Starting in the Middle

We are up with the Jones in Texas because we finally have the internet, so no excuses for not blogging.  I hope to go back to the first of our mission and blog, but won’t at this time.  Here are details about the last week or so. 
The weather-We had a great week of sunshine and warm days and nights.  The goal was to get the new metal roof on the house that we are working on, which is called the Guest House, not because it is for guests but because the Guest family lived there previously.  Saturday, about noon, Keith climbed off the roof, feeling like it was secure and would protect the inside.  The sprinkles started then and by Monday we have two inches of rain.  Closer to Mexia, which is where the church is, there was four inches.  Our roof did it’s job. 
The House-We are working back inside now.  Most of the painting is done, just touchup and the bathroom walls.  I would have painted them, but was waiting for plumbing.  We need to install the new windows, which are here, the floor covering, and then the new doors.  We were able to save the ceiling fans, happy day.  There are tons of crickets and cockroaches.  An exterminator sprayed last week and there are less bugs, but until the house is occupied, the bugs take up residency. No cabinets yet, and the last thing will probably be the siding. The appliances were purchased during a Black Friday sale and are to be delivered Dec 26th.  Hope we are ready. 

After and before pictures of the roof. 

Before and after pictures of the kitchen.

Yesterday-It was an interesting day for me.  I ventured off to town (Waco) by myself to FedEx checks for the ranch to Oklahoma and to ship our kid’s families their Christmas packages.  I also needed to take a sizable ranch check to Home Depot to pay for new floorcovering for a different ranch house.  We still have the Christmas packages because the cost to ship was double the cost of the contents.  Why didn’t I use Amazon and free shipping?  Looks like there will be Christmas in February when we go home.  At Home Depot, the service desk person inserted the check into her machine and it ate it along the edge that has the routing number.  What a mess.  Took forever for them to work it out and accept the check they damaged. 

Sunday-Keith spoke in Sacrament meeting.  He told lots of cool stories illustrating examples of following the scriptures.  He is a good storyteller.  Not many folks in attendance, about 35.  Sometimes there are close to 70. No Christmas party or other Christmas activities planned, except once a month there a potluck dinner after the block of meetings.  This month there will be a Christmas message given.  It is so different.  The missionaries come to dinner about once a week.  Kiley feels like they are starving.  One looks like a young Joseph Smith.  I call him Elder Joseph.  They did have a baptism last Saturday. 

Missing the Badge

We need a final post then send to the printers for a book of our mission to Texas.  When I see others with their missionary badges I am a little envious, although it is good to be home and able to see kids, hold babies, and mow the lawn and grind wheat and make regular bread, etc. Keith is so busy with water, he wishes for a quiet day in his machine on the thousand hills.
We did leave Texas on Sat. March 28th and went through parts of New Mexico we had never seen, which included two areas where my ancestors are from, then to Arizona to be with Mother.  She had suffered a fall and we felt the need to go spend time there.  In New Mexico, we went to Cloud Croft where my grandmother, Lucy Grace Smith Moody was born and then to Alamogordo where her grandparents spent their later years and are buried.

 

In Arizona, Mother was doing better than we expected.  She did have two fractures in her pelvis and was using a walker.  Kay had been spending each day and night with her, so we stayed a week.  Keith was able to work on some projects in her home.  I mostly visited with Mother and Kay, Hailey and Ruben.  Mother’s Joseph’s Coat was blooming prolifically like it does.  What a breath-taking sight.  We do have plans to get together in July for the the Ed Brown reunion.

We did make it to Mijken’s in time for general conference after an 18 hour drive, then on home for Sunday’s sessions.

 

Bret and Jen hosted us for afternoon session on Sunday.  All the kids were great, didn’t need us at all.  We hurried back to Laramie the next week to attend the temple with Kameron.  Greatest time ever.  So we saw the Jensen boys and then Luke and Sara on the way home.  We also watched Tricia’s boys when she went to get Lexi from Rexburg.  Now we have seen everyone, expect …. the Bagley’s in Florida!

 

       

On April 26 we spoke in church and the girls sang.  Here we are, except for the Florida, Wyoming, and Heber kids.

