025 Tuesday to Tuesday (Oct. 7-15, 2014)

A few words of wisdom:  When your back is against the wall, turn around, God has your back.

If your hands are clinched because of fear, you will not be able to receive what God wants to give you.

Wednesday the 8^th was busy. We had missionary transfers that day, but we didn’t go because there is nothing that involves us and it is a waste of time for us to be there. So I went for the mani/pedi that I missed on Monday when I was working with Pat on her Family History. I love being pampered. When we are released, I’m taking all my granddaughters (their mothers are scaredy cats), and we are going to have a blast. I so love having my feet massaged.

That afternoon we were off to Denise’s to teach her a lesson. She has become cooler to the Church I’m afraid now that her missionaries are gone. One got transferred, and the other doesn’t work with her much anymore. She misses them. We are going to have to find a way to transition her into the Branch.  We gave her the last new member lesson and will be making arrangements to work with her on family history.  That night we were off to the monthly Milwaukee PAF meeting. This is the group of expert genealogists that work together to help each other and educate others on how to do the work. They are fabulous. We have made some good friends among this group.

Thursday was our planning day for Pathway. We had other commitments, but at the last minute, they fell through.  It takes much of the day to get organized for the lesson that evening. We love this group, and the lessons are wonderful. The Lord’s hand is in this program from BYU-Idaho. Some of our students are really introverted, and these classes pull them out to become leaders and teachers of one another. Some are wanting to finish degrees they started long ago, some want to be educated to show their children how important an education is, and some want the satisfaction of knowing they can do it for themselves. We can feel their great love for the others in the class as they open up and share some very spiritual insights into their lives. The lessons are detailed and full of examples and talks from the General Authorities. I love to read and study with the students. This program is one the Lord’s way of bringing back the lost to the fold.

Friday we got up at 4:00 and took off for the airport to go to Texas. The Area Authority was nice enough to allow us to go to attend the baptisms of Rylie Fairbanks and McKay Watchman. We got into town around 10:30 and then after picking up a car we went to Amy’s house. We were able to get there in time to have a couple of hours getting to know the kids again. They were off from school because of parent/teacher conferences. It was so good to be with them, and we had the opportunity to work with Maddie and Rylie in continuing the decorations for Halloween that  were on their front lawn. It was fun, and they always do a good job with their decorations. Amy has discovered her creativity and loves to work on new projects. She had probably broken her big toe several days before we came, and she was in a lot of pain with it.

That afternoon we were off to McKay’s birthday party. Rylie’s birthday was in September, but she was wonderful enough to hold off on her baptism until we could come and see both at one time. We went to a park that had go-carts, putt-putt golf, arcade games, and batting cages. We couldn’t use the batting cages, but we were ready to enjoy the rest. Altogether, we had 12 grandbabies there, and it was a constant, “Where is ……?”  Raegan’s mom and dad were there also, and so it was a great happening for all. We stayed all evening, every one got to ride the cars – I beat Zach, Jon, Mattie, Tori, and all the other little turkeys on the track. That’ll teach them to play with me.  Hahaha That is my version of the story and I stand by it. Zach, Ian, and I played putt-putt. Ian beat both of us. There was the greatest cake with the bestest icing in the world. They had balloons, and craziness all around.  We love birthday parties.

Zach Eating His Popcorn

Anden Having Fun

McKay and Graysen - Best Buds

Both Grandpas

Leah Growing Up

Griffey and Ian Playing

Checking Out the Loot

Birthday Boy

Yum, yum!

On Saturday morning, we had the baptism. It was Stake Conference for them, so we had to be finished before the afternoon meetings started. What a baptism! Tori talked about baptism, and a friend of the Fairbanks spoke on the Holy Ghost. I’ve never heard better. The Kanzler children sang a song. Jackson is now in a special choir. He loves to sing. Leah had her sweet girl’s voice to add to the boys. Griffey was a little shy, but they all stood up and you’d never know they could have been scared. Anyway, I cried. It reminds me of a story about my dad. When he was little they had a dog that died. There were four kids and since it was their dog, they were in charge of the funeral. When they got home, Grandma asked how it went. Uncle Howard explained that “Billy dug the grave, Wallace preached, Sibyl sang the song, and I cried.” I saw that Dan also cried while his children sang. The Spirit was so strong in the room. It was beautiful.

