School's Out for Summer!

Alright, I have to confess that my propensity to hate writing on these things has finally showed it's true colors.  About six weeks from my last entry and I had to wait until classes were over to put down some thoughts.  Our final class was taught May 3 and here it is two weeks later and I am finally getting to writing.

The Crucifixion Room

The Tomb

In the last post I mentioned that we were having Brother Mackay's Easter presentation finalized.  We moved it over to the Institute and presented it to the Senior Missionaries on April 4.  We then kept it open for two weeks at the Institute for students and others to attend.  It was a very spiritual presentation and required quite a bit of work during those weeks.  Below are some photos of the rooms that were used.

The Last Supper Room

The Garden Room

 The last day that we had the display up we engaged the help of some missionaries to take it down and what a project that was.  But it did finally give us some extra time to take it easy.

We have been waiting to move into a larger apartment that is being vacated by our good friends the Barlows as they return home.  It is a mixed bag since we dearly loved having the Barlows with us, but we also wanted to have more room than our not-so-big apartment.  We began the packing up of items the third week of April in preparation to move on the 28th.  Prior to them leaving we organized a dinner with some of the senior couples, had them over for ice cream (they were always inviting us to have ice cream with them), and a going away beach party was arranged.  Everyone loves the Barlows.  They are farmers from northern Utah and were the most loving couple that I could think of.  Truly Christlike.  And Sister Barlow had the most wonderful witty sense of humor that would have us all laughing out loud.  As I have said previously, one of the greatest things about a mission is the other senior missionaries that we get to know and work with.  We miss them when they leave and hope that we will have some contact after we return from our mission.  How we love them!

Parkins, Barlows, and Butterworths at Barlow's beach party

We took some pictures of our 1st apartment in the mission just to remember our "little apartment".  It was small.  We stayed there for 10 months which eclipsed any other senior missionaries by several months.  We got tired of lifting groceries up the seventeen stairs and trying to find some place to stuff our things.  So I include some pictures of it for posterity!

Looking from the front door to the kitchen

Our spacious living room - no that isn't a couch - it's a loveseat.

Looking from the living room down the hall to the bedroom

The thing we will miss least of our apartment besides the lack of space, is the wonderful bedroom window: single pane, looking toward the freeway, with all its freeway noise lulling us to sleep at night.
So on April 28 we began the move into our new apartment which is over twice the space of our old one.  We couldn't believe it - no freeway noise!  A living room that could have more than four people in it!  And a kitchen with twice the cabinet space!  No more having no place to put things.  It was a real relief.  Now instead of 17 steps as you walk out the door, we have the pool in front of us.  Not quite like home, but certainly better than we have been living with.  Then again, aren't we supposed to suffer a little in the service of the Lord?  Should we have been pleased with our meager circumstances - nah, we're senior missionaries - we deserve a few perks!
On April 30 we had another YSA success - a marriage.  The YSA 1st Ward Elder's Quorum President got married to a lovely young woman.  Keith Stanfill and his bride, Jasmine Clark had a great reception at a very interesting chapel in the area - the Trojan building.  It has a sunken cultural hall that is surrounded by a hall of classrooms.  Very unique building whose architect was one of the ones that designed the San Diego temple.

Keith, Jasmine and the oldsters

As classes ended, we had decided to celebrate Diana's birthday and our anniversary by going up to Disneyland and staying at the Grand Californian Hotel.  It was fun to get away and see Disneyland on our own and where else can you celebrate "May the fourth be with you"?

We got back in time to meet Julianne and her family who had come down for a vacation.  They were able to pile in with us in our new and enlarged apartment.  On Saturday, May 7 we were able to get tickets to the USS Midway from a neighbor at the RV Park and we all went to tour the ship.

Approaching the Midway

 I was surprised that the kids kept their attention for the time we were there.

On the Flight Deck

On Sunday we were able to attend the farewell talk of Larry Chu as he prepared to head to the MTC on Tuesday.  This young man will make such a tremendous missionary.

We spent Monday enjoying the beach at Coronado and then eating some good Mexican food at Old Town.  Tuesday was a surprise for Julianne's kids as they didn't know that we were heading up to Disneyland to meet Kristina and her family for three days of Mouse fun!  It is always good to watch the kids enjoy the rides and other things at Disneyland.  By the time we left, Grandma and Grandpa were tired!  We had enough of Disneyland for the month.

The last few days have been involved with planning for the summer institute program and doing things around the Institute.  It will be a totally different schedule for us since we don't have to teach and prepare for classes.  It will slow things down for us, which isn't such a bad thing.  Summer might be okay!