week 1, kind of like Spring Break

This week was a bit crazy. It does kind of seem like a vacation, but we are definitely watching the news carefully and we spend a lot of time washing our hands.

Wednesday there was a 5.7 earthquake in the Salt Lake area. Alex is fine, but they are having to stay in their apartment and do their missionary work via technology, They were given extra money and time to go grocery shopping so they could stock up. He seems to be doing very well.

Then on Friday the Carson area had a 4.5 earthquake. Some in Fallon felt it, though none of us here did.

Glen didn't go to school this week, but had to still do plenty of school work in preparing lesson plans that can be done remotely. Remote learning (or whatever it's being called) started on Wednesday.  The soonest school would resume would be Thursday, April 16th, but we are thinking it won't happen that soon.

Glen and Angeles, with some help from Ryan, spent time preparing a spot and then planted peas, lettuce, and spinach. We hope to get part of the big garden rototilled this week so other things can be planted. Glen also took the time to make grape-nuts. They are quite good! He wants to make wheat thins next.

Hannah and I tackled trying to declutter and organize the back bedrooms. She is going to use her new interior design skills to redo Alex's bedroom.

Besides that project, I got to play more with alcohol inks. My friend had a birthday this week and 4 of us got together to decorate ceramic tiles. It was so much fun that I came home and did a few more. I also sewed my quilt block from last month's museum class and made myself a new apron. So, it sounds like I was productive, but I also really wasted a lot of time this week.

And, of course, we have taken the opportunity to play some games.

Yesterday, March 21st, was the 45th anniversary of my baptism into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. What a great blessing my membership in this Church has been. I can't imagine my life without its guiding principles and am really looking forward to General Conference in 2 weeks.

Yesterday was also an important day in that my brother-in-law, Alan, got married! I haven't even met Debbie yet as I was in Oregon when she came to a family dinner here. Due to COVID-19, we weren't invited to the wedding. No matter. We wish them the best and as she will now live across the street from me, I'm sure I'll meet her at some point!

We had been to the store several times this past week, but are going to try and not even do that this next week. Really trying to quarantine ourselves. We are making the best of it, and at this time are doing well, but we realize not everyone is. Our thoughts and prayers are with those who are struggling.

family, church, faith not fear

I made it back home safely from Oregon 10 days ago. It's good to be home, but I wish my mom lived closer so it would be easier to pop in and see her.

Friday was the end of the 3rd quarter at school, so Glen only has 1 quarter to go before he retires! And we just found out a few hours ago that "all NV schools are going to be closing to students and staff on Monday, March 16-April 3.  No later than Monday, March 23, teachers and students will engage learning from a distance activities." So Glen will be teaching remotely in some form for the next few weeks. Hmm. Will he still be stapling his ties to the wall? On his office wall here at home???

Ryan and Angeles arrived safely on Thursday the 12th. While I was talking to Hannah Thursday afternoon before Ryan and Angeles arrived, it was determined that, since classes had been cancelled and would be going online for Hannah and they didn't need to stay in Utah, Hannah and Kaellen would come here for about 5 weeks until the new semester started. So they arrived on Friday!

So, we now have 7 in our house and it's wonderful!

Church services and activities in our chapels have been cancelled for a while. Starting tomorrow all the temples will be closed for a while, too, but Glen, Angeles, Hannah, and I were able to go yesterday. A storm was coming in, but we managed to leave just as it was starting to snow in Reno. It did not snow in Fallon, btw. So happy we were able to attend one last time before they close!

you can't see the flakes well, but they were falling

When we arrived home, Eric, Ryan, and Kaellen had cooked for dinner for us (which was actually breakfast--eggs, bacon, pancakes, oj, hash browns, and Ryan had made a loaf of bread!). It was great.

Today we held our own services as directed by Church headquarters. Hannah and Kaellen had even printed a program for us. Besides the program, there were also announcements and they were a riot.

It listed the family birthdays coming up, and apparently we are going to have a Book of Mormon study group nightly from 7:15-8 hosted by "the Johnsons." "Bro + Sis Ryan and Angeles" will be taking charge of a Come, Follow Me study group with the date and time TBD.

There was also posted contact info for Andrew and his family, Alex, Grandma Jervis, and Grandpa Perazzo.

For help with missionary work, she says to contact Alex. For indexing help, contact Glen. For scheduling the build she says to "ask your parents permission." My daughter is a riot, like I said.

Our services were so wonderful--uplifting and informative. Glen conducted. I played the piano and Hannah led the hymns. Hannah and Kaellen sang a special musical number for us (I am a Child of God). Kaellen and Eric gave the prayers.

Angeles and Ryan were our speakers (they had just spoken in California last week, so they just tweaked their talks from then with the topic of how following President Russell M. Nelson's invitation to study the Restoration of the Church had been a blessing). They gave fabulous messages. It really was a wonderful service.

Then, Hannah was in charge of Sunday School where we watched the following video on Jacob 1-4 in the Book of Mormon. It's long, but it was good.

We are doing well and are glad for a pantry full of food and toilet paper. We pray for everyone's health and well being and for a quick end to the pandemic. We are all in the Lord's hands and are grateful for living prophets who have helped up prepare for the challenges of life.