March Comings and Goings

Heather performed in the Spring Choir concert on March 5.  The Women's ensemble performed Hello girls (American Folk Song), Ombra Mia Fu by Handel, and We Are Family by Sister Sledge.  She also participated in the CDS Community Chorus when they sang the GLEE version of Lean on Me.  As usual, the concert was outstanding.  The A Cappella group performed Requiem by John Rutter.  It was a piece that had seven movements and was about 30 minutes long.  It was amazingly beautiful.  I am so happy that I bought the CD so I can listen to it over and over.  Heather has loved choir this year and I am so happy she auditioned for choir next year (and got in).  She will have to take zero hour Seminary again, but I'm glad she loves it enough and thinks it is worth it.

This year, I am observing Lent. My Catholic friend, Julie, inspired me. She was giving up all desserts and wine.  When I researched the intention of Lent, I felt that this was something that could fit in my belief system.  Sort of like fasting for 40 days.  The traditional purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer -- through prayer, repentance, almsgiving and self-denial -- for the annual commemoration during Holy Week of the Death and Resurrection of Jesus and culminates in Easter, the celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, March10 and concludes on Holy Saturday, April 23.  The six Sundays during this period are not counted because each one represents a "mini-Easter," a celebration of Jesus' victory over sin and death.  However, I am observing Lent on all Sundays.  So, what am I giving up for Lent?  I am denying myself of Diet Coke.  I know . . . it is shocking.  I thought it would be a big challenge, but it hasn't been as hard as I thought it would be.  But . . . there are times when I know a Diet Coke would solve the world's problems.

Spring Break was March 14 - 18.  We spent a lot of time at the Val Vista Lakes pool with the Heywood Family.  Jill and her girls were down from St. George, UT for the week, and it was fun visiting with them.  She has four beautiful little girls (and lively).  Jill is so much fun to be around.  We are always laughing at something.

Parker, Dave and Jill's son, arrived home from his mission from Billings, Montana on March 17.  He looked great although he looked a little disoriented.  haha  Heather and I skipped the homecoming at the airport and met them at a Mexican Food restaurant in Gilbert for lunch.  The first thing Parker wanted to do was eat a burrito.  :-)  Thanks, Dave, for lunch!

On Saturday, March 19, we went back to the Val Vista lakes pool and took Tony with us this time.  Jill's husband, Craig, got into town and we wanted to visit with him a little before they left for Utah.  The weather was a little warm that week, but I loved the 80 and 90 degree temps.

The next day, we went to Tim and Shana's church to see Troy James Heywood get blessed by Tim.  After the blessing, we went over to Tim and Shana's for lunch.  It was fun eating and visiting with the Heywoods and Shana's mom and dad from Oregon. 

On March 26, I went to the Temple for my nephew, Michael Harmon's endowment.  Michael got called to serve a mission in Chicago.  He entered the MTC on April 6.  It was nice to see Barbie, John, and Michael.  Afterwards, we went to Rosa's for lunch with my parents and the Harmons.  It was nice to visit with them and catch up.  It had been a long time since I had seen them.

On Sunday the 27th, it was "divide and conquer."  I went to Michael's farewell and Tony and Heather went to Parker's homecoming.  Michael did an outstanding job on his talk.  He has turned out to be such a nice young man.  After church, we went to Barbie's house for lunch.  It was fun visiting with family.

Heather also had a hair appointment this week, but missed it because she got lost.  She had ridden her bide to Alina's several times before, but this time she decided to go another route so she could ride by Pepper's house (code name for her crush).  When she figured out she was lost, she called me at work and I tried to help her by finding out where she was on MapQuest.  But she had written down a completely wrong address and it didn't exist on MapQuest.  We were both a little flustered and she almost got hit by a car.  She finally called Alina and made it to her house safely, but missed her appointment by 45 minutes.  haha  I teased her afterwards that it would have been a shame to die from stalking a boy.  haha I love Heather.  She makes me laugh all the time.