This Week at Our House # 13

1. Ruth getting her mission call and General Conference were the big things that happened this week. John and I went to the Temple on Thursday. I need to get that scheduled in more. It was so nice to be there. John started bird watching with Adam. He has been bringing binoculars with him everywhere we go. It is a little embarrassing. I keep thinking people think he is spying on them and not on the birds.
2. I think I was more anxious and excited for Ruth to get her mission call than she was. Wednesday was the magic two week mark and it did not come. I chatted with some mom friends on Facebook and they told me that if her name shows up under ward missionary on our online tithing slip, then her call has been made and you are only waiting on the mail. I looked up our online tithing slip and her name was there. Ruth didn't believe me, so I took a screen shot. I think she was still dubious that it meant something. But her call did come on Friday!
3. Ruth, of course is over the moon excited about her mission call. It was last General Conference where the prompting to go on a mission came and plans were made, and it was this conference that she got her call. On a side note, school will end this coming week for Ruth. I bought her plane ticket and she will be home on April 11th. She doesn't leave for her mission until August 23rd, so we get her all summer.
4. Kate has been babysitting 2 kids at our house everyday from 2:40 until 6 or 6:30. She has done it for 2 weeks and has 2 more to go. This has been a nice easy job for her and the kids are friends with our kids. Drivers ed ended. Kate is really happy about that. Now it is my turn for another teenage driver.
5. Johnny was always good and nice in drivers ed class even though the material was made up stuff that didn't make sense and the teacher started out pretty mean. Before the end of the course, the teacher was nicer and liked Johnny. On the last day the teacher saw him reading the Bible and came over to discuss it with him. He got to share religion with her. I know he had that experience because of how good he was to her despite who she started out being.On a side note, other kids made fun of him and called him John the Baptist. But the John the Baptist is a pretty high compliment, so he did not mind.
6. Adam's plants are now in the ground and doing well. He really likes gardening and being outside.
7. Rachel reminded us everyday that her birthday is coming. It is tomorrow and she will be 11! I think she finally weighs 50 pounds too.
8. Anya played outside a lot more this week. The weather has been very nice. 
9. Joseph is tired of school. He is having a hard time sitting down and working, but spring break is not for two more weeks. We want ours to coincide with the public schools because of seminary, so while Joseph needs a break, he is just going to have to manage two more weeks of school. But our summer vacation begins in less than 2 months now, and we will still have completed 185 days of school.
10. Joshua and Arwen fought all week. It was pretty annoying. Josh is reading pretty well, though. I am pleased about that.
11. Arwen has a lot more to say these days and I think that is why she and Josh are fighting more.
12. Suzy had more tantrums this week than last. But when she started one today, I gave her a warning and she immediately stopped and decided to go and play instead. She has been talking a lot more too.
13. When Sam is sleeping and we go and look at him and say, "Oh, he is so cute," he will smile in his sleep. It is absolutely adorable!

Tender Mercies

1. Having Temples nearby where ever we live. An hour and a half is nothing to the 12 hours my parent's had.
2. My really good and righteous teens. 
3. The scriptures that teach us so much.
4. Easy access to the words of the prophets during General Conference.

Pictures