Charon Family News

Wow... another month has flown by. I thought we were still in February! We are busy as usual. This month brought a lot of sickness to our family that we are just bouncing back from and hopefully the kids will be back to sleeping through the night. Yes, I love them--I just wouldn't mind seeing a little less of them from the hours of 10 pm-6am. 

David has kept busy with work and school. Their company (Artistic Stucco) has started a HUGE project down in Bullhead, so he drives the 40 minutes there and back at least 3 times a week. He is also finishing up midterms at school. He is just doing great in his classes. I don't know how he does it. Makes me tired just thinking about it. I am trying just to hold down the fort. I have a new calling, Compassionate Service Leader. I am learning the art of compassion as well as the art of holding my tongue! Needless to say it's a slow process on both parts. You could also call me the primary care giver lately, Keagan had her tonsils and adenoids removed on the 28th and I have been in demand ever since. Riley has also caught on to the idea of "cry and get attention" so he decided to whip up a case of bronchitis to go with sister's misery. Lots of LONG NIGHTS. I am also "cricut-ing" like crazy. Don't know what that is? I am in love with everything scrapbooking/card making and this new little fun toy takes the cake. It's like a new set of golf clubs to the men. I get together with some friends once or twice a month and in between I have been making invitations to every event around! Love it! The kids, Keagan and Riley are on the mend from previously mentioned illnesses. I hope for some "normal" or getting back to it as soon as possible. Hope all is well with everyone else. The Charon Family

Beware the Ides of March

At least that's what Shakespeare said, but he was referring to the 15th, and waddayaknow but Julius Caesar stepped out of his bedroom and got it in the back. So be careful.

If you didn't know, in the ancient Roman calendar, each of the 12 months of the year had an "ides." In March, May, July and October, the "ides" fell on the 15th day. In every other month, the "ides" fell on the 13th. The word "ides" was derived from the Latin "to divide." The "ides" were originally meant to mark the full moon - but since the solar calendar months and lunar months were of different lengths, the "ides" quickly lost their original intent and purpose.

I like the idea of celebrating the middle of a month, but somehow in the Western World, we celebrate the beginning: new start, new month with the first day indicating, "here we are, ready to go." All of this is to say, that it's posting time again for the Eastmond Family Blog.

Barbara's last visit infected me with the Lots To Cut fever, and I helped a young woman in our stake finish her Value Project by cutting out lots and lots of initials for her to decorate the back of camp clipboards. This was at last night's camp meeting, which also required me spending lots and lots of hours at the computer, organizing, typing, trying to blend information from my sister Cynthia's camp, Barbara's current stake's camp, our past camps, and our New and Improved version of camp. We are re-building it from the ground up, trying to form a template that can be built on in years to come--or at least until the next Stake Young Women's president is sworn in. Our heritage is only as long as the tenure of our calling and as long as the memories of the young women we serve. (I still remember Elsie, my camp leader after 20-plus years. Many days I wish I had her wisdom and energy.)

Dave's working on some analysis of chemicals for EPA and others. We talk about mechanisms, false and/or weak positives, abstracts, research on our morning walks. He's busy with UCR obligations, commitments, headaches, student support, and will be teaching next quarter, so add that to his current mix of student seminars and interviewing candidates for positions. He's so busy he hasn't had time to add any titles to his TechnoThrillers Read list.

We've also been shopping for furniture. It's our last set, most likely (and our first, if you have to know the truth) and so it's taken us a bit longer than we thought. Our potential bed is a sleigh bed, our potential dresser (the finish will be "Sunlit Cherry") and our potential nightstands (color: "Nightfall Black") have room for books. I look at (drool over) the Restoration Hardware/Pottery Barn magazines, but realize that their showroom look has only 3 volumes in any given room, neatly arranged by size or color. And I also realize that I could never in a million years keep a room that uncluttered for more than five consecutive minutes--roughly the time it took the decorator from the local store to bring up the wood swatch board to check it against our bedroom's wainscoting (quick! stuff in drawers! throw junk in closets! clear off the stairs! close the doors to both our offices!) and head back out again (now where is that book?).

Life is very full with church service, teaching and employment, children and grandchildren. Although there are challenges and sadnesses inherent in any swath of life, on balance, Dave and I feel richly blessed.

But we'll be careful around the 15th.