Career Change

Little miss Tiki was career changed today!  That means she won't be a guide dog for a visually impaired person but instead will be much loved pet.  She just couldn't get over scavenging for interesting things on the counters and on the floor and on the street and in trash cans .  One can live with that with a pet but Guide Dogs have to be nearly perfect.

All week I had a basket with yarn sitting in the living room and she completely ignored it.  The last morning she was with us she 'discovered' the yarn and decided it looked like it needed to be relocated!

Her expression seems to say, "How did this get in my mouth?  And how did it make such a mess?"

George and I love being foster care providers, even for these naughty girls!

Scappoose Kayaking

George and I were supposed to go kayaking near our home today.   Unfortunately the Willamette has had a 'toxic algae bloom' as you can see by the bright green color near the shoreline   The health department is quite clear in their advisory to avoid all contact with the water.  

Lucky for us just past Portland in a little town called Scappoose the water was clean and safe so we did get to enjoy, what might be one of the last days of summer, kayaking on the Willamette River.

We saw geese and cormorants and just as we headed back to the marina an osprey did a successful fishing nose dive into the water and came up with his dinner!  

Hard to believe that we were just 30 minutes from the city of Portland.

Scappoose Bay with Mount Saint Helens in the background!

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Naughty or nice?

Doesn't she look like a sweet little girl?  Looks can be deceiving!  She is pretty naughty.  I've caught her licking a plate on the counter.  If any food drops she is right there eating it!  She's at our house for a week to evaluate her house behaviors.  I am happy to report that she gets better, more guide dog like, everyday! Her house manners are improving! Little Miss Tiki may become a guide dog after all.

If she doesn't pass the tests to be a guide she will be an adorable addition to some lucky family!

She is our foster guide dog #15!

A Good Part

The New Testament story of Mary and Martha has troubled me.  With my personality I have always known that I would be much more of a "Martha".  I would not have chosen the 'better part' like Mary and sat at Jesus's feet while he and other guests went hungry.  I would have been 'cumbered about much serving.'  

A careful reading of this story in the book of Luke clarifies a couple of things.  First of all, Martha had been learning from Jesus.

Luke 10:38 ¶Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.

 39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word.

 40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.

 41 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:

 42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

So both sisters had been learning from Him before Martha left and started serving.

The real insight came at Education Week as I learned from Michael Wilcox that the scriptures don't say, "better part'.  The scriptures say, "that good part."  Mary had chosen that good part; one of several good parts if you will.  There was no judgement as to who was doing the right thing. 

To be 'careful and troubled ' is what women do.  We are caregivers, we are full of care for others. We worry about physical needs.  Food and clothing and all the many things that we as women are careful and troubled about is needful and a good part.  Sometimes though, we must learn to choose a different 'good part' and replenish our spiritual stores.  Scripture study, temple attendance, friends, meditation, relaxing.....we have to make time in our busy lives of service to also choose that part that will 'not be taken away'. As we make Jesus Christ the focal point of our lives, as did both Mary and Martha, we will indeed have “chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away.”

A "Hero" at our house.....

Meet Hero!

Foster Guide Dog #14!  He is going to class on Monday but they wanted him out of the kennel and in a home for a week.  Going to class means that he has been matched with a blind person and will join them for 2 week of training at the campus in Boring, Oregon.  I have to have him back on Monday morning to get a bath before he is 'presented' to his new forever friend!  I know I say it every time but he really is a sweetheart!  Hero is a Lab/Gold Retriever mix although he looks pretty much 100% lab!  The Golden personality shows up in one way for sure.  He LOVES to have something in his mouth.  I think that unless he is asleep he is at least holding a bone.  Unfortunately for the bone, he does enjoy chewing!

This red and white bone has been a favorite of every single dog we've had.  It met its match with Hero!

Wedding in Salt Lake

We thoroughly enjoyed our short little trip to Salt Lake.  The main reason we went was to be there for the wedding of Judea Abellán Pardo, one of the sweet little girls I loved in our Primary in Barcelona.  She is now a beautiful returned missionary and was married in the Salt Lake Temple.  Incidentally that is where she served her mission - Temple Square.   Two years ago we attended the wedding of her sister Canaán also in the Salt Lake Temple.  At that time Judea was on her mission but her mission president gave her permission to attend the ceremony.  This time another sister Nain is serving her mission in the Provo South Mission and she also got to attend her sister's wedding.  The youngest sister Nazaret is serving her mission right now in California.  Have you gotten the idea that this is a remarkable family?  Six girls, all but one have served missions, all who are married have married in the temple!  Two sons, one passed away a few years ago and the other soon to be married in the temple!  I give much credit to their parents Isabel and Antonio.

 

Daughter Nain, mother Isabel, me, father Antonio, and daughter Canaán

 I asked Antonio the secret to raising such a fine family and he said, "Libertad"which means freedom.  He didn't mean that he let his children have total freedom but that his children had their free agency and they choose wisely.  Joseph Smith said, "I teach them correct principles and they govern themselves."  Antonio and Isabell can take credit for being wonderful examples and teaching correct principles.

Now with Canaán's husband Kevin in the group....

 

And here is the beautiful bride Judea and her handsome husband Victor! 

So happy to have shared this day with these people we love so much.  As I was leaving Isabel hugged me and said, "Te amo un montaña".  I love you a mountain!  Igualmente!  Me too....I love this family a mountain!

Coach Scott

Scott is coaching high school soccer again.  George and I drove over to Boise on Friday to watch his game on Saturday and then drove home on Sunday.  Was it worth 14 hours in the car?  Yes it was!

When watching a soccer game my eyes immediately go to the tall blond players!  I have to remind myself that Scott is the tall blond coach and not one of the players.  My little boy is grown up!

I had lots of fun with my new camera.  Here is the winning goal!  Scott's team won 2-1 after going down 1-0!  The body language says a lot in this picture!

Of course we also enjoyed seeing Matt.  He is the one that started our family on the road to soccer obsession years ago when he was just a little first grader in Fort Collins.  After all these years he's still got a good touch!

For the soccer crazy it was a great weekend!  Scott's team won! FC Barcelona won! Smiles all around!