Warning....Big Blog....

Signs of the Season, maybe at last?

 Leaves are turning..

In our travels we see some of the beauties of color.

The Oaks are producing...

I was told this only happens this abundantly once every sixty years.

 The acorn are everywhere...

Cypress turn and lose needles...

Yet we still have beautiful flowers...

Wait a moment!

What is this.....?????

The first dandilion I have seen in Florida.
November 28 2010.

But there are signs of the season...

One of the few 'traditional' decorations I have seen.
This was in Altamonte...
We were driving in all this traffic and business and eating and entertainment...
then we turned off on a little road.
All of a sudden it was quiet and we were in an older established neighborhood.
What a contrast in just seconds.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Finally rain came Wednesday evening....

 Traveling Friday we could see the storm move in...

 Traffic slowed to 30 miles an hour...

 Then when it was over...

A rainbow at the end of a beautiful day.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Life in the office never seems to change...

New phone books were left at each door...

So there will be a lot more of this.

 Spectators...

 Sister Ellsworth

Elder Campbell and Sister Snyder.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I don't think these guys ever get full.

Elders Fullmer Trotter Brown and Wood

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Elder Fielding.

 We went to Inverness to get a bike that wasn't being used.

Elder Kupher and Fielding.

(Becky tell Amy what a good kid and missionary he is.)

We found this on our trip to Inverness.

A tanker full of grapefruit juice...

or maybe orange juice.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Yes it is the Holiday season...

We did have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

The Pease family invited anyone who needed a place for Thanksgiving.

We were invited to be with the Seniors and assistants at the mission home.

But Sister Pease needed some help and we jumped at the chance to be with...

ward members and...

FAMILIES!

 Sister Collette Pease

Brother Quinton Pease

 Rose 10  and Maggie 7
They are making cute cards for table settings...
one for each person.

 Emma 5...
after we played a game

Becca 2 1/2

I took a lot of pictures or her, she reminds me so much of

Audrey...
(without the squeal)

The Hahn family joined us

Jaimee and Mark Hahn..

they brought Allison Kelsey and Keaton.

Marta's hubby is a pilot and she is a few weeks away..

from having that baby. He is gone on a flight to California.

Kids table...

That is where all the fun is.

Allison far Left then Margie Emma Kelsey and Rose

Keaton

 Sister Ellsworth and Snyder

Elder Trotter and Brown

Remember Othello?

Gathering for games...

So much fun.

We were so grateful to be with families...

Children...

of course missionaries...

and share their day

of 

Thanksgiving!

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Friday we went to Oveido to get Sister Lovejoy a new bike

Sister Davis and Sister Lovejoy with her new bike.

Sister Higginson and Pereira (Padeda)

from Waterford Lakes to show us where the bike shop was up there.

 Sister Pereira showing us the best kind of seat for a bike.
Soft and confey.

 

Sister Davis...

 Demonstrated the helmet...

And the child's bike seat.

Of course lunch at Panera bread after all that shopping.
Sisters Higginson Lovejoy Pereira and Davis.
(This is black Friday...the crowds were heavy except in the bike store.)

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Meet the Gauvin's

What a wonderful family.
Nine children 47 grandchildren (and a dog).
They are Roman Catholic...
Before it was changed to the modern Catholic church in 1963.
They are wonderful Christian people.
He is also called the 'Sewing Machine Doctor'
A series of events led us to them and how grateful we were to find them.
The whole story is in my journal, if you want it I will send that to you.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

During the Holiday Season we think a lot of family...
Elder Bednar in the April Conference gave a talk...
'Watching with All Perseverance'
It would be worth it to read.

At the end he makes this promise...
I bear witness that parents who consistently read and talk about the Book of Mormon with their children, who share testimony spontaneously with their children, and who invite children as gospel learners to act and not merely be acted upon will be blessed with eyes that can see afar off and with ears that can hear the sound of the trumpet.  The spiritual discernment and inspiration you will receive from the combination of these three holy habits will enable you to stand as watchmen on the tower for your families--"watching...with all perseverance""  (Ephesians 6:18)--to the blessing of your immediate family and your future posterity. 
I so promise and testify in the sacred name of the Lord Jesus Christ, amen.

Eight months...but who's counting?

I was looking through the book that has addresses phone numbers MTC date release date etc...

I saw our release date...

February 8 2012

We've come a long way since 'Intown Suites'

 Today is November 20...

No air conditioning...

Door open

 slightly overcast

warm and very pleasant.

This week the lows have been high 50's

the highs low 80's.

Can't ask for more...since

We got pictures from Chris showing snow on the mountain...

BUT a beautiful sunrise that caused a moment of reflection.

