Happy First Birthday, Neli!

We went to the Newport Beach Temple yesterday.  We try to go once a month.  I needed the calming, spiritual experience we receive at the Temple.  It helps me regain  perspective!

Today is Neli's First Birthday, this is the hardest time to be away from home, we miss all the family parties!
 

Her theme has been "Lady Bugs" so Sara made LOTS of lady bug cupcakes and a ladybug cake. 
This is Neli and cousin, Stetson

But thank goodness for Skype.  Lets see, how many people can get around Glen and Sara's comput to Skype Gammy and Papa.  Quin, Miranda, Jami, Cheyenne, Maci, Avri, Bailey, Kingson, Kamy, Stetson, Neli and that is not all that came in and out of our Skype.  Made me feel better.
  (Sara sent me this photo on the phone as we were skyping)

This week I mostly worked in the office as Elder McOmber needed to finish the Sr. Sister's apartment.   We all painted it last week and he was finishing setting it up and helping some Elders this week.  I kept track of a "usual" day and had more than 50 phone calls/texts with our Elders and Sisters for "medical issues".  I did not count the Elders and Sisters I saw at the office.  Some days it is slower, some even busier.  I also prepared my next power point for Zone conference on "Oh my aching....."  We will discuss some remedies for what is "aching".
 A big highlight this week, for me, was that once, all other 8 people at the office were busy, so I answered the phone.  The person asked to speak with the President.  He happened to be there (he spends alot of time out in the field with our Elders and Sisters).  I asked who was calling, he said "Elder Perry".  I told the Pres. that "Elder Perry is on the phone for him," he asked, pointing up,  "THE Elder Perry?"  I said it sounded like him.  Come on....there are probably hundreds of "Elder Perry's" in our church, it was probly the Elder Perry in our stake.   The Pres. assured me later in the day, yes, it was   "THE Elder Perry" of the Quorum of the Twelve.  How cool!  I should have wished him a belated birthday, he just turned 90 years old and is awesome! We always think of what we could have said later.

Farewell dinner at  Pres and Sister Bubert's home once each transfer.  This is Sister Fielding from Indiana.It is amazing how we have come to love all the missionaries.  It is a sad and happy time.  Sad to see them leave, happy they can go home and continue on with their lives.  I tried to talk her into going into nursing, she just might.
 

Continuation of: "Things that make me smile or at least go....Hummmmmm"

• Pretty sunsets
• Nuns playing softball in the park

• Grown Navy men playing kick ball,  Elder McOmber asked to play, but I told him "no" and they did not seem anxious to have him join.  I have not seen anyone play kickball since my kids were in elementary school.
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• Our mission president helping in the painting of an apartment.  He owns a construction business in Utah and misses it.  So Elder McOmber, myself, President Bubert, and 4 Elders cleaned and painted an apartment one day. Elder McOmber replaced fixtures.  He is such a handyman!
• Jami's phone call.  She makes me smile.  Only she could have an "entertaining" interview for a position!  Phone calls from all my kids and grandkids make me smile. 
• Gas at over $4.00/gallon--this is not a smile item!!!!!!
• Lonnie arguing with the TomTom(GPS).
• President Bubert told me I was instrumental in finding some people for baptism.  At our first zone conference, my presentation was on drinking enough water, it was June, just the beginning of summer and the heat was getting bad.  It gets hotter the farther inland you go.  Two sisters "really had to go to the bathroom" after following my instructions.  They were walking, knocking on doors.  They were able to go to a part member family's home after several unsuccessful attempts at member's homes.  They found out the reason the children were not baptized was not an issue anymore, so they were able to teach them and the Dad is very interested, but "taking his time."  The Lord works in mysterious ways and His work will go forth.

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  Chandler, Colton, Annalea, Gammy and Caleb, Amy and Chad

• Having family come visit.  Chad and family only live 1 1/2 hours away, but we have not gotten together because we both have very busy schedules.  They came up for the day yesterday and we had alot of fun playing Ladder ball, flying kites, and going to the beach. 
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  Caleb

  

  Colton and Chandler

  

  Caleb and Annalea

Chad and Annalea swam a long ways out to a bouy. 

• Lonnie and I went with some members of our ward on a sailing boat.  Our mission president said that we should "go have fun".  I almost feel guilty, but it was very relaxing and fun!.. Another couple from our mission joined us as well.  It was a 38' sailboat.  We did not put the sails up, but each of us were able to steer the boat.  The Butler's, retired, live in their boat when they are in CA.  They have a home in Virginia, but stay a few months of the year here visiting family.  I did not get one call from "my" Elders or Sisters!

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  Brother and Sister Butler with me at the Helm.

   

Elder McOmber "driving the boat" in the Pacific Ocean.

That is the boat behind us.



