Week of March 10, 2013

Sunday

Ellen and Mike were at home because of spring break.  We had a very late night on Saturday night, so Ellen and Mike decided to go to the singles ward that started 2 hours later than our ward.

We had turkey steaks to celebrate the fact they were home.  Chris' family came over and we played Scum and I was the King (twice).  We had 'Charlie Food' for dinner, but Colleen wasn't feeling really well, so she didn't stay long. Then dad and I went to the Family History meeting.

And, of course, dad made cookies for all:)

Monday

Dad and I helped Brenda Godfrey and Sandy Orme with Family History for a couple of hours. Then after lunch the weather was good and we had Mike and Ellen home, so all the locals can feel relief because we cleaned the chicken coop.  I'm sure the chickens enjoyed the fresh, clean straw. 

Dad, Mom, Mike

Ellen and Mike dumping the contents of the coop on the garden. It's spring break, so Mike refused to wear long pants all week.

Caleb came to play while Josh did math.

Monday night dad and I went for a walk and stopped in at Chris's. Colleen was still not feeling well.

 We got the call from Tammy Monday night that things did not look good with the adoption.  LDS Social Services is no longer part of the adoption, but it has gone to the Child Protection Agency.  It was heart-breaking news.  It will take a miracle for it to go through now.

Tuesday

Tuesday morning I had a hard time keeping focused on my morning studies.  I felt like I needed to go to the temple.  I woke up dad and we also asked Mike and Ellen if they wanted to come, so the four of us went through the 9:30 session at the Logan Temple.  It was a beautiful experience.  I believe in miracles and that it is all in the hands of a very loving father.  My heart has really gone out to the grandparents of little Seth.  They truly have suffered much.

We came home so I could go and listen to kids read at Fielding School, Mike and Ellen did homework, and then we turned around and went back to Logan to see the movie, "Oz, the Great and Powerful".  I was actually surprised that I liked it.  There was a good message and it seemed like a true 'Oz' book.

We left Ellen and Mike in Logan and came home.  We hadn't been home too long before we got the text from Chris asking if we could go down and help Cierra with the kids because he had Colleen in the hospital.  After the scan and they saw her gallbladder filled with stones and some escaping into the pancreas  they transported her to LDS Hospital in Salt Lake.  Chris brought Zander over to me and then he went down also.

I spent the day at Chris's and Eileen came down also.  We said between the 2 of us we raised 20 kids, but it took both of us to take care of the six.  Not that they are difficult kids to watch, but

this is what Zander thinks of a bottle:

Needless to say, he missed his mommy. Colleen was truly blessed.  Everyone was amazed she wasn't doubled over in pain.  At 7:00 a.m. they removed 30 stones and put a stint in her pancreas that has to be removed this Wednesday.  She was home by 10:00 that night.  She was very blessed, as it could have been very dangerous if it wasn't caught in time.  

This was the day we were all going to the temple, so Dad went to Logan to babysit Ben and Zach while Joe & Tesha and Ellen and Mike all went to the temple.

Thursday

I spent a little time with Colleen, but her mother was there so I went to the church to quilt and then I was going over to listen to kids reads, but Camille Hirschi said she would take my place.  We were going to take Ellen and Mike to a Chinese place to eat on Wednesday, but since I wasn't there they waited.  We ate lunch and then returned to duties.

Friday
We went to the Family History Library and had another busy day.  I love teaching about Family Trees and helping people do their Family History.  We ran over and got Tesha & boys to come and stay the rest of the time until Joe gets home from New Hampshire.  

Saturday
It was such a gorgeous day!  There was a little breeze, but not bad.  We all went out to work outside.  Tesha and I got the tramp mat back on, so when you come it is jumping time!  Then we worked for a while and decided to clean out the shed.  I'm not sure when the last time we did such a good cleaning.
Ben carrying out the old paint (which none of it was good) 

This was part way through, so it is not even everything.

Sorting the different areas of things.

All clean! (Except for some further shelf cleaning, but it was time to get ready for the temple.

We did over 60 names, all on Ellen Rigby Capener's parents.  I can't believe how many people there are needing their work done.  Temple work truly shows how much Heavenly Father loves all of His children, no matter what time period they lived in.  It was especially good to have Chris and Rob to baptize their kids and I handed out towels.  It was wonderful to have Marrie there.  Now Cierra doesn't seem so lonely.

Marri, Rob, Mike, Chris, Front-Noelle, Cierra, Josh, Grandma in front of Logan Temple

Uncle Mike with happy cousins!

Tesha watching for Joe.  His plane was late leaving New Hampshire and he ended up come about 

1:30 a.m. instead of 10:30. p.m.

We have been very blessed this week.  There is still hope for little Seth to be in Pete's family, so we need to continue our prayers.  It is in Heavenly Father's hands and He has free agency & human beings to work with, but miracles can happen.  Colleen will go into the hospital this week to get the stints out.  I often feel that I seem to be asking Heavenly Father for so many things, but He has blessed me with so many children, so that is the way it goes I guess.
I want you all to know that I love my Father in Heaven very much.  I felt so much peace in the temple this week accompanied by so much love for Him, our Savior, all of our family, and my fellow men.