Two weeks in April

On Tuesday, April 11^th, we released our Trissy from her aged and sick body to go to heaven.  The huge tumor on her hip had grown so large so quickly and it had developed an open wound that would not heal.  She died surrounded by as many Lambsons as could be rounded up – Steve, me, Elise, Steven, Tamara, and Sarah.  Add a vet and a vet-tech and you have one crowded room!  And, while Trissy had the mildest, sweetest temperament, she was also rather strong willed in some things (unable to be consoled during thunder storms, always escaping under the back yard fence to wander the neighborhood) and her stubborn streak showed up at her death.  She did not like having to lay down on the examination table and having her paw confined while they inserted an IV for the anesthesia over-dose and she caused it to be pulled out with only half the dose going in.  They had to insert another IV in another paw for the rest of the dose but it was not enough!  She was calmed down by that time, of course, but her strong old heart was still beating. It took a third IV in a third paw to finally release her.  Oh, Trissy!

Steve giving treats to the dogs the night before Trissy died.  You can see the bandage on her rear end.  Even, then, she was up for her nightly tricks for treats.

That same week was full of Easter Cantata rehearsals (Tuesday and Thursday night) and the performance on Friday night.  The music was beautiful – as always.   Well, there was that one song that sounded like a Klezmer band that I thought was kind of goofy.  But, overall, the music was fun to sing, it was enjoyable to sing next to Steve in the back row, and I think the performance went very well. 

We were in St. Louis Easter Saturday – to celebrate Lucy’s 6^th birthday and to work in the temple.

Larkin got some grandpa time while

Emily set up for Lucy's birthday party

Lucy and Quinn hanging out

Easter Sunday was quiet.  Sarah was driving back from a last-minute trip to Idaho to take Kevin Moegling out to college, Steven and Tamara were with her parents, Emily and Joe and kids stayed in St. Louis.  We did have Beckie join us, however, and Elise and Melanie. 

My Sundays changed two weeks back.  I was called to work in the nursery for the last two months we will be here!  It is a pretty easy gig because the parents of the cry-ers stay with their kids. 

Steve and I tackled the garage four days this past week.   We did it in quadrants – the tools in the southwest quadrant one day, yard stuff and cleaning out the old refrigerator another day, the camping equipment the third day, and sports equipment and other miscellany the last day.  All of our stored stuff is now occupying the northwest part of the garage.  Elise is coming on Tuesday to help us re-organize her storage in the northeast part of the garage and Beckie’s things will be moved to St. Louis on May 1^st.  Throughout the week we made numerous trips of all our unwanted junk to assorted donation centers around town.  Good thing we still had the truck.  But, we won’t have it for long.  We found a new vehicle for us – a 2003 Honda Element – and we have a buyer for our truck!  

Jason and Denise Black.  We are letting them check it out the next few days and hopefully we will make the transaction by the end of this coming week. 

Speaking of transactions, we officially signed the lease for the house with Elizabeth on Friday.  And, speaking of houses, we got a call from the Phoenix mission office on Thursday informing us that we will be living in the home of the Johnsons – the current missionary office couple whose places we are taking.  They purchased a home in Surprise a few years ago – they are snowbird types – and, we guess when they decided to serve a mission, they requested Phoenix because then they could live in their winter home?  Anyway, the cost difference for renting a brand-new two-bedroom apartment for us and having to furnish it vs. renting the Johnson’s furnished home was nominal (although I am sure they are giving the church a price-break) so we will be spending the next two years in a beautiful, four-bedroom, three bathroom home in Surprise, Arizona.  Check it out on Google maps!  15359 W. Columbine Dr. Surprise, AZ  85379