Hello October
Saturday was our stake service project that Josh was kind of in charge of and it went super well. We had a free garage sale so we all donated stuff and a few of my neighbors did too and then Saturday people could just come take what they wanted/needed. I picked Curtis up from his long cross country run and got there a little after 10 and it was slow but steady for the next two hours with people coming in. There was still a lot of stuff but the estimate was that we gave away about 90 percent of what was donated so that's awesome. It required very little man power, no cost and was flexible in how you could participate so I think it was great. Then I took Emma shopping and since it was rainy we just hung out at home and that was wonderfully unusual for a Saturday afternoon/evening.
Sunday was a tough day because of the shooting in Michigan. My sister's stake is right next door and they were having stake conference at the time. It was announced during their meeting what had happened and then they locked their doors and put men at every door to keep an eye out. So scary and sad. I love that the initial reaction of most of the victims was to run outside to help, thinking it had been a terrible car accident. There is just so much hate in this world and it has been overwhelmingly sad to me lately. Even at the BYU football game last week the fans at CU were chanting awful things to our players and fans. They got fined 50K by the Big 12 and I hope that helps deter others from using religious slurs and just being plain mean. That makes me so mad in sports; be competitive but polite and remember it is just a game. Their coach said they were probably drunk and high, as if that is an excuse for totally unacceptable behavior. I'm so glad we won that game.
Anyway, the rest of Sunday was a bit stressful because we had the sister missionaries over for dinner but Josh ended up being delayed so he missed dinner and then Lily had to leave for a fireside. It is just not an easy time of life to have people over for dinner. President Nelson had also passed away but I was actually quite happy for him. What a life of service he has led; he deserves a rest.
Monday was busy with house stuff and life stuff and piano lessons and then Brandon had a game. He finally got a hit! Of course I missed it because I went to pick up Curtis from his XC pasta party nearby but Josh and the girls cheered for him. The girls were also very happy that evening because the cast list for Nutcracker came out and they were both very happy with their roles.
The rest of the week was pretty normal, although on Wednesday I did take Emma to get her ears pierced. She finally decided she wanted it done and we actually had gone on Monday (she had an early dismissal because her school lost power) but they were closed so we went back and got it done on our way to dance. She was very brave and is happy it is over and done.
Thursday was a beautiful day and I finally got to meet up with Elizabeth for a walk around Jefferson Patterson Park. I had never been there but it was pretty and fun to catch up. We haven't really talked since she had to quit piano lessons last year and it was nice to reconnect and be outside on such a lovely day. Friday I had all day substitute teaching training and it freaked me out a bit and made me wonder why anyone becomes a teacher or sends their kids to school but now I just have to get finger printed and observe one morning and then have one more meeting and I am good to go. I am super anxious about it all and how it is going to work out but I have subbed in both CA and OH so I just need to get back in the groove. Of course I didn't have kids then so life was very different. We'll see how it goes.
Friday Brandon had another baseball game and then Saturday Lily was off to Nutcracker rehearsal and we went to Curtis's tournament. He won the first game and got smashed the second one but he played well both games. He had some great catches at LF and also a nice hit that ended in a run. It does get a bit exhausting watching your team lose and lose and lose again so here's hoping for some late-season success! Curtis only has one more tournament and a scrimmage and then fall ball will be done. I think it has been a lot for him to do two sports this season and that he is going to go a bit crazy not doing one at all during the winter (he didn't enjoy indoor track and doesn't think he's good enough for the basketball team) but his goal is to bulk up and be ready for an awesome spring baseball season.
Then we got Brusters on the way home since they have oat milk ice cream again for Josh and then I took the boys to Target to get pants and flu shots. Then home for General Conference, dinner, taking Curtis to the homecoming dance and more conference, which was wonderful.
It was so great to sleep in on Sunday then Josh made us pancakes and we watched more conference, went for a walk and did some piano with my kids since our week days get so busy. After the last session we had a special dinner to celebrate Josh's baptismal anniversary. He was baptized October 2, 1999 so it was 26 years ago. We had a busy day on Thursday so he opted to celebrate Sunday so we had ribs and twice baked potatoes and rolls and then we made fried dough/doughnut kind of things for dessert. I got him a new shirt and two ties (couldn't make up my mind) and I read to my kids from my journal about that weekend 26 years ago when I flew to Florida to participate in his baptism. It was probably the most important day of all of our lives since it meant every happy day after could happen. I'm so grateful Josh was prepared by the Lord to accept the gospel and that he has been faithful to his testimony ever since. He was a wonderful missionary, and works so hard to be a good father, husband and leader in his calling.
October 2 is also the special day that my sister was born and died, two years before I came along into our family. I always felt she was close to me while I was trying to get pregnant with Lily (hence Lily's middle name is her name) and I have felt a loneliness my whole life because she isn't here but I look forward to being buddies with her in eternity. I also think it is super special that Josh got baptized on her birthday; she is definitely connected to our family.
Yesterday I went and had brunch with Michelle (my high school friend) and it was great to chat with her. We end up seeing each other about twice a year and it is always fun to connect and laugh together. Today was more pickle ball and it was great fun! I should be canning applesauce but my mom called as I was driving home and we got talking and I lost motivation. Apparently I wrote a journal for my mom in 2010. I started it as a mother's day gift and wrote in it for the year, recording experiences and memories and gratitude for her. She found it today and went and read it with my dad and then called to tell me what a loving daughter I am and how grateful she is for me. She also read a bit to me about what I wrote about Lily and then I was crying because man I love that girl and I hope I've been a good enough mom to her. I'm so grateful for journals and have such a testimony of how important it is to keep a record of our lives and especially our important spiritual and family experiences.
and apparently I have been terrible at taking pictures lately so here is a bonus I found on Josh's phone from last Christmas
Your schedule is so crazy; I don't know how you manage it all! That 2010 journal gift was such a thoughtful idea. And, congratulations to Lily and Emma on getting roles they are happy with :)
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