Why Is Fast Sunday So Slow?

For those of you who may be unfamiliar with Mormon/LDS culture, the first Sunday of every month is called "Fast Sunday," giving all the members of the church the opportunity to fast (skip two meals), donate those funds, and share their testimonies of the truthfulness of the gospel and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. For those of you who have kids, it's more like "Slow Sunday" since they complain the whole time about how hungry they are.

We had the opportunity to participate in a family fast this month (which always makes fasting easier) and broke our fast with one of our favorite meals from Italy: caprese, pasta with bolognese sauce, and, yes, I made panna cotta! On a day where my caloric intake should be remarkably reduced, I think I ate more than double the recommended amount of calories for the day.

In our ward, we fast frequently for the health and well-being of specific ward members. The Fast Sunday following my surgery was dedicated to several struggling with health issues, including myself. I have seen these work miracles, from a single mom surviving stage 4 breast cancer to a man who received three donor organs at one time. I know that the combined faith and prayers are heard by the Lord. We love our family so much, and know that the Lord will bless these family members as needed.

No Surprises Here!

There wasn't a hockey stick involved, but there was an ice rink. With four days left until we head to Italy, Maggie has a concussion. She went ice skating with the young women on Wednesday night, and, as she was getting off the ice, fell backwards hitting her head and bumping up her knee. We made a trek to the doctor yesterday and were told to just watch her for increased nausea or other symptoms. I watched today as she got dizzier and more nauseous, and then finally made the call to the doctor. By 4:45 we were in the hospital and by 5 she was having a CT scan done. Now we wait the word from the radiologist. We're hoping she'll get the all-clear for travel, but she has assured us that if she can't go, she still wants all of us to go without her. Maybe we'll just share the pain meds on the plane ride and buoy each other through the experience.

One Summer Event Down, Many to Go!

Ian and Maggie returned home from youth conference Saturday, tanned/burned, tired, and testifying of the truth of the gospel. The highlight for both of them was a fireside by a member of the first quorum of the seventy, Elder Craig W. Zwick. They were both so impressed by him and thrilled to have heard him in a more personal setting. (I shared with them that their father took him around in a golf cart when I was running a conference at the U of U many years ago and that we were both impressed with him then--prior to his call into the seventy.) Since our stake alternates between ward and stake youth conferences, this was Maggie's first youth conference on a stake level. They took all the youth to Camp Williams (a National Guard training facility) where they were thrust into all sorts of activities. But I love that they both come home stronger in the gospel and in their own testimonies. It's such a good thing.

Griffin gets to go to his first Cub Scout Day Camp tomorrow morning (7 am!) and can hardly wait. His lunch is already packed (except for his sandwich which I convinced him to wait on) and he's got us all on countdown alert. He's pretty disappointed that it's not an overnight camp and is, I'm sure, formulating a way in his mind to make it such. Each sibling was awakend this morning with a personal reminder from Griffin that tomorrow was camp day, that he gets to take a lunch, and be a real scout! Ian has a student council meeting at 7 as well, so I guess there's no sleeping in for any of us since Ellie has swim practice early too.

Once Cub Scout camp is done, then the countdown is on for our Italy trip! There has been a flurry of email between family members, reserving hotels, scheduling events, and contacting the airlines. My lists are long and involved with all the tasks that need to be done before we go and even while we are there. I'm hoping my neck holds out through this trip. It's been such a struggle this week with how I'm feeling. Maybe it's just getting all the pain out of my system before we go. (Wouldn't that be convenient!)