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Jeff is going to Missouri Independence Mission - Spanish speaking.
He enters the MTC June 17.
It was really neat watching him open his call. We were all stunned when he read Missouri Independence - then we all started talking about the significant church events and sites he may visit. A few minutes later, I walked over and looked over his shoulder and read "Spanish speaking." (He had stopped reading and it was a paragraph or 2 below.) We were really thrown for a loop with that. We have a mere 7 weeks to get everything in place.

2nd Coming within the next 24 months?

For the next 2 years, a certain young man will be in the heart of the USA (former Garden of Eden) speaking espanol, ya'll and hopefully wearing white a lot.
We will have the inside scoop on any suspicous activity in Adam-ondi-Ahman.

Remaining Anonymous

Musings
A few weeks ago, MIL Gma Risa flew to Boston to see Aunt Camie. Coming home - Thanks to the terrorists - she had to leave Camie at the security check along with her yogurt which is a "gel" and could be dangerous. Her return flight home was delayed. She has diabetes and sitting waiting for her flight with no food, she began to have an insulin reaction; but didn't know it. By coincidence, a friend of Camie's came in on a flight and just happened to walk past gma, recognized her and spoke to her. When she got past the security check -point of no return - and met Camie they realized she was probably having a reaction. They were not allowed to return to her, but the airport agreed to page her. Through the fog of her reaction, gma heard her name being called and feebly raised her hand. They were able to get her OJ and she came out of it. What a "coincidence" that Camie's friend just happened to run into her. I have goosebumps thinking about it.
Einstein said "Coincidence is God's way of remaining anonymous." I like Elder Bednar's phrase "tender mercies." I am constantly amazed at the many mercies that occur in my life. This week was really really crazy, yet in the middle of it, a "coincidence" left me speechless and humbled. I know that although it seems there is chaos everywhere I turn, there is a method to this madness - "Trust in the Lord. . . he shall direct thy paths." Proverbs 3:5-6

Mrs. McGregor's Pie

Last fall, we planted over 100 bulbs. Unfortunately between the elk and jack rabbits, we aren't seeing much of them. I'm thinking about Peter Rabbit's father who ended up in a pie. - Good for you Mrs. McGregor
(I am also having flashbacks of Mike Flake's lessons on varmint control with a spotlight, baseball bat and a gun)


A lone daffodil ---------------------------------- Poor tulip - nibbled to death

Elk droppings are everywhere.(If this picture doesn't prove we are red-necks, nothing will.)

Un"expected"

Thora was expecting on Easter - We had documentation of the "act." As Mitchell says - "you know you're rednecks when your dogs are hookin up in the back of your truck as you are driving down Main St." - 5:45 yesterday morning Trav was leaving to go to the dome and came rushing back in freaking out - admit it T., you were - Amazingly I was already dressed to go for a walk and came out to see him running from the shed to the garage with a precious bundle in his arms. Luckily he had put Thora in the shed the night before to get her used to the whelping box. Well, she put it to good use and had 5 puppies on her own. They were a tad cold, but clean and alive. We moved her into the gun room and set up the maternity ward. The kids went to school, but when I found out Sully didn't have testing, I brought him home just in time for her to pop out 2 more. She had them so easily (Sue, our last dog and grandma to these, suffered miserable through 2 deliveries almost dying herself with puppies getting stuck etc.)We are having fun with these little piglets.

"Ultimate DOG PILE"



Proud Parents Max & Thora

Sunrise Mtn

Stella & Jeff enjoyed snowboarding this year. (Mitchell was too busy wrestling)
Remember - we are just 20 minutes away from the best slopes in AZ and offer a free bed and breakfast!

Typical Red-Neck Towns

Friday night, the planets were temporarily aligned (very temporarily) - Travis and I looked at each other "Hey, let's go the the movie" - Taken was finally at the El Rio. About 20 other people had the same idea - so luckily they had enough to run the movie. We settled into the non-reclining naugehyde seats (without cup holders) and watched the previews - amazingly they kept the picture off the ceiling. Then the movie began. It didn't feel right and the few couples around us all began looking at each other perplexed. It took several minutes into the introduction to verify that "Yup, this ain't Taken" Apparently the St. Johns theatre put Coraline in the Taken reel box. See what happened when grandma retired - kids in SJ can't read! We got our money back - too bad we won't have a night to go for another 6 months or so.

Boy OH Boy

Sully finally was able to celebrate his birthday. (We had so many tournaments and other weekend activities we were a good month behind. He made up for it though.
Playing "guys", Axis & Allies, Ping Pong, Movie, 100 Dice game, Nerf Ball & PS2. I couldn't get away to pick up the pizza and so scrounged through the freezer and impressed them with a variety of party pizzas
(gourmet? - NOT)

Dear Mr. Groundhog

When will it warm up? We have had snow twice this week. Of course the wind has been howling and it bites through your clothing. The wind has been so bad, we have kept the kids in at recess. Mind you, we send them out in the snow, 25 degrees promotes health. But 60 mph winds - we draw the line. Luckily we have had wood to spare. Jefferson spent his entire spring break splitting and moving the wood pile. I just wish we didn't have to keep using it.


Travis the Lumberjack