Back at home!

Bed at Fort Huachuca

This was our first week of being home.   I'll share some photos about our trip home.  But  basically I woke up last Sunday and just knew it was time to go.  Our 7 week stint had come to an end.  I think I surprised Michael - but I was done trying to entertain 2 kids in a small town during monsoon season in a one bed motel room without a real kitchen. So we jumped in the car.  Said goodbye to this critter:

 it was bigger than it looks, at least in my imagination!

Said goodbye to Dad - we'll see you in 11 weeks :(

Headed for Vegas and the Golden Nugget Hotel and it's water slide through a shark tank.  It was a bit of a trial stopping every 30 minutes for bathroom breaks that the boys could never seem to coordinate. And then our experience trying to track down our reservation - was quite the experience (but I'll save that one for an in person recount - let's just say it was trying).

 They are looking at the fish under the water

 See that tube in the middle - the water slide goes through the shark tank.  Pretty cool. 

 I even went down it!

 Here comes Duncan out the other end!

We stopped in St. George to see Grandma and Grandpa Burns - it was so wonderful and fun to be with them.  We did some school shopping at the outlets.  Duncan decided to just skip size 6 altogether.  He was a 5 in May and now he is a 7/8.  He grew up fast this summer.

The picture is at Paradise Bakery 

We made it safely home through downpours of rain. My home has never felt so big or so wonderful.  And my bed... let's just say, it's nice to be home.  The rest of the week was filled with grocery shopping, cleaning the car - thank you to whoever the really nice neighbor men are that took the car top carrier off that the bishop sent over to help me.

It was also SO NICE to see friends, have playdates, cook real meals, buy a bountiful basket.  Really -- every family should do what we did -- it increases your gratitude for what you have.

This week I was called to be the Assistant Adviser to the Beehives (the 12 &13 year old girls) at church.  I have wanted this calling forever.  I'm so excited.  I started reading the church's magazine for the youth - the New Era.  There was a great article in their that talked about praying for blessings - things that we don't have.  Well I DO NOT have patience.  So I started praying for patience as a blessing - not as a learning experience.  But just as a pure gift from God.  It's helping allievate my guilt complex to just admit that I don't have it and pray for it.  Of course this was challenged by the indoor water fight that started to happen during last night's playdate.

In my scripture study I was reading in Alma 5 talking about the parable of the vineyard.

21 and it came to pass that the servant said unto his master: How comest thou hither to plant this tree, or this branch of the tree? For behold, it was the poorest spot in all the land of thy vineyard.

 22 And the Lord of the vineyard said unto him: Counsel me not; I knew that it was a poor spot of ground; wherefore, I said unto thee, I have nourished it this long time, and thou beholdest that it hath brought forth much fruit.

and then in Chapter 6 we find the secret:

5 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, I beseech of you in words of soberness that ye would repent, and come with full purpose of heart, and ^acleave unto God as he cleaveth unto you. And while his^barm of mercy is extended towards you in the light of the day, harden not your hearts.

So I feel better - even if our soil isn't the best we can still bring forth great fruit and vs. 5 tells us how to do it!  Love it!

We also went to our friends the Erwins daughter's baptism on Sat.  It was wonderful! These are our Hawaii friends the Erwins.  There is a group of three families - we all knew each other in Hawaii.  The Erwins + the Bucharts + the Burns = the Burchwins.  We get together when we can for Burchwin events/reunions.