Monday was memorial day. We decided to work because we didn't really have anything planned. I went to work in the morning but we got there late. Often on Mondays the Assistants to the President need the computers so we just go in a little later so they can use them.
We went to Walgreens on the way to work to get a prescription that I needed. We picked up a few things. It was about 10:30 a.m. when we got there. There were more Assistants there than usual so I let them use my computer. At first I was having a hard time deciding what I could do without a computer so I called Mom. Mom was just getting ready to go to the annual Jenkins Reunion in Heber City, Utah with Kathy and Rex and Annette. We had a good talk for a few minutes.
After I got off the phone the Williams came and we decided to have devotional. Every morning we get together and sing a song and have a thought and a prayer. Elder Williams plays the piano in the meeting room and we sound like a bunch of off tune people but we enjoy it. Often we will talk for a half hour about the thought. Elder Williams served his first mission 48 years ago in San Antonio and he loves to tell us about how it was then. It is amazing to compare the growth and the improved standards for missionaries. He got all excited the other day at San Antonio North Zone conference and told them about how he learned to make beans on his mission and they would make them several different ways and they would eat that all week. He loves beans or frijoles as the Spanish call them and he speaks very good Spanish it seems. Having grown up with my Dad it suprized me that someone actually liked beans.
Nathan had a friend call from the ward who's husband is in jail and wanted him to take her to see her husband. He wanted to help her but as he cannot drive, I volunteered to go with him thinking it would take about an hour. We started out at 1:30 p.m and went to Kirby to pick her up. It was almost 3:00 p.m. by the time we got back to the jail. Nathan and his friend went into the jail to visit while I sat in the lobby for an hour. I did everything I could on my phone and then I noticed that I had some pass a long cards in my purse. I decided that I should try to pass them out to the people that were there waiting for their turn to visit someone. It took me a few minutes to get up the courage but the spirit helped me to know what to say and I was able to pass out all the ones I had in my purse. I only had three people tell me that they did not want one so it wasn't as bad as I thought. By the time I passed out the last card Nathan and Connie were looking for me. By the time we took her back to her home it was 5:00 p.m. when we got home. So I did not go back to the office.
It rained a lot yesterday. Down by Nathan's friends house there were a lot of roads blocked off by water over the road. The northbound exit to Austin on 35 north was closed because there was water over the road. That is one reason it took so long.
When we got home we had dinner and we went to Walgreens again to get some medicine for me and Nathan went just to look around. He said he had not been there for a long time. That was our family home evening activity and then we read from the conference talks when we got home and said prayers together and went to bed.
Today we went to work early and had another fun devotional. I started working and it seemed that I kept getting one referral after another. I was busy answering the phone all morning. And some of them were not easy referrals. I hate it when the address is not good and it is hard to understand the addresses from Mexico.
We got a lunch fixed for Nathan before we left because we were not coming home because of Zone Trainings in Kyle, Texas. Nathan had some friends come and bring him a pair of pants because of his plea for help finding pants with elastic waist or with a snap rather than a button on Facebook. He said that the speech therapist came today also.
We drove to Kyle and stopped at MacDonald's for lunch. We gave our presentation and were back by 3:30 p.m. We drove one of the mission cars because Larry was worried about our car. It went well but it was raining a lot today also, more so in Kyle.
I spent most of the afternoon on the phone with the global support center trying to find the answer to how to find out which Mexican mission a referral I had went to. I am hoping to figure out a way to find this but so far the method they told me is not working. Many times though all it takes is a short prayer and things are working again.
The car started not shifting again when we were coming home so we were glad that we had taken the other car to Kyle.
It was 6:25 p.m. by the time we made it home. We had some yummy burritos and fruit and than we have worked on a few things around. Larry learned how to deposit a check with USAA with his phone tonight as I finally got paid for the curriculum that I spent forever writing. Now he is in misery because his neuropathy is acting up. Praying that it will relax soon and he can sleep. I bet you can't tell what I spent the night doing!! Nathan watched Ender's game for the 100th time and worked on his Ipad. Sorry no pictures tonight.
