my sister's visit and (ack!) my new calling

My sister, Denise, called last Wednesday and said she was thinking of coming up for a visit. I enthusiastically told her to come. She arrived on Saturday and left today (Wednesday). We had a wonderful visit. We played games, went to church, took walks, went to zumba, discussed Ed Week classes, went out to lunch, went to the temple, and just talked and had a wonderful time. I don't know what I'd do without having her in my life. She is such a blessing to me.

Thanks for coming, Deni! I had a fabulous time being with you.

It was also a good week for beautiful sunrises and sunsets. Here are 2 different sunrises:

18 July 2014

18 July 2014

21 July 2014

And here's a photo of the new almost-finished milk barn as seen from across a field of the new crop milo (sorghum):

So, Glen and I were called in to talk to a member of the Stake Presidency (his brother Alan). We were both thinking that the new calling would be for Glen. Nope. I was called to be an early-morning seminary teacher. I have never even attended a class like that as Denise and I had what is called home-study seminary where we had booklets to do during the week and then just had one class a week on Sundays. And I remember nothing of my classes except the time the young men were so badly behaved that they made our sweet teacher cry.

Being an early-morning seminary teacher means teaching about 20 lessons a month to high school aged kids from 7 to 7:45 am on most school days. As a counselor in the Young Women's (which is what my calling has been lately), I taught a lesson about 6 times a year and I considered it to be the hardest part of my calling as I don't feel I'm a very good teacher. I don't mind the hours that teaching seminary will take (about 2 hours of prep per lesson plus teaching time itself); I just don't want to bore the students. I want to be able to have them love and be excited about the scriptures.

This year's course of study will be the Doctrine and Covenants (which contains revelations mostly given to Joseph Smith in the 1830s and 40s). I don't know yet which grade I'll be teaching.

I'll be missing the first week of seminary as Denise and I will be at BYU's Ed Week (yea!), but Glen and Hannah will be filling in for me. My Ed Week choices now contain more classes on the D & C and classes on being a good teacher.

So, I'm adjusting to the idea. I'm sure I'll learn to do it right, but it is a bit intimidating. A lot intimidating. I will be released from Young Women's, but I should wind up having some of the girls in whatever age group I wind up teaching, so that will be nice. The change in callings will make it easier for me to travel with Glen when he needs me to go on his high council visits once a month--like in September when we go to Austin.

But I am still a bit in shock and I was called 10 days ago. Wish me luck. Better yet, pray for me and my students.

empty house, scout camp, awards ceremony, and the supermoon

Glen and Alex were gone all week to scout camp--Camp Loll in Wyoming. Hannah was gone at least half the time, too, being with various friends at various places. I so enjoyed having the house to myself. When the kids were little it was a dream of mine--to be home all alone for a while. I know that soon enough that will be my status 99% of the time, but I enjoyed it and I hope that means I will in the future, too.

   
The Lodge at Camp Loll (and I thought my husband was camping!)

So, scary thing, Glen tells me that he slept in the medic's room in the lodge, like he did last year, because they have a generator for the lodge and he can plug in his C-PAP machine. However, the generator broke on Sunday, so Glen had to sleep that night without his machine. The camp director, who is LDS, was inspired to check on Glen in the night. He shook Glen awake. Glen, being in the medic's room, had a oximeter and he checked his oxygen and pulse rate...his pulse was 30 and his oxygen was at 51%. Yikes. Thankfully, a replacement rental generator was brought up on Monday and Glen had the use of his C-PAP machine the rest of the week. Don't know what would have happened if the camp director hadn't felt impressed to check on Glen, but we are awfully glad he did.

Alex had a wonderful time. He completed 2 merit badges (wood carving and orienteering) and 2 partials (rock climbing and personal fitness). He loved being Senior Patrol Leader as he got to help inspect the camp each day. They had a 10 mile hike where it only rained on them a little. Hopefully, someone will share with us their photos soon.

they made it back, safe and sound (and dirty)

 I spent most of my extra time reading books on health and nutrition. It was great. Except for the conflicting info they gave. So it was also frustrating. But great.

On Wednesday, Hannah and I went to Reno to a scholarship awards ceremony given by NV Energy. Hannah is one of 4 students from CCHS who received one of their $1000 scholarships. Her friend, VL, was there too, but not the other 2, Garrett and Erik.

Hannah was the 1st one called up (she's wearing a skirt I had made for me while on my mission in Uruguay, btw)

Group photo of those recipients who attended the ceremony

VL and Hannah

back to my skirt that Hannah's wearing...I just figured out it's 30 years old now...wow

While in Reno we did a little shopping and had a great time. Hannah found more things than I did--like a pair of used Bass leather boots for $15 (which she looked up online and a used pair was going for about $165), but I really love one of my finds at the thrift store Savers. They are 5" x 7" cross stitches of lighthouses in Oregon, one of them being the Cape Blanco Lighthouse, which is outside of Port Orford, about an hour away from my parent's house. We've visited it before. They will go in my bathroom, which has an ocean theme.

Yaquina Head, Cape Blanco, and Cape Arago lighthouses

And it's that time again in the moon's orbit where it's close to the earth causing a "supermoon" for tonight's full moon. It's gorgeous.

the full moon over the new dairy barn

 It was a wonderful week. It's good to have everyone home again.

Annual Perazzo Clan vacation at Lake Almanor

We had a wonderful week with Glen's family at Lake Almanor in California. People came and went, so we didn't have everyone there at the same time, but altogether there were 35 attendees, 6 of which were children. The weather was perfect--cool but not cold in the morning (which is perfect for taking walks or playing volleyball), hot in the afternoon (which is perfect for sitting around and playing games or going to the Lake), and cool again in the evening (more games and volleyball).

in front of our cabin

Glen with his parents, 2 brothers, and 2 sisters

Hannah, Thomas, and Alex

Usually we just have a big Pinochle tournament each year, but this year, with so many coming and going, we had 4 mini-tournaments that mostly lasted 1 day each. Alan and David turned out to be the big winners. Glen and I never made it past a 2nd round, but it was still a lot of fun.

The first and most intense weekend-long Perazzo family Spades tournament

The One(ish) Day Rook Rampage Tournament

The Perazzo Pinochle Punch-Out (literal punchers are disqualified) Tournament

The Hardcore Hearts Tournament

on a walk near the lake

Alex and I made oyster pearl cookies for our dessert the day we cooked

It was a great week full of fun, food, and the family. Thanks Mom and Dad P for making it possible.