Grandchildren sitting and AJ's birthday party (plus Roy's side X side excursion)

Elise finally got power in just over a week after being hit by Hurricane Helene.  It was quite the experience for her, Andy and the kids.  They were able to do a lot of service for the neighbors since they had food and the use of a generator.  They had about 30 people over for breakfasts and dinners every day which was brave of them.  I'm sure they were exhausted when the power finally came back on.  Over this past weekend they hosted Chris and Annie Acree, our friends from Georgia, who had come to Augusta from South Carolina to volunteer for Helping Hands.  Elise and Andy took all the kids this morning for a few hours to give them the experience of serving people who's homes and yards had been damaged by felled trees.  

While Roy was on the phone with them earlier in the week, he overheard Harvey telling Elise that he didn't ever want to go into space because he would die.  Roy got him on the phone and told him that he'd be just fine if he wore a space suit.  Roy could tell that he was processing that information.

Roy and I were able to spend some time with the Dan Rasband children for most of the last two weeks.  Dan and Jieun went to Italy and we were in charge.😇  We had a good time and the children were obedient 99.9 percent of the time with very minimal fighting amongst them.  I got a few pictures:  

  

Jennie was a fan of me tending Dan's kids because it gave Foster someone to hang with while Jennie was cutting hair and doing nails downstairs.  The carrots that Hyeji and Doyeon are displaying are actual, real carrots from our garden.  I still have some harvesting left to do (carrots and beets).  I hope to do it before it freezes.  

We were informed that Yuli doesn't take naps very often, but we must have tired her out because she took a nap on at least half of the days that we were tending.  One evening she fell asleep at 6:00.  Caitlyn was over to tend for the evening since Roy and I had a play to attend (we took Doyeon and Yuna).  She heard Yuli was asleep, put her hands on her hips and said, "No, I'm not having this..."  She proceeded to wake her up so she would go to bed at her usual time. In the above picture at left, Yuli and Foster are playing with some homemade playdough.  

Adrienne knows how to put on parties.  AJ turned 40 on the 11th (Happy Birthday AJ).  Adrienne rented a mechanical bull.  It was a hit!

I chose to avoid the bull and cuddle with all the babies.  On the left I have Cub, who is still good for a cuddle.  He also loves his back tickled, just like his brother, Ollie.  The little one on the right is Zack Harding's newest: Sydney, in memory of his mission.  Zack has 5 children.  He's a friend of AJ and Dan and his sister Kandice was Adrienne's best friend in high school.  We were in their ward until 2008 when the wards in the Heights Stake were divided.

 

More bull riders:

Avie, Foster and Jennie

The dinner Adrienne served was delicious.  She's a great cook, but this time she wisely ordered from Cafe Rio.  Her homemade cake was gone in minutes.

Crista, Nick, Caitlyn, Cub, Jordan, Jennie and Dallin

Camden and Yuli had a great time playing with Summer, the little girl we met in Lake Powell
(friends of Adrienne and AJ)

Gunnar with his two buddies; twins, Caleb and Gavin.  Gavin was the diver
who rescued my sunglasses on our Lake Powell excursion.  Three great young men!

Nick with Zack and grandma with Zack.  He's always so sweet!

More bull riders:

And, when the bull ceases to amuse, there are plenty of toys in the basement.  Thanks, Adrienne, for all the clean-up from this crew.

Greta and Dojin (the glasses are clear)

Roy, Caitlyn and Dallin gave the kids an evening by the fire.  Yuli is so soft spoken that when she said, "Would you blow out the fire?" (her marshmallow was burning), that Caitlyn had to have her repeat it three times.  I enjoyed our conversations, but I had to tell her to "talk loud for grandma!" 

As I mentioned, above, we went to the play at the Hale Center Theater.  It was one of the best I've seen there.  We had a great time and enjoyed being with Doyeon and Yuna.  The theater sets up this area to take pictures, but the lighting is always terrible.

Dan and Jieun got home late on the night of Dan's 41st birthday (Happy birthday to Dan and Doyeon this week, too).

After Dan and Jieun retrieved the kids, Roy set off on another side X side adventure.  This time Nick and Sara gladly went with him, even though the weather was on the cold side.  It seems that it was well worth it to see the scenery they saw.  It may seem like a lot of pictures, but they took a whole lot more:

You can't read the sign in the photo, it says, Vermillion Cliffs National Monument

They were all the way down near Paige, Arizona (this is Lake Powell)

While Roy was playing down south, I spent my time working on my lesson for Institute on Thursday, and for Gospel Doctrine on Sunday.  I felt the Spirit testify of the truth of my studies.  3 Nephi 20-26 is packed with direction directly from the Savior.  I've learned a lot during my study.  I also went the the temple Saturday afternoon and had a spiritual confirmation that Heavenly Father is aware of me and knows what I struggle with.  I don't often have direct confirmation like this.  I also don't often weep, but I was brought to tears for a few minutes.  I am planning on writing down my experience, but I feel that it was too personal and sacred to share my thoughts here.  I'll just say that I know that God loves me and my family.