My plans go awry -- again

So the photos didn't post in the order in which I described them. They were lined up differently when I wrote the article, and when I published they went wherever they darned well wanted to. But you can figure everything out, if you care to take the time. Sorry!

Finishing up

I guess it's appropriate to post today. I wanted to post some pictures of the people we especially hate to leave. The folks in the top left are Arnold and Karen Davis, who very kindly treated us to Leatherby's last week, and not only that, but they bought me a jar of Leatherby's caramel sauce, which is a food I really, really hope they have on the other side of the veil. The next photo is President Jerry Hatch, 2nd counselor in our mission presidency and one of our all-time favorite human beings, and the husband of our other all-time favorite human being, Kay Hatch, who is in the center of the bottom left photo. The other two in the bottom photo are Maaike and AJ Kingsford, who are replacing us in the publications department. The photo to the left of that is the group of missionaries we're closest to, and part of the group that we came in with. The couple in the middle are Shanna and Skip Bradley, our home teachers. We love them all!!! The two young elders are great fun. All the red neckties are because the Elijah choir sang that morning -- it isn't a uniform!

We're basically camping out in our apartment right now. Our phones quit working last night, for some strange reason, but won't be officially disconnected until tomorrow, after which we'll leave here and head for Texas. We are pretty much all packed up and only have to finish washing the bedding in the morning and load the car. We've had our last meal in the apartment because the food is all gone. We're going to the Hires drive-in for lunch (root beer floats) and will hang out at Liberty Park for a while, and then we're being taken to dinner by another of our favorite couples, the Sorensons, whose picture I neglected to post.

It's been a glorious 16 months. If we ever serve another mission we will sure try our hardest to come back to this one. I would love to work in the Church History library, or even the Family History one; but the Mission Office where we did work was the best of all.

We sure appreciated the visits, the phone calls, the e-mails, the refrigerator pictures, and the love and prayers. We can't wait to see everyone. We're bursting with love and so anxious to hug everyone, and then do it again.

I've enjoyed blogging; I just haven't had a lot of time to do it. Maybe that will change when I get back home. Keep checking back, but don't expect miracles!

It's been a while

I didn't realize how long it had been since I'd blogged until I saw Christi's comment about Taylor's MRI. Thanks, Christi! I'm excited about his possibilities, and I'm glad we're coming home when we are.

Today was our last day in the Administration Zone, and we had our friend, A.J., take our exit photo this morning. Bob doesn't like it and wants it done over again, but I'm going to go ahead and post it anyway. And then if the new one turns out better I'll post it too! We're going to go to the Training Zone next week and try to get caught up on NewFamilySearch. It's changed quite a bit since we were trained on it 16 months ago and we're 'way behind the curve.

It's sure going to be a busy week, and a fattening one! It has already started -- we were taken to lunch (ice cream at Leatherby's) by friends in the zone. A carmel sundae is the perfect lunch on a difficult day! Monday we have lunch with our dear friends the Catheralls and dinner with our In Group. Tuesday we are having dinner with our home teachers plus some other couples from their zone; Wednesday is the Farewell Luncheon the mission gives all the missionaries who are leaving; Thursday we're having supper with Bob's in-laws, and Friday we're having dinner with some dear friends from Simi Valley, Pam and Joe White. I'm not exactly sure how we're going to fit in all the packing and cleaning that has to be done before we can leave on the 30th, but we'll git 'er done some old how.

We accomplished the one goal we wanted to reach before we left the mission, and that was to finish the book . . . and we did! We took the CD to the print shop yesterday and today we got our proof copy back and delivered it to President Simmons for his approval. Hopefully we can start the final printing before we leave at the end of next week. It's a beautiful book and has 37 color pages. Very thrilling for our humble selves. And we still have some more wonderful musical experiences coming up: tomorrow the Elijah Missionary Choir is singing for our stake conference; Sunday (after the Tabernacle Choir broadcast) our stake choir is singing in the tabernacle, again for stake conference; Monday the Women's Choir is singing my arrangement for the devotional; and next Sunday I get to conduct my branch choir one last time, at the request of the new choir director. So we'll have music practically right up to the last minute.

I'll wait and wax philosophical in the next blog, when I have more time to gather all my thoughts. They are in a jumble right now -- we are so anxious to be home with our family and our dear little house, but so reluctant to leave this special place and the wonderful friends we've made. How we love them! It's been a great 16 months. I got back so much more than I gave, and I learned so much and acquired some new skills. And it was so wonderful to see Bob's work so appreciated and admired. His talents will truly be missed, and it will be a long time before the photography rises to that level again. But adjustments will be made and it will all work out just fine and things will keep humming along. We're very happy to be invited to come back in the spring for the U of U event, and we'll combine that with a week at the Family History Library. I hope it works out so that the tulips are in their glory -- it will be like coming back to Heaven.

So -- Texas, here we come. And California, see you soon!

Facebook is fine, but . . .

Sometimes I want a more permanent record of a feeling or experience, and then I turn to my blog. This morning is a case in point -- everything has been just perfect. The weather is gorgeous, and the Choir broadcast was wonderful and inspiring. We were literally in heaven. And it struck us as we were walking home that we only have 7 more Sundays left to experience these things. Only a little more than 7 weeks to bask in the fun and loving companionship of our friends in the Administration Zone and throughout the mission. Only 7 more Sundays with my beloved Branch choir. Only 7 more weeks with the Elijah choirs. Only 7 more weeks to try to get some family history research done while we have access to these two wonderful libraries. Only 7 weeks to get our replacements trained (whoever they may be!) and get the next book ready to go to press.

