I have 2 questions: 1) how in the world do our weeks go by so fast and 2) how do we somehow get so much done in each of our weeks!!! As I look back over our previous week in preparation for doing my blog, and I amazed at ourselves for being able to get so much done!! We realized our time is on the 'downhill, slippery, slop' to the finish line of this mission. We still have a LOT to get accomplished before that day comes. We are NOT getting trunky because we don't have time to think about it! YIKES!!
Last Sunday evening we got invited to dinner at President and Sister Kennedy's home. President Kennedy was the Bishop of our assigned mission ward when we arrived in June 2014. He is a great man and we have grown to love he and his wonderful wife. I might mention that President Kennedy is THE TOP DOG at the Atlanta Airport!!! He is such a humble man you would never know it. He is in 'charge' of pretty much everything there except the pilots! He is the one that got us our 'passes' to go to Ele's gate last summer when she had a layover on her way over to Europe with her musical group. He helps us out a LOT with regards to our missionaries. Between their busy schedule and ours, this was the first chance we have had to accept their dinner invitation!
The mean was DELICIOUS!!! We had salmon that President Kennedy actually caught on a trip to Alaska last year. It was delicious!
Monday morning we were headed out to the North Carolina Raleigh Mission. However, on Sunday afternoon we get a knock on our door from Chuck's son (Chuck is a neighbor of ours here in the apartment complex) asking that Dad please come see Chuck. He was not doing well. Chuck had throat cancer 12 years ago, and received that diagnosis shortly after his wife passed away of cancer. He has been doing well but all of a sudden he was having a problem. Chuck knows dad is a physician. Well, when dad had gone up to check on Chuck Monday morning shortly before we left for N.C., he found Chuck laying on the bathroom floor. He had apparently been laying there for 1 1/2 hours! He agreed to have an ambulance called to take him to the hospital. We found out later that day that he was found to have 3 tumors on his brain. Chuck told the hospital staff to take him directly to Hospice. He knew he was dying. We were very sad to hear this.
One of our favorite sights to see as we travel through South Carolina!!! LOVE this peach water tower.
There was a Historic Yates Mill very close to our hotel in Raleigh. We decided we wanted to stop by and see what it was all about before we went to the hotel. We are so glad we did. It is a beautiful place. And we caught the lake just right with the sun setting!! LOVE sunsets.....and sunrises!!
Tuesday morning we were off to a 'training meeting' with the nurses of the N.C. Raleigh Mission. Sister Walker is new and Sister Weber is a seasoned nurse for this mission! This is our first time to the Mission Office. We normally meet with the missionaries in a designated chapel.
It still amazes me as to the 'organization' of the church and how EVERYTHING is so well organized!!! Every mission around the world has an Area Medical Advisor. Every Area Medical Advisor has the responsibility of anywhere from 9 - 23 missions they are responsible for. And every mission has a mission nurse. Those nurses and the Area Medical Advisor work very, very closely to make sure the medical needs of all 75,000 missionaries is managed well!! Just amazing to me. What a blessing for us to be involved and see this side of missionary work up close and very personal.
This hand-crafted rug hanging on the wall in the mission office is a great depiction of the mission logo....with the lighthouse from the Outerbanks. Unfortunately, the top part got cut off when the person took the foto for us!
As we drove back to Atlanta on Wednesday, it was a miserable day to drive.....pouring rain for most of the way. Cloudy, dreary, rainy, yucky as we drove through downtown Atlanta. BUT, it was good to be back 'home'!
MY 'sanity' is being able to do crocheting! I guess I don't really need to say that....but just in case you were wondering! I 'found' a great pattern for this crocheted heart on line. I LOVE this heart. And it is so easy to crochet.....
I was able to get a bunch of little thank you gifts made. Makes me happy!
Once back in town, we have been over to visit with Chuck almost daily. Because of his throat cancer surgery 12 years ago, most of his throat was removed. That makes it very difficult for him to talk therefore making him very difficult to understand. It is even more difficult to understand him right now when he is so weak. Dad found this 'letter board' on line, printed it out and took it to Chuck. As he writes his notes to people who come in his room, he can use it if he needs to.
I got a sweet little package from a childhood friend this week. She was in Trader Joe's shopping and noticed this reusable bag. She thought of us and sent it to us. It will definitely get used as we travel. All of our snacks will be carried in this bag!! Thank you so much Pat Mudrick!
We snuck a little walk in on Saturday afternoon. It felt so good to be able to get out and get fresh air and take a walk.
Just a little reminder of our visit with Chuck at this Hospice facility.
I was able to get one more baby afghan completed Saturday night! I think I may start on Spencer's mission afghan this next week!!! I am not sending it to him in Mexico because....well, I am not sure that it would get to him! It will be waiting for him when he gets home. What other afghans am I missing for the family?? I know I will be yarn shopping with K & L's boys when we visit them this coming fall!!! Looking forward to it.....and I KNOW that is one of their top favorite things to do....SHOP FOR YARN!!! :-)
We have another very, very busy week coming up. Attending Zone Conferences in 2 different missions. Hopefully we can keep it all straight! We love y'all.....thank you so much for your support shown to us as we continue to serve this mission. We could NOT be serving without the support of each one of you!!! :-)
No comments:
Post a Comment