Our Interesting Anniversary

Don & I in front of the church

Our "boys", Elder Brown, Elder Leet & Elder Livingston

Elder Brown, Elder Leet & Elder Livingston

Don in front of the Mission Mill Museum in Salem

Don at the Mission Mill Museum

Me by an old loom at the Mission Mill Museum

A carousel horse in the process of carving at the Albany Carousel Studio and Museum

Don riding the Riverfront Carousel in Salem

Me riding the Riverfront Carousel

The Riverfront Carousel in Salem

One of the completed carousel horses in the Albany studio

This pose was Don's idea

More completed carousel animals

Don by the carousel fish

We had a very fun and interesting 28th anniversary on Valentine's Day. We decided to visit the Albany Carousel Studio and Museum (our neighbor volunteers there and told us about it). It was fascinating to watch the volunteers carving and painting the animals and see the beautiful animals that are finished. They're hoping to have all the animals finished in 2010 and then build the carousel on the site where the studio is now located. After we'd seen everything there, we drove to Salem to ride the Riverfront Carousel. It was fun - Don was kind of embarrassed but I didn't care - at my age I don't care what anyone thinks, I just enjoyed the frivolity of it. Since we'd never been to Salem, we thought we'd go to the capital and maybe go inside and look around, however, we'd forgotten that it was the 150th birthday of Oregon that day so the capital was jam-packed with people and goings-on so there was no parking anywhere close. Even if there had been, Don hates crowds and couldn't wait to get away from the area. We passed by a museum (Mission Mill Museum) which we knew nothing about but thought might be interesting to see so we stopped there. It's an historic old woolen mill and we took a tour and learned a lot and really enjoyed seeing it. There were neat shops there too and a little cafe. It's nothing we would have planned to do, but we were glad we happened upon it. By then it was late afternoon and we hadn't eaten so we headed back to Eugene and went to our favorite Mexican restaurant for dinner. Then we rented 3 movies and came home. We'd planned to watch the movies but our dear missionaries called and wanted to come over to bring us something. Then they decided they needed Don to go somewhere with them first and then bring their dinner to our house to eat afterward. When they got here they made me answer the door and there they were, one with a rose in his teeth and on his knees and one with Valentine's balloons for me. Then they shared their dinner (BBQ) with us and goofed around for quite awhile. They tell me they're my kids and they definitely act like it. By the time they left it was late and we were too tired to watch our movies, but we've watched 2 of them since (WALL-E and Man on Wire).

I had my final post-op appointment for my shoulder surgery yesterday and the doctor was amazed at how quickly I've recovered. I've been really lucky with that.

I'm using the new treadmill 4 - 5 times a week and am up to 3.8 miles in a hour. Pretty good, I think. Don's increased his time and speed a lot too. It makes it easy to exercise.

I went to the library yesterday and found several books that look good. I finished one of them in a couple of hours and it was great (Grace by Richard Paul Evans). I'm reading another book by him right now and it's really good too.

We're starting a new Enrichment group and they're meeting here tomorrow night. It's a Bring Your Own Project Group. I don't have a project (well, I do, but I don't think I can work on it with them because it's making new Christmas stockings and I need my sewing machine which is in a different room than we'll all be in) so I guess I'll just sit and chat with everyone.

Don finally finished his Mayflower model. I haven't taken a picture of it yet, but I'll post one next time. And, Hayley, did you notice I've got pictures of Don and I posted just for you. None of the boys, though, mostly because I don't see them that often. I'll try to get some of them soon.

Jeremy's going through a rough patch right now. He hasn't been able to work for 3 weeks. He tried a couple of days, but it didn't go well. He's afraid he might lose his job, and of course, not working is making it difficult for him to get by financially. He's started a new medication and is seeing a counselor so hopefully that will help. Then, to make matters worse, his new bike that we got him for his birthday (and which he just took over to his apartment) was stolen a couple of days ago. He had it locked up at the bike rack at his apartment complex but someone must have used bolt cutters to steal it. He's feeling pretty upset about it. Wish we could afford to get him a new one but we've had to help with his rent, car insurance, food, etc. so a new bike isn't in the budget right now.

Well, that's enough for now. I'm looking forward to our short trip to Vancouver/Hood River/Columbia Gorge in April and then mom and dad coming for a nice long visit.

Joshua's Wedding

I had lunch with Lily's mom last week (we ate at the new hospital's cafe which is pretty fancy, has great food and overlooks the river) and we discussed a lot of the details of Joshua and Lily's wedding. It's getting exciting now that I know more about their plans. It's going to be a lot more casual than what I was expecting but I think it will be perfect for them. We talked about the food but that could change a little. Anyway, it'll be relaxed and fun, I think. Marilyn (Lily's mom) said she'll probably wear a sundress and sandals (that's how casual it'll be) so I'm going to look for a cute sundress for me too. Tonight I'm going up to the church to count and measure tablecloths that I'll be borrowing for the wedding. We have tons of them so I have to sort sizes and see which ones have stains, etc. This is a good excuse to organize them.

We had the 3 missionaries to dinner last night along with one of their investigators and her fellowshipper. Dinner was great (I made chicken corn chowder, salad and biscuits with apple raspberry pie for dessert) but the missionaries wanted to teach the investigator some gospel principles after dinner. This investigator is a young woman of about 30 who is bi-polar and has Asperger's Syndrome, A.D.D., anxiety disorder and a couple of other mental illnesses I'm not familiar with. She also intimated that she's suffered some pretty severe trauma or abuse and is dealing with memories she wants gone. Anyway, the lesson didn't go very well. Her responses were inappropriate to the discussion and it was obvious she has some pretty serious problems. I know the missionaries are trying so hard, but they've already got a baptism date for this investigator and I think they need to slow down and take their time with her - she doesn't even believe in the atonement really (and that is crucial, I think). She does say she wants to be baptized, but I'm just not sure she's close to ready yet.

Don's birthday was last Friday - he turned 69! We went to dinner at Red Robin and then to a movie (Taken) which was good. We got a treadmill for his birthday present but I'm using it too. I'm up to 50 minutes on it at a pretty good pace. By next week I'll be doing an hour a day. He's a lot slower and can't go too long yet, but he's working his way up. We both need the exercise. Joshua was over Sunday for the Super Bowl and then came over again on Monday because he wasn't feeling well and Lily and her mom were cleaning the apartment and he needed to rest. I'm afraid he's got the flu. It was nice to see him 2 days in a row, though. We don't see much of him anymore.

Heather got the keys to her new house today. She's so excited. She called last night but we couldn't talk long because the missionaries were here. They're waiting a month to move in so they can paint and do some work on it. I'm really happy for them. Buying a home is exciting and your first home is really exciting. Jennifer has lost 85 lbs. now. She looks wonderful in the pictures we've seen of her.

That's it for now. Next post I'll try to have pictures of us. Hayley has asked for some and I guess I should take more "people pictures."