They're In !!!

     Our mission application papers were submitted and received by the Church last Wednesday.  They tell us that it may take 4-6 weeks to get our call.  The first night we got "activated" by the bishop so we could begin our papers (all done online now), we thought we'd just take a little look at them so we would know what to expect.  Well, that was about 9 or 10pm and at 1:30am we finally decided we should go to bed!  It was exciting (and scary, and anxious, and wonderful).  We got all our medical and dental papers in the next week and had our Stake President's interview last Tuesday.  He wrote his remarks, finished up all the paperwork and submitted them the next day.  Wow - now the anticipation is in full swing.  It may be that our call will arrive when Laura and Jared, along with Emi and the girls are here in Mid-May.  Here's our mission picture, which was taken last winter at our final CES conference before we retired.  The photographer said, "Let's take several so you can use them for your mission."  How right they were!

  

 Some day soon, this picture will be hanging on the wall of some mission president's office.  All of you are invited to post your guess for a domestic and an international mission assignment.  One million dollars to the one who guesses correctly.  But if you correctly guess a "bad location," you have to go with us!  Really, we are just wondering when we open that call if the first feeling will be a sinking  "uh oh," or if we'll be delighted.  Either way, we trust the Lord to send us where we belong and that we'll fall in love with those we serve regardless of where that is.  Thanks for all your faith and prayers and encouragement to us.  What an adventure!

What's Up In The Shop

There is a woman in Albany that hosts a craft sale a few times a year at her "Vintage Roost" shop.  Various artisans bring their items and she sells them - taking a healthy 25% of the profits.  Tomorrow is the delivery date for the Easter sale coming up so we decided to put in some barn wood garden furniture.  Here's some of the items ~ not unfamiliar to you because of our garden bench in the trees.  A few months ago we took our garden bench out to show her and see if she had interest.  She said she liked it except for all those "cutsie hearts."  OK, that was mean.  She just wanted plain things so that's what she's getting (we think they lack class and a personal touch):