Amazing Arroyyos!

Albuquerque is a very dry place, but they have canals here, called arroyos, to handle the water when it does rain.  There can be a rainstorm somewhere else, and the water will come rushing down the arroyos.  In August, they rescued a 16-year-old girl, and a man, who were in the arroyos when the water came.  There are ladders on the sides here and there for a person to grab in case they get caught in the water.  A man told us that even if the water is only 6" deep, you wouldn't be able to stay standing because it would be moving so fast.  The arroyos vary in size and depth.  Some are small, some are huge.  One of the biggest ones we've seen had some grocery carts in it, but they looked so small, it was hard to tell that's what they were.  Anyway, they fascinate us.

February 14, 2015

President Miller asked these Elders if they would get grocery carts out of this arroyo, and would Sister Ellis take some pictures.  Of course I would!!  And Elder Ellis wouldn't let them work without him!

 Elder Ellis, Elder McSpadden, Elder Gardiner, Elder Summerhays, and Elder Yates - all such great missionaries.

These carts had been there so long that it took hard work to get them out of the ground

Lots of stuff has either blown in, or floated down.  To his left, you can see the water flowing west.

Boys will be boys, no matter how old they are.  Notice the huge cement 'teeth' that slow the water as 

it comes through the tunnels.  It seems to be great sport to push the grocery carts through these tunnels, and see how far they'll go.  They certainly don't bother to take them back to where they found them.

Elder Yates!

Elder Gardiner!!

 A whole pickup load of grocery carts.

Another one in really bad shape to add to the pile.

There was enough room to put the really bad ones on top of the others.  Proud Elders!!

 We assume that the cement slats on the sides are to slow the water down as it comes through.

 Maybe this gives an idea of how big this arroyo is.  There are bigger and smaller ones than this; it just depends on the water flow.

 These steps are put there in case someone is in the arroyo when the water starts to come down.  People like to skateboard or ride bikes in these canals.

 The Elders disappeared in these tunnels to retrieve more carts pushed under the road and out the other side.

  Now the fun begins, getting the carts OUT of the arroyo!!

 Any project can be fun - it just depends on how you look at it.

Great teamwork!

Some Things That Keep Us Busy

AUGUST 26, 2014

LUNCH AT GOLDEN CORRAL

Don is so appreciative of the Sister missionaries.  He invited us to lunch at Golden Corral, one of his favorite spots, the day before we did service for him.

 

Sister Stokes, Don Sampson, and Sister Pasa Vaili  

 One of our Albuquerque friends.

Don showed Elder Ellis things he would like to have done around his home. 

  

 AUGUST 27, 2014

 SERVICE AT DON'S HOME

 

Sister Pasa Vaili, Elder Ellis, and Sister Stokes pulling the few weeds that were there.  

"There are some trees coming up there that I can't get to." 

Elder Ellis squoze himself in between the shed and the wall, and the tree starts were gone. 

It didn't take much to make him happy. 

Don gave him the hat, and insisted he keep it when we were finished. 

Just a silly pose to end the service project and photos with - he's exhausted, and I'm pointing out more work for him to do.  Elder Ellis did work hard - he had to do all the digging.  That's what he gets for being the strong man on the job. A beautiful day in Albuquerque.

VISITORS TO OUR MISSION

We have been delighted with visits from family and friends who have come to stay for a few days, or who were just passing through. 

MARCH 29, 2014

A surprise visit from the Greenwell family!  Well - it was a surprise to Sister Ellis.  Elder Ellis knew all about their trip here.  I came home from Women's Conference meeting to find them in our apartment.  What a wonderful surprise!!  It was SO GOOD to see them, but even better to hug them - especially those granddaughters!  Parker is serving his mission in Kennewick, Washington, so it was the family without him.

Karly - busy on her phone, and Lexi - who always has fun, no matter what she's doing. 

It seems that we eat often! 

Lexi, who is almost 17, with her Baptism quilt from when she was eight years old.

Chef Richard - but today he burned something!  Unusual for him.  Guess cooking is different in Albuquerque!

Perfect weather for swimming, and the pool's just in the back of our apartment.  It's hard to tell if they came to visit us - or to swim. 

A swim before breakfast is a great way to start the day.

A trip to Old Town in Santa Fe, New Mexico 

Time to say goodbye.  It was so nice to have some family here.  We enjoyed their visit, and it took away some of the homesickness and the feelings of missing our family.  

* * * * *

THIS VISIT WAS A TOTAL SURPRISE!!!!!!!!

May 27, 2014

 

We had ordered our food at Fudrucker's and were sitting with Sister Yerkes.  Elder Yerkes was outside on the phone - for quite a few minutes.  She said he was talking to one of their children.  He finally came in a sat down in the booth with us.  Just a couple of minutes later, we looked up and there stood the Ellis family!  Elder Yerkes had been talking to Gary, telling him how to get to where we were.  They'd been in contact for several weeks, planning their visit here.  What a wonderful surprise!!  We had no idea they were in cahoots, we sure did enjoy the surprise!!

Arriving at our apartment.

What's better than having a roomful of people you love?

Time for a yummy breakfast.

 I had some really cute helpers for fixing dinner.

I think Dixon liked the hot rolls.  That's about how many he'd already eaten.  Fun to spoil him, since we won't see him for two years.  He leaves July 2nd for Mexico MTC for six weeks; then to serve in the Seattle, WA, Spanish-speaking Mission.

A little game before bed.

 

There's a pool in our backyard, and they loved it!

* * * * * 

MAY 31, 2014

We met George and Rosie Davis and some of their family at Cheddar's for dinner.  It was a short visit, but we were able to spend time with one of my favorite cousins.  They are from Arkansas. 

Elder Ellis and George always seem to hit it off really well - two characters!

August 19, 2014 - Lee and ____ Roberts stopped by on their way to Texas.  We went to dinner at Monroe's, a very busy Mexican restaurant.  (Imagine that!)

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September 27, 2014

My sweet cousin and her one-of-a-kind husband came to visit on their way to Las Vegas and took us to see "Wicked".  It was wonderful!!  Everything about it was just incredible, and we loved every second of it, not to mention being able to spend some time with them.  We sure do love these two!!

The show was at The Pope Joy Theater - sitting outside until time to go in. 

These two get along so well - like two peas in a pod! 

 

OK - enough is enough.

He's got to be up to something.  That's just George! 

Rosie is such a wonderful person, and loved by anyone who knows her.  Plus - she is incredibly talented.  She's always busy with something she's thought of.

This is the view from their hotel room - south and east of City Center. 

We ate lunch at Panera Bread on Paseo del Norte. (The GPS - nicknamed 'Sister Garmin' by the missionaries - pronounces the road 'Paseeoh del Nort'.  The correct way is like 'Pa-SAY-oh del Nortay'.  Those GPS people just aren't as smart as they're cracked up to be :).

Yup - that's George - always loving life, and helping everyone around him to join in.

George makes it fun no matter where he is!  

Oh - we hate to tell them goodbye!  They're off to Las Vegas, so we have to be thankful for the time we got to spend with them. 

A beautiful display in front of the theater.