Yeah! The kids are home from Jamaica. They had a wonderful time and have a great sun glow that followed them home. We all are a bit stressed about going back to school. Unfortunately they all missed a test (3 in Jessie's case), several assignments but at least no major grade assignments. Jessie’s teachers were not happy about her missing 3 days of school. I feared the same for Bode and Zac however the attendance secretaries and principals weren't nearly as opposed. We just know we have lots of studying and homework ahead this week. 😜
Once the kids we were off to school transfer week adventures began. I started to prepare the meal for the departing missionaries. In between food prep I was able to send my weekly missionary post and blog post. I think I have found the meal that is simple, delicious and a little bit Texan and a little bit Utah. Pulled pork sandwiches, baked beans, coleslaw, homemade potato and sweet potato fries, raspberry tapioca Jello salad, fruit and hornets nest cake. We began the evening with a testimony morning and ended it with our fun tradition of having FHE with the missionaries. It's a great evening that we love having with our missionaries.
The next morning we hosted a breakfast before we took the departing missionaries to airport and picked up the new missionaries. Unfortunately the flight from Mexico was delayed putting us behind schedule. Three of our new sisters had to move the van not knowing where they were and without a phone. Scary for a moment but they were able to figure out how to come back around. We headed to the Bissonett building for our OYMing activity and then headed to the mission home for a testimony meeting, pictures, meal and interviews. Transfer week, which also includes the actual transfers and training for the new missionaries on Wednesday morning is a whirlwind of activity after activity but it flows pretty naturally now.
Jessie had yet another creative book report to have ready for Thursday. She came up with the idea all on her own. It was titled “What book did I read?”. She then had clues on post it notes about the book she had read. Some of her clues were, it was written by Dan Guttman, the teacher taught “fizz ed”, Andrea learned to juggle, the teachers learned the Chicken Dance and so on. She then had three envelopes at the bottom mark A, B or C. Inside each was a book written down that it could possibly be. She likened it to playing Guess Who. Fun and pretty easy to put together.
I kept busy Thursday as I planned and prepared lunch for the missionaries that completed the District Challenge in the Houston South Zone. I basically did a repeat of the meal on Monday for 25 missionaries. It was a hit especially the homemade fries. Aaron then did a brief training our Standards of Excellence and how it helps our investigators step by step Come unto Christ. It seems we can never teach that enough. Each time a missionary will tell us afterward, I get it now. Each principle needs to be taught repeatedly and a little differently for it to sink into their minds. It is great to see it when it does.
I enjoyed a morning bike ride since the kids had a school holiday on Friday. We had to get some things for Zac’s camping/ hiking trip he was going on this afternoon with the scouts. Bode, Jessie and I enjoyed the pool afterwards. It is nice to have consistent pool weather again. 😀
Pday started with Bode’s soccer game. Bode then went paint balling for a friend’s birthday. Jessie had a play date with a friend that she was so happy about since Friday was “soooo boring!” Aaron and I took Jessie to see Jungle Book while Zac went to a friends house for a party. Tonight was the “Mormon Prom” that is hosted by the church in place of the school prom. Apparently school Proms down here tend to involve a lot of unwholesome behavior. Since you had to be 16 to go to the “Mormon Prom” one of the girls in the ward had a get together for those that couldn't go. It was a low key pday for us and it was quite nice.