Winter? No, not yet...

Winter doesn't begin officially until December 22nd but we broke out the coats and scarves last week. Thursday was cold, rainy and overcast when we left the apartment and it wasn't until about 1:30pm when the clouds lifted enough to reveal what had been going on in the mountains all morning. Snow! The first visible snow of the season for us. I took this picture from the window by my desk in the JSMB.

I don't know why, but seeing the snow made me feel the press of time going by even faster.

The Temple Square flower beds are starting to be dug up now that conference is over.

The crews to put up the lights on the Square are working all day.


The tables outside of the JSMB on the plaza where we have enjoyed having lunch are gone and this week in the cold and wet few people wanted to eat outside.

The chestnut trees are about ready to begin dropping the pods to reveal the beautiful nuts.
When we go to work it is dark and I am there some time before the sun comes up from behind the mountains outside the window by my desk.



All these are clues of time rushing by but there were a few memory moments this past week that are treasures. Here is one of them.....

We got to be real grandparents over the weekend and Edison stayed with us over Friday night and most of Saturday. It was eye opening and wonderful. For me, I decided I was too old to do much with little ones anymore; for Ed, he decided he wasn't old enough to be a grandpa! That's because he got a good night's sleep on Friday night while I woke up to every whimper and sigh from the sleeping baby!! We really did enjoy having him with us even if we did end up driving to Bountiful and back at 9:30pm on Friday night to get him to sleep. ^_^ (Is there anyone out there who can relate?) Ed enjoyed playing with Edison while Edison just enjoyed chewing on Ed's hands......
I tried to get him to read.......

I think he is saying to me....."Grandma, what do you expect from me at 4 1/2 months!"
Nothin' much, Little E, just keep us smilin'......

Other activities this week included a mini Thai reunion of former missionaries hosted by my wonderful Thai friends (partly a fund raiser for helping members in Thailand who are suffering from horrible flooding that will have long term consequences for food); a unique first time ever visit to the ViaWest facility hosted by FamilySearch for employees and missionaries and their families (it was amazing to see "The Cloud" technology in an incredibly secured environment); work progressing on the Africa project including a conference call meeting with the FamilySearch employee in South Africa who is ready to begin his program there. It is amazing to see things happen in the Church.

Ed went to a High Priest Quorum meeting tonight where Lex de Acevedo spoke and performed music he wrote specifically for that meeting. The next speaker was the older brother of Elder Quentin Cook who spoke about the scriptures. He is a busy doctor and said he never had time to prepare talks so he decided he would memorize scriptures and let the spirit guide him in his church assignments. So far he has over 2,000 scriptures memorized. Ed said it was very good and he must have really liked it because he didn't go to sleep. That says a lot. It is pretty amazing to be in a Stake with all this talent and knowledge. I am always amazed when our Stake President speaks. It is so inspiring. My back was bothering me so I didn't attend the meeting tonight with Ed and I knew I would be sorry.....(also a unique thing in this stake that the women are all invited to the High Priest meeting).

Well, another week is upon us and there is much to be done. At the end of this week October will be half over. Time won't stop for anyone will it?....no, the sun keeps setting every 24 hours regardless of how I feel.