March Report

The addition/remodel project at the building continues, and is so interesting and exciting to witness. Of course we all wish it were DONE by now! Because I was asked about it, here is some explanation about the construction. For the last fifteen years the congregation has been using the original (small) auditorium space as the dining room/multi-purpose room. Truly, for most of the events that are hosted there the space is only about half of what would be best. We would eat in shifts, for example, and have to set up tables and chairs in other less convenient parts of the building. In the last thirty years here is how the building projects have gone. First, a small building with auditorium, an office, baptistry, and bathrooms upstairs, and then classrooms, storage, and additional bathrooms downstairs. Next they built the current ground-level auditorium and second entrance (directly into the auditorium), including a large "cry room" (now a library and conference room) and an "A/V"-type room. The third project was built to the back of the auditorium, a ground-level series of four large classrooms, a "commons" area to walk into from the back entrance/foyer, a nursery, and another set of bathrooms. So now, to the right of the classroom addition and behind the original building, a MUCH LARGER dining room/multi-purpose room and a "Meeting Room". (Picture couches, plush chairs, coffee table, end tables, and a gas fireplace ... for baby & wedding showers, and other kinds of meetings that are better held in a smaller, more comfortable setting.) Many changes are being made to the kitchen to make it functional for larger crowds, and then the original auditorium which they've been using as the dining room has been turned into two more large classrooms. There are also rather significant and wonderful changes being made to the lighting in the auditorium. The city codes have been very demanding during this construction process; for example, we were required to install a sprinkler system throughout the building. I took some pictures on a Wednesday evening before Bible class (See Jeremy and Orrin?).



Here are Jeremy and Orrin in front of the Meeting Room.



Here they are again in front of the serving window/kitchen.



Here is a picture looking from the dining room into the Meeting Room. One of the main goals of this design was to let in as much natural light as possible. **THANK YOU**!! (Riiiight??!)




One day when the children and I were out for a walk, there was a family at the school playground. (They have AWESOME equipment they let the neighborhood use as a park during after-school hours!!! Why I have I not yet taken a picture of that equipment?? ... Next time.) The family had a tiny animal with them which I couldn't recognize 'til I got very close to them. (I was walking the loop; the dad and daughter were playing catch.) It was a tiny, tiny puppy!! Ssssso cute! Jabba and I stopped to talk with them for a few minutes. The puppy, it turns out, is a "Morkie" ... Maltese/Yorkie. it was so cute it didn't even look real!! This is a recent picture of Jabba's profile; I haven't posted one like this before, I think.




After having moved locales six times in the last eleven years, I have noticed a certain pattern ... which I know I've mentiond previously. It's the thing about feeling two levels of "settledness" after a move. The first change seems noticeable about four or five months after the move, when the physical surroundings are in place and life basically returns to normal. And about a year after the move, there is another level of comfort that is more about the routines and relationships in this new place. This is where I have found myself during the last couple weeks, and it is an oh-so-wonderful feeling.

I got out of town!!!!! I don't get out of town very often. It is a frustration of mine that I actually have gotten to the point of mental plans about how to resolve! A couple weeks ago Jeremy and I asked Elaine to keep N & J for the evening so that he and I could go, just the two of us, to attend one evening of a seminar hosted by a smallish congregation about an hour away. Ed Wharton was the guest speaker, and we enjoyed reminiscing with him about our days together when Jeremy and I lived in Blair and Bro. Wharton was a guest speaker for that congregation once!

The children are greatly enjoying the fresh spring air and lack of piles of moisture. They are back to finding and creating things to do outside, and becoming obviously aggitated when our schedule doesn't allow them time to be outdoors.

Natasha has composed another song, including getting it all written accurately on music-lined paper -- SANS HELP!!!!! I heard her working on the song, but seriously did not know the effort she was going to until she brought me the final draft. I plan to video record it for next post. Also next post I will share pictures of some new birds! (The new camera has a good zoom!!!!!!!!!)

