Still learning

Well, y'all will have to be patient with me. I am trying to figure out all this blog stuff. The computer kept erasing things and so my last post has a word in it that doesn't really belong.

Our son and his fam drove down from Idaho and we and the Utah kids had so much fun being together. We, as usual had some little surgical procedures done while A was here. The whole family watches as he removes a little mole or whatever else needs to be done. This time it was DH and daughter A who had little things removed. I was the assistant handing A the different instruments, medicine, etc. I should have been a nurse instead of a teacher.:)

Halloween Fun

The girls cooking dinner.
My son M and C in the yard.
My daughter A and Y, the cute newleyweds.
My son A and his cute wife K.
S and J in the front yard playing with all the big boys.
G and D by Ut Mommy's front door. They have been married for almost 2 years now.

Andrea and me at the pumpkin patch.

We went for a hay ride at The Big Red Barn.

The kids after picking out their pumpkins.

We had a fun afternoon with some of our kids and grandkids. Some of us went to the pumpkin patch and rode the hay wagon. The kids picked out pumpkins to carve and of course roast pumpkin seeds. We r0de out quite a ways and then the kids ran from pumpkin to pumpkin choosing just the right one. They can't wait to go trick or treating.

Yoho

This is my son-in-law. We have been having lots of fun with A and Y. We saw their cute condo. I got to help A decorate their front room. I will have to take a picture and post it next time. DH and I have done all of his shopping for the mission. We got a lot of his clothes at Mr. Macs with a missionary discount, but it still cost a lot of money to buy all the stuff he needed: 2 suits with 4 pairs of pants, a combination coat and raincoat, sweater, shirts, 2 pairs shoes, etc. etc. etc. I think we are about ready to go. Only 2 weeks to wait and we report at the MTC. Mr Missionary is super excited and can't wait to begin the work. I am kind of nervous and feel sad to leave my kids all the cute little grandkids, but I know this is the Lord's work and I'm going for it.

Waiting....Waiting....Waiting

Our first official visit took place on the 18th of Sept. We had to go to the French consulate to get our visa's. Bishop Petty and Robin drove us to the airport abt 4:30a.m. It's not everyone's Bishop who drives his missionaries to the airport. How lucky are we! Anyway, we arrived at S.F.Int'l and hurried to meet up with our group of elders. We had to take the air-train and then rush clear to the other end of the terminal to meet them. We get there just on time, but who do we see? Noone. We look and look and wait for a little while and nothing. I called church travel and Carla had me wait a minute while she called the group leader. Sure enough, they forgot us. They had to send the shuttle back to get us to take us to the counsulate. We arrived late, but luckily since our group was there we were ok. The group consisted of 8 elders and 1 sister. They were so sorry they forgot us. We said that it was okay and we proceeded to have fun talking to them while we waited and waited and waited for several hours while each person went and spoke to the representatives about their visas. The elders were so friendly and most of them quite chatty, so the time passed pleasantly although some of the elders fell asleep waiting for their turn to come. When the elders found out that DH is French they were so excited to talk to him and to practice some of their french. He helped them with each of their questions. It was so funny toward the end when one of them asked how to say burp in french. DH told them and then they of course had to practice. I told them that they really had to know this "important" verb before they left for France.:) We laughed and joked. I told them how I tried to teach my children to be polite, but that several of them had the bad habit of burping and the elders thought that was just great.
While at the counsulate, I passed out my very first pass along card. There were two women there from the Congo trying to get their visa. They were there for a long time along with us. DH began talking to them and told them of our upcoming plans for a mission. One of the women ended up telling us that she lived near the "big Mormon church" in Oakland. I said it was the temple and we talked about that for a while. She also told us that she had found her great-grandfather at the LDS church. I ended up giving her a card and she promised to look up the elders in her area. It was quite a rewarding and interesting experience.
Well when we finally finished, we all were driven back to the airport and Marie Jeanne was supposed to pick us up there as we were going to her house for the week-end. Well, we waited and waited and waited again. After more than an hour we were worried because she is always punctual. I fianally called Terese and she went to MJ's house where she found her fine, but upset because she had gone to the airport and gotten lost. Poor things drove around and around and finally went home. So, we took a taxi to her house and the day ended up well. We got our visas approved and went on to spend a great several days at her house.

Our Picture

Here is a picture of us. We have been married for 43 years. Our children are now grown and we are getting ready to go on a mission. We have been called to the Belgium Brussels/ Netherlands Mission which includes northern France. When we sent in our papers we did not request any specific place or mission because we wanted to go where the Lord would have us go. However, when we got our call we were not surprised because in both of our Patriarchal Blessings it says that we will serve in DH's native land, which is France. We are super excited (especially DH who is Mr. Missionary. I am now busily studying French, which is very difficult. In fact, I told DH that he can give the lessons and I will happily say Oui, Oui. That should work, shouldn't it? :)

We sold our house and we have been traveling around visiting our children and friends. We left Tx where daughter 1 lives with her wonderful family and where we actually had lived for the previous 5 months. We went to Utah and visited daughter 2 and her awesome family, daughter 7 and attended her wedding, and son 2. Then we went to Idaho and spent time with son 1 and his great family. From there we went to Oregon and visited our niece and nephew and their awesome kids and grandkids. After Oregon we went to San Bruno to spend some time with DH's sister. On southward we went to Lancaster and stayed with my BFF Daisy and her family and also visited daughter 8. Then we went to San Diego to stay with daughter 5 and her DH. We have been so blessed to have such wonderful children and grandchildren and luckily all the in-laws are awesome too. Now we are back in Texas for a few weeks with a 4 day trip to San Francisco to visit the French Counsulate for our visas. Then back to San Diego, off to Utah and finally go to the MTC on Nov 3rd. We will only be there for 10 days of office work and we will fly to Belgium where our adventure will begin.

Learning to post pictures

Here is Zoe, Anna and Amadeo's baby. I'm learning how to post pictures.

What I was doing 10 years ago: I was in Idaho with my 2 youngest daughters. I was there at the home of my 4th child, 2nd daughter, Ut Mommy, for the birth of her first child and my first grandson. I got to be present at his birth and it was a most awesome experience. Ut Mommy's husband R and I agreed that we were a good team together in coaching her. She was a great birther and T is the best.

Five things on my To Do List today: Go to church for ward conference. Go to appointment with the Bishop to begin the paperwork for my misson with Papa. Read scriptures, pray, and enjoy the Sabbath day with Tx Mommy and her family.

Snacks I enjoy: Chips and salty things, M&M's, anything chocolate

Things I would do if I were a billionaire: Pay for college for all my kids who still need to go, take the entire, extended family on an awesome vacation, pay off everyones bills and homes, give to worthy causes, open up an orphanage, invest and save.

Three of my bad habits: Expecting perfection, worrying too much, paying too much attention to small, unimportant things.

Five places I have lived: Shanghai China, San Fransisco CA, North Edwards CA, Lancaster CA, Fort Worth, Texas

Five jobs I've had: Cashier at a shoe store, Sales girl at City of Paris, Underwriters Assistant at Liberty Mutual, Teacher

Five people I want to know more about (a nice way of saying TAG!): My daughter A, My niece Tiffany, Joy Is My Goal, Queen of my Castle, My niece Sarah

Posted by Grandma A