Thanksgiving November 27, 2008

Since I did not have time to put a few pictures from Thanksgiving on my Blog I thought I would now. If you want to see more you will have to go to "myspace."

A few pictures of our visit in Utah- December 10, 2008

We had a good time in Utah except for the "migraine" I suffered. Here are a few pictures which I took with my camera but I have more that I would like to add that I took with my blackberry but I need Jonathan to upload for me some day.
Visit with the Vick's............. John loved the Vick's fireplace and we had a great lunch with the Vick's and Leslie before heading out to the airport. MTC lesson with our tutors Carlos and Kattie. It was so nice to meet them since we usually do the lessons from home on the telephone.

Tigger really into his zzzzzzzzz

Tigger is so cute with his bandaged foot (ok paw) sleeping away. I love his pose with his face down and then he got a little camera shy and covered his face.

Temple Hill Concert with Mark

We spent a wonderful evening with Mark and Dawnette at the Inter Stake Center at the Temple Hill Concert. Mark is "First Trombone" in the Orchestra. I did not know he even had this talent. Sorry the picture is not too good because I took it with my phone carmera and I was in a hurry since he already put his instrument away and he already took off his bow tie. We are proud of him and enjoyed the Concert.

Reality is setting in..............

Today while we were on the phone with our "Tutor" for the hour she works with us trying to learn Spanish.... well it looks bleak since it is harder than I thought. My pronunciation needs much improvement.
John says I'm in 3rd grade and he is in preschool when it comes to knowing the Spanish Language. This is not true, I too feel like a preschooler.

Well anyway when we were on the phone with our tutor we got 3 phone calls that we could not answer since we were in deep studies with her. After we got off the phone I seen that we had a message on our message center and wow were we surprised.... it was the Temple Mission President from Mexico City. He said he would get back with us and to study study study Spanish.
Yes reality is setting in, we are really going to Ciudad de Mexico Templo.

Mark and Dawnette's new fish tank

I love the new fish and new tank and Tigger agrees too!

Justus 2nd Birthday

Justus loves balloons and he got them from Auntie Donut. The four amigos after cake. And look at those dimples as he blows out the candles. And finally above he was done with his Birthday!

An evening with Justus.............

Justus really liked Mark and Dawnette's fishes and he really wanted to feed them but Grandpa said no they already got something to eat.

The "suspense" is over.........

We have been called to the Mexico City Mexico Temple Mission. We are very trilled to be going to a Spanish speaking mission. I'm sure we will love the people that live there. We love going to the Spanish Branch on Sundays after we go to our Ward just to be with them. I felt we would be going on some kind of a Spanish speaking mission but we thought it would be Madrid Spain. We are not in the least bit disappointed where the Lord wants us to serve. We don't leave until February 9, 2009 but I'm sure we will have plenty to do before leaving.

Update on mission call.....

Hi to the few people that have my Blog address.........Friday later in the afternoon I called Sister Powers again since I felt John and I are just a little edgy about each day the mail comes to our home. In fact on Thursday Dawnette and I were going to Longs and my eye caught the mailman and he looked at me and motioned if I wanted the mail brought to the car, so I knew I must of had that desperate look... "The mailman is here" well anyway I tried to control myself and motioned back to him that he could just put it in the mail box.
Well on with speaking to Sister Powers.....I asked her if she knew if our call has been mailed and she said "well maybe it's in this pile that is going out today and then she said "NO" not yet and then she said wait what is your husbands first name" and she paused for awhile and said....."Yes your assignment has been mailed maybe you will get it today" I said well not today because we already got the mail. Again no mail from Utah today but after talking to Stella I asked her if she got our birthday card we sent her last week and said "No" so I think there is a problem with the mail from CA. to UT and the other way around. :-<

Missing my mom......

As many of you know my dear Mother passed away in the early morning right after "Mother Day" of this year, she was 88 years old. (she was waiting for my brother and sister-in-law to return home from China while she was in Kaiser Hospital when she became suddenly ill). I haven't written anything about her on this Blog but I really miss her. We (her children) knew she loved us very much. She was pretty healthy for the most part and we expected her to live well into her nineties, but we know that our plan is not our Heavenly Fathers plan. We are happy for her that she is with many family members that have passed before her. We have many special memories of Her and our Dad and Cliff (her husband after my dad passed). She was very happy with both and we know she is reunited with them. She was a beautiful lady and very social with everyone. Sometimes she was shy at first in a big group but after she started feeling comfortable she could hold up her end of the conversation.
Virgie, Mom and Me Christmas 2007

Mom and Karen Christmas 2007
Some of the Grandchildren and Great-Grandchildren at Mom's Memorial

Missonary from Utah called us on Tuesday September 3, 2008

Sister Powers (Senior Missionary in Utah) called to let us know that she received the fax. She is so sweet and has been so loving, understanding and an absolutely a joy to speak on the telephone with which has been several times as we have started this paper work with the "treadmill." She said it will be passed to the Doctors and then The Quorum of the Twelve just as I thought. She said by Friday it should go to the next step. Yeah :-), :-(

Progress at last on our mission papers......

OK, John's "Stress Test" was Fax to the mission place in Utah where the Doctor there will review it and then it will be sent, I guess to the Quorum of the Twelve, then we will be assigned. I think that's how it works.
It's funny I get all impatient when we have to wait for the paper work from our Doctors because it's such a slow process, and now that it's "in" I'm getting a little nervous... Can I ever be pleased??? :(
I love my Heavenly Father and I know he will calm me as I look to Him.

Our most beautiful 16 Grandchildren and 3 Great Grandchildren : ) Keep scrolling down......

Darla and Jamie's children: Our Aubree, such a girlly girl!!


"Thanks to all who made your pictures available to me"


(even though you may not know it. I hope you don't mind that I got it from others)

Sweet Ryan also a picture of Luke above "he's the man"

OK I had to have another picture of Asjia since it is milestone in her life and to warn drivers and pedestrians because here come Asjia. (Asjia first behind the wheel driving lesson.) Asjia is so blessed to have Vince teach her since he has the greatest patience of anyone I know and he is such a neat son-in-law.

I just swiped this picture from Delna's blog. Our Justus what a doll!!!!

Delna and Vince's children Asjia, Jalen, Alyssa, and Justus (no Vince is not one of our Grandchildren....he's our son-in-law)

Deanna and Kevin's and children: Megen, Collin and Spencer. They are such a beautiful family and we will truly miss their yearly summer visit. They are a joy to have in our home. Their parents are absolutely wonderful and so much fun.

And here's Brittany.....she's as sweet as she looks! Wow she is so beautiful!
However Angie (below) is the oldest and she too is very SWEET and beautiful too.

David and Karol children Angie, Brittany and Zack

John the 3rd and Marie's children: John the 4th (Tony) Darlene and Nick

Our Great Grandchildren from Angie & Tracy,... Evrett, Aven and Kaplan (Angie is the first Granddaughter)

Our adult children of 10 (not in order)

Albert & Deanna, Jonathan, Deanna, Danielle, Dawnette and Delna, John, David, Kevin with John and Darla.