Another week has flown by and was it ever a stressful week.  First we will start out with the miracles and then the rest of the week.  I have nine areas this time to move missionaries to. Two of the areas were easy, because they are moving into a flat vacated by a couple who moved to Ireland and the other we are moving two more missionaries in with two others.  So that left seven.  I started as soon as I got the information right after April 10^th which was the last moves period.  I contacted one senior couple and the Branch Presidents or Bishops for help.  Long story short, last Friday it looked like I would have four of them in place by the 15^th.  One I was having trouble getting them to get the lease right, and two had not even found a place yet.  So this last week was sending them ideas off the internet, and encouraging them to hurry.  And some nights with little sleep when I would wake up and not be able to fall back to sleep because of worrying.  On Friday morning I still had four leases to finish up, but for some reason I felt I would make it.  Then I received the news from the Mission President that we would not need two of the flats and that was the two that nothing had been happening, so it all worked out.

What happened was we had two missionaries that went home unexpectedly.  One has had medical issues of not being able to hold any food down and another had fallen down the bus steps when the driver stopped suddenly and she ended up having a fractured hip and is going home to recuperate and have physical therapy.  No wonder we hadn’t found those flats yet.  Heavenly Father knew we would not need them.  So miracles happened and I think they will all be ready for the missionaries with one more day’s work.

The new missionaries will arrive on Wednesday of this coming week and will be going to their areas that night and the next day, and they all have places to stay.  The next transfer is in June and they have already given me the list and I have seven to get.  September I know will be 10 new flats but haven’t been given the locations yet and doubt I get them all finished before I come home.  That was the stressful part of the week, but where miracles happen.

Now let’s move on to the fun part of the week.  Monday we had a surprise party with the districts in Edinburgh and President and Sister Brown, Sister Vance and Sister Price. The missionaries got to wear a silly hat from a hat collection Sister Brown provided.

 

 

First they dressed us in our Royal robes (a tartan table cloth and a lace curtain), they gave Bill a scepter (cane), and they gave me the royal orb (a pineapple) and crowns. 

 

 

We were then taken to our throne (lawn chairs under a tent shelter). 

 

They gave us a document proclaiming us King and Queen for the day or an hour or two.  They then entertained us with some wonderful musical numbers provided by our talented missionaries. 

Elder Windhausen

Chicken dance and song

 

President Brown manned the grill and we had chicken, sausages, and hamburgers, potato salad and seven layer lettuce salad with drink, ice cream and cake for dessert. 

President Brown at the grill

 

It was a wonderful party and we have clips of the entertainment and pictures to share when we get home.  Sister Brown put together an album of the event for my birthday present along with a dvd.

I had birthday wishes from all of my children and grandchildren from mail, Skype, and calls and lots of messages from friends and family over Skype and Facebook.  It was a wonderful birthday.  Thanks to all of you for making it so special.

Saturday the Sisters decided they wanted a day to do their own thing, so Bill and I got up our normal time and by seven we were on the road north to Aberdeen area, which is about a three hour drive.  It is an area we had not been to yet because of distance.  We were to our first castle though by 10:30.  Our GPS unit took us on some back roads that were one lane in some places but it was a very beautiful  drive.  We are always surprised at how different Scotland can be in such a short distance.  We were up in the highlands with the heather and rolling hills, some sheep, and flowers (mainly daffodils that are considered a wildflower) by the millions and I am not exaggerating.

 

The first castle that we saw was Crathes Castle, and Garden Estate.  This castle has been in the same family since Robert the Bruce gave them the land and castle in 1323.  They turned it over to the National Trust for Scotland in 1973.  The ceiling in this Castle was different than any we have seen.  It had rounded alcoves by the windows with beautiful paintings.  The Burnett family still gathers there and around the world for reunions.  Craig and Julie one of them was in March in Phoenix at a school for Native Americans and would have been called something like Scottish Highland Games.  Wish we would have known earlier so you could have gone to see it. 

The gardens are beautiful there.  Some of the hedges were planted as early as 1702.  I guess in June they are at their best but I doubt we are back up there to see them then.

The next castle was the Drum Castle and it too was given to William de Irwyn  in 1323 by Robert the Bruce for 20 years of loyal service.  The medieval tower was under repair with a million pound gift given by an American and that still will not be enough to pay for the entire repair.  That was the oldest part of the castle.  Repairs were made earlier using modern day cement and that failed causing more damage over the years than good because it didn’t allow the building to breath like limestone material from bygone ages.  So everything was getting mold and mildew.  Now they are removing the cement and going back to the old ways.

It has been a wonderful week and next week is transfer/ departures/ arrivals and so we know it will be another busy week.