Yesterday in our Sacrament meeting at church I did a very brave thing. It was a testimony meeting where people from the congregation are invited to bear witness of the truthfulness of the gospel. It has been awhile since I have gotten up to share my thoughts. I get so nervous, because it isn’t something you generally plan out. Well I decided I was going to get up and try to express what was in my heart. It wasn’t until I actually made it up to the front of the chapel and in front of the congregation that I decided to try and do it all in German. It was terrifying! But I managed to express my gratitude for the gift of the Spirit and bear my witness of how it can bless our lives in all things.
Even though it is scary and difficult, especially in German, it is always such a wonderful feeling to share those special thoughts and feelings with others. I miss that about being a missionary. Even while taking a break from my calling as primary chorister I have fewer opportunities to share my testimony.
Anyway, I was really proud of myself for trying in German. It is a scary thing to start a sentence and not know how you are going to finish it.
Google had a small Halloween gathering yesterday afternoon. I did my best to get Eden downtown well rested but she ended up not sleeping very well. So Chad and I took turns with her and carving pumpkins for the pumpkin carving contest. In the background Google was playing horror flicks which wasn’t conducive to a baby napping. Lots of my coworkers told me how little Eden looks. But I had been thinking that I no longer have to hold her head up, so she is getting huge.
Chad did a Frankenstein pumpkin. I forgot to put the bolts under the ears so it really just ended up being a guy with thick eyebrows. Chad was bragging to everyone about my mad pumpkin carving skills. I was under a lot of pressure to produce a masterpiece. I ended up doing a mediocre “Cow Jumped Over the Moon” scene. If I had professional tools it would have been better. Elisa sounds like such a perfectionist all of a sudden. I must have been really concentrating while I was carving because people kept coming up and asking to take action shots of me. We snacked a bit on brain muffins and Smore pie just long enough to stick around for the pumpkin carving results. Out of probably 20 pumpkins 6 were winners, but I was still pumped that I was one of them! I got a lift ticket to Hoch Ybrig.
We went over to the Mascaros for the evening. The Jacksons were there too. All the kids got dizzy off of the sugar cookies they decorated. We attempted to make root beer. It was pretty successful after we practically doubled the already high sugar content. We played games and talked about Proposition 8, (allowing or disallowing homosexual marriages). It is nice to have people you can talk openly with and have a mature discussion regardless of differences in opinion.
By the way, I dressed up as a mom for Halloween and Eden was a little caterpillar in a cocoon. Technically she was just asleep in her swaddle but that doesn’t sound as exciting.
The last few weeks, in between Renee and Jordy hopping around Europe, we managed to have some fun times around Switzerland. Sadly the weather was cold and wet for their last few days. We went to Bern and Interlaken on Tuesday. We successfully missed just about every possible train connection. We really should have stayed home and watched the rain through the window. The highlight of the day was Jordy and Chad playing giant outdoor speed chess. We were all exhausted at the end of the day.
Wednesday we went to Luzern. We checked out the Verkehrshaus (Transportation Museum) which was really fun especially with the weather being so bad. They had a special IMAX film on the Alps. Sadly that was the most Renee and Jordy got to see of them. Then we hurried to get in a few sites in Luzern before it was totally dark. Jordy is making a t-shirt quilt so our quest was to find a good t-shirt in each city. We were not totally successful so Chad and I have been given the assignment to find ones for St Gallen, Bern and Zurich to bring back to her.
Eden is getting cuter and heavier each day. It was great seeing our visitors bickering over who got to hold her. There is no shortage of people who love her. She was quite a trooper to spend two days in her carseat/stroller. She has got to be pretty happy to not have to stare up at a plastic rain guard for awhile.
Yesterday morning we said farewell to our Idaho mom and sister. As far as we can tell we are officially on our own with this parenthood thing until we take our trip back to the states in mid-December. That is unless we have anyone else who wants to visit and lend a helping hand.
