Eeek-ing and Pier-ing and Foodies, OH MY!

EEEEEEEEEEEEEK!!!

Halloween came and went in all its black and orange glory and springboarded us into the "holiday season." But not before we had a lot of fun eek-ing and boo-ing and...eating. Oh MY!!

We combined with Eastmont Ward for a trunk-or-treat and dinner, and to many of the Asians, again, this was a whole new, fun and strange world of experience.

Mei, Thanh, Me

2 Little Witches, Me and Sister Huang
BOOOOO!!

Since the missionaries were all directed to be in on Halloween night by 6 PM, we took the opportunity to have a little gathering at our house with dinner and pumpkin carving. What a hoot!

Carving Sisters Huang and Bailey

Elder Lutz, intent on winning contest

Elders Pao and Siggard relishing a new food group...
         PUMPKIN GUTS!

3 Senior Missionary Witches
Sister Knight, Sister Martin, Me

And the winner is...

EVERYONE's a winner!

Halloween 2016 Family Photo

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!!!

On a recent p-day we headed to the LA temple for the morning and to Santa Monica Pier for the afternoon. Besides being at the very end of Route 66, which crosses the country from Chicago to the edge of the pier in Santa Monica, CA, it's a unique CA experience to mill around the masses, feeling the ambiance, listening to boardwalk performers, watching entertainers and artists market their wares and talents.

One of my personal favorites to watch is David, who paints name art in creative seaside figures using a variety of small brushes. He creates a beautiful masterpiece in about 10 minutes.

And, of course, the ocean is a destination all its own.

Food. Gobs and gobs of food. If I thought there would be scant amounts of food on a mission, or little time to eat, that was erroneous thinking! It seems to be a huge part of cultural background, and people want to make sure I have plenty of cultural experience!

The Chopsticks Project

Yet another fun p-day was spent with the Knight's, another senior missionary couple living in our complex on a Member/Leader Support mission. Hailing as farmers from Delta, UT, they were yearning to find a taste of rural SOMEWHERE in LA. We headed to Santa Anita Park with the horse racetrack.

Yummy breakfast overlooking the track and trainers one morning

LDS missionaries (with badges!) hanging out at a huge horse-betting venue.
And loving it.

 The Knight's walked across actual dirt horse crossings, smelled manure, watched grazing horses on real hay, and absorbed the needed ability to continue forward in a huge citifed city!

💖💖💖💖

The month of November is an extra-special month to recognize myriads of blessings. It includes the blessing of a spouse serving his own brand of mission in a different realm than me. It is my impression that we are both serving on missions that were entirely different than what we had pictured at this time in our lives. During this past year, I'm grateful to have come to the realization of the importance of his mission and why he's serving where he is, rather than alongside me. And I'm grateful for that. And for the multiplicity of blessings that encompass my beautiful life. On a mission and otherwise.

Here's to us, Arlyn. Eight years closer to reuniting.

💑