Signs of Spring In Spite of Bitter winds

 I think all of us are keeping an eye outside. We keep looking for the sun to come out and watch carefully to see if the trees are blowing around. The winds feel like they come right out of the icebox - a VERY BIG icebox. 

I noticed that the Robins are coming out in great numbers. I am still trying to figure out what the little bird with a blue coat and red vest is. The robins are bigger with a brown coat and red vest and come in flocks. I do not know if they are headed North or coming to roost in Concord. They are everywhere, every time I look there are flocks in the trees hanging on to the swaying branches.  I wonder how they keep warm?

The other signs of Spring are the buds and flowers on the trees, daffodils are out and the little white flowers too. 

We are all looking out for the sun.

Oliver's cooking

 For lunch, Debbie set out some rice, corn, and beans. For the life of me I still can't figure out how the rice cooker works and still use the stovetop method. But for the beans, Oliver is the cook.

It was hilarious to watch him jump up on the counter and get the spices out of the cupboard he needed. He pulled over a chair to put the oil in the pan, pour in the drained beans (I just couldn't let him open and drain them himself- ), and then put in the garlic salt, cumin, black pepper, and chicken seasoning. He stirred while they heated up to a small simmer and were warmed through. Excellent.

Jeffrey put some on his salad and told Oliver he needed the recipe so he could make it for his salads at home. The beans were very good.

Experiments

 On Saturday we were invited up to play with Corina, Oliver, and James while Matthew was at work and Debbie went to the temple with a friend.  I brought up my soda experiments but sadly they didn't work - maybe next time.

Well, our video of a fail isn't showing......

The experiment was to see which flavor of soda would shoot the highest. Problem came when neither Corina or I could get the cap on fast enough to have it pop back off. There is always another day.

We went back in with Corina setting up color experiments with her brothers. Now those all worked out well! They made several different colors then experimented with paper. The most interesting was watching water travel up and down on the paper towel carrying the color with it.

Paper wick

Solve the clues and find the treasure

After running around finding clues, they solved the pigpen cipher code and hunted down their treasure. 

Don't take my picture

The Most Fun Part of the Day

I am pretty sure that all my experiments and treasure hunts were not as much fun as playing keep-away with Opa where they would tackle him and pin down his arms in their game of keep, snatch, or grab a little blue chicken.

The kids used team work to overpower the bigger opponent.

Life is good

 

I've made a new blog about my sister's adventures, if you want to know about her, click here.

How to tell there are grandchildren

 

A tent in the house is a good sign of grandchildren

What I Hope I Remember in August

 Rarely do we have snow in Concord, but this is a rare year. Horrible storms have rampaged across America and we got to see the bitter cold winds and the beautiful snow in Mount Diablo.

View from my house of Mt Diablo. The snow makes it look closer - and more like a real mountain.

Look at those green hills

Green grass, flowers topped by snow on the hills

Friends in The Gambia

 I have been exchanging posts with the branch president and his wife from the Gambian ward on WhatsApp, about Jeffrey's trip, the branch, and exciting pioneer events that have been happening.

Growing from a branch of 12 to 42 in three years is amazing. But more wonderful is the years and years the Amako's and their relatives and friends have been faithful and true to their faith in the Lord and His promises. They are now seeing the efforts of years and years of effort.

Picture after sacrament meeting on 12 Feb 2023 - the branch currently has 4 full-time missionaries.

Picture taken of the Relief Society (and young women) Sun 12 Feb 2023 with mission leader's wife

I am posting to Sister Fatou Amako about helping out with their project to aid and serve in the hospital with the young women. I wanted my young women to be part of helping their young women be of service in the hospital in Banjul. I told my girls about hospitals in Africa. Doctors aid those who are suffering with treatments and the nurses take their vitals and other necessary care. But food, clothes and essentials need to come from family members or friends. Sometimes that includes money for antibiotics and pain medications. Hospital care is not quite the same in Africa as is usually the case in the United States.  Also the fact that one US dollar equals 58 Dalasi. So if my girls given even $1 dollar it is beneficial to my friends in Banjul.They are part of my circle.

Andrew helped me out with the system of how to send money to The Gambia using Western Union. I am so thankful to have a young mind work out the logistics. We were so excited when it went through and she got the money in hand! I told my girls we would send more on March 16th. 

