Sunday, March 8, 2015

It was a little bit of a kick-back week with all 'local' traveling this week!  NO hotel stays, NO long drives (i.e. 6 - 8 hours to get to other far-away missions).  Nice for a change up.

The BIG news this week was that Spencer was set-apart as a full-time missionary and headed to the MTC (Provo) to begin his training.  About 2 weeks there and then headed down to the Mexico MTC to finish up the training.  Andy and Kevin were able to see him off at the MTC!  I know Spencer enjoyed that and I know the boys enjoyed that as well!!!  How wonderful for Elder Allgaier.  First Tyler, then Spencer.....which one of the grandchildren is next!?

By being 'local' this week, we were able to visit a transfer meeting in the GA Atlanta North Mission.  Elder/Dr. Allgaier got to meet with his nurses!  That is always very helpful.  Left is Sister Morten (she is just completing her service.....we love she and Elder Morten!  We will miss having them in the 'loop' but they live locally so we are hopeful we will be able to see them from time to time), Elder/Dr., Sister McKinney (medical nurse) and newly arrived to the mission field is Sister Nebeker (mental health nurse).  YES, it takes a full staff to take care of the 200 missionaries in this mission.  They are all great and we love working with each of them.

I made a 12 x 12 page of the transfer activity for the day.  It was surely great to be here for this exciting day for the missionaries!

In addition to the GANM Transfers we were also able to attend the GA Atlanta Mission Zone Conferences spanning over 2 days.....Thursday and Friday.  They were wonderful and we loved being with all of the missionaries!

 Here Elder/Dr. Allgaier and I are with the mighty President John Harding!  We truly love him and his great wife, Sister Deborah Brown Harding.  They are so wonderful and mighty leaders of the Lord's missionaries here in the Georgia Atlanta Mission!

Back to our apartment in the evening....we were able to take a much needed walk.  I made this 

12 x 12 page of the days activities.....our walk, getting a 'love note' from Crew that we got to hang on our 'love wall' and completely two more doilies for gifts.

On Saturday we ventured up to the Atlanta Temple.  We went a little later in the day rather than late morning.  This 12 x 12 layout is of the traffic we encounter as we drive through the middle of the city headed north.

On Saturday evening after the temple we stayed to attend a fireside of the Atlanta BYU Alumni Association with a guest speaker talking about Jerusalem.  We decided we wanted to stay for that.  It was very nice.  I got a great shot of the sun setting as we sat in the parking lot eating our sandwiches.

One can't be only a block from the temple and not stop to take a foto of it at night!  

We attended the Peachtree City Ward today.  First time here.  It truly is a SMALL world in the church.  The gal on the left introduced herself to me as a great friend of Allyson Jones Fleugel (in our stake back home and in Tina's ward in Urbana).  Her name is Louise Johnson.  The lady on the right is Allyson's mother-in-law, Ruth Fleugel.  How fun to meet both of them.

As we finish up this week we prepare to head out for a 2-week road trip this coming week and the next week.  We will be headed to the North Carolina Charlotte Mission with a side trip to Mt. Airy, N.C. for church next week and then down to Savannah, GA for a Zone Conference in the GA Macon Mission and then back up to Charlotte again.  Here we go again.......!!!!

Sunday, March 1, 2015.....almost SPRING!!!  We hope....

WOW what a week it has been.  Started out nice and 'easy' and we thought we had it made!!!  W.R.O.N.G.!  BUT....let's take one day at a time shall we?!

Steven was out on a run (in preparation for and upcoming marathon he will be participating in, in about 2 weeks in D.C.).  He stopped by J's grave site and made sure there was a little 'heart' for him in the snow.  Love this!!  :-)

Since Wayne sent his laptop to surgery (AKA Kevin's Consulting Agency!) we was forced into using his iPad!  He got kind of used to it and kind of liked it.  I was able to finish yet one more handmade afghan for Laurie (a gal that works for Becky).  I have to keep my fingers busy when I sit down.  I would probably go crazy if I couldn't keep them busy.

We have had a bit of a COLD SNAP here in the Peach State!!!  It has been in the teens this past week.  I made some homemade bean, potato, carrot soup that was delicious.  We warmed out hands up a bit while it was still good and hot.

