We are watching General Conference as I type. I'm getting ready to leave for Snowflake with my Mom so we can attend Glen Flake's funeral tomorrow. Shelby has end of quarter tests tomorrow so she can't come with us as she really wanted to. Glen is my Dad's first cousin - his daughter Margo is in our ward and Shelby and Leslie (Margo's daughter) have been best friends since they were 3. I love Glen. What a fun person. When we first moved to Mesa we moved into Keith and Margo Clouses ward and Leslie was 2 and Tanner was about 5. Shelby was always called Shelby Lynn Dana by these two, so now still 12 years later - the last time I saw Glen (which I think was at my Dad's funeral) he asked me how Shelby Lynn Dana's mother was. To me - Glen will always be the Sheriff, always fun and interested in how I was doing. He's been suffering with congestive heart failure for the last couple of years, and commented that he'd rather be "sick in Snowflake that feel well in Mesa". He's a Flake from Snowflake through and through.
I'm honored to be able to play a violin duet with my cousin Tawna at his funeral tomorrow. We'll play La Golandrina, which I hadn't heard before, but my mom said it was one of her dad's favorites. Mom will be accompanying us. A few years ago when Aunt Nerita had asked me to play at a Heritage Foundation fundraiser in Snowflake called "Stars over Snowflake", I played "Meditation" from "Thais". After the program was over Glen came up to me and gave me probably one of my best compliments I've had for playing the violin. He told me that he'd heard "Uncle Melvin" (Mr. DeWitt as I know him - he was my orchestra teacher from the time I started through my freshman year when he retired) play that song many different times and that I played it just like he did. That was the ultimate compliment for me.
Now for the rest of the week. I had my first substitute teaching job on Thursday (also the first day I was able to sub). I subbed in Shelby's orchestra class and then the next class at Stapley. It turned out good. I've always known that orchestra kids are the best in the schools. That is propbably the only reason I would be willing to sub for Jr. Highs.
Jeff and I went out to dinner with John and Jacqueline Olson on Friday night to discuss a possible business partnership. I'll write more about that when we get things set.
Saturday morning we watched conference, but we had to miss the 2nd session that day to go to Cooper's football games. He played well and had a lot of fun annnddd they won both games.
Mom's been down here this weekend to pick up a new bed for her house in Snowflake, and she stayed to watch conference. I'll go up to Snowflake with her and then come home with the Clouses after the funeral.
Today conference has been really good. I especially loved Elaine Dalton's talk about Returning to Virtue. I think that could be a great theme for the Stake New Beginnings we are discussing for February.
Cooper made a fort to watch conference from (really it was more about the process of building than about the fort itself, but we figured this was his way of copying the people of King Benjamin when he addressed them in Book of Mormon times. I took a few pictures I'll post here.
Cooper watches conference from his tent
3 comments:
I'm sorry to hear about your dad's cousin Glen. It's interesting, as you are probably discovering, that death is so much closer and more frequent as we get a little and little bit more older. I hope the funeral goes well.
I also have to laugh at the tent that your son made to watch conference! At one point as we were watching today, I did a pan of our family room, watching our kids, and watching how each of them "watch" conference. My two sons played a game a chess, insisting they were listening. (I wish there was a story in the book of mormon showing the saints playing games as they listened to the prophets!- but we let them play anyhow...just grateful they were awake, and not sleeping on the floor!) Addie and Jeri had their conference packets that I'd printed up for them...and they seemed to enjoy having something to do with their hands. John and NaElle were sitting, watching, like me. Jonna was gone for the weekend, so she wasn't here, but then there was Carla. That's when I just laughed. She was laying on the wood floor, on her side, and "running" around in circles on the floor, rotating around like a clock. Oh well...she was in the room with us, and wasn't doing anything else. Anyhow...so...I give you a high five for the creativity of your son! It was great!
Cool fort Cooper!
You are a sub?! Thats awesome. Just for orchestra or for regular class too? I so wish you were a sub when I was in school!! :) I hope the kids don't try and pull any stunts with you and only give you nice nicknames!!
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