I'm still here........and still alive.......

Oh wow............I know it's been a long time since I posted, and I cannot write one tenth of all that has happened in that time. This is going to be an extremely quick over-view........AGH!!!! and now I realize I was behind then! This is going to be scary!

• March 15--District leaders' training. I was in charge of the food again and we ran out!!!! No one told me you needed two pieces of meat per person when you are feeding men!!! (I know, I should have known from experience..........I think).
• March 16--the senior missionaries had an outing to Selma, the civil rights sites and the Hyundai manufacturing plant near Montgomery. I had been less than enthusiastic about it, but was so thankful to learn more about civil rights in the 60s......or lack thereof. That was a good learning day for me.
• Our son Daniel participated in a competition at Mississippi State, in Starkville........since it is in our mission, we went to watch. So fun! He and his partner were to build a garden bench in an hour and 50 minutes, never having seen the plans. They were given all the materials they needed. I was just hoping they would finish...........they took first place!!!!!!! It did look really nice and all that was lacking was 23 screws........... We met the sister of one of our Sister missionaries. Bonus!!!

Lovely antebellum bed and breakfast, spared because Columbus, MS was a "hospital" city for both armies.

Back of the house where we stayed in Columbus, MS.....I loved the ferns on the back porch

• We had transfers (always a busy week and tiring) and MLC (stress-time for me) the next week....... All went well and we were thankful
• March 26--blood donation. We have been blessed to be able to donate every two months since arriving! RAH!!
• March 27--we had dinner at the mission home.......don't remember why, but it's always delightful to meet with the other senior missionaries and with President and Sister Hanks.
• April 1--sisters' training. I was asked to speak about unseen angels who attend us and help us. I wanted to say the "right" things and it was not difficult to talk about it........I've had lots of help.
• April 8 & 12--I was privileged to take a smocking class. I was the only one in the class! And they still had it!! So fun!!
• April 14--the senior missionaries wandered the Tannehill Iron State Park (that was fascinating. I would like to go back 'cause we didn't have enough time), toured the Mercedes Benz manufacturing plant in Vance, Alabama, and ate at the Bright Star Restaurant (the oldest family owned restaurant in Alabama).........yummy food too.

The bricked up furnaces at Tannehill

• April 17--attended church in Magnolia, one of the "oldest congregations" in the South, and probably built the first LDS chapel in Alabama--gorgeous setting. It was ward conference, so the stake people were there. Brother Martin gave us a "tour" of the old building, dedicated by Charles Callis and where LeGrand Richards gave at least one sermon.

The color and one room reminded me of Marion

• April 20--the Newmans left to attend their daughter's graduation from BYU with a Masters--we were quite alone in the office till the Biron/Langleys came on...........
• April 24--we took them to church with us in Ensley and had them over for dinner. They are from New Hampshire and have different last names because (her words) When we got married I told him he could change his name if he wanted to.
• April 26--the Newmans returned for their last week to train Elder Biron and Sister Langley
• April 30--the senior missionaries drove to Demopolis to see some antebellum houses and help move furniture into a new apartment of another senior couple who would be arriving a few days later.......the moving took much longer than anticipated, but we had a great time together.

"Bluff Hall" overlooking the Tombigbee River in Demopolis AL

Transom in Bluff Hall

quilt made of silk pieces--by hand, of course

All that is left of the bluffs since the damning of the Tombigbee River. They were 4-5 times that back in the day....

• May 3-5--transfers again and...........
• May 6--The Newmans left for good :-( Spanish missionaries' training........more food. I had it catered by a Mexican bakery owned by members, but that didn't relieve the stress--I was worried that it wouldn't be there and then it was somewhat short. But no complaints..........
• May 8--we spoke in church for Mothers' Day. We were to teach of mothers in the scriptures.
• May 10--MLC again.........
• May 12--we took a young sister who is waiting for her mission call from Ensley  to Tuscaloosa to work with the sister missionaries there. She had a great time. We drove home in a really bad storm. While she was with the missionaries we toured the Alabama football stadium and a place called Moundville--mounds built by ancient Americans for the "upper class" to live on. 

Where Alabama's "upper class" watch the football games

The only two I recognized.............

• May 17-25--zone conferences in Tupelo, Mississippi; Huntsville, Birmingham, Montgomery, and Bessemer, Alabama...........always a very tiring two weeks. We were coming home from the Huntsville conference when some sisters called and wondered where they would find their car keys. We were sick........stopped along the freeway and looked through the trunk and back seat. We drove back up on the 19th to take a new car and look for the keys. Our prayers were answered........we found them...........
• May 21 was another blood donation day
• May 26--Went to Montgomery with senior missionaries to tour Maxwell Air Force Base and see a restored old beautiful home that is now law offices for a past stake president in Montgomery.........absolutely gorgeous!
• May 27--Sister Langley finally got Elder Biron to go to the doctor to check on his "upper respiratory infection".........turned out to be lung cancer which had spread to his shoulder and hip........he left the next morning for Boston. She left Sunday, May 29, with her son. Our thoughts and prayers have been with them much of this week. 
• So Roger and I are trying to take care of things in the office! AGH!!!!! Thankfully, everyone is so patient and I have spent hours on FaceTime with Sister Newman to make sure I am doing what needs to be done. It's kind of scary...........I found out yesterday I had sent a release certificate to the wrong stake president! Thankfully, I have time to send one to the correct one. 

The time is passing so quickly. We have MLC on Tuesday this week, a last dinner at the mission home with the senior couples, transfers the next week, and temple sessions with the young missionaries the next...............busy, busy, busy............. You can see it doesn't leave a lot of time for writing on a blog! Though I wish I had...........