The milestones keep shifting!

A big one just shifted for us this morning, and as of a week from tomorrow, we will have reached what missionaries fondly refer to as "hump day;" the half-way point in our mission. Yep, we have added 4 months on to our service. They've never had as good a photographer as Bob in this slot before and they are loathe to let him go. He President Halverson) would like for us to have extended 2 years but was willing to settle for whatever we could give, and he would still have given us time off for our trip to Hawaii. But now we're leaving the mission at the end of September, so we'll still go to Hawaii with the Smiths, and it won't kill me to miss a flute convention. I've done it before.

It was lovely to hear Bob so fulsomely praised by such a taciturn individual, but I know that he meant every word he said, and Bob has done some beautiful work for the mission. It solves a dilemma for us, because while we were anxious to see our home (and piano) again we hated the thought of leaving "the bubble" we've been living and working in. But now the suspense is over and we know our future course and direction. I may even get my job right one of these days!

We would have had to endure the entire winter here regardless, and we are a tad less than thrilled about going to the Little Theater in the freezing rain this afternoon to sing with the choir for a family history devotional. It's worth it to hear Richard G. Scott, though, so we only feel like complaining when our teeth begin to chatter (which they do on that particular stage).

So that's all the news that's fit to print at this moment. We haven't quite absorbed it yet, and hope that everyone is okay with it. We love you all dearly!!