 

 



Things that make me smile....or at least go Hmmmmmm

This has been a week of smiles and a few Hmmmmmm's.  Here are a few:

• Giving a talk about the gift of the Holy Ghost in a baptizm for a very nice couple, Anthony and Diane Sosa, yesterday.  They are "people of size" and had 3 Elders assist with the baptisms.  The were so cute, looking at each other during the talks, shaking their heads yes to the things said. 
• Seeing a new convert of 2 weeks just glowing.  She is Lori Page.  She was a heavy smoker and received a blessing, then just gave up cigarettes.  She had the faith that the blessing would help and she has now gone 1 month without a cigarette and she says she doesn't even want one.  She apologized to the missionaries that she had only read the first book of the Book of Mormon that first week of teaching.  She prayed for the missionaries' future wives in one of her prayers.  She is awesome!
• Visiting a nursing home
• Visiting single sisters and their kids, in our ward
• Finding some of the elders and sisters had listened to our teachings on keeping their apartments clean and neat.  It will be easier to keep up, if they do it regularly, and they will feel the Spirit  more if they just keep it clean.
• Finding some elders who were embarrassed because they did not clean their apartments.  We told these elders we were coming, but the President wants us to do some surprise visits, also.
• Finding a Winco grocery store about 20 miles away, still in our mission!
• Finding a NICE Walmart only 7.4 miles away.  Most of the Walmarts are not as nice as we have in Ammon and Idaho Falls.
• Hearing the National Anthem every morning at 0800 over a loud speaker as the American flag is being raised.
• Hearing the Navy taps every evening as the flag is being lowered for the night.
• Elder McOmber sharing the Gospel with everyone he meets, in the laundry  (he does the wash while I clean house), in stores, on the street, everywhere...he loves to talk so this is perfect for him.

• Elder McOmber's new stress relief,  Buddy.  He loves cats and really was missing them.  There are not many cats around and he is particular, he has to have a siamese.  I told him that if he could find one, not too expensive, he could get one.  I should never give him the challenge.  One had just come in  at the pound near us and they just happened to be having a 1/2 price sale on adult cats during the month of August.  Buddy was sick when we first got him, so they took him back, put him in the hospital for 4 days, did a HUGE workup, found nothing, but made him well with IV's and antibiotics and gave him back to us for no extra charge.  The reason cats are not seen around here is the coyotes.  They love to eat cats, so they are strictly an indoor pet.  Buddy had been declawed so he is prefect in the motor home. Elder McOmber is making a pet door/outdoor perch for him.  Will send pictures when it is done.  He fixed a gate for them, as well.
• Watching wildlife.   I saw my first coyote.  I have heard them many times, but this is the first I have seen.  We watched two hawks watching over a nest.  There is an owl that hoots every evening, bunnies and ground squirrels galore.  We watched different heron in the marsh 50 yards away and in the trees 30 yards away. 

 

• Answering the phone at the office  "Labor and Delivery, may I help you".
• Hearing the military men singing cadence at 0500 for PT in the morning (not every morning)
• Feeling my first earthquake on August 8, 2012.  The windows creaked in the office and those of us sitting down could feel it.  Elder McOmber was standing and did not feel it, but saw things moving.
• An Elder asked "What do you do all day?"    (hahaha--I will tell you all in another blog)
• Skype and text messaging with my family

Ther were more than 40 wind surf sails in one area on Seal Beach.

• Driving along the beach as we go to Elders apartments.  We like watching the wind surfing.
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  Picnic lunch or supper between Elder's visits.
• Yes we are blessed! 
 
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I am EIRMC

Saturday, at 0500, I received a call from Ressha at EIRMC Labor and Delivery.  I wanted to jump up, throw my clothes on and rush in to work.  Only thing is, I am over 1,000 miles away.  Made me homesick for my friends and work that I love.  Not that homesick, though.  There is a difference in being on call here, answering questions and offering advice and being on call for Labor and Delivery.  I am on call for the Lord here. There is an urgency there that we do not have here.  Besides, it would take me forever to get to work.  You see, traffic here is awful.  Where do all these people have to go??  I guess Ressha had a wrong number listed for a new nurse--it was my husband's phone number.  I do appreciate talking to my friends!

Traffic in the middle of the day

Traffic in the evening, that is the "fast lane" to the left.

Last week Lonnie and I, on our "P" day, went to the International Quilt Festival in Long Beach.  Wow!!It was awesome.  Made me want to get my sewing machine out and start sewing.  We took a picture on my phone of me at the festival, but I can not figure out where the SD card is on my phone.  I have been told that once we have been on the mission for 4-6 months, we will settle into a routine and I should  able to do some sewing.  We met a Dr and his wife at the Quilt Festival that had been on a similar mission(he was an Area Medical Advisor).  He said eventually things will settle down.  We will see.  Visiting the Elder's and Sister's apartments is a full time job. 
Elder McOmber keeps very busy as well.  He helps them move, fixes anything that needs fixing, takes beds down, watches out for the safety of the Elders, teaches how to clean their apartment, he is awesome.  Of course, he does not like sitting still so he will find things to keep him busy!

We have tomatoes growing on our plants in pots!!!