I am happy to report that my oven works very well. Everything turned out great! And I even think Dave enjoyed his first taste of my cooking. However, I still have lots of left over lasagna. If any of you need to pack a lunch this week come on over...just bring your own container.
So, I think I'm just beginning to figure out all the actual financial responsibilities of home ownership. After making a 10% down payment and writing a check for the closing costs not paid by the builder, I thought my money-spending was over until the first mortgage payment came due. Boy was I wrong.
First came the window blinds. Mind you, I have 13 windows in my 1600 square-foot house. That's a whole lot of windows and 5 of them in my master bedroom/bath alone. With construction workers on site just across the street those blinds were very necessary.
Next was the water softener. I could have had the builder put one in but it was triple what I ended up paying. Even still, it was an expense -- one that I thought I could delay a little but my skin started screaming after washing only one sink of dishes.
I thought I was well prepared with everything I needed in the kitchen. I have literally been buying and storing things away for nearly 10 years. However, when I suggested we heat up a can of soup for dinner the night I moved in, Dave asked if I had a can opener. No! Can you believe I forgot something so simple and important?!
Then I have also had to buy groceries. I never realized how much I took my mother's well-stocked kitchen for granted.
And my list of small incidental things needed continues to grow...TV cable, clothes hooks, nails to hang pictures and a hammer to pound them in the walls, scrub brush for dishes, stamps and envelopes, etc, etc, etc. Not to mention the larger purchases I'm dreaming about...coordinated bedroom furniture, rugs and accent pillows, coffee table and entertainment center, garage storage units, patio furniture, backyard makeover, etc, etc, etc.
Three of my wonderful missionaries: Carol, Diane, & Marietta.
Friends from the Church Music Committee: Dennis & Teri.
The MTC Choir came in with the perfect number of elders. It was fun to watch and listen to them practicing HSI -- Hable Su Idioma! Ah, the baby-Spanish days of the MTC.
Sadly, I didn't get a chance to hear much of conference but I'll get to it soon, thanks to the wonders of technology and the archives section on the internet.
Tonight I'm enjoying an evening of calm before the storm. Rain and cold temperatures are in the forecast for the weekend here along the Wasatch Front. But, you also mustn't forget that bright and early tomorrow morning begins the 178th Semiannual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Since most of you readers get to lounge around the house in your pajamas eating hot buttered popcorn with dark chocolate m&ms during the next couple of days, I want to let you know just exactly what you'll be missing at the Conference Center front lines.
Now I know you're all sad to have to stay home and miss the fun at the Conference Center. Just let me know when you're ready and I'll get you signed up as a Guest Service Missionary or Event Coordinator Missionary so you can come join the front lines with us.
Because you are all such devoted readers of my blog (and made it this far down), I'm going to let you in on two little secrets about conference.
1. We have three more primary children than we have chairs in the choir loft. They have all worked so hard to prepare for tomorrow that we couldn't tell the extras to stay home. So, the solution is to let those three children sit on folding chairs above the choir. When they all stand up to sing the three kids will fill in the back row between the center and left sections. You'll have to watch for them.
2. Louie is a great boss and because I'll be working so hard on Saturday, he has given me permission to go off-duty for the last session of conference. I'll still be in the building but I'll get to sit and watch the last session with Dave!
Despite the hectic schedule I keep during General Conference, I love this time of year! It is such a privilege every six months to help put on the most important meeting held in the Church. Sometimes I just have to stop and marvel at how I arrived at this place. What a wonderful blessing!