It was so cold outside (in the teens at night) that we couldn't stand not brining the neighborhood kitties in at night.  "Lucy" on the left and "Blackie" on the right.  They were sure grateful for the extra warm treatment!

Wednesday we attended Transfers in the GA Atlanta Mission.  We were able to see some great missionaries who have served faithfully and well and deserved to be able to return to their homes with honor.  Our new mission nurse had arrived and therefore we went to lunch after the meeting with  Sister Mason, her mother (who drove out with her), Elder and Sister Lake (current mission nurse) and Elder and Sister Hardgrave (the Area Mental Health Advisor).  It was wonderful to get to know Sister Mason better.  We will enjoy working with her.

We received word that Sister Cottle (the Mission Presidents wife in the GA Macon Mission) was having some medical issues.  Elder/Dr. Allgaier suggested that President Cottle take her to the closest ER for evaluation.  When we finished our lunch we headed down to Macon....an 1 1/2 hour drive from our apartment here in PTC.  It was good to be with them and make sure she was getting good medical care.  I think they enjoyed having us come and give them a little company!

It was a rainy (actually VERY rainy) day.  And thus it was still raining when we left the hospital.  We drove past this quaint church somewhere close to the hospital.  It just reminded us of a European Church.  Very charming.

Wayne's laptop made it back from surgery all better and raring to go!!!  And Wayne was so ready for it!  And mine was put in the mail and sent to the same laptop surgeon!!!

Once in a while Elder/Dr. gets a little surprise out his front office window!  It is always fun to see our missionaries 'pop' by to say HI!!!  Elder Robinson (L) and Elder Barber (R).  We LOVE our missionaries.

On FRIDAY we got my laptop back from surgery!!!  We had a little iChat with the surgeon....Dr. Kevin!  We love having so many 'specialist' in our family.....a specialist for just about any ailment we may have!!!  We are blessed!!!  :-)

And even Elder Spencer (our soon to be missionaries in Mexico) is our Cutco specialist!!  I got a few things I have been needing.  They arrived here on Friday as well.  Kiitos Spencer!!

On Saturday we headed up to the Atlanta Temple....but not until we called first.  You may recall that last week we drove up to the temple only to find the gate closed and locked.  When we drive up we typically go past these two buildings called the 'Queen' and 'King' Buildings.  They are definitely prominent in the area.

This was indeed a very SPECIAL DAY!!!  Thanks to lots of family help in getting to this point, the family helped out with getting Aunt Eva's baptism and confirmation, initiatory and endowment completed so that Wayne and I could perform their sealing!!!  Aunt Eva had asked that I take care of this special work for her once she passed away.  Not only were we able to perform their sealing but we were also able to have Aunt Sealed to her parents, after we had her parents sealed to each other.  I truly felt there was celebrating going on in Heaven!!!  And that Jonathan was a part of that celebration....along with many, many other family and friends!!  A very much long awaited day!

As we were leaving the temple we got a text from a mission presidents wife and nurse that two of our sister missionaries had just been in a car accident and were being taken to the hospital ER by ambulance.  The District Leaders were going to the hospital to be with them.  We offered to go directly to the hospital from where we were (which was only about 17 minutes) and that offer was quickly accepted.  We headed to Douglasville.  After spending several hours with the sisters and elders, we were thankfully able to take the sisters home and got them tucked in.  They were both very shaken up, had some cuts and bumps and bruises and were very thankful there was no one hurt in the other car and that they were not any more seriously hurt than they were.  It is amazing to us how things just 'happen' to occur the way they do.....tender mercies and blessings indeed!  We were also able to get their medication prescriptions filled for them (they both need pain meds because of their injuries) and something to eat for dinner.  We have learned over and over again that we just never know what we will be doing from one minute to the next.  We LOVE it!!

As I was walking down a small hallway here in our apartment today I just looked at our 'love notes' from several grandchildren and little children of friends (and one of our children!) and it made me happy to look at it.  I have called it our 'WALL OF LOVE'.  Just a random little thought but I like it!

