Twelfth week 5/7 to 5/13

Diaper Cakes

Monday  I meet with Kathryn Tsosie and Becky Macarty and we began with baby steps on the adventure of learning  together  the things we needed to know for the Family History Center.   We went over goals and some of the tutorials that are available on line.  The more I investigated the more I learned that I didn’t know.  The ladies are wonderful and we are going to have a good time together. 

The Labor party

Tuesday I spent most of the day up at the FHC trying to go through more training later on Willard said that Salt Lake called and I needed to call them about training.   Then later that afternoon Sister Howard and I made some diaper cakes for the baby shower for Kristie and Evangeline. Sister Howard came up with a cool way to making it.  She had a couple of big rubber bands and held the diapers in place.  They were a big hit.  Then just as the shower was winding down, Evangeline started to have labor pains.  Sister Thinn, the RS president, rubbed her back and Julie Holiday keep timed the contractions.  When the contractions got a little closer about 8-10 apart, we decided that she needed to go to the clinic to be checked out.  The ladies here have to go to Tuba city to have their babies and that is 1 ½ hr away, so we didn’t want to put ourselves in the position of delivering a baby on route.  So Julie and I took her to the clinic.  I stayed with her and then her pains stopped so they sent her home.  We got home about 11pm.

My new flute

Wednesday morning we were awakened by Bishop Axline asking us if we could go get the meat for the Mother Daughter Mutual night so we quickly got dressed and ran to the store.  Of course, they didn’t come to cook it until about 10.00  I called Salt Lake and talked to Sister Cargon, who is with the group that trains new Directors.  She proceeded to give me quite a list of places and things that I needed to know.  Boy, was it overwhelming.  As I began to look over the information, began to see all the things that need to take place and contacted Brother Gibson, he is the next best thing to a High Counselor in charge of Family History.   While I was talking to SL, I got a text that Evangeline had her baby at 12.30pm.  I found out later about 5AM she started to bleed and Ryan her husband called for an ambulance and it took her to Tuba City,  That was a blessing because Ryan didn’t know how he was going to get her there because their car smoking.   That afternoon, Willard took me to the Flea Market and bought me a F major flute and it even came with music to play.   That night I meet with Bishop Axline and Bishop Gilmore and shared with them all my goals and plans for the FHC.  They were both supportive but concerned about how they as going to handle the Navajo sensitivities about the dead.  You just don’t know what will be objectionable to them.  Like Willard’s shirt that has a snake on it.  Bishop Axline told him that it might offend them.  Kat tried to explain to me how their clan system works but I am going to have to do a little more digging because it is complicated. 

Tashina and Brandy at Burger King

Thursday again we were called early in the morning telling us that 2 little children were missing. They had been missing the whole night and Sister Thinn asked us to help bring things to the rescuers.  It was going to be a hot day and they thought the children had wondered up in the hills.  So we went to the store to get water and granola bars.  While we was working at the  FHC just trying to get a list put together of all the things we need to do, I got a texts saying the kids had been found.  Later on I talked to Brother Thinn, who is the Chief of Police and he said that the children had been found in the trunk of the car in their own backyard.   They were hot and sweating but were fine.  A few more hours and they wouldn’t have been so luck.

One day old Karolina

  Then Evangeline called and asked us to picked up her two oldest Tashina and Brandy and watch them for awhile because she was coming home.  So we took the girls out to Burger King and then over to the FHC and they watched a movie while they waited.  They could hardly wait to see their new little sister, Karolina

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Betatakin Dwellings

Ranger demonstrating the spear

Willard by a small Sweat Lodge

A cactus blooming

Friday morning we got up and left to go Navajo National monument before we could get another emergency call.  Navajo monument is about a 30 minuet drive east from us.  It is free to go see.  We hiked down and easy path to view the Betatakin dwellings .  These dwelling were lived about 1250 to 1300 AD.  The alcoves that they built their homes in were made by springs so there was water nearby.  They were hunter and gathers and they raise corn. There is so much interesting history there and there was a great forest ranger that gave us quite a demonstration on the implements of hunting. 

The plant to the left is the Moron Tea plant.  Look closely and you will see the health benefits.

I loved the pottery

This is one of my favorite picture of  Willard

This is picture is for those Dinosaur Enthusiast in the Family

This flower bloomed where it was planted

Nolan Jame and his wife Angla Curtright at the dinner.  He is the one that gave me my first flute and has a CD out.

 We had a great time and I am most excited about my purchase of my first Weaving Loom.   When we got home we went up to the church to finish decorating the tables with the flowers I had gotten from our missionary luncheon in Montecello.    Bishop Gilmore came to set up for the Dutch oven dinner.  He fixed the most marvelous ribs and chicken, and potatoes and to top it all off there was peach and cherry cobbler.  It was well attended for once because it was well promoted.  

Saturday I worked all day on making flowers and braids for the Mother’s day project for primary.  Willard helped me and we finally finished in the evening.   Sister Howard thankfully took some yarn to make the breads as her husband and her went out riding to check on gardens.  

Second ward Primary on top and 2nd ward on the bottom. To the right are a sample of the wall hangings we made. The children told us what they loved about their mothers and they pasted it on the bottom

Sunday being Mother’s Day was a nice day.  The craft went over well and the kids did a wonderful job making a wall hanging for their mothers. 1^st ward decided to only have 2 hours of church so we even got home early.  I fixed a roast and carrots and took it over to Sister Howards and we had dinner together.  The came home to work on my blog and talked to the kids.  It was nice to talk to them an catch up.