2-9 November 2014

HANG ON! This was crazy but wonderful week for us all!

Monday was spent with Adam down South again and me trying to get Lacie to get her homework done and off to Ballet. Then FHE by ourselves which just never feels right. Adam's driver that was hired to bring him home was the craziest yet.  He went the wrong way on the freeway!  Instead of backing up or turning around he just kept going till another off ramp (On Ramp) with people honking and flashing their lights at him.  Headed straight at him.  It was dark to boot!  This is why I pray every day that He will be safe and travel safe!

Washing machine died today so I couldn't finish the wash.  It literally came apart.  I am hoping a new one won't be so hard on our clothing!  This one ties everything so tight in knots when it rings it out.  CRAZY!  Waiting to hear when I will get the new one.  Have 3 loads to still do.  It will mean that the owner has bought us a new dryer and washing machine since we moved in.  The microwave is about to go out.  It takes 3min. to pop a bag of microwave popcorn.  It is only a matter of time.  I wonder how old all these appliances are?  At least our Owner is willing to keep us/Micron happy.  Others we know have a terrible time getting anything fixed.

Tuesday  Adam left early went down south again for more audits.  He was back earlier tonight because of Mandarin.  We are coming along with it.  We really like our tutor Amanda.  She is becoming like family.  It is really hard to spend 2 hours each lesson doing it though!  Lacie is really good. 

Lacie started doing a new trick.  She does a back walk over from her elbows now.  Got to find her and Emmie some tumbling!  They are really missing it and are good at it.  How to work it in and find it is the problem now?

Wednesday was spent getting ready for the Youth Conference Adam and I are helping with this weekend.  Luckily there was no Mutual tonight.  Emmie is super busy with the Dance Production practices.  Next week are the shows.  She has been practicing every day after school and Saturdays for 2 weeks now. 

Thursday is always a busy day with Mandarin taking up 2 hours of our evening.  I also had my follow up appointment.  I have to have 2 normal paps to be cleared.  If this one is not normal I will have to have the cone biopsy and endometrial biopsy again.  I so don't want to do that!!!!  Here's  hoping the pathology comes back normal!  Adam went down to the school and did my normal make sure Lacie stays focused so all her home work is done before Ballet and Mandarin.  Not a fun way to spend 2 hours but is what has to happen to help her be successful.

Friday all the morning was spent with Adam and I running around gathering up the last minute things for the Youth Conference.  Surprising how fast the morning goes when you have a dead line.  We then met most of the kids at Jasper Villa to car pool up to Yan Men Shun Mountain Scout Camp.  It was a very nice camp Taiwan Standards.  Not clean at all but nice buildings.  Sadly mostly Squatty Potties!

Emmie came up with Carrie Chiles because she had dance practice till 5:10.  This meant she squeezed in with Colton Shaner, Quinn Chiles, Aidan Chiles and Michael Gordon all who had sport practices till about the same time.  Last minute she had a chance to ride up with the Bishop, Rebecca Gordan and Alison Beck, but still chose to come up with the boys. Just made Adam and I laugh!  Emmie, who has always thought boys were gross; has decided boys are more fun then girls who can be emotional at times.  Can't say I blame her.  She did say it was it was embarrassing to sit on Colton's lap, so she slid off and sat on the floor.  It was just to twisty and everyone was sliding back and forth in the car up the mountain.

We took up Emmie's friends  Addy Southham, Elizabeth Klump and Becky Christianson.  They made up a fake diary that was all about each of the boys and Addy being in love with something about each of them.  Totally believable because Addy is a bit boy crazy.  They read it to us on the way up and ask Adam to plant it in the boys cabin. 

Friday evening at Youth Conference was filled with team building games, a camp fire and songs and so much food!  It all really went well and the kids coming up late really didn't miss much because we ended up leaving late from Jasper Villa.  Nice evening and the kids really did have a good time.  One of the games was drink a blended up McDonald's meal... Fear Factor Style!  Emmie got chosen to do that one.  She was instantly green.  I just knew she was going to VOMIT!  She started gagging at the smell of it and it couldn't drink it.  Only Aidan Chiles was able to do it.  He drank 3 cups of it!  Gross!!  Emmie said it tasted like salty vomit.

Saturday was a really neat day with the youth.  We had breakfast and then in the early morning set out on the Faith Walk I learned from Badger Creek when I was a college student at Ricks.  It was one of the best ones I have every put on.  The setting was perfect and those helping did an amazing job.  The kids all really liked it and said it was the favorite part of the weekend.  Some huge lessons learned for us as Leaders and the youth about themselves and others. At one point Emmie wondered clear off headed across a parking lot and to the road.  She had left the meadow and when I noticed her I had to run after her to catch her.  She was embarrassed at the end but it was a powerful lesson.  She was listening and following the music she heard.  She couldn't hear anything but the music even though no one else could hear it.  Even when brought back to the meadow she was confused and struggled to climb stairs to get away from the cans that made such loud sounds.  Finally she could her the soft constant sound when I ran to her add again. Before she fell off the sharp edge of the stone stairs.  This gave us an opportunity to talk to the youth about how as leaders and their parents too, we would run to their aide when we see them wondering off from what we know to be the safe path.  That their was not one of them in the group that we wouldn't do everything in our power to go after to help back to the safety of the gospel.  Most of the youth had watch her struggle in some potentially dangerous situations.  There were many other lessons that they all talked about.  It was a great experience.  Adam ended it with the object lesson with the Sugar, M&M's, Donut Wholes and Milk, about our time and our priorities. 

 Sadly I had to take Emmie back into town for Dress Rehearsal. So Rebecca Gordon went with us.  This meant they missed the hike into the Hidden Hot Springs and a Picnic Lunch after the Faith Walk and more Team Building Games.

 

Sunday was the ending of our Youth Conference.  We had a fun slide show in a combined meeting and the Bishop reviewed the lessons learned in our Weekend together.  It was really well done by the Gordon's in one week!  Adam and I felt privileged to be there and do the small part we played.

Bishop Beck designed the logo for the Youth Conference and had it silk screened on sack back packs for the youth.  Adam and I talked about with the Faith Walk and his object lesson what are the things we need to put into our spiritual bags to be a survivor!

 

 

That was our crazy but amazing week!  Now onto another post to get caught up!  So busy right now!

 

 

Happy Birthday to  Olive and Coralee!  When did these baby girls grow up?

 

What I love about Taiwan.... The people in our ward!  We are so blessed to have a strong ward here.  Yes it is just barely big enough to be called a ward but it is an amazingly talented, neat group of people!