Juniper

(PS-today when we went to church 12:30 it was 75 degrees.  

When we left church at four the wind was blowing and it was 68 degrees and we were cold.

wind chill)

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Our new soon to be Granddaughter Pallavi

(Picture will be posted later)

The Jaman family have been approved to adopt her.

Mary Tim Nathan Jeran Megan and Joie (aka Diana Jo)

now Pallavi.

We are very excited.

With Edward (Beth and Trevor Rice)

 Sawyer (Jim and Shaye Campbell)

 and Claire (Steve and Natalie Campbell)

 we have 32 grandchildren and four foster grandchildren.

Lauren and Hunter (Sarah and Chad Capps)

Breonna and Isaiah (Sarah and Chad)

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Michael Rowan

Sister Rowan and Michael are our home teaching assignment.

Michael is a prodigy.

He is also a very good boy.

He is his mothers delight.

 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

We got a surprise in the mail this week that is wonderful!

  Wheat

 Cracked Wheat

Water waiting for mush...

Stan cooked up the wheat Monday night.

It smelled so good.  

Thanks Ben Melissa...

and Dylan who I believe cracked it for us.

THANK YOU!

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Tuesday night we took the West side English/Spanish Elders to dinner.

They were on exchanges so....

Elder Ellis far left took Elder Woods place..

Elder Cook middle right took Elder Brown's place.

Others on the left Stan and waitress.

Right Elder Trotter and the one and only Elder Fullmer (aka Jack Nickelson)

This is Elder Cook

 He is from Hawaii...

He has quite a story...

one I won't share here

BUT...

He is Steve's clone.

From the time we met him about 3 months ago he has made us chuckle.

Could there really be two of them?

His mannerisms, his expressions, his build, walk, 

everything!

Remember Steve when he was ready to go on a mission?

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

There was a couple that stopped in this week.

They teach the seniors at the MTC what they need to know for the office work.

They asked if we had any questions.....

 OH YES!

We didn't have any office MTC training because they wanted us here.

So we came and they didn't train us.

We were on our own and had to learn by hard knocks.

Thank goodness for wonderful patient Assistance.

This couple asked a few questions.

I showed them my 'Orientation Packet' I give all new incoming missionaries.

It has all the information for referrals and baptism records condensed into..

kind of the cliff-notes for missionaries.

They loved it and took one to use in their training at the MTC.

That was humbling.

They also loved the maps Elder Schow made for me on Google Maps.

They had him come in and show them how to do it so they could teach that as well.

They were very complimentary and told me I was doing very well.

As for the vehicle coordinator...

They said they won't touch that job with a ten foot poll.

They will leave that for someone else.

Stan had Andy Busby from Salt Lake..

main guy over vehicle coordinators...

come Saturday and he worked with Stan and gave him some hands on training

It was all day and full of all the things he was and wasn't doing.

He came home drained but feeling pretty good about himself.

Earlier this week...

He had the van detailed and ready for the South East Mission Presidents training.

He is always serving the missionaries 

and president 

in keeping the cars serviced and in running order.

He does have a huge job.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

When I drive home from the Chiropractor I drive past the airport.

I am never ready for this picture.

One time as I was going by a plane went right over me.

whooooooooooooo!

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

This girl runs every morning on Whisper Lakes Dr.

Can you see the braid that goes down past her seat bones.

When she is running away from us it looks like a tail swishing back and forth.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Elder Doxey

Found these in my picture frame and all the drawers and printer.

I printed a document with his face on the other side.

What a character. 

Sister James had them everywhere as well.

Hope he doesn't fry that beautiful brain of his.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

This black soot falls with the dew.

At first we couldn't  figure out where it came from.

This is why people wash their cars every week.

 There are fires around us, it is pretty dry down here.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Elder Schow helped Stan...

get all the cars, gas cards and licenses in order and in place.

When the President and Assistance do transfers they change apartments

living arrangements and cars.  

Most of the times the gas cards don't go with the cars and they should.

Before we got here two license plates got put on the wrong two new cars.

Well Friday they finished and everything is in order.

So Edler Schow, center, decided to celebrate.

We picked up his companions...

Elder Jensen left and Lewis Right..

and we had dinner at Steak and Shake.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Christmas at the entrance to the complex where the East Elders live.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

This weeks mending.

Finished, as well as the major make over for Elder Hyer's shirt.

Sunday night Elder Hyer got his shirt that is it on the top of the pile.

He had me fit another one, on the back of the chair.

I think I am getting a reputation.  He was pretty excited about how it fit sleeves and all.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Sunset

Not what we say about our blessings,

but how we use them,

is the true measure of our thanksgiving.

--WT Purkiser--

HAPPY THANKSGIVING DAY!