Friday, February 29, 2008

Why are we so busy?

I hear people talk about their favorite tv shows and I wonder, "how do people find time to watch tv?" I'm lucky if I catch part of the ten o'clock news. Anything besides that, forget it.

Larna has four callings, officially, but unofficially, she really has five. As I am the high council advisor to missionary work, we get a lot of requests to help out the missionaries, which we do often and with great delight. We have decided that my missionary responsibilities can be considered Larna's fifth calling. She spends at least as much time on that as she does the others put together.

Two weeks ago we took a group of African refugees to a stake center where all the African investigators in the valley meet to be taught through a translator. The translator is a wonderful and friendly African born member of the church. He also sings in the Tab choir. Last Saturday we attended a baptism where six of those refugees were baptized. We expect about seven more to be baptized tomorrow (March 1st). Last year in the stake we had 58 convert baptisms. I expect to exceed that this year. Miracles are happening. Life is good.

Besides all the time we spend homeschooling, Larna and I seem to get involved in everything else. For example, about a month ago we both got our licenses as HAM radio operators. Then we got two HAM radios, one mobile unit and one hand held. We are hosting a class at our house tomorrow for a group of friends to come get some hands on training with HAM radios.

Because she wasn't busy enough already, Larna proposed to the Relief Society enrichment committee the idea of doing a play based on the parable of the ten virgins. They loved it and made her the director of the play. They plan to perform it some time in June, complete with a wedding feast.

Last night I had a rare evening. I didn't have any meetings to atttend, or any other place to be. I had an entire evening to myself. It has become so rare to have a free evening that I have forgotten what to do with spare time. I was lost.

I decided to clean out and organize the storage room. We had just added another truckload of supplies to our storage and it needed to be properly repackaged and put away, which I did. It is a good feeling to have our shelves full of the necessities.

Usually, spare time for me comes only in 30 to 60 minute increments. But, when I don't have time to get involved in a big project, that is just enough time for me to participate in some relaxing therapy, also known as making bullets with my new reloading kit. I can make about 50 bullets in 30 minutes. It is good therapy.

Eric has taken up the trombone and plays in a band at West High. He's still a beginner, but is progressing and enjoys it. He also received his patriarchal blessing about a month ago. He is now six feet tall. Well, that was a couple of weeks ago, so he could be taller now.

Parley is also growing like a weed and is now taller than Larna. He always wants more pets. I guess a dog, a turtle and a fish tank are not nearly enough. His favorite tv shows are documentaries on animals. Some day that boy will own a pet store.

Jarom and Mary are progressing in gymnastics. It is helpful that we have a trampoline in our back yard, thanks to the Cummingses.

Samson is 4 1/2 years old now and still thinks he's a puppy.

Later

Friday, February 15, 2008

Just getting started

OK, so we're supposed to have a blog, I guess. Everybody else does.

So, as soon as I figure out something useful to post, with pictures and all, I'll put it up here. For now, I can at least say that the Eubanks family has a blog.

More to come soon.

Jay