What a Crazy Month...

What a crazy month. Is it like this for all of you who serve in the YW organization that things are constantly changing? This drives me crazy – first we have one activity and then we have to change to another activity – and it happens over and over again. I guess it keeps my brain in tack and flexible but it drives the logical side of my brain crazy. Last night we did an Arise and Shine Forth activity with the youth. It worked out pretty well except one of my presenters forgot to come. I was a little in panic mode but told the kids to just go to the next station; and honestly, we didn’t have the time to do all the stations so everything worked out just fine. At the end of the activity I kept telling the kids to go home but with a smile on my face. I was tired and done after preparing for several days. Thank Heaven for Bob who got me the pipes I needed to make flag poles. He cut them just right. I am so thankful for his help.

Bob has been working like a dog. I see him so infrequently that the only way I know he lives here is that the cookies and ice cream disappear and once in a blue moon the bed gets a little warmer. Our JCP catalog center is no longer a catalog center but has become a store support center. That means much of the warehouse had to be changed to become a store support center which means Bob gets to work unmercilessly. Last fall one of his supervisors retired and about 8 weeks ago another supervisor fell extremely ill from stomach issues, something like having kidney stones in his stomach. So Bob and his night supervisor are all that’s there to corral all the issues and breakdowns. Bob literally will come home around 3 am and then go back to work at 8 am. The projects are just about done and the breakdowns have become less but it is difficult. One night Emma stopped by to see him (and get a credit card to get gas) and she wandered around the warehouse picking out all the clothes she would like to go shopping for. Weird. She can never find anything in the store but finds about 8 things in the warehouse. Emma took me in a few nights later to show me what she found. Now we just wait a week or two before we go to the store to find the items ourselves.

Emma is into tennis now. She has improved over last year and so has been going to all the away games. Most of the games she participates in are practice games with the opposite team members but it is fun. Graduation is but a heartbeat away. Just think. I am almost done with school and seminary after 25 years. I don’t know how I feel about that. It is strange to think about that portion of my life being over. I know Emma is happy to be done. She has never really liked the kids at school.

Last Saturday Bob installed my fountain that Austin had given to me when we lived in Kansas. It makes me so happy and almost makes me feel like I am home. It is in one of the front gardens so we see it every time we drive into the driveway. It is a lovely place but my heart really wanted it outside my back door where I could listen to it when the door was open and watch it when I was out on the back patio. I guess I’ll have to get that ghastly one at Costco to make do. Or not. I can’t decide.

Having Austin and Taylor here helps me not feel so lonesome but I do feel so far away from everyone and everything. The grandchildren are wonderful to have around and keep us all hoping. Taylor made them all matching Easter outfits without hardly a pattern. She has become a very good seamstress and I love how creative she is with her children and household. I wish I could see Spencer and Heather as often. Alas alack. We send our love out to each of you. May the Lord bless and keep you as you go about doing good.

Love,
Ruth, Bob and Emma Janejane