Music is what feelings sound like

Music is what feelings sound like. ~

Author Unknown

     Last Sunday we attended a "Night of Music"  Fireside, presented by Haleigh Vance.  She had gotten different professional artists from around the area to perform at the fireside.  It was such an inspirational evening of beautiful music.   We listened to the beautiful music performed thru strings (cello & violin), vocal, piano and saxophone.  The program lasted an hour & I loved it. . . . After the performance we had a chance to talk to everyone & I met Steve Nichols father, who used to live in Scottsdale and served as Scottsdale Stake President.  I asked him if he knew our uncle Albert Choules and he said "of course", he was Camelback Stake president at the same time as I was serving.  We talked about Arizona and he asked where I lived and what stake I was in and when I told him, he laughed and said "then your stake president is Steve Rizley".  I said yes and then he told me that President & Marilyn Rizley were very close friends..they have a home next to him just north of Park City, Utah. It was very fun being able to talk to him and share some Arizona facts.

     Monday, Sister Brown and I split up to be able to serve two different needs.  She took Bonnie Ramon to a doctors appointment in Annapolis and I met with Kristi and Liz for a visiting teachers lunch. The weather that day was "crazy", it was snowing as I left the apartment and by the time I picked up Kristi and we arrived at lunch the snow had stopped and it was beautiful blue sky, then black clouds rolled in, then snow again and then blue sky.. each would last less than an hour, it went like this the whole day.. Our lunch was great with Liz, she is such a cute girl and it was fun to get to know her as we sat and talked for a couple hours.  She is a real estate agent and has 2 kids 12 & 14.  Her husband works for the Navy.  We work with her on the Relief Society board, but really didn't know her, so this was a great opportunity. 

     Tuesday was our monthly card club. I love to meet with everyone each month.  It was held at Tina's home this month and there were 11 there.. we talked and created cards and shared the cards we had made for the monthly swap.  Our theme was green this month and I shared my get well card with the frog on the front.. It is so fun to leave with a stack of  completed cards after the swap. 

     Wednesday morning Kathleen and I drove up to the temple alone.. Sister Brown was under the weather and stayed home.. It was a beautiful day out, high 60's and sunny.. My day in the temple was wonderful.. I am making so many friends there and I love the day I get to spend in service with them. 

Salena's home it is really neat

The gate at the Indian Head Naval Base

    Thursday we drove down to Indian Head Naval Base to spend some time with Salena.  She met us outside the gate and escorted us onto the base. As we drove by some homes we said wow that one is so neat, and guess what?  It was her home, it is a colonial 3 story that was built in 1904.  It has 4 fireplaces and 6 bedrooms.. a back staircase from the kitchen that the servants used to get to their quarters (she doesn't have servants).. As we toured the house with her it went on forever.. Her youngest son Jace was home with her and he is so cute.  She is such a kind, caring person.. she serves as the compassionate service leader at church, and is wonderful at it.  Her husband is the Air Force liaison on the Naval base.  He is a the only non-naval officer on the base.  He is stationed out of Hill Air Force Base in Utah.  They have 6 children, 5 boys and one cute girl, ages 16 to 4.  We love to visit with Salena, she is so up-beat and fun. 

     After we left her house we drove out to Hughesville to visit with Evelyn, who is suffering from major back problems.. she and her husband own a health food store near us and we love to shop there.  Their home is in an area that is comprised of large farms.. theirs is on a beautiful hill with lots of land surrounding it.  We had an appointment and rang the bell and knocked on both the front door & the back door, but no answer. . . we thought she might be sleeping. We left our card on both the front and back doors and headed home.. about 30 minutes later our phone rang and it was Evelyn.. She had been sitting on her back patio and said she was listening for us and didn't hear us and then saw the card we stuck in the door.. she was so sorry she missed us, but we assured we would be back out to see her.. so we are going next week.. we will check the back patio next time also. 

     Our Friday morning appointment Vivian called us early and said that she had an emergency and couldn't meet with us.. hope she is OK and also hope she is not avoiding us.. We really love her and had such a wonderful visit with her last time.. and she was very anxious for us to come on Friday.

      We have a lunch appointment with Renee..at Cracker Barrel, I had never eaten at one before and it was really a fun place.. wonderful gift shop plus a really good lunch.  Renee is in the relief society presidency of the 1st ward and such a sweetheart.. ..

     After lunch I drove over to visit with Vera, our little retired nurse.. Kathy wasn't feeling well and stayed home to rest.  When I got to Vera's and rang the bell no answer..so I knocked and still no answer.. wow stood up twice in one week.. we will call her to make sure all is ok the first of the week.  
       Saturday we drove up to the visitors center to attend a concert by Paul Cardall..Also at the visitors center is a beautiful room full of had made quilts and other textiles. 

Some of the beautiful needlework on display

Paul Layton Cardall was born with a severe heart defect, and was only given a few months to live. However, he survived through numerous surgeries. He began piano lessons at the age of eight but quit after six months because he was frustrated with the practice routine. During high school Cardall lost a close friend and in search of solace he sat at the family piano and discovered his ability to play by ear and transcribe the feelings of his heart through music. Cardall would play the piano two to three hours a day. Cardall studied a couple of months with pianist Craig Kaelin and credits him with teaching Cardall how to chart music. Cardall lived 36 years with Congenital Heart Disease. He was born with only a single functioning ventricle or half-heart. In August 2008, with his heart failure, Cardall was listed for a heart transplant. After waiting 385 days, he received a donated heart via transplant on September 9, 2009. Each of his new CD's have hit the top of the charts and he now travels all over the world performing his beautiful music and inspiring all who listen to his story.. The concert was wonderful and the music was so beautiful.  It was fun to be at the visitors center and see so many of the friends we made when we worked there during the festival of lights in December.

The thought I want to share with each of you tonight..

"When we have sampled much and have wandered far and have seen how fleeting and sometimes superficial a lot of the world is, our gratitude grows for the privilege of being part of something we can count on—home and family and the loyalty of loved ones. We come to know what it means to be bound together by duty, by respect, by belonging. We learn that nothing can fully take the place of the blessed relationship of family life."

President Thomas S.Monson

I hope everyone has a wonderful week. .