Happy Birthday Melissa - Monday, Dec. 7, 2009

We were up and following our usual routine when Melissa rang in on Skype chat. She hadn't gone to bed yet and it was in the wee hours of the morning. Today is her birthday, so we were glad to be the first ones to wish her a Happy Birthday.

I can still remember the details of the day 36 years ago when the phone rang at Granite High School where I was working telling us that a three day old baby girl was waiting for us. I was numb and couldn't speak for a few seconds leaving the social worker wondering if I had changed my mind. Are you kidding????? After eight long years I was finally going to be a mother. . . a mother!! I just couldn't believe it. I didn't know how to be a mother. And now I'm a grandmother. It's much easier being a grandma than a mother. This is life's payday for sure.

I had a mental list of what I had to do today and a plan of the order in which things should be done. That's a joke to think it would all play out smoothly. The sick missionaries started to call and it seemed that everything I planned to do needed my attention at the same time.

I did get the Book of Mormon order for December done and started the list to replenish my supplies. I will place my order with the Distribution Center tomorrow on line.

Since the President will be coming to the office tomorrow to have our transfer meeting, I wanted to take advantage of his presence to sign letters and certificates for the January leaving missionaries. So I put everything aside and dove into getting the three letters copied off. One is for the missionary, one for the parents to be mailed home with the flight plan, and one for the Stake President which is mailed with their release certificate, to be presented to them when they get home. Plus, I prepared the certificates with their names on them. This I did for 12 missionaries. No twiddling of thumbs today!

Elder Kroff wrote some checks in the morning, and balanced the cash drawer. In the afternoon he puttered around, and then went over to the district meeting in the church.

Elders Coria and Paz took Hermana Argyle's car to the Capital to be repaired and came back with a souped up loaner car. It is a Toyota five door vehicle that has lots of power. Maybe they won't want to give this one back.

This morning we wanted to know some of the Argentine Christmas traditions and also what is done in Peru. We learned a lot from Elder Coria about Christmas in Argentina, but my phone kept ringing as they were talking and I didn't get it written down very well. I will focus in tomorrow and get him to go over it again. Then we want to know how they celebrate in Peru from Elder Paz. That will be news for another time.

At the end of the day I felt I had accomplished something and was ready to leave when 5:00 rolled around.

We had Sunday leftovers for dinner which was easy. Love easy! Then I realized we hadn't taken a picture today to post. But searching back in the archives I found one that related to exactly what I did for part of the evening.

I ironed white shirts. But looking at this picture at those cookies I baked made me realize it's time to make some more. However, I want to attempt to make a pumpkin pie. I have all of the ingredients except canned milk, and I don't have a rolling pin nor a 9 inch pie plate. That could be a problem. I need to think about this one.