From Chaos to Quiet

We had such a fun week. Andy left on Sunday afternoon to be back in time to work. So Miranda and I had all of Miranda’s kids, plus all of Andy’s but Nathan, plus Miriam (one of Jonathan’s kids.) They all did a really good job of playing together.

They’d go off to the fort or the treehouse or zipline. They jumped on the trampoline and visited the kittens in the barn. Poor cats certainly expanded their territory as they were carted all over the place. We did stop them from going down the zipline or on the trampoline.

Monday afternoon Deborah and children arrived to visit. It was so nice to see them. They joined the throng of playing children. It was interesting to contrast the size and intensity of Simon (Deborah’s youngest) with Alex (Miranda’s youngest) as they are just a few weeks apart. Alex is actually chunkier, I think. Simon, more relaxed and laid back.

Tuesday early morning most of Miranda’s and Deborah’s families went to pick blueberries. Tom stayed with the late sleepers. The children were really very good. They played “detective” and searched for the elusive blueberries. We probably got a couple of quarts plus some “on the job eating.” I came home and showered in time for my 9am mastermind call. It lasted until about 10am.

Then Tom and I headed out to the temple, via Ft. Leonard Wood. A few days earlier, I’d checked my Military ID card and discovered it expired in April. So we detoured to Ft. Leonard Wood to get a new ID card. We took back roads to the back side of the base, wondering if they’d let me in with an expired card. They did. But the GPS didn’t work on base and so we wandered around a bit before we found the right building. I couldn’t make a reservation, so we waited about a half hour. Not bad. And now I have a new ID card.

The GPS did take us out the front gate and onto I44 to St. Louis. Why did we choose this time to go to the temple, when we had a house full of kids?  Lacey Arndt, a childhood friend of our kids from Okinawa, was going to the temple to take out her endowments and be married. She’d been engaged a year to this young man after he’d been baptized. Now they were getting married, and getting her young son sealed to them as a family. It was very sweet to see this little freckle-faced red-head come into the sealing room and be remarkably reverent there.

Also, one of our newly baptized sisters was going to do baptisms at the temple for the first time. So on Wednesday, before the sealing, Tom and I went to the baptismal font to be a support to her. If I’d prepared better, I could have brought some names to be baptized. After the sealing and some pictures, Tom and I hot-footed it back home to get there in time for Tom’s 6pm meeting. We had the Miranda order pizza which we picked up on the way into town, along with some ice cream as an early celebration for Emma’s birthday.

Deborah left Wednesday before we arrived home but they still managed to scarf up 3 large pizzas!  Thursday everyone moved out. Miranda left first with her group. Then Kera left about noon with her children. The house went from chaos to quiet. They did a good job of returning toys to the proper places and getting sheets and towels to the laundry.

Even Tom left on Thursday to go to youth conference. So I had the house to myself. I had met with my “whale” client on Monday and needed to refine my proposal. So I took the quiet time to do that. I also had a promotion I was revising for my HVAC guy and an article to write for my business coach.

Friday, my friend Gerry Rasmussen was in town, so she came over to visit for a while. At 5pm the Arndt/Day wedding was having a ring ceremony rehearsal at church. Tom asked me to go and stand in for him and tell him what he needed to do, since he was at youth conference. I did and had a nice visit with the groom- Nathan. Then we went to dinner at Sean’s and I got to know his parents and grandmothers better as I sat by them. Nice people.

Saturday I weeded some in the garden and visited my neighbor. Andy and Katie came up to return the truck and get his car back. Tom came home, tired from the youth conference but pleased with the kid’s participation. That evening we went to the official ring ceremony and reception of Lacey and Nathan. It was beautifully decorated and had good food. The theme was the Great Gatsby and so the music for most of it—until the dancing—was quite enjoyable. I wanted to go to the Red White and Blue fireworks, but it didn’t start until 9:30 and Tom was bushed. So we ducked out of the reception and just came home. The problem with these Mormon weddings is they go on all week!

Today was a bit more relaxed for me. Good lessons at church. For Sunday school, I’ve been going to the family history center. But it’s been frustrating to look for people and not find them. It’s unrewarding work at times. I guess with all that’s on line, I just expect it to be easier.

Hope you all have a great week!