 NEWS FROM THE HOMEFRONT:  Church was cancelled again this week (2nd week in a row) for the Urbana Ward!!!  Spencer was to give his mission farewell last Sunday.  Obviously, that didn't happen.  He was going to bear his testimony today.  Obviously, that didn't happen again.....at last in his ward.  However, he and his family visited the Brunswick Ward and he was able to bear his testimony there!!!  WAY TO GO SPENCER!!  We had a new Bishopric sustained today.  Both in our home ward....Brunswick Ward..... and here in our mission ward.....WhiteWater Ward.  WOW....quite the day.

There was an OPEN HOUSE for Spencer tonight.  He leaves for his mission this coming Wednesday!  We are proud of you Spencer!  We can't wait to follow along with you on your mission.  Remember.....DRINK LOTS OF WATER (SAFE WATER IN MEXICO, PLEASE)!!  Be careful what you eat!!!  NO parasites!!

We LOVE all of our family!  Thank you for being so wonderful.  Thank you for your wonderful support of us while we serve this mission.  We LOVE our mission.  We have LOTS of Zone Conferences this week and another Transfer meeting.  We will 'home base' out of our apartment this week.  But, have no fear.  We will be back on the road for a couple of next beginning next week again!  Stay tuned as to where you can find your parents!  Till next week.......love y'all!

Sunday, February 22, 2015

Well, look here......it is SUNDAY and I am writing on my blog!  Not late this week.  Thank goodness....

You may recall that I entered my last blog post on Monday of this week....as we were driving home from our weekend trip with Tina and Kids in Mt. Airy, N.C.  We did hit some ICY conditions as we drove through the northeastern part of Georgia.

Because we were home this week, I was able to get a couple of little FUN projects completed.  I enjoyed doing them.  Spray painted an Easter hanging and a Hello hanging.

We had some very, VERY chilly nights here in PTC.....in the teens.  And with the windchill factored in, it was quite cold outside.  Our little 'stray neighborhood cats' were so cold.  We just didn't have the heart not to bring them in to keep warm.  We have no idea if they have a home because they are always hanging around our apartment when we are home.  We have asked the neighbors we see and they have no idea where they belong either.  Poor babies.  Meet "Lucy" and "Blackie".  

Wayne's computer was about to completely CRASH!!!  Not good.  Kevin got the part needed.  And we were off to the UPS store to ship it west!  We were a little apprehensive about shipping it but we really had no other choice!

So this week Dad has gotten very acquainted with his iPad!!  He has become quite fond of it and even kind of likes it!  Well....it's about time.

Meanwhile, back up at home in the frigid cold weather, including SNOW, Steven and the boys were over at our homestead enjoying the sled riding and the SAUNA!!!  Oh Man.....sounds so fun!  Made us just a wee-bit homesick!

 SO.....I had this brilliant idea of making a couple of doilies for Becky's instagram as a give-away.  I had made and given a doily to each Marj Airaksinen (from Finland) and their daughter Laura Sumrak.  Laura and her husband, Thomas, and daughter Lumi have just moved from Utah to Charlotte, N.C.  We got to stop by and see them for a minute.

Well, low and behold, Wayne got to celebrate his 72nd birthday this week.  On Thursday.  The phones were crazy busy....starting at 6:15 a.m.  We did manage to sneak out for a couple of hours though.

We drove up to Atlanta and visited the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum.  It was our first visit to a Presidential Library ever.  It was quite impressive and interesting.  You can see part of the Atlanta Skyline in the background.

The ProjectLifeApp page I created from our trip there.

Announcing the TWO WINNERS of the doily instagram contest on Becky's post.

And while we were at it, why not take a little 'selfie' just because!!

Nothing like having 3 projects going on at the same time.

Saturday is the day we typically like to go to the temple.  It is easier for us to sneak away from the phone for an hour-ish.  Well, much to our surprise, we arrived to find the gates closed and locked.  What on earth!?  We knew it was not the 'maintenance closing'.  That was earlier in January.  I called the temple and got the recording which said "The temple is closed Friday and Saturday due to inclement weather.  We may open on Tuesday, February 24th if the weather is good".  There was absolutely NOTHING on the ground or in the air.  Just cloudy.  There must have been 'something' somewhere.  It was a nice drive though.