Final Days

 

We are leaving soon and must post “branding” pictures and description.  The ranch hires local cowboys and some that go on a circuit around to which ever ranch is branding.  We cook for fifteen cowboys, but cook enough for leftovers for their supper too, and ours.  We have learned that there is no need to make any fluffy salads or strawberry jam.  We are sure that if they would try it, they would like it, but they all look and go on down the line.  Only meat and potatoes for these cowboys.  Today we told them that their mother’s called and told them they liked pink-the salad was the yogurt, strawberry one.  Not many takers still, except Coley who came back for seconds.  

I was happy to see that all cowboys don’t wear Wranglers.  Several wore Levis, just like my cowboy daddy.  They are all very kind and a little shy.  “Yes Ma’am” and “No Ma’am” is about all the say, except “Thank you’all”.

 

 

 

The Cooks-Sister Christiansen, Sister Pyper, and Sister me.

 

We didn’t go out and watch the branding.  Been there, done that.  There is at least one more week, possibly two of branding.  Sister Pyper, the white haired lady will be on her own after the 1st.  The secretary and Miguel’s wife will help her.  Miguel’s wife speaks no English.  Hopefully all will go well.

Spring??

 

 

I wish I had pictures of the really bad roads.  We just cannot explain how bad they can get.  The pickup and trailer are the grubber’s transportation and fuel/service trailer.  Keith tries to have the fuel delivery truck fill the tank rather than having to fill it himself out of the big tank here at headquarters.  It takes forever.  The tank will last four days.

We had our last day at school today.  It was a little sad.  The kids are so great.  And, of course, so are the teachers.  One teacher bought us lunch.  We took the kids fruit treats, but need to do something for the teachers. 

The best news though is Kameron’s mission call to Alaska!  Couldn’t be more excited for him.  Kurtis said that is will be a long time before they would see each other again, which it will be.  We are trying to figure out our schedule for leaving here, going to Arizona, then home and then to the temple with Kameron on April 11th, which is Kam’s birthday.  What a great day to be endowed!

We did have a quick visit from Washington friends, Vard and Verdene Jenks.  They were on the way to their daughter’s near Houston and took the time to stop.  I met them at the gate and we went in the 7L where Keith and the other missionaries have been grubbing.  It was fun, except the rains started and we slipped and slid to get back out to the highway.  We appreciated their stopping on their long trip to see us. Wish I had pictures.

There is no way I can resist attaching this picture, agreed?  This is Rett, Mijken’s four year old.  Do you think she still made cookies with Rett’s “dirt”?

And now it is March and another brother’s birthday, and sister too!

 

Happy birthday to a brother, Don and sister, Kay.

We are doing good.  The mud from the melted snow kept the men from grubbing today so two helped with building construction, one grubbed with the new bobcat because he was able to drive it out to a close pasture when pickups couldn’t make it,  and Keith learned how to feed so he can do that while the cowboys are in SLC for annual meeting.  Keith says he will need all day just to find where the cows are.  He feeds half on Wed. and the other half on Thu.

We Sisters did meet and plan food for branding.  When my husband saw the menu, he said that it will never do, not enough meat and potatoes.  Yikes!  Guess we will see, and hopefully the cowboys won’t starve.

We did slip and slide to the temple on Saturday.  We were blessed to make the trip safely.  There were five sister temple workers there because of the bad roads.  We didn’t complete the work we hoped to accomplish, but will go again, maybe to Gila Valley Temple!

This is a picture of a little wild piglet who is freezing in the snow.  His mama ran away, but he stayed, shivering and saying “this little piggy wants to go home”.

February 19th-Brother Bruce’s birthday

 

All is well here with us.  Spring is not sprung yet, the temps go from 70’s to 20’s.  Forecast is for low of 13 on Sunday.  I think the temps are better in Oregon than here, at least more consistant. 

We Sisters went out this morning to take pictures of the men clearing brush-grubbing.  Hope you can see what it looks like.

