HUMP DAY

So...today, Nov. 13, is our half-way point (but who's counting?!)..Hump Day.  We've been out exactly 9 months,  and have another 9 months to go.  If they go by as fast as these have, we'll be home in no time.

Saturday I took Don to the Louisville Slugger Plant and Museum.  It's pretty interesting how those bats were made.  They used to hand lathe each one from the biggest dowels I've ever seen.  They would put it on a turner and use their chisels and calipers to shape them.  Now they use machines to get them just right.  Each ball player has his own preference in weight, length, etc. After they're just right, they're sanded, branded, and painted or lacquered.  I got Don a personalized one for his birthday.  Now he's trying to decide where to hang it back home.
Luckily his is not this big!

Church yesterday was interesting.  After the changes in stake and ward boundaries, we ended up with an actual ward!  Several new members and families.  The chapel was close to full.  Really nice.  Church is interesting here.  When you get away from the center of the church, a lot of the "culture" we've developed over the years is not as prevalent.  For instance...passing the sacrament.  Each ward has developed what works for them and when they aren't in that setting anymore...it feels like it's being done wrong.  Or beards...our bishop has a beard, or pants...several sisters wear pants.  I guess what it breaks down to is...is the gospel being taught correctly? And, are people more important than routines we've developed?  If you really look at the settings Christ taught in, he concentrated on the common man, the poor, the sinner, and made no judgement about their circumstances...just sought to improve them where they were. 

And to top it off...they changed boundaries in our Stake back home.  I've lived in the same complex 15 years and been in 4 wards now. Pretty interesting!

Last week was BUSY...as all Zone Conference weeks are!  Add to that 73 cars that needed new TIWI's and pouring rain on Wed.  So Don was soaked by the time he came in for lunch.  They replaced all the TIWI's with a new (better?) one.  Lunch was provided by the Relief Society of the Stake we were in.  They are always nice.  These are two of the Sister's that provided Tuesday's.

Thanksgiving will be interesting this year.  Just us and the two Elders and two Sisters that are in our ward.  I think I'm glad we came out here when we did.  We only have to miss one holiday season.  I can handle that!  Even in my small little kitchen...

Not much more for this week...