Tuesday, May 27, 2014
May 25th and before
Brother and Sister Sturdevant are military relations at Fort Sam |
Nathan and Larry visiting |
Brother and Sister Eslick are a second marriage like us |
The kids came home from church with us and we had a family home evening with them from the Friend and then we went for a walk. Sara had sent several Liken the Scriptures videos up for the kids to watch and so they watched those while they built with legos and ate popcorn and soda or chocolate milk. For a while they wanted to go out and walk through the forest behind our apartment but soon came in when they found there were many mosquitoes. Sammy must be sensitive to them because his swelled up quickly and we had to put caladryl on them to calm the itch. Sara came to get them about 6:30 just as they were getting hungry again.
Brother and Sister Adair are MLS at Georgetown, Texas |
Brother and Sister D.Williams are originally from Vernal |
Brother and Sister Magonigil are Military Relations also. They knew Nathan in Alabama |
Brother and Sister Page are MLS on the Border at Eagle Pass, Texas |
Larry talked about how to fill out the mileage reports he needs and what the gas cards can pay for. Elder Williams has been teaching them the importance of budgeting and what they can use their personal use card for. They don't have a lot of money for the month because basically it should be only used for food and personal items. Elders get $135.00 and Sisters get $150.00. Sisters get more because they need to buy hairspray and make-up and things.
Brother and Sister Sandquist are MLS at Shoal Creek, Texas |
Monday night they had the Senior's Family Night at Mamacitas in San Marcos. Nathan went with us and we had a fun night of talking and learning from each other. That usually starts at 6:30 so we had to leave by 5:00 p.m. from the office so we could pick up Nathan and get there on time. I took pictures of all the Senior Couples that were there. I think that they were all there.
Nathan had to go to the VA on Wednesday for two appointments so he scheduled them to pick him up and it worked very well. He was able to go by himself and do what he needed to do without our help.
Some of the yummy food at Bingo Night |
Brother and Sister Antur are from Australia. They teach CES in Austin, Texas |
Brother and Sister M. Williams are the other office couple with us. |
Nathan's kids came over on Friday night to spend the night. We bought pizza from Little Ceasar's and got the movie "The Nut Job". We had a good time eating pizza and soda. We all went to sleep after the movie because we had signed up to clean the church in Nathan's ward on Saturday at 8:00 a.m.
David doing thumbs up with his swim noodles |
Larry and I with Nathan |
We came home and Sammy and Isaac wanted to go to the pool and Maggie did not so Nathan stayed with Maggie and I took Sammy and Isaac to the pool. Larry went to see about our car because the transmission had not been shifting. They swam for almost three hours and still did not want to quit when I suggested they needed to. Maggie fell asleep on the floor watching "The Nut Job" and slept all that time. As I didn't have a swim suit yet I talked to Kirsten and Erick and some others on the phone while they were swimming. I think Nathan was doing things in his Ipad all afternoon. Larry came back happy but frustrated because the car worked fine when he took it in to the transmission place.
Sunday, May 18, 2014
May 18th and before
Today was a hectic Sunday and I don't feel like we did much to keep the Sabbath Day holy. We had the kids and after church they came home with us because Sara had to work.
Church was good. David was able to pass the Sacrament for the first time and the Bishop acknowledged that he did that. They had talks on the Priesthood for the commemoration of the restoration of the Priesthood an May 15. The kids were really good in church. I think they are getting used to us.
We had the kids over on Friday night and Saturday for a while also and they rented a movie on Friday night and they wanted to watch that again when we got home so I let them while we got dinner. Then they wanted to go to the fitness center at the community center so Nathan took them there. Larry and I lay down and went to sleep. When they got back Maggie came and got me because she was hungary and I fixed them some popcorn and punch. They started watching the movie again and instead of staying up I went and laid down again. When I woke up they had made a few messes trying to make more punch because they could not find the punch I made in the refrigerator, so I determined that I should not do that again. They were watching a Star Wars movie that Nathan has. We cleaned up the messes and then I started to play hide n seek with them and before long Sara came. I felt bad because we did not do anything with them to promote the Sabbath and help them to grow in the gospel.
Saturday we got up and went to Chick-fil-et for breakfast because the kids preferred that to MacDonald's and we had no food for breakfast at the apartment. Then the kids went to the pool with Nathan while Larry and I went to Weight Watchers to weigh in. It was not a good day for either of us as we both gained a little.
