Friday, November 21, 2008

What Happened to November?


Hi Family, Boy have we been poor examples. I just read Terri's blog, (which was so fun, thank you Terri for that update), had some nightmare memories flash through my head about roadshows and was happy with my life as it is. (again, thanks, Terri) There is always somebody who has it worse off than you do.
Well, I think I know pretty much what Jonathan has been doing this month and can totally understand why he hasn't reported to all of us (congratulations Jon and Denise for both blessed events---the birth of a new ward and the gestation of a new life), and I know from first hand experience that Mandy is just trying to keep body and soul together while she nurtures four babies. It was fun to be with Mandy and James and the babies---all four of them. What a lot of diapers and little open hungry mouths. I wondered how Doug and I would have handled the assignment they have and I must conclude the Lord was merciful not to give it to us. Mandy and James, on the other hand, are both very patient and nurturing and working well together.

Before the Tucson jaunt Doug and I took probably what will be our last group for the Cruiselady when we went to Israel in October. We had a very small group, 22, which was nice and cozy and easy to manage and we loved being with Carol and Adam and Daniel. Those two young men are very special. They were the only young adults on the trip but soon became the darlings of the group. I think they were both very impressed with what they saw and felt in the Holy Land and bore beautiful testimonies on our last day at the Garden Tomb. Carol, as always, was just fun to be with.

I'm going to nudge Drew to get his info on here, so I won't go any details on him, only to say that in spite of the difficult circumstances it is so nice for us to have him close.

Darin is a joy to have as well. He is totally into the college freshman life and has a darling girl friend in the cougeretts to keep him going to all those football and basketball games. He also plays on an intermural basketball team with some friends, and he's a good student. I feel like I've not been the doting grandmother I thought I might, being gone so much this fall, but he just pretty much takes care of himself and can heat up a frozen dinner or make himself some cheese toast with the best of them.

Doug is really enjoying his retirement, I think. It has been such a help to have him available through all the hospital trips, etc. and in spite of the warnings I've been given by seasoned retiree spouses, I've enjoyed having him home. We did, finally, make room for all those books and files he brought home from his office and he has his own computer so it's all good. I see a lot more CNN and FOX news during the day than I normally would, and I get an update on the decline of the stock market every hour or so, more than I want to know, but that's a small price to pay for having a full time husband. He still does quite a bit of lecturing---Time Out for Couples or Women, or whatever, and weekend firesides, and his Thursday night institute class, all of which keep his skills from rusting. The TV show he was guesting on twice monthly sort of folded but that's okay. They didn't give him enough time to actually say anything anyway.

I've tried to insert an image of the four of us in Sweden. I hope it worked. The one I chose is us in the back of one of the youth hostels---it was a beautiful setting with a lake and boats, etc. A resort in the summer. If it works maybe I'll try another.

Love mom

No comments: