Week Ending August 10, 2013

Sunday at church Ted confirmed the little girl baptized on Saturday. Her mom had taken her sister home to Phoenix so she wasn’t there.

After church I visited with the branch president about seminary. He feels we should keep the class together. I had pondered our situation during the night and came to the same conclusion. But I also felt that it is wrong not to allow the students who want to do the online program to do it. They could meet with the workbook students for the weekly meeting. If it is a better program, surely it is better even if the class is smaller than optimal. I told the president I agreed with him, but that I was going to go back and ask for reconsideration of our situation. He agreed. There is so much to do to get this going I think it will wear me out.

We got home later than we had hoped from a home teaching appointment so we had to microwave the potatoes for our dish for the young adult dinner. We had a good, scratch that, GREAT turnout for dinner and the fireside. There were probably 16-20 kids from the stake in attendance. We had a yummy dinner, then the seminary/institute coordinator showed a video about Centers for Young Adults and the stake president spoke about making institute a priority in their lives. His comments were powerful and I’m hopeful the young adults will come more. We also picked up two of the sewing machines.

Clouds in the sky

I spoke with our supervisor at the fireside. I told him the branch president’s decision about seminary, but that I thought we should let those who wanted do online and have a hybrid. I could not see that having less than 7 would make it not effective. I realize the optimal size is larger, but that doesn’t mean that even the smaller class can’t be better than the workbooks. He agreed and said he would make a case for us. We’ll pray it happens. I need to know soon so we can move ahead.

Monday we went to home evening. There was a good crowd. We played spoons and ate Sister Mortenson’s leftovers. It was fun. We visited briefly with another senior couple and they gave us vegetables from their garden, which is amazing! As we drove home the sky was really dark and lightning was flashing all around to the south and west. There were several long streaks of lightning, but there were also many flashes where the entire cloudbank lit up. Just as we drove up to the house a few drops started falling. We got inside none too soon, as it started really pouring rain. It slowed to a gentle rain and kept up most of the night.

Tuesday I finished my online certification for seminary. I really hope we can move this direction, but it will be a ton of work and I will need to be right on it every day.

I texted my supervisor to see where we are with the seminary class and he said it was still undecided. We were attending the seminary teachers annual broadcast. The meeting was excellent. During the meeting I received a text from the supervisor saying the online class is on. I hope that means it is really resolved. I have requested some required information from a couple of parents but haven’t heard anything. Is nothing easy?

We were supposed to have branch council in the evening. When we got to the church, no one was there. We tried to reach the branch president but there was no answer. We called the missionaries and they said the president was out of town. I asked about the meeting. He said the meeting hadn’t been announced Sunday. I responded that it was in the announcements per the president. I feel that if there is some room for error, it should be announced that there is NOT a meeting rather than just not hold it. We went home feeling a bit disgruntled.

Wednesday we were at home all day. I cleaned up my seminary stuff so I could actually see what I had. In the afternoon we were rushing to get ready to go read with a family. Before we left Ted thought we should call her. Good thing we did. She was in Albuquerque.

We left a bit early for seminary since we needed to run some errands. When we used the new crock we purchased, it cooked too hot, so we donated the entire appliance to Goodwill. We stopped at Walmart and got a crock pot. We then headed to Tohlakai. A couple of Ted’s students have a garden behind the church that is doing really well. They pulled in just in front of us and were in the garden so we went out to visit. They gave us some vegetables that were really lovely. Seminary went well. One of my students was in the car for 20 minutes listening to her music. I finally went out and got her. I have no idea what that was about.

Toh-la-kai Chapel

Thursday I sorted the pieces of fabric at the church. When the Relief Society president arrived she had another bag of fabric pieces—some velvets and satins that would make a very nice quilt. We picked out some fabrics and I began cutting pieces and she began sewing. We were able to figure out how to thread the machine and it worked really well.

Two of our children and their families were coming for the weekend. As it turned out, they made really good time and arrived earlier than we’d thought. We ordered some pizza and all ate in Steven and Emily’s room. It was so good to see everyone. I was thrilled. The grandchildren were so sweet. Kate has grown so much.

Steven had agreed to teach part of Ted’s institute class so they left to go to that. The rest of us packed into the vans and went to watch the Indian dancing at the courthouse. It was nice, but it was jammed so we had to stand the entire time. Afterward we walked over to see what the vendors were selling. Heather and Scott took their kids and went back to the hotel. Emily and the boys and I went on to the parade. We went to the street near the beginning so we could finish up earlier. There was a police car parked blocking the intersection and there was a lot of front row seating right next to it, so we claimed our space. We had spread out the napkins we had found in my purse from dinner and sat down. Ted and Steven joined us just in time for the parade.