When we got home Nathan and I took the kids to the Wounded Warrior Picnic at the Phil Hardberger Park that was just down another hill from us than the park I talked about last week and Larry went grocery shopping. The Park was so fun. It is a 311 acre park in the middle of San Antonio that has been set aside as green space and for conservation of the native species of Texas. They had a Jimmy John's box lunch and then we could hike and do what ever we wanted. We did not hike far because the trails were not as good for Nathan's wheelchair as at the Walker park the week before. Eventually we went to the playground and the kids played for some time.
Just as they were getting tired Nathan realized that he could not get his wheelchair to go. David and I tried to help him figure out what we needed to do but we were not successful at getting it to start. Larry had texted me he was home and so I eventually called him and asked him to come and help us. It took him a while to get there because he did not hear me say that we were on the Military Highway entrance to the park and he went to the Blanco Road entrance and was trying to find us there. Eventually he found us and between him and David and Nathan they figured out that someone had bumped the controls in the back and turn off the controls in the front. We were all really ready to go home when we finally got it going because it was getting hot and the kids were tired.
That evening Sara came and got the kids and Nathan went to a parade at the Riverwalk with some friends from church and Larry and I went out to dinner to celebrate our 13th wedding anniversary. We went to Joe's Crab Shack as that has become a new favorite because we can eat a lot of steamed crab and lobster and still be within Weight Watcher's points. However we had Key lime pie last night so that blew that. It was a fun night and Nathan seemed to have a good time with his friends.
I have had an allergic reaction of some kind this week and I have been itching and breaking out on my neck. I have had to wear my hair on a pony tail because I cannot stand it on my neck. I decided it might be one of my medications and I stopped taking that but it is still bothering me after I put on my lotion so I am thinking that maybe I do not need the lotion here or something. I guess I will go to the dermatologist this week and see what he says.
It was transfer week in the mission this week so it has been a very hectic week for Larry and I. We had several days where we could not come home to eat lunch with Nathan. On Wednesday we have to feed the new incoming missionaries a lunch at the Mission home and then we have to feed them a dinner that same night at the mission home plus get our other work done. On Thursday we had transfers and we went to the transfer meeting in the morning early and then drove to Austin for the transfer meetings there. Larry had to rent a van and a trailer to help transport the missionaries to the border and back and to Austin and back so he was involved in getting that on Monday and then they used it Tuesday to get the missionaries that were leaving and on Wednesday to get the new missionaries and Thursday's for transfers. On Friday Larry was supposed to take it back to the rental places but the Assistants did not leave the keys to the vehicles at the Mission Office when they dropped them off. He was frustrated because he could not take them back until about 5:00 p.m. because they were in meetings all day with the President and he couldn't get the keys. He was exhausted after we returned them in rush hour traffic.
Nathan is becoming more independent in advocating for himself. He has become more involved in his own finances and working out things at the VA. Larry has been a big help to him to know what to do for his disability paperwork now he has his disablity compensation because Larry has already gone through that. We have John Trolinger to thank for guiding Larry through it so he knows how to help Nathan. Nathan has been able to get people in the ward to help him drive his van to appointments at the VA and is taking over much of the responsibility of advocating for himself. As he does this he is becoming much more mature in his thinking and growing in his abilities to do things. He is also working with the lawyer mostly by himself for the work on the divorce and only asks me to help when he needs something typed which is still hard for him to do. We are trying to give him the support he needs when he needs it but trying to let him be as independent as possible. Basically we help him with food and help him dress some in the morning and get his foot brace on and set up some things he needs at bed time.
We listened to Elder Todd Christofferson's talk from April General Conference tonight. It is an awesome testimony of the resurrection of Jesus Christ and how it testifies of his divinity. I am so glad to be a member of the Lord's church as I know that it is true.
Nathan and Isaac in a group of Wounded Warriors at the Picnic |
The Wounded Warrior Tent |
Some of the people at the picnic |
Nathan talking to a friend Sarah Bennett who works for Wounded Warriors |
Maggie and Isaac at the spinning cups |
Just as they were getting tired Nathan realized that he could not get his wheelchair to go. David and I tried to help him figure out what we needed to do but we were not successful at getting it to start. Larry had texted me he was home and so I eventually called him and asked him to come and help us. It took him a while to get there because he did not hear me say that we were on the Military Highway entrance to the park and he went to the Blanco Road entrance and was trying to find us there. Eventually he found us and between him and David and Nathan they figured out that someone had bumped the controls in the back and turn off the controls in the front. We were all really ready to go home when we finally got it going because it was getting hot and the kids were tired.
