Second week in October

It was "departure/arrival/transfer week". Always a busy time.  Here is a van-full of our newest missionaries fresh off the plane from the Provo MTC.  Yes, all you see are all sisters and one lucky elder from Missiouri.  

Seminary classes started in the house on Tuesday (Monday was a school holiday).  

Saturday morning, Steve and I helped in a community clean-the-high-school project.  We wiped down outdoor tables and guard rails with folks from our church and other churches around Anthem.  Here is Steve taking a phone call from one of the missionaries having a car issue.....

We spent the afternoon and evening with Jim and Joan and her aunt Carol and uncle Wayne and Fran, a retired school colleague of Joan's.  First, we went to see "You Can't Take It With You" put on by a community theater group.  Jim and Joan's neighbors, and dear friends, had two of the leads.  It was a delightful play.  Then we all went back to Jim and Joan's for dinner and visiting.  

back: Wayne, Jim, Fran, Steve

front: Carol, Joan

Carol is only about a year older than Joan and they are more like sisters than aunt-niece.  They both love to shop and decorate and, over the years, they have been in charge of decorating the tables for the annual archeaology group that Jim and Joan belong to.  This year, the theme is "reindeer" and, after we all left last night, Carol and Joan were going to work on decorations.  Joan had already put in hours of work putting together these little reindeer sleigh favors.  

 The dining room was full of all their decorating supplies

Last year, the theme was snowmen and this was one of their table centerpieces

Wayne, who claims to not be artistic, crafted the lighted saguaro cactus above and the ocatillo made of rebar below

He also created this six-foot high saguaro Christmas tree a few years ago....

 

And check out the antique sleigh that makes up the decor of the living room.  You can be sure it will be a featured item in this year's banquet decor.

Today, our ward sacrament meeting had three speakers - all leaving this week for missions (Honduras, Boise, Vancouver).  The last Sunday in September, we had three others leave for missions (Spain, and two South American countries).  That is SIX missionaries leaving from our ward in less than a month.  Incredible!

Oh, and a follow-up on the ProMusica orchestra rehearsal this week......it was MUCH better attended because 1) it was a full orchestra and not just a string sectional and 2) the "contract" (i.e. paid) musicians were there.  It was a fun rehearsal.  I went feeling worn out from work at the mission office and came home feeling energized.