Sister Fatou Amako said, "We are grateful to Heavenly Father for your loving generosity." She will keep me posted on how their visit goes and will send pictures. So look forward to later posts.

Date Night

 Jeffrey and I had the privilege of going to a concert with the boys from Vocal Point. All of them are students from BYU and are amazingly talented. All the music comes from their own voices including percussion and bass. If you ever have a chance to see them, do not hesitate to get tickets in the front rows. It will be well worth your money and time!

Standing in a long line in the bitter cold and wind

Freezing with all the other people from around the Bay Area

Vocal Point is the first concert I have ever gone to that promoted the idea of taking videos and sending them to media. They had a hashtag and even a contest of who has the best post during the concert. They gave prizes out during a break for two of the best posts.

I was absolutely impressed by the solo performance of the percussion man! Actually there wasn't any performance that night that was dull or uninspiring. As I watched I realized that their coach or coaches are terrific! Not only in choreography and tonal qualities, but especially in knowing their audience. 

Ending up with 70's hits to a mostly grey and white audience was truly inspired. Jeffrey loved it! I wanted him to like a new group and it turned out really fine.

Treasure Hunts

 There are so many things that are complicated, sad, and distressing in life right now --- so I'm going to tell you about something really fun!

In January, when I asked Kelsi what I could make, do, or bring her kids to make them happy, she said no to the puzzles as the pieces just get lost, and her kids love a treasure hunt. 

Using old pictures I printed out clues and sent them on a hunt. I have learned from that first hunt. 

While I was up there, I took pictures all over the house, front yard, and back yard of things I had never thought to take pictures of so I could have more precise clues of where I wanted them to run. Then I made up an indoor hunt (it has rained a lot) and an outdoor/indoor hunt with prizes I asked Kelsi to hide. But this time I had them save each picture because the prize could only be found after solving the word clues.  

When we came up for Emma's blessing, I left the envelopes with clues (and prizes) there. Oh so fun - they sent pictures of their success. The indoor hunt was a Family Home Evening project and the out/in hunt was a week or so later! Lots of success for me as a Nona.

Finding the clues

Solving the clues

The prize was finger flashlights

Now that I already have pictures, it is easy to make up a hunt. I just write on the top where I want Kelsi to hide them and where to hide the treasure.  This time the code is in pigpen cipher.......

Simple Blessings

 Briona is at her Grandfather's funeral today up in Idaho. It was not an unexpected death, but still painful. Brian is only gone from Sunday to Tuesday morning, so she left Amber with Andrew. It is hard for Briona but good for Amber's schedule and routine. Hopefully Briona can help and comfort her family and mother in this situation.

So today I came over to Andrew's house to watch Amber for a little bit while he gets out to do a few things. Tomorrow I will come over to help him out while he is at work and until Briona gets home. Amber is so delightfully cute today! She picked up a mirror smiled and wanted to give the girl she saw in the mirror a kiss. Too fun.

Andrew came to our ward yesterday as he knew his dad was teaching Sunday School. He sat at the back of the class with Amber. At the beginning of the lesson he said a quick prayer that Amber would be quiet and calm so he could hear the lesson. He said not 5 seconds later, Julia at the front of the class looks back then comes back to take care of Amber throughout the lesson. He posted a shout-out of thanks to Julia for letting him hear Jeffrey's lesson on our family text. 

Crying

 Ahh no, no, it's my little sister......

"Dear Family,

______ got the news back today from her doctor. She has stage 4 melanoma. It appears to have spread through her lymph system now appearing in her lungs and 9 tumors throughout her body.  She is going in for a MRI to scan her brain.  The doctor says she has about 6 1/2 years with treatment. We are going to have a family fast soon Sunday for _____ and her family.  Please join us if you can."

All yesterday night I scittered around in my head, crying one minute and going blank the next. I think I held it together just fine in Young Women's - but it was easy to do nothing as others were in charge. 

My memories of walking her as a little baby when she was getting her teeth in. Mom and dad were taking care of the infant twins while the toddler was upset in pain with her teeth coming in. She was always mine to take care of when duties were assigned out because I was the oldest.  After I left for college and came back one day, she took me into account and asked why I was being so bossy. I am glad she said something as what I thought was efficiency was rude and intrusive. It has kept me thinking much deeper when I come into any situation. I feel it out before opening my mouth and sticking a foot in.