In church today we got a text from Kevin.  He 'found' an ancestor on my father's side of the family who actually went in a handcart company to Utah!!!  I never knew this.  WOW this is cool!  Especially since I thought my father was the first of his family to join the church.  Kevin is going to check into it more and see what he can find out.  This is really neat though!!!  :-)

And then back up home in Maryland......more SNOW and church was CANCELLED!!! Oh my heavens.  They have been hammered this winter at home.  Garrett got the snowblower out and started to work.  Today was suppose to be Spencer's mission farewell too.  Maybe he will get to bear his testimony next week in Fast and Testimony Sacrament Meeting.  

It has been a relatively quiet week but we have somehow kept very busy!  We LOVE our mission and feel so blessed and grateful we are able to serve at this time.  And we love our family who so willingly support us in this endeavor!!

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

I am just a smidgen late this week with my entry!  Been a busy week.....

We left the Kentucky Louisville Mission and headed to the Tennessee Knoxville Mission.  We, of course, had to stop by the Louisville Slugger Bat Factory!  We love going there.

And we took a bit of time and attended the Kentucky Louisville Temple.  Always love going here....or any temple for that matter.

We headed over to the Asheville, N.C. Zone Conference.  It was a pretty drive with the icy trees and bushes in the mountains.  

Bless this Elders pea-picking heart!  This was a shirt that the Elder's father had given him.  He is almost finished his mission.  He was 'flexing' his arm one day and the sleeve ripped.  He decided to 'match' the other sleeve.  He doesn't want to get rid of the shirt because it has meaning to him since his father gave it to him.  He only wears it when he knows he won't be taking his suit coat off!

We 'found' Sister Echols at the Zone Conference here.  The 'other' Sister Echols (twin sisters) is in the Ga. Atlanta Mission.  We love them both!  How fun to see them!!

Elder/Dr. Allgaier gave a presentation at each of the Zone Conferences.  A power point on good health care practices, how to stay well and how to take care of yourself.  He was also able to follow-up with those missionaries he has talked to in the past few weeks, etc.

We had been on the road for 2 weeks.  Laundry still has to be done.  This particular Hampton Inn has a laundry facility.  I got to crochet while waiting for the laundry to get done.

We LOVE our Blue Ridge Mountains/Great Smokey Mountains.  As we headed out of the mountains and back toward Knoxville we noticed this in our rearview mirror!  Great shot.

 These VERY LARGE crosses are quite common as we drive the highway.  I am sure they are very costly!

From the Tennessee Knoxville Mission we headed over to Mt. Airy, N.C. for the weekend.  This is still in our mission so we didn't have to get permission to meet Tina and the kids.  How fun to see them again.  We got to go to Gene's for dinner.

On Saturday we went downtown 'Mayberry' (also knows as Mt. Airy).  The kids had never really been down there.  We visited the JAIL and locked ourselves in for the foto op!

We even played a couple of games in our hotel room.

We attended the Mt. Airy Ward on Sunday.  It was good that we got to spend some quality time with Spencer before he leaves on his mission in two weeks!

We had a family dinner at Sharon and Lester's home after church.  Faye and Ronnie drove up from High Point.  It was an afternoon of reminiscing the good old days.

Lester has a band and a 'band room' in a building next to their home.  Garrett was in 7th heaven being able to play the drums.  And he did a great job too!!

The GIRLS with a little selfie!

On Monday we drove from Mt. Airy down to Charlotte where we stopped at the new home of Thomas and Laura.  How fun to have them close.  I made a doily for Laura and Marja Airaksinen.

They prepared a lunch for us which was delicious!

Then it was on down toward Peachtree City.  It was snowing for Tina and the kids as they left Mt. Airy and headed back to Maryland.  It was raining for us in Charlotte.  Until we got to northern Georgia....there is was rain mixed with ice.  A little tricky in spots.

We made it safely back to our apartment.  It was good to be home.  Now to 'settle in' for a couple of weeks with no major traveling!    Interestingly enough.....we were suppose to be in the Tennessee Nashville Mission this week.  Those Zone Conferences got cancelled because of a General Authority visit (Elder D. Todd Christophersen).  That mission got a lot of snow with the storm that came through.  Good thing we trip was cancelled so we didn't have to drive in the weather!