Long Day!

An early phone call asked if we'd heard that Zillah was being evacuated and we could come to their home.  (such great friends)

ZILLAH, Wash. - About 8,000 pounds of ammonia is leaking from Stadelman Fruit, authorities said Wednesday.
Zillah fire Chief Paul Stonemetz said a couple hundred people are being evacuated this morning by first responders west toward Second Street.
Zillah police are also on scene assisting with the evacuation.
It is unclear whether anyone is injured or has been affected by the leak, which was reported about 7:30 a.m.

We went out to see where the roads were blocked and we were safe at home.  Right across from the Church is a school and they were sheltering in place.  We did also.  Everything was back under control and back to normal by mid-afternoon.

So...that got me going this morning.  Terry was still asleep and I woke him up and probably scared him!  He is very level headed and not easily alarmed.  He said we were safe, as there were no fumes wafting about.  A wake-up call for 72 hour packs and gas in the car. 

My day started cockeyed with that possible evacuation and it was just kind of down hill from that point.  One of those days that you'd like a rewind and have a do-over!

My original plan for the day was preparing for the Ward Christmas Program dress rehearsal tonight.  I'd gone to my friend Chelle's yesterday and had fun planning some costume details.  Today I was planning to hem 3 shepherd boys robes and sleeves and get those together.  Then go back to Chelle's in the afternoon today and do anything she needed me to do.  She was in charge this year of the program and she knew what was needed and what she wanted and was pretty well set for the 7pm - YW... tonight would be a dress rehearsal.

So I'm chatting with the YW President, Shannon, with brief PM back and forth.  Her little daughter really wants to come visit me so we were figuring that out.  And then my life started to unravel.  Rapidly from my viewpoint!!

Even if she comes by for 15 minutes while you do something at the Church. She wants to come so much!!

so what will happen for YW tonight? still on?

The Ward Party... I am going to the church at 4:00 today. Maybe today would work for you and her? Just for a bit.

I am so lost. I thought the party was tomorrow night. I need to cook the ham today???

Yes.

Oh, my gosh!!!!! I just thought it was a rehearsal of the play! 
What time do I need the hams there?

I can't believe that I had the days mixed up. 
I need to go hem those shepherd robes!

I think Chelle will be at the church with me. We have quite a bit of food prep to do still.

Nancy...it's Wednesday, December 14th, 2016.

ack!!!! I'm aging!! I just looked at my calendar and I don't have it even written down!!! I use to hold all dates and times etc. in my head!!

here I'm all relaxed and thinking today I'll help Chelle and hem robes and etc. now I'm spinning out like the Roadrunner!!

oh, my gosh!!!! I'm shuddering over you being short 2 hams!! really...what time do you want them? I don't trust me at all!

5:45. I'm doing the other 4, so we can start with those. They take 2 hours to cook. Plus the glaze time of 10 minutes.

oh, good grief!! I'm thinking 6:30!! thank heavens I asked. 
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So you get the drift?  I ended up not getting the hams there until 6:15!!  I was shocked I even got them there.  I finished the Shepherds robe details mid-afternoon.  It was sleet snow and I felt frazzled so I did the only thing sensible.  Eat sweets.  No chocolate to be found!!  So I decided to make Carmel Corn while the hams were baking.  I nearly burnt the carmel, dumped it in anyhow and stirred it and it formed a big hard ball.  Nearly burnt.  tasted like Cracker Jacks.  (do they still put little toys in those boxes?)  Now that is an out of control HeftyGal!!  Not crying in my beer but feeding that sweet need by eating stuff that doesn't even taste good!!  Oh, sad tale!!!

This scenario actually ends up very nice.  Rewind back to when the YW were assigned the Christmas party and the sweet YW President decides she wants to feel the Spirit at said party.  She wants you to feel the spirit and to think of Christ and to have things beautiful.  She wanted table settings that looked beautiful and brought the spirit.  She wanted you to feel it from the minute you came in. 

I told her that I'd never seen it done.  Usually it's like a gladiator bowl with kids running everywhere throughout the Church and being loud and obnoxious and all super hyped up about Santa Claus.  I've been to some that were a testimony test for sure.  Not being Scrooge because of my day filled with holes, and the hole in my head, but really Ward Christmas parties....,usually are not conducive to the Spirit.  Tonight was a miracle!!

The atmosphere that was created by the welcoming garland on the outside and the tableau inside and the tables were just beautiful with white tablecloths and red napkins tied with twine and holding utensils.  There was greenery in the center and Shannon taped a transparency on a mason jar, with something of Christ and then there was a votive tea-light, greenery and red ribbon.  Plus she did a beautiful focal point with lights and tulle and a extra large piece of art featuring "Adore Him". 

This created the right atmosphere for dinner and it was amazing.  I looked around and people were sitting and eating and enjoying themselves and it was like being in a restaurant all decked out for a marvelous Christmas experience.

This then created a backdrop for Chelle's program which just topped the night off.  It had all the things you want in a Christmas program...scriptures/singing/children/shepherds/carolers/angels/kings and of course, Mary and Joseph and the Baby.  Costumes and color and solos and trios and groups singing.  And then we all sang.

My heart felt tender and I was glad that I was there.  It filled my soul.

Lots of snow going on here and I feel safe and warm and secure and thankful.  Thankful for days that are so crazy and  just feel it's unreal because I know, when I go to bed tonight and awake in the morning...this chaos and the Christmas event will reside in my memory bank to be relived and cherished.

Santa?  yes, he arrived after prayer and was in the RS room...after children saw him they came back in and had dessert.