We had one great visit several years ago when I stayed at her house for a night. But I don't have a lot of meetings with her on a year to year basis. A few phone calls, a visit when I'm in Utah and she comes over to Susie's house. Watching comments and pictures on Facebook.  And then I'm crying again because she still has a girl in school that she won't be able to see go to college or be there physically for her when she gets married. Will she see her daughter graduate from high school?

I do have a firm knowledge that there is a fulfilling life after death, but like a child I'm crying for the toy now....or that will soon be taken away. 

What is the best thing to do now? What would giver her the best help and strength? 

What do I pray for? I know God can heal her completely and I know He could give her strength to endure this challenge and difficulty.  What is God's will in this? What is my responsibility? Crying again.

Being Read to

 I love Marco Polo! All through my mission I could get messages and tell people about interesting things I could see. But last month it changed into something else - my sister-in-law Polly read to a bunch of us on a share cast, the book "Lightening Thief". I enjoyed it very much and told Rachel about it. 

She immediately said that it was a series and that she loved it as a kid when they first came out. 

Then she read to me - using Marco Polo - "The Sea of Monsters". Can I just say, "I LOVED IT!" I love Rachel's inflections, pauses, and changes in her voice as she reads the different characters. 

Even when she got sick, she still completed the book. AND THEN she started on the third book, "The Titan's Curse". I am having such a great time! Being read to is very nice. I can see why children ask people to read to them. 

Rachel as a little tot would bring books to people to read whenever they walked into our door. Wow, now she is reading to me.

Enjoying the moment

 

I am really enjoying the opportunity to watch the little everyday progress that Amber is learning and discovering. It is awesome to witness the step by step adventures. Since I am not here every day and I get a full nights sleep, I can see clearly how much she learns in just a few days. This is much more fun than being the mom.

Jeffrey is at the airport waiting for his flight to Senegal - then it will be on to New York through the night. He just texted that he made it ok to and in the airport to the gate. Yeah! He sent this picture he took on the way to the airport. I told him someday we would go visit. He said we could go together. Yes!

Jeffrey and Brent at the Law School

 It looks and sound like Jeffrey is enjoying his stay in West Africa. I can't wait to hear about his adventures! He sent a few pictures through the week and I have been stalking Brent J Belnap's Facebook posts as he is VERY good at showing pictures of his travels.

I am not sure who is who or what exactly is the significance of these pictures. Jeffrey will be home tomorrow and tell me all about it!

It is night for him and morning for me, so he was walking on the beach while texting me.

I am looking forward to Jeffrey being home as I miss him. I am so glad and grateful that he has this opportunity. He said all our prayers were answered, so I am imagining that he got a chance to share and listen. Life is good.

Salaam aleikum

 Hello to The Gambia. Jeffrey is enjoying being in this beautiful country and renewing his friendships with those he met two years ago. The brand president, Sammy Owusu Amako who helped us all two years ago is back with Brent and Jeffrey again.

The plane from New York stops in Dakar, Senegal and I wasn't surprised to see that Brent had them all running around to see things - so they would stay awake and get over the time zone difference more quickly. They went to the African Renaissance Monument and Pointe des Almadies, the westernmost point on the continent of Africa. I am so sorry I don't know the names of the other two judges that are traveling with them. These are important men and will play a role in the coming week with the judges and lawyers in The Gambia. It is something to do with efficiency I think.....I'm not sure, just that it is the reason they are all going.

It was so awesome to see Mr. Amako's familiar face. 

Jeffrey reported that they went to church with the same branch we met last time. They have 42 members instead of the 10 to 13 they had in 2021. They have a rented a building, they have sent out a missionary, and now have four missionaries in their land! Wow, this is so cool. And we were able to witness the beginning. 

I think this is Lemu Keller but I'm not sure, it is for sure Julianna (Jeffrey said Juliette this time, and Brent mentioned Julia) and Samuel Amako

This is the place that has been rented for church services!

Dinner with ward members

During the mornings and day they are with the judges and lawyers in the country. In the evenings they go sightseeing and have adventures.

I can only imagine what tales Jeffrey will have to share when he gets home.