On the other hand, we just returned from a weekend at home in Texas that was so wonderful it was beyond 10 -- off the scale, in fact. And then we think, only 7 more weeks and someone else has to worry about the book. Only 7 more weeks and we can sleep in as late as we want to. Only 7 more weeks and we get to see our families again. Only 7 more weeks and we'll be back in Texas, where the skies are always beautiful, and you can spread your elbows out a little bit and get some space around you. And then we think: Salt Lake Temple - 3 minutes away; Dallas Temple - 35 minutes on the 75 and the LBJ freeways; church book store in Salt Lake -- 1 across the street from where we work and another about 10 minutes away; church book store in Dallas - 2 block beyond the temple. And then we think: Barnes & Noble in SLC - 20 minutes away; Half-Price Books in McKinney (I LOVE that store!) - 10 minutes away. Harmons's Market in SLC (our favorite), 15 minutes away; Kroger in McKinney - 5 minutes away, when it finally opens.We're getting a little dizzy from the back-and-forth we're feeling. We miss our home so much, as well as our family and friends, but we know we will miss the friends we've made here and the things we have been experiencing. Also, I have collected quite a bit of music while I've been here (organ, piano, and choral), and yesterday we packed most of it up to send back home. I'm going through withdrawal, just seeing my empty shelves. Can't wait to get home where I have ready access to all my music, my books, and my PIANO! Nevertheless, am I glad we came? You bet!! Will I be glad to get home? You bet!! Would I do it again? Yes!

While I'm blogging, I'll mention some other news: we just had a lovely visit from Matt, Angela, and the 3 kids, Katie, Ben, & Sarah. It was lightning quick, but we still had time for a visit to Leatherby's and the museum. We haven't seen them for a terribly long time, so it was just wonderful to get caught up.

And a cautious bit of potential good news: I went to an audiologist last Saturday, because I was so fed up with being deaf and felt that perhaps I could finally afford a hearing aid. He went through the usual tests with me with predictable results -- profound loss in the left ear. But then he did an additional test, a bone conduction test. The first sound through the device about knocked me off my chair. That indicated a loss just slightly below normal. So he told me that he couldn't in all conscience sell me a hearing aid when the indications were that there was something that might be done to restore my loss. He recommended an MRI to see what was left in the middle ear, and whether a prosthetic remedy might be possible. That would put my hearing at just below normal, and I would be in heaven. I'll wait until I get back home and look up a good ENT guy and see if anything can be done. I'd rather do that than have my knee replaced, or at least I think I'd rather do that first. The knee will have to be done sometime. After Hawaii, and after Christmas, and then after . . .?

And one more fun thing -- I was rounding the corner of our building the other day at lunchtime and ran into a dear old friend from Simi Valley, Pam White. We've done a LOT together, musically and otherwise, and I love her dearly. She was Amy's advisor when she was president of the Lambda Delta Sigma sorority. We plan to get together some time, some how. It was wonderful. Salt Lake is a great place for running into old acquaintances.

A week in heaven

Gosh, I'm bad about my blog lately. But we just spent a wonderful week with my daughter Amy and her family and it seems a shame not to blog about it and post a few pictures. Amy already posted the Leatherby's pictures on her blog, so I'll just skip to a few of the things that tickle me particularly.

First of all, the entire family on their last morning here.

Second of all, the main reason I so enjoyed their visit.

And third, the museum trip: Ben, creating a masterpiece.


Joshie, doing the mad scientist thing he does so well;

and Joseph as a shepherd with his lamb.

It's been a wonderful week for us all. I'll for sure have to blog after next weekend as well, because we're actually going home to McKinney for a couple of days, so we can be there for Jake's ordaination. I'm beginning to get terribly excited about it! When we get back, we work 2 days and then have a 4-day weekend, and then July will be practically over and we'll be on our last 2-month sprint to the finish line. It's been a fabulous year and we will miss this a great deal, but I have to admit we're beginning to get "trunky." Just wish we could take all our friends, this experience, and this weather back to Texas with us. However, we will be taking back the spiritual growth we've acquired and hopefully some new skills and abilities. Are we glad we did this? You bet!!

Did I have a happy Mothers Day?!

You be the judge!!

In addition to this wonderful day-long visit (which will extend through Wednesday!) I received books, ollallieberry jam, peruvian lilies, phone calls, homemade cards from my granddaughters, and much-appreciated phone calls, messages, and facebook posts. My heart runneth over. And in addition, my choir, helped out by Greg, sang beautifully today and I was thrilled. It's been a fabulous day. Tomorrow we will meet the kids for lunch and decide how to spend the rest of their time here. Such fun!

Happy Mothers Day to all my favorite mothers and potential mothers. If you had half as good a day as I had you were greatly blessed.

I Repent!!

I take back all the bad things I said about Salt Lake City weather. Any city that provides this kind of beauty can be forgiven everything. Bob needed exercise today, so after conference we took a walk through Temple Square and the Plaza (Zornes version: he hobbles, I scoot on the scooter). It made me feel bad that we've had to drive to work so many days this spring because we have missed a lot of the beauty around here. We'll take another walk during lunch tomorrow, this time with Bob's camera, and get some even better pictures. In the meantime -- Happy Spring!!