Thursday, April 23, 2009

Boring Update

The magnolias are just about to burst open in Oberlin! It's been rainy and cold, so we haven't had a chance to enjoy them, but the next three days are supposed to be nice. I can't wait to soak up some sun and the beauties of the Oberlin spring.

Steve and I have been busy this month with spring cleaning and furniture rearranging, fulfilling our church callings, working, planning our trip to Rome, etc.. We have been trying to find the best arrangement for our furniture in the rooms upstairs, which shouldn't be difficult, except for all the bookcases. Bookcases take FOREVER to move! The latest arrangement involved moving six of them. AH! I think we've found a satisfactory solution. Thank heavens!

We finally booked our tickets to Rome and found a place to stay. We will be in an apartment near the Vatican. We're taking it sight unseen, so wish us luck. Steve chose to take an apartment with no air-conditioning and no washing machine with an Italian speaking landlady. He thought that would make us use our Italian more. I think he's a bit crazy!

Steve is now serving in the High Preist presidency and loves the men he is serving with. He was working with the Young Men before, and I will miss the opportunity to go with the youth on their temple trips. He also has seven or eight home teaching families that keep him very busy each month. I am in the Primary Presidency and teaching in Relief Society. It's nice to do both at the same time. I've loved getting to know the the children in the ward, but it's also nice to stay connected with the women.

Steve has a heavy class load this semester in addition to attending Italian class every morning. He's looking forward to next semester when he'll be back to teaching just two classes. His book should come back from the copy editor any day now, and he'll have to index it. (What a pain!) After that, it'll be ready to publish! YAY!

I'm teaching three days a week and have about twenty students. I hold a group class each week with my five and six year olds. They are so adorable! I'm also playing with the Mansfield Symphony. They only rehearse and perform one week out of the month, but it's an hour away, so it keeps me busy. I really like working with my colleagues and the conductor there. We played the Mozart Paris Symphony and Leonard Bernstein's Candide this past weekend. Great music.

So, that covers most of our day to day activities. In between we get to hang out with our friends. Kira and Charles, friends of ours whose house has just been revived from a serious flood, had us over to show us their new place and to eat chocolate lava cake. Yum! The house looks great! We also went to a fish fry with Doren and Marilyn. Steve thought that it was an interesting anthropologically study. I don't think he'd ever been to an event as country as that before. :) We had a really good time.

Easter was delightful. Sister Salyer and Brother Minnich gave really beautiful Easter talks. I hope I am as thoughtful and articulate as Sister Salyer when I'm in my eighties. Kjirsti and Tom invited us to their house for Easter dinner. The sun was pouring through the windows of their front room and dinning room all day providing the atmosphere conducive to pondering the life and resurrection of the Savior. They made a delicious Easter dinner with a colorful salad bar, homemade bread, and a hearty ham soup. We brought a carrot cake and thought that we should make it an Easter tradition -- carrots for the Easter Bunny.

Sorry for the boring update. Happy Spring!

4 comments:

Ashlee & Christian said...

That is not a boring update at all. I was delighted to read the update! I love hearing all that you are up to. I am way excited for you to go to Rome! You guys are way busy!

Amy said...

No update from you is boring! We love to hear how things are. Your life makes my little updates seem boring. I can't wait to hear all about your adventures in Italy!

Ashley said...

I like your updates :)

Susanne said...

Not boring in the least! I love to hear about what is happening in your life. I love you dearly.