Larry and I at Joe's Crabshack for our anniversary |
I have had an allergic reaction of some kind this week and I have been itching and breaking out on my neck. I have had to wear my hair on a pony tail because I cannot stand it on my neck. I decided it might be one of my medications and I stopped taking that but it is still bothering me after I put on my lotion so I am thinking that maybe I do not need the lotion here or something. I guess I will go to the dermatologist this week and see what he says.
A catepillar the kids found that they wanted a picture of |
David and Sammy at the Spinning cups |
Sammy and Maggie running on the hills |
Maggie |
We listened to Elder Todd Christofferson's talk from April General Conference tonight. It is an awesome testimony of the resurrection of Jesus Christ and how it testifies of his divinity. I am so glad to be a member of the Lord's church as I know that it is true.
Isaac and David Racing on the hills |
David |
May 11 and before
Today has been a roller coaster Mother's Day. We arose early and got to church early so that David, Nathan's oldest son could be interviewed by the Bishop for the Aaronic Priesthood. His birthday was this week and he turned 12. Sara and the kids met us there. David was interviewed and presented in sacrament meeting for sustaining and then they ordained him in Priesthood session. Sara and I were able to go in for the ordination and Nathan was able to do the ordination. It was a very emotional time for Nathan but he was able to do the ordination. Sara took the kids home after church as it was Mother's Day and her birthday was yesterday and she had to work.
We came home and had lunch. I had several ecards and texts from my children and it was fun to get those. After eating I was able to do a video hangout with BJ on my phone and talk to him for about and hour. It was good to talk to him. He said that Holly had just got home from 6 days with her parents at her sister's graduation. Holly was at work. He also talked to Larry and Nathan.
Kirsten and Jacob's families sent gift cards with e-cards so that is fun to have some money to spend on Amazon. Erick and Heather sent a CD and earings and chocolate that I got earlier in the week. I am listening to the CD now as it is Mormon Tabernacle choir. Maren and Jacob posted greetings on Facebook this week. Nathan is here and I have enjoyed having him in my life more.
I slept for about 2 hours after talking to BJ. I was surprised that I was so tired because I have tried to get to bed earlier this week so I am not so tired. Larry gave me a card and fixed dinner for me tonight so I have had a good day.
I sent Mom's present on Thursday so I was able to talk to her a couple of times this week. It was funny because I called her to see if she got the flowers I sent her and she said, "well no" so I said that the company said they had delivered it and she said, "just a minute" and she looked at the one present again and it was from us but she had read Larry and thought it was from my brother Larry because I signed it Larry and June.
Anyway Happy Mother's Day.!!
Here are some pictures of the week before:
We came home and had lunch. I had several ecards and texts from my children and it was fun to get those. After eating I was able to do a video hangout with BJ on my phone and talk to him for about and hour. It was good to talk to him. He said that Holly had just got home from 6 days with her parents at her sister's graduation. Holly was at work. He also talked to Larry and Nathan.
Kirsten and Jacob's families sent gift cards with e-cards so that is fun to have some money to spend on Amazon. Erick and Heather sent a CD and earings and chocolate that I got earlier in the week. I am listening to the CD now as it is Mormon Tabernacle choir. Maren and Jacob posted greetings on Facebook this week. Nathan is here and I have enjoyed having him in my life more.
I slept for about 2 hours after talking to BJ. I was surprised that I was so tired because I have tried to get to bed earlier this week so I am not so tired. Larry gave me a card and fixed dinner for me tonight so I have had a good day.
I sent Mom's present on Thursday so I was able to talk to her a couple of times this week. It was funny because I called her to see if she got the flowers I sent her and she said, "well no" so I said that the company said they had delivered it and she said, "just a minute" and she looked at the one present again and it was from us but she had read Larry and thought it was from my brother Larry because I signed it Larry and June.
Anyway Happy Mother's Day.!!
