Friends

I am still thinking about the party last night.....we love Mette and Jesper....and we saw so many other people that are dear to us.  It was fun to see Suzanne and Henrik as well.  People around here enjoy social occasions in a lovely way.  I have learned a lot about that, and hope that I can engineer some of the same kinds of things when we get back to Arizona.

I don't think I'll ever be a cook like Suzanne or have the same kind of flair serving a meal.  I don't think I'll ever be as genuinely gracious and charming as Mette, or coax things to blossom out of the garden like she does.  I don't think I will ever be the same kind of outgoing missionary as Janet, or as open and as loving.  I don't think I will ever be......well, you get the idea.

I will be grateful for what I have and what I can do.  That is a blessing.

We had another grand day.  You would think in an apartment this size that packing up and moving out would be easy, but it isn't.  I am still trying to write letters to people who are dear to us here, and still trying to get things organized so that the Parkers will be able to figure out everything in the apartment.  I am still trying to get things packed.....and some things sent home, in order to simplify our exit at 4 a.m. two weeks from this morning.

Another things that I am very excited about is that Doris and Mikal will join us here in our apartment on Tuesday night for dessert..  Claus and Alejandra will also come....they are from our little branch and as couples, they have a lot in common with each other.  I am grateful to have a little time with Doris before we go, because she has become a good friend, and I am so hopeful that she and Mikal will be very happy.  If they have a strong LDS connection like Alejandra and Claus, that is wonderful.

I made over two hundred carrot cake cookies to take to an open house tomorrow for one of our YSAs who will be leaving this week for her mission in Ukraine.  She has been a wonderful friend and we have enjoyed her immensely.  She is very talented and will make an excellent missionary.  She has great faith.

I also had a great and wonderful ironing day for another friend....SK.  I think he has enough shirts to last a week, so I'll do it one more time while we are still here.  I want to wash curtains, bedspreads, feather comforters....everything I can before we leave.  I am looking at our calendar and wondering how I am going to fit all this in.

I want to serve one last meal to all the young friends we have made at the center.  I will fix it on the 27th....Cafe Rio Pork Salad.  I am not sure how many will be there....I am preparing for 40 or 50.  I want to make it nice for them.  It will also be a night that the Parkers will be there and meet everyone.  They are wonderful people, and I hope they will enjoy Copenhagen as much as we have.  But that will take a couple of days of preparation and shopping.

That same night, I will teach...or rather give the slide talk about art and Christ.  I have always  loved doing that, and I am praying that all of the YSAs will feel the spirit through that great art.

We took a break early in the evening and walked over to the Canton Restaurant.  It is the little cafe we found early in our mission that is the very one SK went to often when he served 50 years ago in this area.  We decided to go back one last time.  Even though it has probably been a year since we were there, our cute waitress remembered us and wished us the best when we go back to the states.

I would count her as one of the dear people we have met here who have become our friends.

Duck in Pineapple Sauce

Sweet and Sour Fish

No I am not asleep....just blissfully dishing up my dinner.

He is feeling on the blissful side too.