Kiss Today Goodbye

I did a quick Google search to see if there was a song about what I did instead, and of course, "What I Did for Love" came up, which makes it sound so much more noble. I did love my choices though. They were good ones. This is the time of the year when we are double and triple booked on some days and you just have to decide where you are going to be and what you are going to do because you can't do it all.

Instead of going to the stake council party, we went to the Prairie Village Mayor's Christmas Tree Lighting. Eve was part of the entertainment. This picture was taken right after the Dancerz Unlimited girls left the stage and before the Briarwood choir started singing. She found us! Do you see her head popping up above all the others?

Then we took her to a saxophone lesson and Alan went out with the missionaries. After that instead of taking Griffin to basketball practice we stayed home and put him to bed because he had a migraine.

Instead of just having ice cream in our freezer, we have frozen tiny water balloons. Thanks Eve!

Instead of getting lost in my calling on my computer, I talked to Frank and Eliza and Juliet and Misty and Mariah and Buddy several times this week. I absolutely love that Frank is currently in the habit of sitting down to breakfast and then telling his mom, "I call Grandma." And Misty asks to talk to me too. Her favorite thing right now is a tiny Hello Kitty purse. I love that!

I did do a big bunch of things for my calling. Here are a couple pictures of success stories: a Giving Machine sign at Ward Parkway Presbyterian and a flyer at Mission Rd. Community of Christ. Mission Rd. United Methodist also took some flyers to post for us, and I made several other contacts. Sometimes our signs are taken down, like the ones I posted last week in Mission Hills, and the one I posted Friday in front of our orthodontist's office on 83rd street. Luckily, when you have asked permission and have people who are on board with the project working with you, they help you figure out what happened to them!

Instead of keeping my appointment at the temple on Tuesday, I took Griffin to the oral surgeon to have SIX baby teeth removed. I don't know why they kept hanging on for so long! He enjoyed the whole thing, but especially the nitrous oxide. And I got two Giving Machine signs placed as part of the deal.

Instead of doing a bunch of things I probably should have been doing, I went through the reams of papers and stuff on my desk and saw the top clean for the first time in several months. Ah! It helps me to feel like my life is a little more put together when my desk is physically clear.

I trained a new person on my Stake Communication Council (who hadn't realized she was getting a stake calling or that it was with social media when she accepted--oh dear!) and told her that we do a bunch of things, but it is really about building relationships, which happens one person at a time.  Some of my favorite connections with one person at a time this week were:

-Alan Wimmer. We had a weird week, and our date got messed up with call, but one of my favorite things was just talking with him and planning together our upcoming trip to Utah for Christmas.

-My kids. They bring me so much joy. I also get a kick out of my grandchildren, but I especially love this time of their lives when I only get to talk to my grandchildren by also seeing my beautiful daughters. I remember wondering if my parents even cared that I was there or were just excited about my babies when we visited. They were THRILLED I was there and thought I was every bit as cute as those babies, if they are like me! I also just adore the minutes I get to spend talking to my very busy middle kids, and the hours I get flogged with preteen yapping and complaining are worth it too for the bright moments of seeing their humor and understanding develop and their choices and goodness taking root.

-I also got to talk to Paige this week. I am thrilled with that. The blessing of siblings, and especially my sisters who are the ones I get to talk to, is one of my favorite blessings.

-Conversations with Lesta Sims, Cynthia Cockriel, Missy Love (isn't that a great name?!) Bill Freund and Antonio and April Molinar were also connecting and delightful this week.

-The people on my Stake Communication Council are amazing and wonderful. Brooke came through with the stake newsletter without me even asking her about it. Sonja is pushing our toy drive along and I'm just hanging on for the ride. Kelly is communicating about the Giving Machines as she recovers from surgery for cancer. Ben hasn't fallen off the wagon even as he has been recovering from being hospitalized for complications from the flu and helping to care for his terminally ill mom. Kathy came and picked up a poster from me so I wouldn't have to bring it to her after she cleaned up from her ward Christmas party late last night. Wendy is brand spanking new and is out asking businesses and churches to post Giving Machine signs. And even people who have been released are still doing things for me all the time! I get to work with a battalion of faithful saints! And I get to meet people in the community and see their goodness and light all the time!