Andrew's Solo

Andrew had a choir concert on Tuesday night. He had his first solo! His was the last song and the end of the song. They sang Blackbird and his line was "You were only waiting for this moment to arise."

He didn't make any mistakes, it was beautiful! His choir director is Mr. Van Vickle. He is in seventh grade.

Arts East contest

I just entered three art pieces for the Arts East contest. The deadline was today. The winner gets $250 and a 250 postcards of the art object. We won't know if I am in the show until July 9th. It will be at EOU. So here are the pieces I entered. Two wall hangings and a pilla. I like the close-ups. I have been acquiring vintage pins at yard sales and friends homes and trading. I also like buttons so I used them too.

The pilla is made from recycled tags on mattresses, clothes, & towels. I used muslin from a yard sale and stuffing from leftover quilts.

Diamond in the Rough, Recycle pilla and Bruce's Garden

I am getting in touch with my inner artist.

Luke

Here is Luke, he was made a zone leader. He is at a Zone Leader conf. with the other elders.

"On Thursday and Friday we were in a Zone leader’s council. President treats the zone leaders different then other missionaries. He was a whole lot more direct with us and demanded a higher level of work. He talked about balancing our work between our own area and the areas of the other elders in our zone. He talked a ton about working with less active members, and working with the members in general. As a president he has worked miracles. In the mission we have 450 baptismal dates, this is more than we have ever had in the history of the mission. If we baptize just 50% of these dates we will have 225 baptisms in June. It is a really special time to be in the mission, and I say to all the new elders that it is the perfect time to be starting the mission." from Luke's letter.

Retirement

Bruce is retiring from Central School as Principal. They have hired his replacement a short lady from Alaska.

Bruce retired on his birthday in March (that is how PERS does it) and they rehired him for the last three months, his last day will be June 25th.

People ask him what he will do with his retirement. We will be the Bishop! We have 2 more years. He will get a part time job (EOU has openings for 4 student /teacher supervisors in the fall) and he wants to coach basketball at Andrew's age level. He has been telling people he has a 2 year honey do list. When I found out, I replied it would last longer than two years!

No we are not going to travel, Andrew is still at home, he is in the 7th grade. Luke will be home from his mission in Dec. We will visit grandchildren in Corvallis (during blueberry season) and might go to the coast and we will travel to see the new grand-baby, Zachery Bruce in Springville, Utah in July for the baby blessing.Bruce and Andrew are going to Scout camp in July for a week, Camp Fife.

We plan on going on a couples mission when Andrew is 19.

So there you have it. What would you do with three double check payments?

We are making extra house payments so the house will be paid off by July. We will put $$ into savings for Andrew's mission. I do want new kitchen cupboards, we shall see.

Bruce wants to fish more and I want to enter some of my wall hangings in art competitions. We wonder what the Lord has in mind for us.

Mother's day

Talking with Luke went well. Luke is a DL. He is in a small town, 125, 000, Ipiales, Columbia. He says it reminds him of La Grande. He eats a lot of taters and rice. He had an anchovie and did not like it. They walk or take the bus. He sounded happy. He was having trouble speaking English.

Ben skyped us and we couldn't hear him. So he kept saying I think she said her feet stink. We could hear him. I typed our answers back to him.

Rob showed us baby Zach. He yawned for us and burped and then we saw his tiny foot. Rob wants Bruce to make a picnic table for them. So he will do that in July when we are there. He was made assistant scout leader and Deacon advisor, so he will go on campouts.

Dan got accepted for his internship. He will be working at a medford school for junivenile delinquents in the summer.

Crys is doing well. She has two jobs now. One is editing a newsletter and the other is doing research.

Dunc is doing a broadcasting class. Go to this website and look for "Geology museum contains interesting exhibits". http://byuicomm.net Science is his assigned beat.

Now I need to call my mom.

Mother's day

We get a phone call from Luke today at 4pm. Here he is on the border of Equador.

We will leave church early to get the call. (yes the Bishop's fam is skipping out)

He is in Columbia, South America on a mission and will be home in December.

I'll write what he tells us later...

We will get to skype Robert and the new baby, Zachery Bruce born on April 26th and we will get to skype (that means a camera visit, like on Star Trek~ we are living the dream!) Ben and his fam and Duncan. We hope to get a call from Dan in Medford, Or. and Crys in Utah then I will be very, very happy. Well at least more happy than usual...