If We Try We'll Get By

I had a really great plan this week for when my dad was supposed to be here. I asked Chat GPT to help me come up with an itinerary that would please my teenagers and still be paced right for an 89 year old who likes seafood, aviation, church and history. None of it happened, not even the part to please the teens. 

 

Instead, my dad stayed home like he wanted to. I asked my Utah kids to make an effort to visit him and my sisters and I tried to call and keep him company a bit while his good wife was finishing up her trip. Dad didn't really remember Eliza or Azya, but he liked hanging out with his great grandchildren for a few minutes. M'Li was the greatest help and came over for his breakfast and dinner every day. Bless her and Marj for taking such good care of our father regularly!

 

 

My guess is that Eliza took this picture and Azya was sitting in the corner where everyone except for Barry's eyes are pointed. Love it! Aren't they all so wonderful?!

The vacuum left by not doing a schedule or having a house guest was a blessing. I didn't have a lot of energy after our Utah trip, so we mostly caught up on yard work, naps, house work and my calling. 

The World Cup (the Olympics of soccer, if you don't know) is in full swing, and Kansas City is one of the host cities.  England's team doesn't play any games here, but is staying a mile from my house at Meadowbrook Park. Netherland's team is staying on the Plaza and has had at least one really great hype celebration and game here. Argentina, a favorite, is staying near the riverfront and practicing on the Sporting KC fields. Algeria's team is based in Lawrence and has been treated to midwestern hospitality and a bunch of new, excited Kansas fans. 

 

Fenty is most likely to follow us on walks. UV comes too sometimes.

Walking selfie. Takes too much concentration! Hahaha

We have a baby, unusually cinnamon colored squirrel in our yard!

The best part of my week was hosting--with Alan--VIPs at the Tabernacle Choir concert watch party at the Community of Christ auditorium in Independence. We had a senior VP of a local steel company and his wife (my book club friend Serena), a couple of choir directors from Kansas City Public Schools (Melodye and Ken, pictured below) , a small newspaper editor, and a Missouri state representative and her childhood best friend join us.  And the concert was AMAZING! I bet it will be on BYU TV soon so you can watch it if you didn't get a chance.

The auditorium itself was also just wonderful. I was sorry we didn't get a better crowd, but delighted that it made space and less noise for Ken, who is recovering from a concussion. It was truly miraculous that he was able to stay for the whole event. Melodye and I were praying for him all night.

The entrance doors have different scriptures inscribed on each one. The D&C one shown here is not found in our D&C, and the 1 Nephi one is our 1 Nephi 13:37. I especially loved these ones for that night.

 

 

I thought Paige would like this. Community of Christ is a small but very global church, which might make these signs in the bathroom stalls make more sense.