November 2-22,2014

NOVEMBER

The hush Before Winter

The view from the window at my desk.  I love the one lone brown leaf captured in mid-descent.

I have been missing in action for the past 3 weeks from this blog.  I have been laid up and had to spend close to 2 weeks just laying down.  So naturally, this won't be the most exciting post and will be lacking in photos. The following photo I took trying to entertain myself while laying on the couch.  I was playing around with some of my phone apps and really kind of like this comic book style.  I think I'll have to experiment and get more adept at it!

Here is a brief review of the past few weeks:

Stake priesthood and wives dinner

 Cambridge Stake conference.  We watched it via video in the Belmont building because Dale had a meeting soon after with Bishop/Dr. Thompson to discuss his role in helping out with the missionaries' health care. The mission nurse, Sister Denney, and her husband also attended.  Dr. Thompson was very helpful and it was a fruitful meeting.  The stake conference was  very uplifting and inspiring as well.

Pday was low key.  The boys watched a Broncos game and then went to Barnes and Noble.  The girls went to the mall searching for warm boots, coats, and clothes.  The plan was to have dinner together afterwards but that's when my pain kicked in so we called it a night.

I pretty much missed out on the rest of the next 2 weeks.  Dale carried on for both of us. He went to the temple, district meeting, served the zone pizza for lunch, spent the day going out with the elders and then took them and a fairly recent convert out to dinner that night. He also took very good care of me. :)  I wanted for nothing (except pain relief) and felt pampered and loved.

We missed our Pday with the Moores. Happy they were able to visit a place we had already seen and had a wonderful day.

Dale went to the temple without me and afterwards he and the Moores picked up dinner and brought it home for all of us to enjoy together.  Susan and I talked and the boys watched a movie.  This picture may just be my very favorite so far taken on our mission:

I finally ventured out on Friday to our district meeting. We decided to invest in a waffle maker and to serve waffles once a month or every other month to our zone.  It was a hit! (what isn't with these hungry missionaries, though, right?)  Their gratitude is so delightful.  I love their cute comments. For instance: 'Yes! This is the best day of my life! Thank you! Thank you!' So funny.

We visited one of our 'regulars', Sister Jarak. She has had quite a few hard knocks in this life, is pretty much home bound due to a fused and straight leg from hip to ankle, and yet has a positive attitude, doesn't complain much, and has a unique sense of humor we really like. She loves doing pastel portraits and gratefully has this talent and gift to keep her busy.  She usually gives us one of her drawings nearly every time we visit her.  This was the one she gave us today and is my favorite so far.

We made the mistake of staying too long and paid the price- it took us 2 1/2 hours to get home. 

We've decided we either need to leave by 3:30 or stay there for dinner and come home later.  

This is a very bad photo taken from the car but this was our view for part of the drive home. I love seeing glimpses of Boston!

Oh! And this is a  store we pass all the time. We think the name is hysterical! Especially for a food store!  We know it's another language , but still!  Funny!

Saturday night we met up with the Moores for dinner at a local landmark we had heard good things about- the Summer Shack.

It was your quintessential seafood shack.  Fun atmosphere and everyone loved what they had.

I'll think we'll return!

On Sunday we drove Elder Walk and his companion, Elder Sessions, to Warwick, Rhode Island so he could attend and speak at the baptism of a young man he taught while serving there. We were happy to help this happen and to see how beloved he was there as the following photo attests.

We also had a family baptized in the Spanish branch that meets in our building on Sunday as well.

People are seeking out the truth everywhere ,everyday.  It's joyful to see.

Monday was a rainy, rainy cold day so we switched up our Pday plans and explored a relatively new shopping/entertainment venue in the Moore's neighborhood- Assembly Square. We had fantastic burgers at the Burger Dive, shopped a little, (Susan and I got matching Christmas sweaters I'm sure you will see in a future post!), and saw a cute Disney movie- Hero 6. We also sampled Boston's Best hot chocolate at J.P. Licks and had a yummy dinner at Earls. Great way to spend a rainy day.

Tuesday and Wednesday were back to our "normal" schedules for those days- catching up on computer type work, and a Costco run for the fixings for Friday's lunch. And lest you forget, Dale is always on the phone. :)

Thursday found us both at the temple and it felt so nice to back within those walls and associating with those wonderful selfless people.  We returned to our new favorite Thai restaurant afterwards, with the Millers and the Kennedys joining the Moores and us. Lovely people! Such examples!

Friday brought another District meeting with our incredibly consecrated and dedicated and simply wonderful missionaries.  We love every one of them.  I didn't think I could pull off a Thanksgiving feast for all so I opted for a fun Pinterest inspired 'feast' instead.  We made a veggie tray, a fruit tray, a meat and cheese tray, a cheese ball all in the shape of turkeys. I also made a very yummy cream cheese, caramel, heath bar crunch apple dip for dessert.  As always , they were over the moon appreciative and it makes it all worth it.  I made hot , spiced apple cider and several of the ones from other countries had never tasted it before. So fun introducing new foods and traditions to them! My favorite compliment this time: "I never want to be transferred because I want to be here to for all of Sister Braithwaite's holidays". Very sweet. 

Once again, I couldn't have done this without the help of Sister's Valentine and Elmer. Love them!

I had a few "photo booth" props this time too. 

Love these sweethearts!

We had some assignments that we needed to work on at home so we came back after lunch.

It was so nice to get in our warm and cozy jammies and just keep busy right here in our apartment. 

Saturday we took the McBrides out to lunch. (I can't believer I forgot to take a picture!) We have grown to love them so much.  They are a most delightful and charming couple. Sister McBride  happens to be our Mission President's wife's mother and she and her husband came out here specifically to assist them since they still have children living at home.  Sister McBride also served as the mission nurse until just a month ago and was invaluable not only to her mother but also to Dale.  They are going home in about 2 weeks.  I can't imagine the mission without them. 

Our mission is so full of wonderful people and wonderful opportunities.  There is never a dull moment and we are loving every minute of it.

We continue to go our way rejoicing!