Looking Good!

Looking Good!

The Guests Arrive

Rick Patiently Waiting

McKay and Ian

                                                 

Getting Prepared for Photos

Getting Prepared for Photos

This is a Recreation of a Photo Taken when Zach was Baptized Years Ago - All of the Children Being Held Were Little Then

Oh, My!

I'd Say Those Babies Have Grown a Little

Really What Is Our Problem?

They Are All Ours, Ours, Ours!

We cleaned up and went home to Amy’s to get dressed for the pumpkin patch. Wow, it was the first time Elder Lenhard and I had gotten to go to a pumpkin patch, and we loved it. Those kids were everywhere so fast that again, it was “Where is …..?”  That was fun. I loved the hayride. The kids were so cute together. Kyler took a while to warm up to me. She is so big, and she looks just like Katie at that age. Graysen is just the sweetest kid. He makes you want to hug and hug him. Anden and McKay are becoming big boys and too standoffish to be hugged and kissed by Grandma. I explain to them all the time that it won’t matter if they try to wipe off Grandma kisses, they can’t do it. The kisses just sink into the skin, and someday when they least expect it, they will show up and remind them that Grandma loves them. Finley is precious. She used to be a little standoffish also, but not anymore. I could hug and cuddle her forever. When I saw Griffey, Ian, and Graysen together, I thought of the Three Musketeers. Then there are Leah, Finley, and Rylie. Oh, my, they are going to cause their daddies a lot of anxiety as they get older. Life should be happening with cousins around.  This is to hope for the future that my grandbabies will be close enough to play together more often.

On the Hayride

Fun at the Pumpkin Fest

Cute Kyler

Maddi Checking It Out

Zach on the Mountain

Griffey Coming Out of the Maze with Ian Behind

Leah at Pumpkin Patch

Taking Photos

The Three Musketeers

Ian Coming Out of Maze

Finley at the Pumpkin Patch

Jackson and Maddi

 On the way home, we stopped to get smash burgers. Fun, fun, fun. 

On Sunday, we went to Conference that morning. It was full and thank goodness we found parking places and sat in one of the side rooms. Everyone in the family made their way into the room with another few sets of parents. I sat in front of a mother holding a sick kid. He managed to sneeze all over my neck and was snotting everywhere. Bethanne kept signaling for me to clean off my neck. Ebola fever has us all spooked. Our children were very good, and we were able to listen to some inspired talks. They had a General Authority who spoke, but for the life of me I can’t remember who it was. Just suffice it to say, again, the Spirit was with us.

That afternoon, we went to Amy’s and had lunch and after cleaning up, we left to go to Bethanne’s for a night. Tori and Rick had left that morning before Conference. It was fun to visit with the Kanzler’s and after the kids went to bed, Katie came up and spent some time with us.  We played Crown something or other, and I almost won. It was fun, and we remembered how Belinda loves to pretend she doesn’t know how to play only to wipe us all out, while Adam goes for the jugular. Elder Lenhard hates to play card games; Brad and Mallory are relentless; and Raegan, well I don’t know how good he is, but someday I’ll challenge him. Amy and Jon have never appeared to enjoy the games, but I have a feeling that Amy would come out swinging and Jon would play for blood. Maddie and Zach would certainly make it worthwhile.