 

It is my brother Bruce’s birthday today.  He was born when I was a freshman at Ricks which was 1965-that must mean that Bruce is celebrating his 50th!  Yikes, that makes me really old!  We have four grandkid’s birthdays in March; Wyatt turning 16, Ashley turning 14, Ren turning 9, and Erin turning 15.  Kache was the only birthday in February, he turned 11. 

We are trying to go to the temple on Saturday.  There was a convert baptism last Sunday morning, at a hotel swimming pool, since our font/building is under construction.  The branch president asked us to take her to do baptisms.  We will see how that works for Keith, two sister missionaries, their convert, and me to fit in our pickup for the trip.  I’ve been working on family names all week instead of sewing.  We did deliver all our creations last week, to Crowell and Childress nursing homes. 

February 9th-What’s up with us

 

It is a quiet Monday morning after a busy week last week.  The weather is great-has been in the 70’s for several days.  No wind or rain, just very pleasant weather.  We are missing one missionary grubber today.  Pyper’s are in Amarillo for a root canal repair for Sister Pyper.  They stayed last night after Stake Conference Sat. and Sun.  Last week Christiansen’s went home to Utah the funeral of her nephew, but they are back this morning.  Keith thinks that the men are doing well and have learned to grub a little faster.  Their goal is to do a mile and a half each day, per machine, which he used to think was impossible, but they are getting close to the goal.

There is a roadrunner in this picture.  Can you find it?  Keith says that they are really interesting to watch.  He says they play games with him.  I can’t see it.  Hope you can.

The scouts went camping Friday night.  The scout master is new at this and Keith said things were pretty interesting.  The scouts survived, not sure about the men.  Keith was home by noon on Saturday and we left for Stake Conf. in Amarillo.  We had time for a hair cut, pickup wash, and Wendy’s before the Sat. evening meeting, then Walmart after.  Sunday, we were the first ones to leave the parking lot.  Not sure why we were in such a hurry, but were home by 3.

About Stake Conference-it was great.  There was a visiting authority, Elder George M. Keele.  The best part about the Sat. evening meeting was all the missionaries.  The stake has at least 50!  Our branch has four.  The choir was the missionaries.  For their first number they sat in the choir seats, then sat with their investigators or in the audience.  For the second number, they stood where they were sitting and sang. Then at the end, Elder Keele had them stand and hum “As I Have Loved You” while he read several scriptures.  This was very effective and heart rending.  The only speaker was a member of the Stake Presidency who is recovering from cancer.  Of course, we loved all that he taught us.  He did tell about when his parents were called on a mission and he was left with the ranch.  He said he had to spend most of his time in the office, so hired someone to do the work he would normally do.  Each day the hired man came to the office to get his assignments, then after that list was completed, he would come back to the boss and say, “What next, boss?”  After a while, the boss said to the hired man that he had worked there long enough, he should be able to know what was next, but the hired man said, “He only did what he was told.”  Pres. Horn gave this example so we would know to go the extra mile, not just what was expected, as ward council members, regular members, and human beings.  The rest of the Sat. evening program was a panel discussion of new members, re-activated members, and one non-member.  It was real proof of the value and need of our missionaries.  Thanks, Kurtis and Kameron, soon. 

Sunday meeting was the regular speakers, including temple and mission Presidents and wives, and youth speakers.  Elder Keele did get the last half hour and he fed us well.  Keith’s version which he wrote to Kurt:

Just returned from stake conference in Amarillo a 3 hour drive away. What a special meeting Saturday and sunday. We had Elder Keele from the 70. He told of driving with his grandchildren in Nevada and fell asleep at the wheel. The car behind had all the parents and they could see that he was going to hit the truck oncoming and were screaming at him but of course he could not hear them. He said  what he saw in his dream state was the 2 vehicles pass each other at about 2 miles per hour and as he looked out the window the other man was looking at him. The Lord spared their lives for some reason. When they stopped the Parents told what they saw and of course elder keele was a sleep so he did not see what they saw but he saw the other man passing as they looked at each other. They wept and thanked Heavenly father for sparing their lives.

Anyway, we sure enjoyed ourselves.  One prayer included proper prayer language, but we are getting more used to the “mission field” prayers with non prayer language.  Can’t judge, just have to remember that!

