June 2-9 2007

June 2-9, 2007

Saturday we spent most of the day involved with a wedding. Abbitt Ivins and Tamara Peaches got married at the church at 5:30. This morning the Elders mowed and trimmed the lawn and Robert helped set up chairs all morning while I baked a cake for the Branch Dinner tomorrow and made cereal candy and chocolate cake. At 12:30 we went across the street for the wedding lunch. They weren’t ready yet, so we came back for about an hour and helped rearrange the chairs for Abbitt. Finally we went to the lunch, where they served fry bread, barbecued pork, beans, corn and potato salad. Then we helped them finish decorating and attended both the wedding and the reception. The wedding took place outside the church and was really beautiful. It’s a gorgeous setting for a wedding. The reception was nice, but since Tamara was supposed to be baptized next Saturday it was a little disappointing in that she and Abbitt both participated in the wedding toast, which meant they were both seen drinking champagne. Elder Rogers was about ready to cry, he was so disappointed.

Because of all this work on the wedding Elder Rogers and Elder Miller decided to stay over again Saturday night. They said they needed gas and left just as we were going to the reception to drive up to Carrizzo and get gas. Just as we were served our food at the reception, here came the Elders. They said they ran out of gas about 3 miles from our house, and had to leave the car there and get a ride back to the gym. So when we left the reception Robert got the gas can for the lawnmower, because the gas station at the commercial center was closed for the night, and put enough gas in the Elders’ car to get it back to the house. They had to go to the commercial center Sunday and get enough gas to get home. They have a mission credit card they use to buy gas, but the commercial center doesn’t accept any credit cards, so we gave the $20 to get enough gas to get back to Show Low.

Sunday we had our Branch Fast Sunday lunch. We served spaghetti, garlic bread, corn, salad and cake. We ate outside and it was very pleasant, although we were in a hurry to get away and meet Shawn and Veda. We met them in Phoenix about 4:00 so we could drive with them back through the Salt River Canyon. It was so fun to see them all.

We came back through the canyon after dark, which we don’t usually do. Veda and I and the baby were in the truck and Robert, Shawn, Ashlin and Jaxon were following us in the Camry. As they approached the Salt River Canyon, in the headlights, Robert saw what he thought was a deer jumping onto the road just in front of him. He slammed on his brakes to avoid hitting the animal and realized it was a very large mountain lion. The body was as long as the width of the car. He barely missed hitting him, and the lion turned and looked at the car before he ran off. They got a clear view of the head and said it was huge. We were happy to get home to our humble trailer, but a little disappointed that Shawn and Veda didn’t rave over what a nice house we have.

Monday we spent most of the day with Shawn and family, although Robert did have to go to the community gym and track down some of the tables that didn’t get returned after the wedding. We took Shawn and Veda on the tour of Cibecue and passed out birthday invitations for the people who weren’t in church on Sunday. Ken Brown came for our monthly (used to be weekly) supervision meeting. I didn’t feel very good all day, and about dinner time decided I needed to go to the clinic in Show Low. They close at 8:00 and we left at 7:00, so it was a race to get there before closing time. Turned out I have an inner ear infection, middle ear infection and urinary tract infection. We had to stop at Kmart and get 3 prescriptions filled: antibiotic, antibiotic eardrops and a pain killer. Got home about 10:00.

Tuesday I tended Ashlin and Jaxon while Robert took Shawn, Veda and Jeron on the tour. They went to Snowflake and saw the Temple, then to Show Low, Sunrise and home through Whiteriver. While they were gone Ashlin didn’t want to go potty because she said it hurt. So when everyone got home Shawn and Veda decided Ashlin had better make a visit to the clinic. Shawn and I took her. This time we left home a little earlier: 6:45. Sure enough, she also has a urinary tract infection. We went to Walgreens this time to get her antibiotics and pain killer. Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Dion and Verbena came over and wanted help taking their picture and making an invitation for their sealing at the Mesa Temple June 21. Veda spent about 2 hours helping them.

Wednesday was the big Apache Birthday Party. Shawn wanted Swedish Pancakes for breakfast, but just as I got them mixed the electricity went off and stayed off until about 2:00. That’s the longest we’ve been without electricity since we came here. Robert and Shawn took Ashlin and Jaxon to Show Low to pick up the Subway sandwiches, birthday cake and ice cream. They had lunch at McDonald’s and let the kids play at the park for a while. Veda and I got ready for the party. We cut up watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew melon and added grapes for a fruit bowl. When Shawn and Robert came home they set up the tables and we got the food ready and the tables decorated. About half the people we invited came and we had a good time. At least we were happy that Shawn and Veda and the kids got to meet some of the people in our mission. After the party it was Scout night. Brother Wilcock brought a movie for them to watch and even he said they were awful. They wouldn’t watch the movie and just ran through the chapel and got popcorn all over the church. Then the vacuum bag broke and they couldn’t even clean up. It was 10:30 before Robert finished getting all the boys home. Before Robert and Shawn went to Show Low this morning, President Bonito called and wanted Robert to run around and ask all the people who have been through the temple if they would be interested in being trained in Salt Lake as interpreters. When did this project become Robert’s responsibility? He said to be sure and let him know who is interested by Friday. Right!

Thursday the Elders arrived about 11:00 AM, just in time for lunch. The Zone Leader was with them. Since we had company they slept in the church. They took the mattresses off our bunk beds and brought an air mattress. We fixed dinner for them and Bonitos and also Kyesha Henry came over. We grilled hamburgers and hot dogs. After the dinner we went to Show Low with Bonitos to the viewing for Sister Wilcock’s mother. Shawn and Veda watched Keegan, Faith and Ariel while we were gone. Maxine told us she had talked to Shawna and she said she felt she was being pushed too hard to go to the temple. She also said she’s been in touch with an ex-boyfriend and is very tempted to go with him and that she just doesn’t feel like going to church any more. We feel bad that we pushed them too hard, but think she has lots of other issues besides just that. She’s really a sweet person and we hate to see her quit attending.

Friday we had breakfast with the Elders and then left about 10:00 AM to go to Phoenix. We were happy with the condo and had fun in the pool Friday and Saturday. We came back to Cibecue about 7:30 Saturday night.