This photo will mean something to the Sanchez Kids Over 30 Club. After years of searching, I found a copy of this record to give to Joe. We loved to listen to this when we were kids.
Oh, that Goliath! (Can you just hear Joe’s raspy little boy voice quoting him?)
I admire how Joe meets his challenges with faith and wisdom.
Yesterday I spoke in Stake Conference. Giving a talk is something I like to do, and for some reason my panicky personality doesn’t melt down when I speak. I agonized quite a bit over what to say and lost some sleep, but just in time, and with a lot of prayer, the words came.
Someone told me on Saturday that she didn’t think I had a voice. I thought of her as I spoke to all those people and I felt a little vindicated. Of course I have a voice. This introvert actually has a lot of things to say and I felt grateful for the opportunity to speak.
For everyone, Monday means facing the things that were neglected over the weekend. And with all the talk preparation, there are a lot of neglected tasks at my house. I need to focus on my breathing, feed my family, and then get back to work.
I work with these young women.
I have a scheduled day of pampering on Thursday, the day after Young Women in Excellence night. I will be in knit pants all day and my biggest exertion will be to turn on the mixer to make some cookie dough. But count on it, I’ll be Superwoman until then.
I wrote a song for the Young Women in Excellence night for the girls to sing. Don’t be that impressed. It’s in C major and it’s a whopping 12 measures, but when you sing it 3 times, it is 3 times longer, so we’re definitely doing that. Unfortunately, I learned it’s the kind of song that sticks in people’s heads at 3 a.m. so they can’t sleep. I had hoped it would pop into the heads of the young women when they were at critical decision making moments. (“Sorry, Billy, I just can’t do that. Sister Ross’s song is in my head.”) Instead, it’s just making people crazy.
I haven’t picked up a book in days.
It’s been a busy few months, but on the busy days I keep remembering that I LIKE to be busy. I LIKE the adrenaline and the planning. So while I’m not really feeling sorry for my busy little self, I AM planning a day of absolute sloth. I am aching to read a book (Did I steal that from Anne of Green Gables?) and it would be nice to prepare a dinner with care instead of haste; watch a movie instead of a computer screen; savor instead of skim.
Aren’t those young women beautiful? Can you find Paige?
I’m always curious what people are reading. This week I finished The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco, I’m chipping at The Prince by Machiavelli, savoring Gift from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh, and reading (for the first time) Mansfield Park by Jane Austen. It’s my birthday week so I am reading an Austen and Gift from the Sea as a present to myself.
Next time I see you, let’s talk books. I love to talk about books.
She spent all weekend working on costumes. It was almost midnight and Darth Laundry was was holding her captive.
Post costume party laundry time capers.
I’ve been exchanging computer time for other things. It’s a good project but the results are slow in coming. I mean the results I fabricated when I started this exchange project… surely my hand-picked results would be the outcome???!! Not so, readers. Even when you replace good with better it’s not up to you to determine the outcome. I know this is vague and boring. The lesson in a nutshell: You can’t choose your outcomes, especially when outcomes involve other people with free will.
I originally intended to exchange computer time for violin and other pursuits. I still haven’t fiddled, but I have been
What were my intended results? They’re too outlandish to admit.
Paige and I spent the day at Youth Conference on Saturday. Here’s a video of the service project we did in the morning. We cleaned up the community garden at the park behind our church. Paige is interviewed in the film but she wants people to know that she didn’t take that long of a pause when she was talking.
httpv://youtu.be/0nuxvy0JA0Q
At Church yesterday, Daniel was ordained a Deacon. The little boys practiced giving their talks for the Primary program. Richard, Paige, and I went to a handful of meetings before church. I taught in Young Women. We got home from church around 7:00. Paige made dinner. I collapsed on the bed in my dress and awoke this morning at 6:30. Somebody put the kids to bed but it wasn’t me.
It’s fall break for the public schools this week. I’m going to watch the rye grass grow and the hummingbirds visit our feeder in the backyard. We are taking a vacation from school and I’ll be preparing assignments and reading ahead in the textbooks.
The winds came through , blowing cool air and sending us to our closets for sweaters. As I taxied kids around town yesterday the old brain registered the overcast skies, wind, and cool temperatures as holiday weather. A little leap in my heart signaled the end of my summer misery. I felt Christmas and hope and lights and music all at once.
Eggnog is available in stores now. It’s a staple for Mark from October through December.
I’ve got some presents purchased and stashed in corners. I love that.
The weather will warm up again, but I’m thankful to be cool outside for the first time in a very long time.
“There are many of the sisters whose labors are not known beyond their own dwellings and perhaps not appreciated there, but what difference does that make? If your labors are acceptable to God, however simple the duties, if faithfully performed, you should never be discouraged.” -Eliza R. Snow
