HAPPY BIRTHDAY HOPE!

I already called and sang Happy Birthday. Birthday presents are in the mail. As of yesterday. Really.

Really, it's in the mail, no really

The package is in the mail! I am so proud of myself! Actually, I also sent off Hope's birthday present, and a book to my friend Sharon in Seattle. Chatted with a couple of friends. It is only 8:00 (thereabouts) and I am sleepy. So good night ...........zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Pictures from Sunday

This is Patriarch Quinn and me after I received my Blessing. He and his wife were very gracious and kind, and their home was lovely. They took this photo Sunday afternoon. I received this pic & the next one along with a copy of my Blessing today. I was so excited--everyone told me it would be a couple of weeks.


This is my friend Sherry and her very handsome son, who took me to St. Helens for the Blessing.
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OK, I have a confession to make. I didn't get the tape finished and the box isn't sent yet. I am so ashamed. Every time I would try to read one of the books with animal sounds, the dogs would bark. I decided to go to Astoria to pick up my new glasses (yay, everything is sharp and in focus again). Then I spent almost 4 hours kickin it with the missionaries at the church this afternoon (I am indeed a fun old woman). I might still be there with them if they hadn't been invited to dinner somewhere else. We started off talking about--wait, what did we start off talking about? It was good, and the Young Elders even brought out their scriptures, but I am having a senior moment, or a menopausal moment and I am having a hard time remembering. It was a great conversation, and I learned a lot, both about doctrine and about the life of a missionary. Anyway, what was I saying? Oh, yeah, I was confessing my incompleted promise and about to beg for forgiveness. I will stay up tonight until the tape is done, and put the dog (Tucker of course) in the car if I have to. I might try tying him up with duct tape.

CALL MOM ALERT :-)

Tanisha needs to call her mother (after 2:00 pm my time) or send her an email w/ her phone # and snail mail address. Please and thank you. Not to brag, but I do an excellent rendition of "Click Clack Moo, Cows that Type." If I don't hear from you by this evening, I have many more pics to post......don't make me get ugly!

PS--How do you like my count down thingy?

Monday's miracle

So yesterday, with all of its milestones, also was a test of faith for me. Due to the unexpected timing of this, ahem, time between jobs, I was looking at either paying tithing or possibly not being able to pay all of my utility bills. But, I paid my tithe & fast offering (although the fast offering was smaller this time than last). This morning I called the phone company, and made payment arrangements, as well as investigated moving my internet service to them as well, so I will only have one bill to pay. Also, my area can now enroll in unlimited long distance for the US. Then I went to the mail box and there was a check from the IRS that I have been fighting with them about for months!!

So, I went & deposited the check in the bank, then went directly to my bishop's house to write my check for this tithing deal, then went and paid on my huge hospital bill (remember the foot surgery? I still owe $1500.00 on that puppy) then went and paid my electricity bill ahead even (no bill until September). Then I came home and called the phone company and paid this bill and made arrangements to switch my internet service in a few days (as soon as the new modem arrives). I bought groceries, trying to be mindful of the "suggestion" to pay particular attention to the Word of Wisdom. I even remembered to take a church outfit to a woman who always wears pants to church, because she has no dresses. (I accidently bought small sized skirt and blouse when I was on one of my consignment shop visits looking for dresses & blouses that are a bit more appropriate for the more modest matrons of the bunch) I really liked the outfit, so I am glad someone I know will be able to use it!

Now I am home, and making a list of the things I was going to do today that I must do tomorrow. Tanisha, I PROMISE I will get this box in the mail! Tomorrow! Oops, gotta put a stop to this post so I can finish reading stories on tape for Richard & Josiah so I can mail the box tomorrow.

Thank goodness I am unemployed at the moment! I would never have had the time to do all of this!

Very memorable day

I met with the Patriarch today...what an incredible experience...I have a lot to think about...and a lot of work to do! I can't wait until I get a copy of my blessing. Right now I am overwhelmed! There is no way I can remember everything.

I also shared my first testimony today. Our church was filled to the brim with visitors on their 4th of July vacation at the beach, so I really was not wanting to do it today. It's one thing to be a blabbering, tongue tied fool in front of the members of my branch--it's another thing to do it in front of so many people I don't know. I would have chickened out, but I felt that if I am asking for a Patriarchal Blessing, then I should be willing to stand and give my testimony. It seems only right.
So, all in all, it has been a very big day for the new convert.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA!

I am so grateful to live in the United States of America, and to be a citizen of this great nation. Sometimes I take the blessing of being an American for granted. At other times, I wonder why I am so fortunate to have been born here, at this time in history. Today I would like to invite everyone to read the Constitution of the United States of America, to be reminded of the inspired principles this country was founded upon. To be sure, we (both our leaders and average citizens alike) fall short of these ideals, but the Constitution is the written "instruction book" of how this country is supposed to conduct itself.

This promises to be a landmark year in the history of our country. We need to take our responsibility to vote very seriously. This nation can only remain free if all of her citizens participate and contribute to our quality of life . I am proud to be an American, and hope to be of service to my country and to my neighbors.