Birthday Bash!

For those of you who missed our Relief Society Birthday Bash, you sure missed out on a lot!!! First of all, let me apologize to those who attended Friday night's festivities. Our guest speaker, Alicia Richmond, was an hour late! She called and said she wouldn't be there until 6:30. So we ate first. Then she texted me and said she would be there in 15 minutes. So we played a few games. Then she didn't come prepared with the necessary cords and we had to track some down for her. So we did a raffle. Had I known that she was going to be so late I would have started with the crafts because I know a lot of you came prepared to do that and we didn't get to some of them. I apologize especially to the young women who rescheduled their event so they could come to ours. I know that some of them wanted to do the crafts and we didn't get to those until later. But, those who did stay and do them had a great time and made some beautiful hair bows and watches. Thanks to Alysia Peterson for teaching our skin care class...that had so much participation it went about 30-45 minutes! Huge thanks to my sister in-law Amy who came at the very last minute to do our hair class because the lady that was going to do it had something come up at the last minute. As you can tell, Friday night did not go according to my careful and precise planning! But the food was delicious (at least that's what everyone said. I didn't eat because I was too stressed out trying to put order back to the chaos!) Thank you to all those who participated in the pot luck. The chocolate fountain was such a big hit that we decided to bring it out again Saturday.
Saturday was great. I attended the temple with Alysia Peterson and we did initiatory because I can't leave my baby for a session. I haven't been to the temple since Jason and I did sealings in December I think it was. So it was nice to be there and enjoy the peace and quiet. The luncheon was fabulous! Sally always does such good work with the food and this was no exception. Thanks Sally! She even hand crafted swans out of the cream puffs! A true culinary artist.
The guest speakers were my favorite part! Jessy Taylor is good friends with Bob and Diane Evans and they spoke to us about the quiet acts of service that we do. They have 16 children!!!! 11 that are biological and 5 that they adopted. I had no idea they had that many. They were such great speakers and after they were finished I predicted that they would be future general authorities and general presidents. They didn't like that too much. They brought such a great spirit and I just can't get over what a great job they did!
After them we had Sis. Roseanne Gunther who started the humanitarian projects in our state (and it sounded to me like the church). She was very inspirational and made me want to get of my duff and do more to help! She brought in this amazing quilt that was made specifically for a lady in Africa. It was made and pieced together from random scraps of material and it was absolutely gorgeous! I wish I would have taken a picture of it. She told us some very awe inspiring stories about the work she has been doing. I encourage all of you do what you can on Monday mornings with the humanitarian projects we have. Some of them you can even do from home.
I started off the speakers with a little poem called "Oh the Places You'll Serve" and had a fantastic slide show prepared...but we had technical difficulties and so I had to sing the song "His Hands" at the last minute...literally! So, I apologize for how horrible it sounded but it was a spur of the moment performance. It was very important to have that song heard though. It was the basis of our theme "Hands of Service."
The Savior did his service with his hands and not only performed miracles but did those quiet acts of service as well. He fed 5,000 with a few loaves and fishes that he blessed with his hands. Raised the dead, healed the sick, gave sight ot the blind, all with the touch of his hands. But he also forgave the sinners, lifted the poor in spirit and lowly of heart, and gave comfort to those in sorrow. We can do that also. Our gift this year is a bottle of lotion with a label that says, "I will make my hands like those of Galilee." Which is a line from the song. As you put on that lotion it reminds us to use our hands for service and do good unto others.
We ended our celebration with a GORGEOUS cake made by my friend in the 17th ward. I wish I had a picture of that too! Thanks Julianne for making that for me! ( Is still have leftover if you feel so inclined to have a piece. Come on over and we will eat cake together!)
I hope you were spiritually fed and enjoyed the company of the sisters in our ward as much as I did. Thank you to my committee for putting on such a fabulous party!
** A little FYI- I attended the auxillary training meeting this last week and was given great training on what to do for our future Relief Society Meetings. So, be prepared to be bugged about ideas, suggestions and needs and look for a change in what we do, as I know have a better understanding and some actual training on what to do!**