I don't normally complain - but.....

TEN COMPLAINTS - TODAY - April 3, 2009

Complaint #1 - I'm tired of the snow - it can stop at any time
Complaint #2 - I continue to exercise and diet and still don't lose any pounds
Complaint #3 - 6th grade school teachers drive me (and my 6th grader) crazy
Complaint #4 - 6th grade math - particularly FRACTIONS!!!!!
Complaint #5 - I'm tired of "waiting" for attorneys (and others) at work
Complaint #6 - I can't seem to go to bed before 11:00 p.m.
Complaint #7 - Grocery shopping
Complaint #8 - Folding socks
Complaint #9 - Dusting
Complaint #10 - Trying to get a credit card/money/anything to Preston in Argentina - and yes I will elaborate. So the debit card was stolen on February 22nd and nothing has been easy since. We decided to get him a credit card. We went to the bank, requested the card, chose a design - the design was not available - chose another one - card came with wrong name on it (Evan James Wood - not Preston James Wood). Called the bank - requested another card - finally came with the correct name - but now 2 1/2 weeks had gone by. Go to the post office - send the card express mail - not cheap - guaranteed 5-7 day delivery - return receipt requested. Two days after mailing - find out mission offices had moved - the package was delivered to old address - but not picked up by the office elders -package was sent to the Central Post office - again no one went to pick up - finally office elders went on Tuesday March 31st - found out the package had been returned - package received in WVC on April 2nd. Called Mission Dept in SLC - asked if they knew how we could get money to Elder Wood - they are of no help! Call Wells Fargo - they are of no help! Decide to send Preston $$ via Western Union - send money on April 1st so he could get it on April 2nd - guess what it was a Holiday in Argentina (Sovereignty Day) - no Western Union offices opened. Today I still haven't heard if he has picked up the money yet......

Do I feel better - not really!!!!!

SLCC Softball update....

Can I say that MK's softball team is ON FIRE!!!!!
Ranked 7th in the Nation
On a 20 game winning streak
Overall record 32-5; Conference record 28-3
MKW is doing great with the opportunities she is given. Here is a blurb from last weekend's games -
Game 2 - Saturday - "Offensively the Bruins were led by designed player Meranda Wood, Weese, McDonald, and first baseman Hayley Atiyeh. Wood finished 2-4 with one homerun her second of the season, two hits and two RBI’s."
Game 2 Friday - "Meranda Wood came off the bench to hit a pinch hit solo home run in the sixth inning.

I'm not sure what a "designed" player is (it should be designated player) and she has actually hit 3 homeruns this year.......

Yes - I am proud of my daughter.......

63 days.....

Preston will be home in 63 days! It will be great to have him home - but - I'm getting a little nervous about it at the same time.

He has been on cloud 9 - literally - working 24/7 for the man upstairs - rising early - studying the scriptures - teaching the gospel - working with Pte Argyle on a daily basis - traveling and teaching other elders - WOW!!! In his email this week, he kind of went off on a tangent about member missionary work - and then said "anyways, now you all have seen a little bit of what you are all gonna have to deal with when i get home"

Again I'm excited that he is coming home - but I know that it will be at least a couple of days before the Preston we sent off two years ago is really back.......

Experiences in the life of a ward organist....

Part 1: I am one of two organists in our ward and have had some "interesting" experiences in the last couple of weeks. The organist that I share time with is what you might call "challenged" and we get a kick out of her playing every week. Well, March is my month to play, and I think she has rubbed off on me. I started playing the opening hymn, and it seemed completely different than the one I had practiced - and guess what - it was. The chorister turned to me and said - "Page 230" - I looked at my hymn book and I was on Page 229!!!! I quickly turned the page, started over and we went on. I was so embarrassed - couldn't believe what I had done. Even after that, people told me how much they enjoyed my playing - WHAT? Meranda said that's pretty impressive that I can screw up and people tell me that they enjoy my playing!!!!

Part 2: So - I was asked to play the organ for the Adult session of Stake Conference on Saturday. I was supposed to start playing at 6:45 p.m. - so I arrived a little before that. I go up to the organ - and guess what - it was a brand new organ and completely different than any organ I have ever played. It had more stops, more pedals, more everything. I couldn't even find the on switch. Needless to say, it wasn't my best organist performance (again). I finally figured things out by the last song....Evan was cracking up and the chorister pulled a few interesting facial expressions. Oh well - they probably won't ask me again.

Can't wait to see what my encore is going to be this Sunday......

The saga appears to be over!!!

The story of the stolen debit card is finally brought to a conclusion, but not without multiple phone calls and emails. I've become good friends with Elder Whitmer in the mission home and he now knows how to make an international collect phone call.

