Our Week

Last Sunday was Becca’s birthday.  In the evening, Grandma and Grandpa Turpin came over for Birthday Brownies (Bec’s not a big cake fan).

Sweet Bella and Liz playing around with Grandma’s ring.

Lizzy’s snowflakes and Santa Bella

On Monday night we went to the John Wesley United Methodist Church for their Night in Bethlehem.  They did such a great job – it’s a lot of work to put on such a production.  We had a great time!

Believe it or not – it’s been COLD here in Houston.  I mean we have actually had small freezes.  Mama stopped by to drop off Becca’s birthday present on Tuesday (they were in Arizona for Andrew’s baptism over the weekend.)  Nathan, Mandy, Jessi and Lizzy ran outside to play.  Got to love how we don’t know how to dress here  - jackets and gloves and short sleeves.

OH!  Hershey’s has a new candy out – They are called Drops – round circles of yummy chocolate with no candy shell.  We approve!  On Wednesday Grandma stopped by to say Good-bye before she and Grandpa headed out early Thursday morning  back to Iowa.

Sammi designed, cut out, and sewed this stocking for her cat for Christmas.

Sammi opened her first savings account.  Our family rule is once they turn 12 10% of all money they make goes to their savings account (after the 10% that went to tithing, of course).  So she has begun!  Jessi made this ornament at school.

Bella had two good days this week.  Her favorite part of the day is when she can come off the vent and come into the living room with her people.  Happy girl!  And we got an exciting package from Germany from Asia.  It was full of chocolate!  Yum – thanks Asia!

Saturday Jason and I spent the majority of the day up in Conroe.  We attended the Orientation and first half of PRIDE.  These are the classes that will allow us to adopt from foster care.  There is such a need in America.  There are 500,000 kids in foster care.  Only a third will be adopted.  What happens to the kids that aren’t adopted and age-out of the system?  Most (I think it was 87%) end up in prison.  Most of the inmates in prison (it was either 85 or 95%) were abused as children.  We can help them as children or we can pay as a society.  Many ask why we want more children, why adopt.  I have seen too much to do nothing.  We still have room in our home and hearts for more children.  I have spent a lot of time lately thinking about my life.  I lead a small life.  I look around in the area we live and see money – big houses, expensive cars, over indulged children – and then I think about how we insulate ourselves from what’s really going on in society.  We put on our blinders and only see what we want to see.          Anyway, a soap box is not what this blog is meant to be.  Just put simply – I know I am only one of Heavenly Father’s billions of children.  I want my mortal probation to mean something.  I have been so blessed.  Some of my eternal siblings, not so much.  I want to help.

Later in the afternoon, Becca and I went shopping and spent more of her birthday money!  She is now in possession of another pair of sneakers and a cute traveling cup that will hold her hot chocolate.  She wants to take it to seminary every morning.

That evening Jessi and her Girl Scout troop went to Houston Family Arts Center.  The girls were working on their theater badge.  We got a back stage tour and got to see the sound board and lights (called the tech room???  I think??)  Then we watched The Quilt Maker’s Gift and the Gift of the Magi.  It was a really nice time for just Jessi and I.