Uhmm...What Has Happened Since Last I Blogged....

Well, the world is still dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic.  We have gotten our second shot and one week post-shot, so one week to go for the suggested protection.  Jena was able to get her first shot this past week.  Gary and I had a couple of achy days and I was nausea during the 2nd 24 hours after the shot, but not bad compared to what others have reported and better than getting Covid.

My daffodils are blooming in my backyard:

through our bedroom blinds

We continue to serve in our mission doing usually 2 oral histories a week with all of the stuff related to researching, preparing, and then documenting them for submission to the Church History Library Catalog.  It is quite an honor to hear their stories.  We keep busy with working with our zone members as well. 

I got my hair cut shorter than I have had it for a long time.  I think I like it but it is an adjustment for sure.  Gary says he likes it so that is nice.

Friend-to-Friend had a drive by Celebration for St Patrick's Day (the Saturday before)--Jena loved seeing some of her old teachers and volunteers in this theatre group.

Her "loot" from the activity---

This was a drive-by event.  They had six or seven stations where they would greet you at your car window and give a treat.....

...and share a joke related to the holiday in some way!  Most of them were the "groaner" type of jokes, but Jena loves those too, especially when shared by some of her favorite people.

This was one the same Saturday as our second shots, so we were able to make a quick loop from Farmington Fairgrounds to the Centerville Center Pointe Theatre and then home.

HEALTH UPDATES:

After Ben's weight being somewhat stable for the past month, he had a drop in 7 lbs. this past week which is concerning to his doctors and to us.  Still no understand on how that is happening as he appears to be eating his meals.  Otherwise, he has remain much the same disorganized much of the time and dealing with psychosis.  Medications were adjusted this past week in hopes that will help his mental health.

My sister, Robin, has been having some trouble with her heart and had a angiogram.  Good news that everything looked good on that test and no blockages were found.

Tosha had her first surgery to repair damage caused by her partial mastectomy in the months prior to Ava's birth in 2018.  All went well for which we are so grateful although she is tired and sore from the process.

Yesterday was World Down Syndrome day--03-21!   We didn't celebrate but Jessica and Elessia and family headed to the drive-by Super Heroes Parade which turned into a Walk-by Parade as it was raining.

Carter

Zander and Liam with Batman and Cat Women
The boys and Alex with Tangled (below)

They loved meeting all of the princesses and Super Heroes.  It is great how this group has dedicated so many weekends providing Super Heroes and Princesses for kids involved in all types of non-profits.  They are an amazing group of people who have found a way to serve in a unique way....and thousands of kids have benefited from that service.

I have spent much of yesterday sorting through the boxes of photos and paperwork we took from Gary's mom's house.  Now Gary has a stack of books and papers related to the "boring" part of genealogy while I have the photos and other "fun stuff to organize. 

One classic is this photo of Gary--his high school graduation picture.  Mom and Dad Hall had all four of their kids' graduation photos on their hearth in the family room for a very long long time.  I didn't think to take a photo of the four of them together, but at least we have Gary's.  I am sure he was NOT thinking when he was graduating that in four months, he was going to meet his future wife!

  

AND THE BIGGEST NEWS IN THE PAST TWO WEEKS--

    WE ARE MOVING TO SALT LAKE CITY AT THE END OF APRIL!!!!!

We had already started moving towards the idea of moving down in June when Jena was done serving in the seminary for the school year, so it moves everything up a month for us.  Because we are zone leaders, we heard the news first so we were more prepared to get things started. For other missionaries, they are thrown into the whirlwind of adjusting their ideas and deciding whether they should make the move or continue to serve from home.  The Libraries and other campus buildings that our mission supports are not opening up yet, but the mission department has moved our mission up a level which allows people to move into Campus housing (as it is referred to.)  We are taking an apartment in the Brigham Apartments which are located on South Temple although the section that we are in is the north building which is along 1st Avenue. It is east of Temple Square about a block. We will be on the 6th floor.  At least that is the current plan.  It is currently being occupied by another senior couple who is leaving for their original mission to Hawaii on April 8th.  Two bedrooms and two bathrooms in about 980 sq. feet--it has been a very long time since we lived in that small of a space and in an apartment.  

We are very excited although I know it will be a big adjustment, especially at first when the library is still closed so we will be serving from our apartment.  Stay tuned for updates as they happen.