Even though I am a joint account holder with Preston, the bank had to talk to him because it was his card that was stolen. Everytime I called the bank, of course, I got a different person and had to explain the situation over and over.

So today, Elder Whitmer had Preston come to the mission home office and they were going to make the call to the bank. Of course surprise, surprise, the number didn't work. I get a call from Elder Whitmer, give him another number. Which they try and it doesn't work. I'm not in my office so I tell them to give me 20 minutes to get there so I can call the bank. While I am on the phone with the bank, Elder Whitmer calls me (again) on my cell phone, so we proceed to have a conversation between me and the bank and Elder Whitmer. They give us a number to call collect - which Elder Whitmer doesn't know how to do, and which Christine the bank person doesn't know how to do - go figure! Anyway, we all hang up and hope that they can figure out how to make the collect call.

About 10 minutes later another call from Elder Whitmer, they did make the call, Preston talked to the bank and everything seems to be settled. They have put the money back into the account and reversed the bank charges of about $125.00! While I have Elder Whitmer on the cell phone, Evan calls on my work phone - so another 3 way call.

I ask Elder Whitmer if Elder Wood is there. "Yes" I ask him to tell Preston that I love him - long pause - "Elder Wood your mom loves you". I hear Preston laughing in the background. I ask Elder Whitmer if Preston's face is turning red. He replies "His face is always red". Again, I hear Preston laughing in the background. I ask him to tell Preston that his Dad loves him. "Elder Wood your dad loves you." Again laughter in the background and this time I hear Preston say "I love you too".

I guess in a way I got to talk to Preston today in Argentina! It was crazy - but fun!!!!!

This is Sister Argyle in Argentina......

The words made my heart sink as I answered the phone Sunday afternoon. First I thought someone was playing a practical joke - sounded like a person in our ward - but it was in fact Sister Argyle calling. She assured me Elder Wood was fine but that he had a problem with his ATM card. He tried to use it but it was "eaten" by the machine and he thought something was fishy. She was calling to have me check his account, close the card, etc........

Elder Wood was correct....about $520 taken from his account. I cancelled the card and reported the problem to the bank and transferred the remaining balance out of his account. I hope we will recover the $520 but it could have been worse.

I can't wait to hear the rest of the story - maybe he was at the ATM when a "fish" attacked him - or maybe a guy with a knife - or maybe he had to fight off "robbers" - or maybe......I hope to hear the details in this week's letter.

Wait - I just got an email from Elder Whitmer from the financial office of the mission and he want's to talk to me about the card. CAN'T THEY JUST HAVE PRESTON CALL ME!!!!!!!!!

Okay - Elder Whitmer just called me....on my cell phone....he called Elder Wood to see if he could give me a number to get a hold of me....and of course....Preston remembered my cell phone!!! What a stud.....

So the story from Elder Whitmer is that Preston had just finished meetings with President Argyle on Sunday evening and needed $$ to get back to his apartment. He stopped at a "sketchy ATM" machine and his card wouldn't work. So some guy came up to him and asked him was was going on and then told Preston that he needed to do this...and this...and this... But his card never came out. Well - the "helpful person" was probably the thief!!!!! I asked Elder Whitmer why they just didn't have Elder Wood call me - laughter was the response......

We have decided (Evan and me) which I confirmed with Elder Whitmer - that we will get a new card - CREDIT - not DEBIT from a totally different account. This way the THIEF won't be able to use his account to steal more $$$$$!!!!!!

WHEW - I'm stressed out right now!!!!!

By the way - Elder Whitmer is from Yuma, AZ and has been out about 18 months. He said Elder Wood is a great example to the mission!!!!!

Another one bites the dust....

Yeah - another Science Fair Project is in the History Books! We have actually gotten quite proficient - and have "recycled" many great ideas - always remembering the KISS theory (Keep It Simple Stupid). I found one of the first ones that Preston did - and we didn't know what we were doing - poor kid. I saw some similar Projects at the school this morning. One was titled "Can Lemons Conduct Electricity?" The only thing on the board was a list of items used for his experiment and a picture of a lemon. Another one was on Molecules or Atoms and had a bunch of styrofoam balls glued to the board - didn't really know what they were trying to do. One kid was upset because he had "written" on his board and someone told him he couldn't - I told him it was okay to write on the board. There were boards of all sizes, shapes and colors.

Parker's project was titled "What Makes Ice Melt the Fastest?" This is a picture of the beginning of his experiment. We followed the Scientific process - question - hypothesis - experiment - results - conclusion - charts-graphs-pictures and of course the "Project Data Book". It was displayed nicely with background colors of Red, Green and Blue. We found out several projects ago - to staple everything to the board - much easier/faster than glue sticks or tape.

Can't wait to do another one next year.......