Ramping Up

This week seemed to accelerate.

Monday I started with a long list of tasks to do. I feel like I got far too few of them accomplished. Monday night for family home evening Tom and I watched the video from Elder Holland, Teaching in the Savior's Way. It was a very interesting video about modeling our teaching after the way the Savior taught-- with love, teaching the person, not the lesson, sharing stories, asking questions.

We've had unseasonably warm weather-- up to 80 degrees during the day. Really nice since the humidity is low. I went walking a few days and Tom ran most days trying to prepare for his race on Saturday. Tuesday evening I went to Relief Society where we had "speed frendshipping" which is like speed dating. We sat across from each other and asked questions and learned new things about each other-- even those we have been friends with for quite a while.

Wednesday was the day Zane was to be taken in to be neutered. Notice the tense of the sentence? We went out that morning to invite him into the cage... and found three large dogs on our back porch instead-- one of whom smelled like skunk. No cats in sight. They were the neighbor's dogs and perfectly happy to go back through the gate. The cats-- especially Zane-- were a bit more skittish when they arrived to eat.

Usually Zane lets us pet him while he eats. He did. Tom picked him up and put him into the cage. But before I could close the door tightly, he zipped out. Bummer. And for some reason, he was not eager to get too close again. Finally he came up to eat. I caught him... but didn't hold him tightly enough... and he broke away. That was the end. We called, cajoled, lurked and hoped. But when we opened the back door, he raced off. We had to call and cancel the appointment. This is a cheap spay/neuter clinic and they only hold it every 6 months. We'll have to decide if we want to wait until April, or pay more for a local vet. But first... we've got to get this cat happy at being picked up!

I fed the chickens more peppers this week. They seemed delighted with them... but their poop started smelling like peppers. And interestingly, when Tom broke an egg into cookie mix, the yolk was bright orange red. I'm sure we're getting lots of flavonoids... but the eggs still taste like eggs.

Wednesday I also went visiting teaching. I've been spending time preparing for the meals for Stake conference. This time the dinner was assigned to two branches. They seemed to have a hard time communicating. I was a little concerned they would over buy or under buy or not have enough people show up to help. I had also found out after I'd spoken with them that we needed to have a sit-down dinner for the visiting dignitaries, stake presidency and bishops and wives-- about 31 people. So I was trying do some of the work for that so the branches would not have an additional burden. And I needed to prepare lunches for Sunday for the Temple and mission presidents and their wives and Elder Costa, a 70 who was visiting. And we had some who were on gluten free diets and other dietary restrictions. GAK! That makes it harder. Thursday night I shopped to get everything I needed for both events.

That's because on Friday we were going to Silver Dollar City to connect with Deborah and her family. In Harrison there is a Maplewood Cemetery.  We've never taken that detour but it was still fall and I wanted to see the leaves. They were brilliant!

This was the beginning of the Christmas celebration. I have to admit, it was lovely to hear Christmas carols and to see all the beautiful lights. However, after an 80 degree Thursday, we had a 54 degree beginning of Friday and the temperature continued to drop into the low 40's as we walked around SDC. Man! I was not used to that cold! We saw "A Christmas Carol" and went on a few rides.  The kids took a ride in a mule drawn carriage.

We had such a good time, we left later than we'd planned and ended up getting home about 9:30. The problem? 

Tom had to be up by 5am for a race on Saturday. It was a big race--750 people and a benefit for Kenya. So how could he not run? There was a 5 K a 1/2 marathon and a marathon. Tom ran the 5k. I went with him to be his pants holder as it was 32 degrees in the morning and the river edge run made it cooler. He had a good run. We stood around and waited for the results at the finish line... freezing... and finally left. As we checked in at the cafeteria before we went home, they were giving the awards there. And we were in time to hear that he took 2nd in his age division. 

We came home and packed up and I even got in a 30 minute nap before driving to West Plains for Stake Conference. We had a great Stake Conference. One of the questions was: What obstacles keep me from building faith in Christ? What is my personal plan to build my faith in Christ? 

They also told us about a new video and advent calendar that invites us to spend the 25 days before Christmas remembering the actions of Jesus and doing the same things for ourselves and for others.

Monday we finally close on the house we put an offer on in September.  We started in on fixing it pre-closing.  Then there was a title issue and so we stopped and waited.  Now... just before the busy Thanksgiving and Christmas, it will close.  

We are delighted to have a houseful of kids from now until Saturday.  Deborah arrived tonight. Kera tomorrow evening.  The Jonathan on Wednesday.  Should be interesting.