Challenges

A colorful bouquet from Tennessee-cousin Karin to cheer us these days.

Picking up from after the wedding last Sunday. . . We were already in Anderson, and it was the last opportunity to pick up the plastic sheets needed for making the deadline--to finish the 100 table dividers by Monday, the day before students' first day of school.
Team Roboto in Anderson was given a thousand-pound roll of heavy plastic, which they use to make face shields, and they also share with PhyXTGears for their projects. A few team members joined us that evening at their place to help cut the 100 segments needed.

I understood that it would be a serious challenge to meet the deadline, so after breakfast I asked if there was any way I could help. The immediate response was "Yes!" Surprisingly. there was work I was able to do! It was a long day on our feet. I marked and cut corners of all plastic sheets, then used the folding machine to put a crease in the middle of each. Julia's teenage son Isaiah, worked long hours placing the prepared sheet into the frames. Michael riveted them in place. My final task was to place rivets in the holes Michael drilled. Julia followed behind me with the pop rivet gun. Shawn, team president, place PhyXTGears stickers on each one. By 6:00 PM delivery time, we were short 20 table dividers to be installed the next day.
What an exhausting day! Now I better understand how Michael feels after being on his feet for hours.

The next three days Michael was busy completing and delivering order to three area Eastbrook schools, smaller quantities than the first one. It was fun to see these photos of how the table dividers fit into the different settings.

With all that, Michael continues to ride 20 to 30 miles two or three days a week, in addition to the long (circa 100 miles) one on the weekend. He also makes bread and several meals. 

Michael's latest experiment: pretzels

Due to the heavy work week, I spent more time in the kitchen preparing meals in addition to all the clean up, especially making use of some of the more unusual items in the Misfits box. 

This week we sold the tandem that has carried us on many enjoyable miles, near and far. "Goodbye, friend!"

Looking back over the years, I realize that I have tended to hang on to life stages and things. It was difficult to let go of jobs and move on. Can you believe, it is hard sometimes to allow Michael complete control of shopping and cooking, even though it is his choice, and my least favorite! Somehow after so many years, the role reversal is a challenge. I often feel guilty instead of gratefully using the time to work on the writing projects that are on my heart.

This little girl started school this week and also had a birthday, her sixth, August 14!

And this little guy, now five months, smiled sweetly for me several times, but it's so hard to capture the best ones.

I completed a phase of research--ten years of Brethren Missionary Heralds (the weekly denominational magazine) 1940-1950, learning about the ten Hoyt siblings participation in the Grace Brethren Church. It was a fascinating project and a significant accomplishment. I realize that the double "negatives," the shutdown plus the fractured ankle, forced me to learn to focus and enjoy it!

Now I will go back over the same archives and focus on the mission in Argentina. My first discovery this week was the history of one of the oldest congregations. Surprisingly, it all began in 1915 with a Sunday School taught by a Swiss French widow in her native tongue, not in Spanish! Other Swiss Protestants noticed her efforts and joined with regular meetings in Spanish. A Brethren missionary learned of this group and arranged to hold monthly preaching services in different homes. Eventually, a pastor was sent, a church followed. A couple years ago there was a 100-year celebration.

I've been there, and my parents ministered there on occasion, but I never knew these interesting facts.