New Days

One of the things I like is when it seems like there is always something new, not just the same-old same-old. But maybe some of that is just perception, too. But this week seemed to be different from other weeks.
For starters, I went on a home teaching visit to a newly assigned family on Sunday night. They are a nice family and it's kind of fun to visit them since they know Russian and and lived there before, like me.
On Monday night, I started teaching a lesson from the Gospel Principles manual for Family Night, and I think we'll likely follow the lessons from there for a while.

At work, our Area Studies Class was in a new location in the new building. In another new thing, I fixed my Grandma's recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookies on Tuesday night for the first time since I moved. Those cookies are so good. I made them so I could bring some to work the next day and share them with people I work with since it was my birthday. Everyone who asked was surprised I made them myself from scratch. After morning classes I met up with my family and we all went over to get more rounds of immunizations. I don't think I'll ever get used to them. I only had one. It hurt when she did it and I imagined that either she hit a nerve in my shoulder or the needle hit the bone or something. Maybe it was none of this, but it felt like it. I enjoyed being able to spend some time with my family on my birthday. We went to a movie, ate good food, and had German Chocolate Cake. I also got a really funny present from my brother. When I was young, we were sitting around the table eating tacos when someone made a joke just as I had taken a big mouthful. I couldn't help the laugh, (I love laughing), but since my mouth was full and I was trying to hold it in, some of the taco went up into my nose. Oh, how taco seasoning stings in the nose! I think a filled several tissues with taco when I blew my nose. So maybe that was a little more than anyone needs to know, but my brother sent me a card in a frame that shows two cats sitting at a table eating. One of them has a mouse hanging out of its nose and says, "Eww, I hate it when I laugh and food comes out my nose!" They won't let me live it down. But that's family, right? I'm not sure I would want them to ever stop teasing me about something.
Another highlight of the week includes a mid-day walk with a co-worker to pick up some Asian food for lunch. The walk takes about an hour round-trip, so I also got exercise along with the good company and food.
On the weekend, I spent most of my day with my younger children as the older ones went with my wife to some classes. We went for a little hike in a park and played on a play ground and lounged around the house. On Saturday night I got to go on a short date with my wife, which was long overdue. I love going out with her. It's great when we can spend some time together and talk. Tonight, our children played piano pieces in a musical fireside at the church. It was fun to listen to them. They all did very well.
I am very blessed with my family and my job (and many other things). Almost every day seemed like a totally new day. It was a great week. As I am learning more, I can see that the Lord is blessing me to be able to do it.
I fasted recently about my training and travel plans that we would be able to work things out that would be best for our family and still work for my training and job. And, as always happens with fasting, things are working out very well in that area and even benefiting other people I had no idea would be helped by some changes in my plans. I feel very strongly about the power of fasting for something righteous and the power of God to make things work for our benefit when we ask and if it is according to His will. I have seen it happen so many times in my life and others.