turned around and he turned too. Followed us all the way back and then into the house and on to the bed to watch NCIS. What a weirdo.

Tate started school at a new charter school. She looked so cute in her British school girl/Hermione Granger plaid skirted uniform. 

Hannah likes her internship. Yay! Sawyer started his class too. 

Penny Jane is reading a fun book “searching for Jack”, she seems excited about it. 

soul bearing

I got a new email, for some personal stuff I am doing, and because I like blogger and was out of free space.
Now I have to decide.  Go public, although truthfully my mom(s), and Tori are the only ones who ever read the blog (LOL) or stay private and share more thoughts. I have been a dear diary kind of blogger, sharing events of our lives, staying mostly positive & upbeat.  Which is the way I like to live all my life.  But there is always another side.  Everyone has that.

I don't talk about world stuff, but certainly there is plenty out there that is sad and hard.  Iran and Iraq, they've been a hot bed of turmoil since I've been in elementary school.  Things don't look any better, in fact, if anything they are worse.  One thing I really appreciate about Rob is how he keeps tabs on the world.  He always knows what's going on and his insights are concise and informative.  Some times the children ask me what I saw in him, or why I wanted to marry him, part of that answer is his intellect. He is very smart and I love that.

Australia is on fire.  So sad.  Natural disasters are everywhere.  This one is really sad though.  So much damage and so many poor animals are getting displaced and burnt. To make matters worse they think a lot of the fire has been started by arson.  Not a day goes by when I don't think "what is wrong with people?"

Yesterday we had the Vergara's over for dinner.  It was a lot of fun.  It was kind of last minute so we each brought what we had planned for our own families and shared.  Ivana is my best Florida friend and I always have fun with her.  The kids all get along.  Pepe is great.  So good night.  We played games, and talked, and ate too much food, which is typical of a fast Sunday.  Rob fasted for UB and Abba to get well.  I fasted for Luke Hill to be able to get baptized.  He's a super cute boy in our ward.  He has a lot of special needs and one challenge he has is he is terrified of water.  Now he's deacon age and really wants to get the priesthood, pass the sacrament, and go to the temple.  They've been working on the water thing for a while and he has a date set.  I didn't tell the family but I thought he could use some extra divine help.  I am sure his mom and dad, and grandparents, and others also have fasted for him...but some extra help can always be petitioned for.

Today Ethan and I drove our cars to Gator Tire co and dropped off both for oil changes.  Then we walked home.  Later we walked back.  My car needs some more work so I'll be taking it back later this week to finish up.

Grace and I went to the movies and saw Little Women.  I loved it.  She liked it but thought it was long.  I remember getting the book as a Christmas present when I was young.  I read it many times and I loved it.

Ethan went to play basketball with the missionaries while we were gone and hurt his ankle.  Hopefully it's not broken, it is swollen and bruised though.

Rob didn't get the job in Maryland. He is disappointed and super bummed.  The rest of us didn't want to move though so while I am sad for him  I am mostly glad.  I love Maryland and my friends there. Moving a high schooler is really hard though, I want to stay put until Grace graduates. She has lots of friends here and lots of musical opportunities that she would not have there.

SpaceX launches tonight, we'll be able to see it from our house.

I made another delicious dinner in a bag. I love that our grocery store does this.  They make up one brown paper bag with all the ingredients for a meal, and a recipe card in it.  You just walk in, pick a bag, and bring it home to cook.  We've made several and they have all been yummy.