Family Stuff

 Hey everyone,

There's a lot happening in and around the family these days.

Diana is due any day now. The midwife says the baby is 'really big' so Diana's hoping he/she comes soon! We get to visit her and Peter next month and can't wait to see them and hold that new precious baby! Plus Adelaide! We're so excited!

We video chatted with them the other day. Adelaide is so articulate I have to keep reminding myself she's only two!

Sharaya and Ally have been exploring this summer. Sharaya always finds the best places. Summer school has started so she's driving busses, as well as doing dispatch. They came over for dinner last weekend and we played Mexican Train afterward. I didn't take a single picture. 😞

She took this of Mount St Helens. It's about 4 hours south of us and erupted back in 1980.

Beth continues to bowl and sing karaoke every week. Plus she works one day a week, and grocery shopping on Thursday. She's still trying to make better choices when she buys food. 

Here she is at work, getting disinfecting wipes to go clean the door handles, push bars, light switches... all those high touch areas around the church.

Hmmm, which orange juice to buy?

All done and heading for the registers.

Chuck and I are doing well. Jobs, yard work, house work, and watching TV fills our days. Course we just got back from Iowa and are planning for Pennsylvania next month! Chuck pulled a muscle in his back last month and was on L&I for a week or two but he's not in pain anymore and is back at work. 

I started to get sick in Iowa, but it was different. Just a cough for the first day or two. Then I had a sore throat for one day. The next morning my throat was fine but I had a stuffy nose. It's been a month and I still have the occasional cough but everything else is gone. I feel fine and am back to work.

We're having warm, sunny weather and that's always nice! Certainly lifts the spirits.

The alarm on my phone keeps going off, I need to go read the Sunday school lesson for this weekend. I'm teaching the kids about Samson. I know the story but I like to write out what I'm going to say so I stay on track and don't leave anything out. I should close and go get that done.

It's always great 'chatting' with you! 'Til next time -

An Hour At The Beach Works Wonders!

Special Connections is going well. We're getting a few more students but we have more volunteers so that's making things a lot easier. I'm having a Leaders Meeting on Friday so I've been preparing my agenda and getting supplies, thank you gifts and resources ready.

I went to a baby shower for the daughter of a friend. This is a miracle baby because she was told she could never have kids. And now she is in the middle of her second trimester. I'm so glad I got to celebrate with her!

Chuck, Beth and I went to see Aladdin the other day. As we were going into the theater, Sharaya and Allie were coming out! We thought they did a great job keeping true to the Disney version while also giving Jasmin a bigger part, more of an adult roll. It's really good!

  
I think I told you work has been crazy, we're remodeling two main bathrooms, we're changing out the sound panels in our gym/commons... and we're preparing for a Worship Night this Sunday. But the cleaning never stops!

I took some time last week to go down by the water. It was early in the morning (okay it was 8:00, early for me!) and so peaceful. Exactly what I needed!

 

What do you do to de-stress?

The Last Two Weeks

When church's Executive Assistant retired last fall, another admin was given her position but the main job was broken up between a few people. One of the jobs I received was Memorial Service Coordinator.

I volunteered at one and just knew this is what I was supposed to do. Our church doesn't have many funerals or memorials throughout the year but we've had 6 in the last 4 months.

But in the last two weeks, a older member of our congregation passed away...

(Placing the flowers and photo before the service)

I arranged for Beth and Nick to meet up for dinner and a movie. They made it their Valentines celebration.

 

Sharaya and Allie came over and somehow we ended up on the computer looking at pictures of Allie as a baby. She made so many cute expressions!

  

 I'm the event planner for our Business Meetings. We had about 180 for our Annual Meeting last week.

The morning of the Business Meeting we found out that our head custodian had suddenly and unexpectedly died in his sleep. It's been a very somber, difficult week at work.

(Trying to arrange everything.

We ended up putting some of it at the top of the stairs.)

 

After R died, we had a Facilities Meeting that I bought food and drinks for, set everything up then was a part of the meeting. (I'm the Admin for the Facilities Department.)

We've cleaned up our main custodial closet. A couple of the admin removed everything, then I went in on my days off to wipe shelves, label things and just get them organized. With so many custodians using it, over time it tends to collect things.

Before

 

(I love it when there's a place for everything and everything is in it's place!) 

 

 Beth and I drove to The Spaghetti Factory yesterday for Nick's surprise birthday party! His parents are taking him to Disneyland!

The last two weeks have been a roller coaster of emotions. It's 6:00 on Monday night right now and I should be at work. (I work a part time job Monday evenings) but I decided to stay home. I'm doing laundry and helped Beth put on her new comforter and pillows. 

Time to just relax.

What kinds of things do you do to relax? Has it been a long time (too long?) since you had a chance to really relax?