Go for the Gold

This past week went by so fast that I didn't even realize that I didn't blog until just now. I am at work but have a little down time for just Karen so I am going to take this time to write a little bit.This last week was so full of excitement and fun. We were very busy. Last Sunday was church and meetings, Monday night I worked late so that I could stay in the east valley and attend a meeting for PC. It was very informative and so much fun. I saw some new products and learned some new "awesome" ideas about how to do better cooking shows, Tuesday, Nathan had a meeting, Wednesday as always he had another meeting and I went to practice the piano. Ka'le doesn't get left out so he goes too.Thursday we went to the Arizona Cardinal and New Orleans Saints Preseason opener game. Yep, the Saints won. We need to thank my aunt and uncle for those tickets and parking pass. They gave them to us as they are season ticket holders. It was so much fun. Friday was our down time to clean house and get ready for Saturday. Friday night Nathan climbed on the roof to look at it with a guy in our ward, Brad Dunn because when it rains, the filter leaks...they fixed it and Nathan worked on it even more Saturday night!Saturday, I was up early to play with Ka'le and finish cleaning house as we went to the temple in Mesa, saw Ben as he was working on his house in Chandler and went Mandy Kimballs baby shower in Gilbert. While I was there Nathan went to his other brothers home but they weren't there so he just ran some errands. We missed Darwin and Collette because they were out and about too so we'll catch them next time.We even had a wedding reception that we didn't make because we were so stinking tired that we didn't go to.Sunday, Nathan had to be at a stake priesthood meeting at 7 am...yep, hehehe...he had to be up early. So he goes and I am already up so I don't go back to bed and I play with Ka'le, I watch a church video, I get ready for church, Nathan comes home and takes a quick nap and then we are off to church again :o) Wow...where did the week go?Oh to top this off, Nathan asks me if I'll teach Gospel Doctrine on Sunday because Bro Dunn won't be there and Nathan doesn't want to do it so delegates me to. I don't say No so of course I give the lesson. It is on Charity. What the heck? Was this lesson for the teacher or what? It was kind of fun. I asked Hermana Allen what charity was to her in Spanish so that she could understand what we were talking about. Her English is terrible so I wanted to have her feel like she was a part of the lesson so as she answered it she started to cry and then stopped and I just smiled at her and didn't answer her anymore questions and just let her think about what we were talking about. She isn't a member yet nor will she be for a little while longer...it is the fact that she is coming to church and at least making the effort. I know that she comes to church for 2 reasons...she has obviously felt the spirit there and her live in boyfriend who is a member comes because he too has a testimony, they just can't do the marriage thing yet (a whole other story). It is Tuesday and today is the day that our department at work gets its update on how well we are doing for the previous and current month. I closed 101 new and returning students for the month of July 2008. The only one in the department to have a triple digit and 10 ahead of the next one behind me. Does anyone congratulate me? Um, no. So, I cry to myself and think of how awesome Nathan has been watching me work, come home stressed out, praying for me that I'll get through these days and taking on that extra little whatever it is that he takes on to help me. What a best friend...what a support...what an honor to have him for eternity.That isn't all...I am #1 for August 2008 right now too. Is it humbling? Ah, yes it is. Do people watch what I do at work? Uh, yes. Are they curious about how I do it and what do to get the job done right? I am sure they are. Now that I have mastered my position, my job is a breeze. I love my teachers though. They are awesome and so nice, ironically, even the so called "mean" ones are nice :o)I have to say that I owe it all to the Lord though. Every day I would get on my knees and tell him that I was going to go to work again and that I would need his help to get through the day because I knew that other "support team members" weren't going to do it so I had to rely on him and to have him help them get their work done. It works. I know that repentance is real and that patience is a gift given to those who ask and who seek to be like the Savior.I play the piano in Relief Society every Sunday and for some, it may not seem like a very difficult task, but I have to say that it is the hardest thing I have ever done. I practice for at least an hour every Wednesday night at the chapel with Kale as Nathan attends his meetings and then on Sunday morning I practice for oh like 5 minutes just to remember what hymns I am doing. I know that through prayer and practice the Lord has blessed my little fingers to play because even while I am practicing, I have had to stop and ask for help to be calm and relax and play the hymn as we would sing it at church ;o) I played on my mission and I had to do the same thing then too so through all of this and prayer...it is possible.I have been watching the swimming mens & womens when I get a chance and am in aaahhh of how much Heavenly Father loves all of us and he makes all of us so unique and individualistic with our own gifts and talents. Granted if I was Michael Phelps, I think I'd swim and win like him too...wow...isn't he good? The entire USA Mens team is very good and so unique. It has been fun to watch them.I have been touched by the spirit this past week too that no matter what happens in this life and no matter what I do, the best is what counts and if I do what is right, that counts and if I am charitable and give to others after I have taken care of my family...I'll meet my maker on those terms and he will still embrace and let me know that "all is well".Gail Galloway is having issues at home with her 89 year old mother. They have lived in the same home for over 50 years together. Imagine living with your mother and taking care of her ALL of your life!! Well that is Gail. She raised her kids and worked, went to school and everything while having her mom live with her and after all this time, she is going to have to place her in a facility for the elderly. Her mother is dying and it breaks my heart. I watch Gail everyday and talk to her and see her stress and anxiety of doing that. She is so tired and you can see it...the entire family is devastated over it because they all want grandma/great grandma to stay put but they all understand that she can't. There are even great-great grand kids who know her and want her to stay at home. Well, enough blah, blah, blah. Hope everyone is happy & healthy.Oh, my only sister Sharon emailed me and told me that she went to Atlanta this last week. Rock on!! That would be so much fun. The COKE plant and CNN offices are there and also some famous museums so she loved it. It would be fun. I would live the COKE plant!I also called my brother Steven and got the facts straight about him going to the middle east. He leaves with his unit 10/29/2008 for Kuwait and then he will be going on to bigger and better things...Afghanistan and other interesting places.Gotta go...I need to work just a little smarter for the next couple of hours. I am up for a 12-15% raise the end of September so I need to make it count.

Karen