Oops

Okay, I am really late this week, or maybe just early for next week.  You pick.  You want the whole story???  Are you sure?   Well, Okay, just the highlights.
We got our new senior couple in last week!  Yea for extra help!  Senior couples are truly needed so if you can manage a mission, DO IT!  The Wiscombs got here on Tue.,  met President and then we brought them home to our house.  It was President's birthday and we thought they should get a little family time.  As a gift for he and Sister Deere, Rod painted a water color of the two of them.  It turned out really well, but we neglected to take a photo.  The missionaries were at their house for mission council that morning, so Rod found a bunch of black scrunchies and they wore them as arm bands.  Most of them didn't know the significance of black arm bands, but President did.  We loved it! 

This is the 'pre-party' at the office.  It was Rod's idea so they wouldn't expect the one the next morning.

The photos from the birthday party didn't turn out well so I just included a couple.

Sister Deere's birthday is in a few weeks, so she got some treats too.

 

We will blame the birthday celebration for a near 'dropped ball'.  Somehow, in all the excitement of the celebration, we forgot the need to get the residency papers started for the Wiscombs.  Luckily, Rod remembered that night and we were able to sweet talk the powers that be into doing what was needed even though we hadn't made the requisite appointment.  Yea!  The Lord watches out for us. Wednesday, we got the residency paperwork done, they visited with President, then we took them around the town, showed them the basics of 'driving in Spain', bought a few things they wanted, and got everything loaded up.  Thursday we headed off to parts north.  We filled our car with stuff for their apartment and lead the way with them following, to the northernmost  city in the mission, Alcazar de San Juan.  It takes over 4 hours to get there, but we made it, in spite of a disagreement with our gps. We got them settled, turned on the heat, showed them how to work appliances, and left them in the hands of the Elders.  It is a nice apartment, though we heard the heat went out that first night.  Always an adventure!

I loved this sculpture.  We need more round-abouts if only as places for public art.

They claim Don Quixote here and have preserved these windmills in his honor.

Next time we will have to get closer.

  Then we went to Granada.  We spent the night in a hotel in Granada so that we didn't have to drive back the next morning for their Friday soft ball game.  My husband has become very popular with all these games. We fixed the missionaries hot dogs after their Zone training and then we all walked to the field.  We had to crawl under the fence to get onto the field, but the gate was open when we left.  I didn't see anyone open it but apparently we were allowed to play there.  I picked up trash just to promote good will.  They had lots of fun with softball, but they ended up spending some time playing soccer too.

Our pitcher is the one whose knee was so bad.  I told him no running or twisting. It nearly killed him not to play soccer.

The Elders photo bombed a 'sisters' photo!

After the game they went back to work. We went into town to see the Arab quarter and get some supper.  Driving in down town Granada is always stressful, but we had fun once we got parked.

Queen Isabella and... Christopher himself.

 

This stream runs next to the church with these walk ways across it.

Don't tell him not to fall.

That crescent moon is an Arab symbol.  Fitting?

That is the Alhambra, seen from below.

The nuns in this church make treats to sell to support themselves.  They are secluded though so you never see them.  You put your order and money in the 'dumb waiter' and they sent you your treats.

This street performer had his puppet 'sing opera' 

We had our supper looking up at the Alhambra and they had heaters out cause it was getting cool.

 We were glad to finally get home that night. 

Saturday morning, I awoke to a surprise.  My right eye was swollen almost shut.  I thought I must have gotten stung by something, though I never saw where that might have happened.  A few hours later my whole face was swollen and starting to itch.  I started Benadryl but it didn't help.  Sunday morning I felt like Violet in Willie Wonka.  I stayed home from church, not because I felt so ill, but because I didn't want to disrupt meetings by showing my face.  I was surprised how much it bothered me to look so bad.  By this time there was a fine rash all over my neck and face, including my ear lobes.  Who ever heard of a rash on the ear lobes?  I ask you?  Really weird!

 I truly expected it to start going away by Monday morning, but instead it was spreading into my nostrils.  We went to the urgent care and the doctor gave me a shot of cortisone.

It was getting better when we took this photo.  Do I really want to remember this?

 Monday I stayed home again, but this time it started to get better.  The Dr warned me that I might have to come back, but I didn't.  Thank goodness.  After we got home, I remembered that I have a positive TB skin test and should avoid cortisone.  It probably means more the long term treatment, but I was glad not to have to make that kind of decision.  Anyway, if I come down with TB, we will know why. As the swelling went down my face got redder and rather tender.  Tuesday, I felt like my face had been rubbed with sand paper.  Who needs a fancy chemical peel treatment?  Not me.  I have decided that maybe my purse hand lotion had gotten old enough to cause the problem when I used it on my face Thur night.  That is a long gap though.  Who knows?  I haven't dared use anything on my skin but Vaseline since then, but I will have to find something soon.  My skin is so dry.

Saturday morning Rod went hiking with the APs.  Some time ago, they had asked what they could do for him and he suggested a hike.  He was tired enough that he almost didn't want to go, but was so glad he did afterwards.  Hiking just renews his spirit. 

 Today is Thursday and I feel back to normal!  Jubilation!  Well, I still feel unusually tired, but there are lots of reasons for that.  My sweet husband held the fort without me, covering 'nursery' at church and keeping the office going.  I am so very blessed to have him.

I had to include these photos from the balcony of our office.  They aren't as frequent as the beautiful sunsets we have at home but they are still stunning!

Our prayers are with our family right now.  We have been so very greatly blessed!  Thank you for your love.