We celebrated Morgan's 12th birthday today. The day began with crepes. Followed by reviews, tests, and throwing out old schoolwork.
We didn't want to get her a bunch of stuff that we'd have to pack back to the states, so she got some "coupons" to get the things that she is wanting in the states. She also chose to have calzones for dinner, and banana splits instead of a cake. She also got to go on a special date with dad to lunch. I think she was a happy kid.
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| Soda and candy....what more could a kid want? |
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| Making banana splits. The kids all overdid it and said they'd had enough desert for a week! |
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
We finished up all of the tests today. We only have 4 more weeks of lessons, and another set of reviews and tests. It is getting close to the end!! We went through all the workbooks and tore out everything that was already finished. The kids want to have a big fire with all of their finished work. We "consolidated" all the remaining work. I have been consolidating a lot of stuff lately. I got in trouble for consolidating two bags of tortilla chips into one! Cole told me that his toothpaste was almost gone and everybody said that I can't consolidate the toothpaste. I really wasn't going to go that extreme!
The choir has been practicing a song for about 5 months now. We will be playing it for the ward conference in July. Tonight was the first time that I was able to play it right. I was so happy!!
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Today consisted of piano, working on my talk, and keeping busy with school. The kids enjoyed playing outside in the rain.
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| Laina attempting to clean out the garbage can. |
Morgan and Chris went to TacoContento for lunch on Monday. Morgan raved about it, so all the kids wanted to go. We had to go to the grocery store, so we met up with Chris for lunch. It was a fun little restaurant. I am shocked that we've never been there before!
Friday, June 10, 2011
I have been fighting getting sick for too long now. It hit hard today and I spent the second half of the day on the couch while the kids entertained themselves. Thank goodness for a good husband that brings home pizza!
Saturday, June 11, 2011
I still wasn't feeling very well this morning, but I really wanted to go to the temple to see the newest updates. I wasn't disappointed. The oxen are being put in, the decorative painting is being done, as well as glass and more tile. It is really starting to look like a temple!!
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| Stained glass entrance doors. |
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| The fencing is being put in. |
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| The cabinets are all being installed in the distribution center. |
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| Outside lighting, plants, and drive way are coming together. |
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| The oxen in the baptismal font. |
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| Morgan is getting way too tall! |
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| Our friend, DeLoy, working on tile. |
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| Paul Bottema, his brother Mark, and DeLoy's cousin, Lindsey. |
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| Glass looking into the baptismal area. |
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| My goal is to make a quilt out of this stained glass pattern......before I die! |
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| The decorative painters working in the Bride's Room. |
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| Decorative painting. |
So many emotions going on right now. We are so excited, yet sad to leave. (At least I am!!) I am going to miss our ward so much! I gave my talk today and just kept looking out at all of the amazing people that have surrounded us for the last 2 1/2 years!!
They should never make a person play the piano the same week they are giving a talk. I didn't have a program, and I thought I was supposed to talk before the intermediate hymn. Oops! I tried to go up to do my talk instead of playing the piano! The girl that was translating for me didn't get up, and she whispered that it was the song. So, I am shaking like crazy, about to give my talk, but instead I had to play! UGH! It was the worst singing I have experienced here. I think I heard maybe 2 people! I thought it was a fairly well known song but apparently it isn't here! Oh, well. Immediately after that, I got to do my talk. The mission president's daughter (also the girlfriend of our bishop's son) came to our ward to translate for me. For me, one of the hardest things about giving talks is that I get so emotional, and I always end up crying. I kept with tradition! The talk went fairly well. I enjoyed having the translator because it made me slow down and I had time to think about what was going on. I could look at the audience. I could calm myself down a little. I even had a couple seconds where the thoughts went through my head of, "Hey, I can do this! It's not as bad as I thought!"
My favorite part was when I made a comment about the missionaries being crazy. Before the translator could interpret it, the entire congregation was laughing. At the end, I opted to bare my testimony in Spanish. I had the translator stay with me to help if I needed it. but I did it all on my own except for the pronunciation of one word. I doubt that anybody understood it between my horrible Spanish, and my plentiful tears. I did make the mistake of saying that we are leaving in 5 weeks. We were bombarded the rest of the day. Poor Sully was in tears, which of coursed made me break down again! I am really dreading our last Sunday. It is going to be very emotional and I have to play a bunch of extra pieces for our ward conference. I hope that I'll be able to read the music!
As much as I despise giving talks, I am grateful to have been pushed (even further) out of my comfort zone. This whole experience here in Guatemala has been a huge testimony builder. It has been one thing after another. I really do feel like our entire family has grown (not just physically!!) while we have been here.
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