April Adventures

The first part of the month of April was spent with many visits with dad at the memory care unit to hopefully help him to adjust to his new home.  It was very hard, especially when he would tell us that he needed to get out of there.  However the staff continually reassured us that he really was adjusting well.

By the second week in April we all had to agree that dad was doing phenomenally well.  He no longer asked to leave and he seemed content.  We were told that he had taken on the role of "helper" to the ladies in the facility with him.  He helped them with their walkers and he helped them by pushing them in their wheelchairs - even if they didn't want him to. 😊

His hair and beard were getting a little scraggly so we made him an appointment for a trim.  He has had his beard since mom died, so we didn't even consider cutting it off.  It is difficult to shave him, so we planned on keeping the beard forever (besides I like it!).  However the day before his appointment we were surprised to see that he was not only bald but CLEAN SHAVEN! Apparently we found that one of the CNA's had taken the shears to him when he said that it was bothering him.  I almost didn't recognize him!  I haven't seen him clean shaven for a very long time.

With dad being well taken care of we decided it was time for a much needed Sister's Retreat.  It was GREAT!  Julie didn't make up until the 2nd day, so we mostly just played games and relaxed until she arrived.  We watched the movie, "Hidden Figures" about ladies in the 1950's helping with the space program.  It was really a good movie.

And of course we had craft time!  Rox always comes up with the best crafts for us to do.  This time we designed a picture, and then we free-hand stitched an outline on fabric.  Then we used special fabric watercolor pens to color them.  Rox even supplied frames so they were totally finished when we took them home.

We also used fingernail polish to tie-die mugs.  They turned out very pretty!

The April 2018 General Conference was filled with wonderful talks as well as several surprises.  It was the first conference conducted by our new president, President Russel M. Nelson and his two counselors, Henry B. Eyring and Dallin H. Oaks.

I love President Nelson, but it still is strange to think that President Monson is no longer here.  He passed away in January.  President Nelson wasted no time in making changes according to the will of the Lord.

• First of all he announced that effective immediately there would no longer be High Priest Groups and Elder's Quorums - they are to be combined into one group called Elder's Quorum and being led by one presidency.  In the past the "older" men would meet and have their responsibilities as a High Priest Group and the "younger guys" would meet and have responsibilities as the Elder's Quorum, but now they will meet together and share responsibilities.
• Second he announced that Home Teaching and Visiting Teaching would no longer exist.  Now we are to take care of the people of our ward by Ministering.  "The separate programs of home teaching and visiting teaching are now a coordinated effort referred to as “ministering,” overseen by the elders quorum and Relief Society presidencies under the direction of the bishop. Ministering is Christlike caring for others and helping meet their spiritual and temporal needs. Ministering may include Laurels and Mia Maids as companions to Relief Society sisters, and priests and teachers continue as companions to Melchizedek Priesthood holders. " (LDS.org).
• Apparently ministering is prayfully seeking guidance on how to help those we are assigned to serve, and there will be no more reports.  I think it will require us to be more vigilant in caring for those under our stewardship.  I hope I am up to the challenge.  I am pretty lousy about looking out for others.  I get so caught up in my world that I often forget to look around.
• He also announced new temples to be built . . . one in Layton!  That is where I work.  Perhaps it will be easier for me to attend there. There is also going to be a temple built somewhere in Russia!  That is truly amazing since a rule was put in place in 2016 that missionaries in Russia could not be called missionaries, they were to be known as volunteers and no proselyting could be conducted except for in registered places of worship.  The Lord is truly working miracles to get temples placed all over the world! 

All of the talks in conference were wonderful.  Unfortunately I was not able to watch them all because we were getting dad settled, but I read or listened to them later.

After the semester ended I took a quick trip to San Diego to visit Tasha, Zane, and especially little Ish.  I can't believe how much he has changed since I was there just a couple of months ago.  Tasha is really good to send videos and to video chat several times a week which really helps us to stay up on his doings and also helps him remember us.  He didn't have much of an adjustment period getting comfortable with me, thank goodness, because I loved being with him!  He just barely started crawling and pulling himself up on furniture.  His giggles are the most adorable sounds in the world!  I could listen to them all day long.  

We literally did nothing but hang out and play with the baby for 4 days.  Perfect vacation!  We also watched "The Greatest Showman" - twice.  Tasha had not seen it yet.  I told her that she would love it, and I was right, of course.  She LOVED it.  In fact we not only watched it twice, but we had the music playing all of the time.

This an picture I pulled off the internet of a baby signing.

Oh, we did go to one activity, Baby Sign Language.  Tasha goes every week to learn how to teach Ish how to sign.  We taught Kalel when he was young and it was wonderful because he could communicate his wants and needs before he could talk.  We just learned and taught Kalel ourselves.  Ish gets to go to real class.  It is a free community event that is taught every week at the library.  It was so fun to go with her and Ish and learn new signs and songs. 

Hunzeker Family Pictures April 2018

It was so hard to leave, but I was very anxious to get home because the Parrishes were coming to visit.  They were coming for Maddie's graduation and last softball tournament.  They ended up only being able to stay one night but it was so great to see them!  They just bought a house in Texas so I'm guessing that they will stay there for a long time.  I'm happy for them, but I miss them so much!

Mackay brought his cute fiance, Annie.  She is going to be a great addition to the family.  It is so strange to see Mackay so twitterpated!  Ahh, young love!

I'm going to end this post with some great memes from General Conference.