Omaha dancer at courthouse--jingle dress

The parade started a bit late, but it was fun to watch. There were a lot of princesses in native dress representing every city and school in the area. There were several dance groups and it seemed that they all decided to dance just in front of us, so we had a good spot to watch. The evening was really nice so it was good to be able to sit and visit. We were glad when the parade was over because we were all tired. Steven and Emily had brought a bunch of stuff they and Heather had collected for the quilting project, so we took it all to the church and stowed it in the closets.

Friday Steven and his boys came over early to see our home. Our cottage is small enough that once you’re in it, the tour is over. I took the boys to see the horses and they wandered around back to see the ducks. We looked at the ant hills and then walked through the little village to show them the neighborhood. There is a playground at the back so that was exciting to them. They played a bit then we left for the hotel to meet Heather and Scott.

We loaded up and drove to Ramah for lunch at the Stagecoach Café. It was fun visiting a bit. From there we drove to El Morro where the other adults and kids climbed to the ruins and I stayed with Seth and Kate. I decided to take the stroller out to Inscription Rock while we waited. I missed the sign for handicap access and found myself pushing the stroller up a significant hill. I thought about turning back and decided that was a cop out so I persevered. When I realized the trail went down a hill just as steep and that I would have to negotiate that coming back, I decided to head back. I got to the handicap turn and started down a ways, but I was too hot to go on any further and went back to the visitors’ center.

Steven and Emily and family at volcano

Scott and Heather and family at volcano

I think everyone was tired, but we decided to go on to the volcano and ice caves. We ended up carrying little kids most of the way up. We got to the crater, took a couple of pictures, then started down. On the way Scott noticed a wall of rain headed our way so he encouraged the group to hurry down. About half way down it started raining, then hailing, then raining again, then hailing again. Everyone was ahead of Emily and Cason and me because we were going slower than the group. I think they got the kids down OK. Scott tried to cover Kate but couldn’t really run with her. Steven helped get Leedoms kids down then ran back up to get Cason and carry him at a full run to the trading post. Emily and I came along as fast as we could. The owners had towels for us when we got in. The hail was actually fairly heavy so it hurt when it hit—what an experience! We decided to wait for the storm to go over before going to the ice caves.

Helping the little ones down the hill

Running from volcano to beat the rain!

Leedoms were not interested in the ice caves at that point so they went home to get the kids dry and warm. The rest of us waited a bit then started to the ice caves. The rain sort of slowed and they had umbrellas so we were able to go on OK. At the ice caves, it got really cold about half way down the stairs. It stays at 31 degrees all year. It was too cold to stay long since we were all sopping wet so we just took pictures to prove we were there then headed back. About half way back it started to rain again so we were glad for the umbrellas. We went straight to the car and headed out. It’s a beautiful drive, but I don’t think we were able to see as much as we could have because of the clouds and the rain.

Yes, we were at the ice cave, sopping wet from hail storm!

We returned to the hotel and got our car then headed home. We had invited everyone for a barbeque so we needed to get ready. The kids had a good time with each other which was nice. After we ate the kids went to see the horses and go to the playground for a while. We were all tired, so they didn’t stay long.

Parade dancers

Saturday we were up and ready early so we could get seats for the parade. We met up with Steven and Emily and drove to the parade. We parked a few blocks away so we could get out easily then walked the rest of the way. There was room near the east end so we set up chairs. Emily and I went across the street and looked in a few shops while we waited. The parade was a lot the same as Thursday night. I noticed a few additions, but it was difficult to tell just how many. Heather and Scott joined us just before 11 AM. They didn’t want to stay long, but they had told their kids they were going to a parade, so they couldn’t disappoint them.

Parade dancer

Princess in native dress

We took the group to Earl’s Restaurant for lunch. It is a local point of interest. Vendors come around to the tables selling their wares so you can shop while you eat. After that Heather and the big girls and I went to the rodeo. Steven and group joined us. It was fun but the sun was hot. We wanted to wait for the bull riding. Just as the bull riding ended—which was very unspectacular because no one stayed on the bull and we could only see half the riders as it was—it began to sprinkle. We were leaving anyway, but we picked up the pace and got to the car just as it began coming down full force. It was a deluge. 

Bull riding at the rodeo

We went back to the hotel and went swimming with the group. The hotel pool is indoors so we were out of the weather. The kids did well and we all had a good time. After everyone finished swimming, we picked up some food and brought it to our house. We put a movie on for the kids and the adults had a good chance to visit.