Here are some pictures of the week before:
Davd had a birthday party at a glorified Chucky Cheese place called the Main Event on Friday May 9th |
David sporting his winnings from the games at his party |
Lori Ann the recreational director at Warm Springs with another patient at the Wounded Warrior Bingo Night |
Lori Ann and Nathan talking while he is eating on May 8th |
Food Servers at the Wounded Warriors BN |
Nathan carrying his kids that were too tired to walk when we went hiking at Walker Park a park just down the hill from where we live. |
Hiking with the kids. David was the only one to keep walking. |
Taylor with her friend Taisha in the middle at a Easter Egg hunt |
Sunday, May 04, 2014
May 4 and before
Maggie getting ready to ride to church |
It was a wonderful Stake Conference. I wish I had taken notes but we had Nathan's four kids with us and I forgot to bring the church bag that Sara brought for us to use and so I was just praying that they would be good. They were good for the most part. Maggie fell asleep during the last half so that was helpful. One talk that really impressed me was a talk on how to prepare for Temple Marriage given by the temple matron here in San Antonio. She talked about the fact that the best way to prepare for Temple Marriage was to learn to live happily with our family. Learn to get along with family members and learn to help out with the chores. Learn to put the Lord first in all out priorities so that he can help us with our trials. She pointed out that many people focus on the party that is held after and do not focus on the Temple. She mentioned that many of the people at a temple wedding will never see your dress and that it should be more of a priority to get a dress that you can wear back to the temple often to help you remember the temple marriage and not the party afterwards. She had some really important things to say like that.
President and Sister Slaughter were there and on the stand as invited dignitaries so they were able to come and see Nathan after the service and talk to him and they were able to see the children that he has. They were very nice to Nathan and he enjoyed talking to them.
Abbie's School Picture |
Larry and I were both tired so we went in and took a nap for about 2 hours. When we got up we Skyped with Abbie and her family for her birthday. It was fun to talk to them about what they have been doing for the last two weeks since we talked to them. Myles is talking some and his favorite saying is "ready, set, go" as he jumps off the fireplace hearth. Lexie hurt her foot in a track meet on Friday so she is thinking that it will have to be checked by the trainer. Abbie and Ashton had new school pictures to show me and Abbie showed me some of her birthday presents. Nathan also talked to them some. Jake was off on a National Guard training for a week.
Ashton's School Picture |
Our Tomato Plant |
Thursday was a little more hectic because Nathan had a VA appointment and we were the only people in the office because the Williams had to be gone. Normally Sister Williams was the person that would take the food to Mission Leaders Conference but we filled in with it this week. Nathan was able to find a friend Reid Johnson to take him to his appointment and to help him find some shoes. Larry and I got the lunch and took it to the church but because of traffic and other issues we were late so it was embarrassing but Sister Slaughter was very nice about it. And the missionaries are always so appreciative of everything that we do that it is fun. But because we were late that meant that the Zone Leaders were late in coming in to pick up their supplies so we were not able to go to the Bingo Night this week with Nathan.
Friday Nathan wanted me to go with him to transfer some money and then he decided that he didn't want to do that and we went to the VA to turn in a paper that he and Reid had forgot the day before. It took most of the morning. Nathan was not happy with the way I helped him so we got in a disagreement. Later that day Larry decided that he needed to go with Nathan to the VA because he understands the process having gone through it himself.
Maggie being carried by her daddy |
Isaac looking at something |
Sara wanted us to take the kids in the evening but we told her to bring them at 2:00p.m. so we could take them to one of the State Parks that were close to San Antonio but then Nathan and Larry decided to take off and go shoe shopping and so I took the kids to the pool here at the apartments. They swam for about and hour and then Larry and Nathan said they were back. But Larry decided to take Nathan's van to wash it and get gas. That took another hour and so we didn't even start for the State Park until 4:30 p.m. We went to Government Canyon State Park. It is a park only 16 miles away in San Antonio. It has some good picnic and camping facilities. We should have brought a picnic lunch and it would have been more fun. Nathan could go for a ways on the paths but then it got harder to go and the kids were hungry and tired and we needed to get back. We were able to read some of the history of the park and the canyon and that is about all. The store that they have there closes early on Saturday so we could not even access that. Not a very well planned trip but maybe we can do better next time.
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