Garbanzo beans are a new favorite snack food in this house. Have I blogged about garbanzo beans before?? They are ssssssssso good, and rank WAY UP THERE as far as health value goes!!! We pop open a can, drain & rinse, and then eat them straight out of the can! (I shake salt over mine.) I have been experimenting with hummus, and the basic conclusion is that we really prefer just the beans, without additional ingredients or processing. WOW!! What a HIT! For some concerned individuals I will also mention, in this sales pitch, that none of us is noticing (proper grammar!! Go me!) any related gas issues! Internet research (This site is a new-found favorite.) is saying that garbanzo beans lose almost NONE of their nutritional value in the canning process, unlike vegetables which aren't as healthful out of a can. Simple, simple, simple. And CHEAP!! THANK YOU MICHELLE (A.) FOR TEACHING US ABOUT GARBANZO BEANS!!!!!!!!

Saturday was the "Fellowship with Firearms" annual event which played a large part in increasing our original interest in the position with Grandview!!! (This is humorous, but not a joke.) Jeremy and Justus were part of a group of probably 40+ guys from around the state (including Knoxville's new preacher, J. MacLemore -- for those who are interested to know about that) who got together in the barn of the brother who hosts this event. Justus and his buddy Brandon (also age 6, from Grandview, son of a former military man) were the only two there under age 13; they were diligently cared for during every minute. Oh, and wait! I still haven't posted the pictures I took at Josh & Sarah's ... a month ago ... when Jeremy first got to start shooting again after an 8-year hiatus! Okay, here are pictures from that evening....

Troy, Jeremy, Josh (holding the .45 I shot), Wes, Mitch, and Kieran. See how the hill starts going up on the right side of the picture there? It's an ideal spot for shooting because there's no way to 'over-shoot'. Jeremy said, "There's gotta already be so much lead in that hill!!!!" With this crowd they shot only as many as two at a time, standing adjacent to one another & shooting the same direction. In the moment I took this picture there was a lot more conversation going on than shooting, obviously. lol!




No one except Jo would cooperate for this picture which is a quite nice shot of the Mongans' kitchen. Josh built their house/cabin. It is ssssssssso nice!! Sarah has put a ton of work into it as well, and they are very pleased to finally be IN it! :)



Fellowship with Firearms was an all-day commitment, so while the boys were doing their thing, N & I decided to do a more girlie thing: a Spa Day! :) We didn't go overboard; there were no salts or baths or cucumbers on the eyes, but we did pamper ourselves for a couple hours in the afternoon by painting some nails. This was the first time N asked to paint her own toenails. She said, "Since it's the first time I've ever done it, I know I'll make a mess, but this is a good time to do it since I'll still be wearing socks and no one will have to see!" Convincing logic.



Then I gave N her first foot massage. I had not told her what I was going to do; she was staring out the window as I warmed the "foot refreshing lotion" (a gift from a couple years ago) in my hands. When I told her to put her foot in my lap, she did so without averting her gaze. However, when I started to massage her foot, her head whipped to face me and she exclaimed, "THAT FEELS GOOOOOOOOD!" Half way through the second foot she asked if I would let her massage my feet. "Let" her????!!!! LOL A little later while I was gazing fondly at the baby pictures on our refrigerator, it occurred to me at what a different stage in life I am, compared to Sydni and Amanda who have bustling households of little children. Ours still bustles, but ... the children are just.not.little any more. (blink)

The picture below is just for the sake of a laugh. Jo and I ended up dressing almost exactly alike one day!!! Jeremy, who took this picture from on high, asked which one of us was Tweedle Dee and which was Tweedle Dum. :)


Big News!!! Natasha FINALLY has her glasses!! We have strongly-suspected for a few years now that she needed them, but were never in a position to be able to get them for her because it wasn't an 'emergency' situation. When we chose them we were under the impression that they were for reading only; however, they help her vision so very much for everything that she has decided to wear them 24/7. If we'd have known that we would have chosen a different frame.... However, how many times in life does a girl get to have crazy, purple, glittery frames???!! She's ten, for goodness sake.... -no regrets- OH. I take that back. One regret. The place we went to had TERRIBLE customer service, and for that reason we will not be returning to them. It turns out I'm an optics snob; who'd have imagined? ;) [Do some of my current blog readers possibly not know that I'm a former optician? Better include that detail by way of explanation!]







N: "Mom, when was the last time you ran a mile?" I was able to immediately answer (because of the momentousness of the decision I made 20 years ago, as a 13-year-old, to stop running ... for a myriad of reasons): "7th grade P.E." Then, thirty seconds later, "What does 'P.E.' stand for?" "Physical education." "Oh, I thought it stood for 'Personal embarrassment'."