Special Meetings 2009

The first two full weeks of January were spent on special meeting rounds. Our crew went to LaGrande, and Nyssa, Oregon (including Boise area), Twin Falls and Idaho Falls, Idaho. We arrived to a very snowy scene in LaGrande, but during our time there it warmed up, and we didn't have any snow after that.

Twila and I had the night with Nathan and Sarah Wilson in Baker City. We had a great time with their two little ones, and their dog is incredible!! I think she's part great dane and part standard poodle, or something like that.

We all had lunch together at Mary Helen Wilson's before leaving Baker City and heading on to Boise. I posted this picture before, but maybe it's worth posting again! Here's our crew: Eric Hawkins, Lyle Waldo, Kent Williston, Loren Coleman, Tom Hinkle. Twila Krigbaum, Cheryl Emborg, Debbie Peterson, Sandy Denning. Brooke, Jeanie Wright, Becky Welch.

Lyle knew these kids well since he was in the field last year, it was fun to see them enjoying the story. : )

Twila and I enjoyed Becky Crawford's little puppy. She's so cute! Becky actually has joint custody of this puppy with two other families. We are very curious how this arrangement is working out! It seems practical for Becky, since she works 12 hour shifts, and won't be able to take care of the puppy very well the days she works. But the other families have children, and we wonder if the children will continue to be willing for just a part-time puppy??

This pillow was in my room at June Gregory's...and I noticed it just after getting off the phone with a very dear friend! Yes, I'm thankful for such good friends.

I got to spend Sunday night after Nyssa special meeting with my cousins--Scott and Fay and the kids. It was so great to be with them. I hadn't stayed in their home in about four years, so it was really nice to be there again. Their big dog Sarge is quite a softy!! Anita and Kristy are with him here.

Kristy and the donkey--Jenny? I can't remember.

Anita, Kristy, Becky and Ryan, with their horses. It was fun to go with the kids on a tour of their place and all their animals.

All our muckboots, in the muck! : )

I didn't get any pictures in Twin Falls, unfortunately. It was very special to be there again. I was in that field six years ago, and it did my heart a lot of good to be with those folks again, and to be reminded of the wonderful times Virginia and I had there that year.
Two more brothers were added to our crew at Twin Falls, the brothers from northern Utah, Titus Lehman and Jonathan MacDonald. They are the new faces in this picture from after the potluck in the Idaho Falls field.

Jeanie and I got to spend the night with Don and Joann Borgman, and we had such a great evening. It was great to see their son and daughter-in-law, Joe and Sharon too. Sharon is my cousins' cousin, and we have known each other for a long time. So special to catch up with her and her sweet little family. Their little Shae is such a doll.

We had a lovely night of music. Don and Joe on guitar, Sharon playing piano, Jeanie on violin and Angela playing the flute. I took a turn or two on the piano too. So fun to play with them!

Sunday evening Loren, Becky and I travelled to Emmett and stayed the night with Paul and Karol Parsons. It was SO good to be in there home. It was my first time to stay with them since they married. Paul and his first wife, Doreen, who passed away four years ago, have been dear to me since I was a very little girl. So I was extra glad for this stop. It was SO nice to get to know Karol better and to see their beautiful home!

Trying out my new oven mitts on Karol's breakfast casserole. The brothers gave me warm wishes for a good year ahead, "Wishes so warm that you will need these oven mitts to handle them!" There was a little more to this story that I won't try to explain here.

I loved seeing how Paul and Karol's lives have been combined, and their things too. I saw some familiar things in my bedroom that night, things I remember from Paul and Doreen's home, like this rocking chair and beautiful quilt that used to be in their family room, I think.

They have a little dog that is very much a part of their home too--in Paul's lap here. : )

We continued west after our lovely stop in Emmett, and met up with the Montana-bound car at Arlington (I think). From here Loren continued with Joe Klucewich, Heidi Bryant and Marylee McMillan.

It was quite entertaining to watch them try to fit all of their luggage into the car for the trip home--a tight fit!! One interesting note here, one of their crew had ended up with Curt and Cheryl Douma's telephone in their pocket when they left their home!!! So we took it from here and returned it. I wonder how many times workers have walked away with the home telephone?

Becky and I ran some stairs and then hit the road again. We both were getting VERY anxious to get HOME! Although my plans got changed as we neared Portland...and hopefully I will get another post up soon to show you where I ended up that night. : )