Adventure

So this week has been somewhat better. I seem to be finished with kidney stones for the time being, so that is a good thing. We went for a quick trip down Toronto way. We left on Friday, hoping to make a temple session. Unfortunately I had a caliper seize on my car, and we had to stop to get it fixed. We waited a couple of hours, and left $300 poorer, but at least we had caught it before someone got hurt. John and I got up early and managed to take in a session Saturday morning, while Kierstan and Parker hung out with their cousins. John and Parker and Jason and his kids all went skiing in the afternoon. I decided that we needed to come home that night, so that I could be here for RS, so It was a late night for us. We really enjoyed our trip , even with the adventure of the brakes.

Quite a week

It has been a week of discomfort for me this week. On Tuesday I found out I had my first kidney stone. I spent six hours in emergency, and luckily passed the stone before I left. To be honest it was not all bad, it gave me six hours to get some hand sewing done. I altered my stays for Rev War, so I can do them up myself while I was there. Unfortunately that was not to be the end. I had two more stones this week. Hopefully that will be the end, but if not I may have to go to the doctor.
It was my first official week acting as Relief Society President. We had a very productive first meeting, and found that having counselors who are supportive makes it easier to plan. I spoke briefly with the District RS Pres., and she is also pleased with our planned direction. I think that this may be the year that the sisters accept the counsel to become self reliant.

New Calling

Today was a day of big change at church. I have been the Nursery Leader for the last two years. Today I was released from this calling, and called as the Relief Society President. It will be a big change from playing on the floor with the kids to addressing the needs of the sisters. I do have to say though that I am quite excited. The Visiting Teaching message this month is on Self Reliance. I felt that that was to be my focus with the women here, so it is going to be the theme for the year under this presidency. We had a previous president who felt this way, unfortunately the sisters were not ready to receive and accept this direction. I hope and pray that this time there may be some who are ready now, and that I may be directed in the best way to help them in the journey.

New Year!

Hi Family! It is a New Year, and the last one ended with a lot of craziness here.
We had mentioned before that Zac was going into the Military. Here is the update on that. He had applied for the Air Force, but after much waiting, they called and said he could get the job he wanted if he switched to the Army (it would be awhile yet for the Air Force). He wanted Special Equipment Opps. He decided that he would make the switch, as stacking wood for a living (which he was doing while he waited) was not his idea of fun. He went in in November. When he got to boot camp they informed him that he was in fact Air Force, so he is happy all around. It is going well, and he is learning a lot.
We have had a fair bit of stress with the driving school, as the examination centres went on strike at the end of August. This was long a drawn out, finally ending on New Year's Day. We were fortunate in that Hubby had a backlog of students, and we were able to weather the storm (without racking up extra debt). Many here were not so lucky. We are excited about this start to the New Year, as it should mean that ware busier than normal for this time of year.
Our Reenactments were a great source of family time for us this year, and we are all looking forward to the new experiences that it will bring this year. I have been able to help bring in a bit of extra income, by taking on sewing jobs from some of the guys. The more I do, the more they are noticing, and so I get more inquiries. I have been able to stretch my sewing skills, as I learned to alter patterns, and even make them into something else. (I made a single breasted coat pattern into a double breasted pattern, and reshaped the pieces for a closer more period correct fit.) Our town is celebrating its bicentennial this year. It coincides with both eras we reenact, so I have even started receiving requests from the town to assist with some clothing for special events.
We have our girl living with us full time now, and we are really enjoying having her here. She is finishing up her high school , and looking for a job. She has started learning to play the fife, and enjoys playing with the Fife and Drum Corps. at our reenactments.
Our sweet little boy is growing up. He is always learning and doing new things. He loves grade 4, and his new school. Sometimes he has a hard time focusing, or relating the instructions to a new problem, but he is determined. He is ever intrigued by the computer, but surprisingly does not aspire to be a programmer at this time. He wants to be a scientist and an inventor.

Everything is dying

Well, it has been a while since I wrote. Things are still crazy around here. We are busy this summer with soccer and reenacting. We have had several events over the past couple of months. I cannot show you pictures though, because my computer has issues. It started behaving funny about a month ago, and just continually got worse. It has now lost its operating system and Staples has sent it off to the depot for repairs. Thank goodness we bought the extended warranty. We bought a laptop in March to help Hubby teach his new curriculum. The first time he used it to teach was at the end of June. As he was starting the afternoon class on the first day, it seemed to be going well. That was just an illusion though. The hard drive crashed during his powerpoint presentation. Nobody was even touching it. That was fixed and returned within three days, so we are not completely computerless, but I do not want to put my photo program on the laptop. We thought our bad luck was changing, because there were no other computers in the house. They say bad things happen in threes, so we should have known better. Two days ago, while preparing to enter the freeway, my car died. They are pretty sure it is the torque converter, and that would mean a whole new transmission. The cost of such repairs wold be more than we paid for the car.
This means we have had to reevaluate some of the events we were planning on attending, but thankfully it is just stuff and not those dear to us.

so busy

I know that I am not consistent in writing, but this time I have a good reason. The instructor who said she had gotten on full time with the City in March, quit a week later. John and I have been putting out fires, and trying to keep his appointments straight just to catch up the 32 kids who sat in the March course. That is not including the April and May courses that were both already partially booked at the time. We are finally starting to feel like we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. We have taken some time off to do a couple of reenactments, because that is the only way we get to see John. If I don't get him completely away from the house, He is being pulled in all directions. The Summer will be busy, but I think that things will finally settle down in September.

On another note, we have been contemplating what has been going on with the business and what it means for us. As some of you know, we have contemplated selling the business and the house and moving. The things that hold us back are:
1. what do we do for work if not this?
2.Are we being ungrateful for the blessings the Lord has given us?
John and I were discussing it this weekend, as we have been having trouble finding help. When we do find it, they back out at the last minute and leave us floundering. The conclusion that we have come to, is that this has one of two meanings. The first is that we are to keep our classes small enough that John can handle all of the in class and in car lessons on his own, or the Lord is telling us it is time to move on (by keeping us uncomfortably busy). I personally am leaning toward the latter, as we are having trouble limiting class size. This may be the perfect time to sell, but again the question is what do we do if not this? Please keep us in your thoughts as we ponder this and try to do as the Lord wants.

Zac Update

Hey, I know it has been awhile. So, Zac has is definitely going into the military (if he doesn't mess things up). He has submitted his papers, and referrals (who have been called). He was supposed to have an interview last Monday, but missed it. I won't go into why, but we were unimpressed. They called to rebook, and he will not miss the next one. He is going through an interesting/infuriating phase right now, and both his mother and I feel September cannot come soon enough. That being said he signed on with the air force, and his preferences are MP, Search and Rescue or Airplane Mechanic. I am not sure how, but I have become his enemy again. This being said, we are just waiting for September, when we know someone else is helping to mould him into a man.