#27-Kolt

 

I can’t stand not to show everyone these darling pictures.  He doesn’t appear intolerant to anything here.  Can’t wait to hold him, but when?  Now he doesn’t look like any of his brothers, just like himself.

January 27, 2015

 

Things are going along about the same as last post.  We are now a force of four couples of missionaries.  The new couple is from Wellington, by Price, Utah.  She is a retired teacher and he is a retired truck driver for the mines near Price.  She will work in the K-3.  They are together in the elementary building which is partially closed-not enough students.  The other half of the elementary is in the top floor of the high school, with the Jr. High.  Sis. Christiansen and I spend our mornings in the High School building and the afternoons, in the Elementary building.

Here is a picture of what we have been doing.  We recruited another outlet for our projects-the Childress Nursing Home.  We are also using towels for the bibs or aprons.  The second quilt is on it’s way to Florida for Kolt.  Think he will like it?

 

On Saturday, we were at the temple with Brother White.  Keith was responsible to help him be endowed for his father and then have his parents sealed and then be sealed to them.  Brother White is a very picturesque person-tall, white haired with white borderline handlebar mustache.  Looks like he should be a Texan.  He is not too frail in body, but pretty frail in mind.  He is about 80.  Anyway, when they were about to go to the veil, Keith noticed that Brother White did not have his father’s blue card, but a temple one.  So in the name issue booth, Brother White must not have given the officiator his father’s card and received a temple name card.  Brother White is also diabetic, so we were concerned about his health.  We were a little frantic and were afraid he would be sick and disappointed.  Things worked out okay though.  The family history director of the Branch took him to the break room and bought him snacks from the vending machines and then to the baptistry to watch the Branch youth baptism.  He ended up being a witness.  In the meantime, Keith and I hustled into the next session and Keith was endowed for the father, then we all gathered for the sealings.  I don’t think Brother White even realized what had happened, and we sure didn’t tell him.

Sunday, January 11, 2015

 

Here are more pictures of Keith’s work.  He says it is less mental than physical.  He is pretty physically beat when he gets home from the bucking, rattling, jostling, etc.  They do a strip 50 yards wide on each side of the pasture roads, making room for pasture grass to grow and still leave brush for the wildlife.  The last picture shows where they have piled the brush in a windrow to be burned.  This clearing of brush is needed for pasture and for fire breaks.

January 7th, 2015!

 

Wow, how time flies.  We may have another baby by this time next week, and our last baby, Wynn, is getting so big and mature.  Mijken says he is a good baby and sometimes sleeps through the night.  We saw pictures of Adrian’s basketball games on facebook, even Bret and Jen in the bleachers.  And of course, Cole feeding the masses of Jensen’s at Wendys.  We are grateful that Kurtis is doing as well as he is.  Those foreign missions are hard on foreign missionary’s stomachs.  Lexi is back to school.  Kameron is home for a couple more weeks.  His mother has resorted to torture-Kameron is doing such things as cleaning the frig and the store rooms.  He will be happy to be back at school. 

Keith is finally grubbing.  He did enjoy being around the shop and doing some maintenance, but is doing well with his new excavator or trackhoe or whatever it is.  He was afraid that the learning curve would be like it was with the grader, but its is not.  His biggest problem is finding out how to shut off the beeper when he goes backwards, which is all the time.  Only one excavator has arrived, the other one is due today, so the other missionary, Elder Christiansen, will have a job soon.  The Christiansen’s arrived on Saturday and they are from Hyrum, Utah.

 

         

I am still working on inventory and am ready to mail boot cuffs to the laurels in Erica’s ward in Cheyenne.  I felt guilty making them until I realized that I can give them to someone besides family.  Today we go back to school and Sister Christiansen came with loads of fabrics to start on more projects for the nursing homes.  My biggest problem is that this laptop does not have Excell and I do not know how to use the spread sheet on Microsoft Works. It is pretty sad to be electronically illiterate.

We are out of strawberry jam, so must go to a big town for strawberries.  This is like being out of milk, serious business.  We plan to go on Friday.  It is a big deal when you go to big town around here, the list is long.