That night Elder Lenhard and I slept in Bethanne and Dan’s bed. It had been our bed in Columbus. When I laid down on it, it reminded me of how much I loved that bed. I hope they like it because we wiggled like little worms and were so comfy. Later in the night, I woke up to someone crawling into the bed from the bottom. Griffey came up and got under the covers with us, and I realized it was thundering and lightning. He is afraid of it, but before he laid down, he looked at me and then at Grandpa and I could almost see him shrug his shoulders as he snuggled down under the covers. In less than a minute, Leah comes running into the room on Grandpa’s side and when she realizes it is him and not dad, she crawls in also. Suddenly, an alarm goes off. We figured it was the fire alarm, and it was so loud, it was hard to listen to it. Bethanne comes into the bedroom, she had jumped up and immediately went looking for the kids. Jackson had still been asleep when he got awakened by the alarm. Dan and Grandpa worked for about 20+ minutes to shut it off. We figured all the neighbors would come over to find out what was happening. Bethanne said it was 2:00, and I and the kids closed the bedroom door to shut out some of the noise (which would have worked if Bethanne and Dan hadn’t kept coming in and out) and snuggled down to wait until peace was restored. Finally, they had to call the fire department. Turned out that the lightning had shorted out a security system that had never been activated, but it was going crazy. The fireman had to cut the wires to shut it off. It had to be almost 3:00 by then, and we were all exhausted. Grandpa and I went to the living room to sleep since all the kids were now in the big bed. We left the parents to sort it out.  Hahahaha

Monday morning we slowly got up to run a few errands and then go to see some movie about a great and horrible monster. Everyone was there on time, but so was everyone in the town. It was sold out and we sat around trying to think of something to do. Zach worked on my phone and organized all those little icons I had taken the pains to place on about 6 pages (if that’s what you call them). He is beginning to grow up, and I found that I would like to do more things with him. It is hard to believe that Maddie is going to college part time and loving it. They are both very active in the Church, and I am so glad for their activity. Amy’s family went home because Amy wasn’t feeling all that well, and she had realized that what she thought was a canker sore in her mouth turned out to be a final wisdom tooth that was breaking through. She had two others that had been removed, but the dentist had assured her that the last one (she only had three) would never erupt. Well, I guess he was wrong. She was in some pain. We said our last goodbyes to her and Bethanne’s and Katie’s families headed to Legoland and then Barnes and Nobles. Nothing like taking kids to the most wonderful places in the world surrounded by Legos and books.

We left the mall where the movie theater was located, and Elder Lenhard and I headed for the airport. I promise you it never gets any easier to leave your kids, no matter how many times you do it. We knew we had to get home because our Mission was waiting, and there is so much we have to do. We love being here and working with these great people. We had a good flight, but it was delayed some so that we didn’t get in until after 10:00. But we were glad to be here.

Tuesday was busy with talking with our sweet Noah who has decided he must get older no matter what. I can’t believe how much he looks like his daddy. So good looking and just squeezable. I wish we could have squeezed him. That day I had to call Pat because she was in trouble with some scanning she had done, and she couldn’t get a wife connected to a husband on her pedigree chart in Family Search. I had to try several things before I realized there was a down arrow on the chart and when I clicked that, the wife’s name came up. I clicked on the name and into the chart it went. That was easy!  Later that night we went to a sister’s apartment to help her cover some dining room chair’s seat covers. It wasn’t as hard as I kept thinking it would be, and they actually looked pretty good when we finished. It was a good project, and we had fun helping with it. Unfortunately, we didn’t get in until late because we had to take Denise home. We didn’t mind doing that, it just took a little longer to get home. It was raining and cold, and the Elders had to run to the bus stop and wait for it to come. It’s a wonder they aren’t all down with a cold.

This week ended with a good service project. These are the things that bring us great happiness and joy. We should fill our lives with helping others and seeing their lives becoming better in part because of something we did to help them. The Lord loves us. Take care, and remember to read the Scriptures every day. We love you all.

Our scripture for October is from Doctrine & Covenants 20:37:

And again, by way of commandment to the church concerning the manner of baptism—All those who humble themselves before God, and desire to be baptized, and come forth with broken hearts and contrite spirits, and witness before the church that they have truly repented of all their sins, and are willing to take upon them the name of Jesus Christ, having a determination to serve him to the end, and truly manifest by their works that they have received of the Spirit of Christ unto the remission of their sins, shall be received by baptism into his church.

Elder and Sister Lenhard