Okay, time for an update. Sorry it's been a bit since I wrote. Things are going great. The weather has finally started warming up and the snow is pretty much gone. Just the really big drifts are left. Our pond is full of fresh snow melt and looks very big right now. I can't wait to see that all done with trees and grass and a sandy beach and a dock, it will make a nice addition to our place here. But lots of other things are to come first.

Last weekend, we had John and Marilyn come for an over night visit on Friday. Jennie and Kevin also came. We had a great time visiting and watching the boys and Jennie play Mario cart. The competition was fierce, and very exciting. Amber was gone all day for a school music and band activity. She was in Atlantic for Solo ensamble, and small group band competition. She did very well, and is glad that is over. It was causing her some stress. Saturday afternoon Sheri and Derek came over so we had a house full for dinner. It was really great to see all the cousins playing together and getting along. Sheri's new baby is the cutest little thing, and I love to hold him. Jennie will be having her baby in June so I'll have lots of babies to hold this summer! Yay!

Sunday was interesting, as Fast Sunday's usually are. The same few people got up and talked about the same things they always talk about, stuff that should NOT be in a testimony. It's very annoying. But I guess I've been dealing with that my whole life. Every ward has them. It's just in a branch it's more pronounced! The highlight was Amber who got up and bore her testimony about prayer and faith and how it helped her do her best on Saturday for her competition. I guess what I've been teaching the kids has sunk in with her. She's a wonderful daughter and I'm very pleased with her and how she's living her life. Young Women's was great. I love it when we can all just talk about the experiences the girls have been having during the week. I'd rather do that than give a lesson, but we have to follow church itinerary, and that's fine, but it seems like they open up more when we're just talking, then when we're having a formal lesson. Hmmm maybe I should work on making my lessons more of a discussion and less formal. I'll have to work on that.
That afternoon, we had the Missionaries over for dinner. So after two days in the kitchen cooking for the family crowd I got to go back and fix a big Lasagna dinner, which they requested, for those wonderful young men. It was great to sit and eat with them and then have a little lesson. They asked each of us to share something we learned in Church that day. I was the last one to go, and Bret took what I was going to say about Amber, so I had to think of something else. I was kinda tuning everyone out during testimony meeting ( except for Amber) and I skipped Sunday School because I was asked to go to the Clerks office and order some things for Young Women, which we have asked for since January, plus I don't really care for the teacher, and all I could think of saying was that I learned that I needed to have a better attitude during Fast and Testimony meeting. So when I see certain people get up I shouldn't role my eyes and tune them out but to listen and try to apply what they say to my life. Because they MIGHT say something I could use. Well that got a laugh out of everyone, and then I felt bad because I kinda ruined a spiritual moment. Because the missionaries gave thoughts on the atonement and Amber shared her experience with her testimony and how that can touch someone elses life, and Bret talked about a great experience he had with Amber's testimony and that he was touched with her faith in prayer. So I guess every Sunday now I'm going to try to learn something and have a better attitude. All the speakers and teachers can't be as good as John Bytheway, so I need to get over it!

After the missionaries left Bret had to leave to go work the Denison ER for a 12 hour shift, so I cleaned up a bit from dinner and went to my room to just relax. I was bummed that Amber and I missed the General YW Broadcast on Saturday night, and I was looking on the BYU channel and it was on!! I was excited! So Amber and I watched it and they had some wonderful things to say to the girls and I just loved every minute of it. I wish we had more LDS girls in Harlan for Amber. She feels so alone in her values at school.

April is almost here that usually means winter is over and the planting season can begin. I have my little plants ready to be transplanted and I'm eager to get out and dig around in the dirt! I have a lot of winter mess to clean up first! It's never ending isn't it.