Omaha Happenings

We have been in Omaha for over a year and are getting pretty planted here.  We live in low income housing.

We have a laundry on property with 10 washers and 10 dryers.  A company owned the equipment and gave us 1/2 the income.  We kicked them out (had to get a court order where I testified) and bought the old equipment from them. We were getting $300-400 a month (1/2 total).  We lowered the price form 1.25/load to .75 and Kay spent tons of time fixing the equipment.  We are bringing in $1600 a month now and the place is hopping.

The past week or so we have had a lot going on.
A couple of weeks ago the sacrament speaker got sick, at the beginning of Sacrament Meeting the branch president asked me to give a talk/testimony on Reverence.  All during the sacrament, I prepared a talk, Kay kept whispering ideas to me (thank goodness) and I pulled off an 8 minute talk.  The Trail Center director asked me for a copy of my talk.  I said it was impromptu..... no written talk.  I was wondering what he liked about it.  He said he liked my personal examples of how I handled my children when they behaved badly in church (sorry kids, I tattled).  It didn't offend, like most talks on reverence, but it gave lots of ideas. I talked about Rachael's family too.


I spoke at a baptism for Scott and Larry (8 year old) Kemp.  I gave my usual talk on baptism. Taking upon us the name of Christ.

Sunday- I looked at the missionaries dinner calendar and except for the first Sunday of the month, they are usually free for dinner on Sundays.  Two weeks ago we had them over with no notice for a clean--out- the- fridge- leftovers meal.  This week they came over for waffles and scrambled eggs.  We like to take them out every other week.

 Kay and I went to the Kuku's house (Sudanese family) to do a Family Home evening before the son, Wal Khot was baptized the following week.  Most families in the branch know about FHE but have never done it.  We brought a treat and the family really enjoyed playing the game together.  When we were explaining FHE, Deng, the 12 year old wise-guy son said he had a lesson, he went and got his priesthood manual and gave a lesson from his deacons quorum.  We cut it short as FHE is short but it was good.  We then talked to Wal about baptism and Kay practiced on him in the living room and went over everything he needed to know.  Our goal is to do a Family Home Evening with one family a month.  This was our second FHE.

Monday I met 4 Spanish speaking missionaries with my 3 friends at the zoo so we could get them all in (each member gets 1 guest) for free.  We then stayed 30 minutes.

I have been searching for appliances for a unemployed family in the branch.  They are renting a stove, fridge and microwave for $150/month. they  were also doing laundry in the tub.  I found them a washer dryer we had to get out of a basement that evening.  It was an older house with basically a ladder for stairs but Kay did it... in a pouring rainstorm.  We were soaked but happy.

I found a non functioning side by side steel refrigerator for $50.  The freezer worked but not the fridge.  Even I know that is a fan.  We brought it home and plugged it in and it works.  We will watch it closely, we have fans we can replace when necessary.  It is 5 years old and about $1200. new. Good deal Janae.

Kay was asked by a young mother in the branch to make a display wall.  She is a photographer and has a booth at the local bridal fair.  He home teaches the family and likes a challenge.  He looked on line and designed his own wall that breaks into 3 parts.  She wants to come and paint it but Kay keeps doing it.  We have been working on it in the laundry room this week.

Scouts with Wal  Kuku

Scouts with Bobby Foster

Wednesday we had the Cub Scout Blue and Gold Banquet.  My assignments were skits and games so we did 2 skits and  ran out of time and ended up playing only 1 game, I was fine with that as my games were games you can play with no props for Family Home Evening.

Thursday was my busy day.  I picked up a lady who needed to go to Walmart and then I took her to the zoo for an hour.  It was the first of the month and she had $50 to last her for food after her bills were paid and what did she buy?  Cat food and cat litter..... of course she did, the money was gone!  No food for her this month..

In the afternoon I took Jody to Dillards Clearance store in Iowa for a dress to wear for her first time at the temple, doing baptisms, that evening (she didn't own one).  She shops in a different department than I do so I called several stores to see if they had those sizes and how many choices.  We ended up getting her a $99. dress for under $5. Wahoo!  I bought her some other discounted items to make 4 different outfits she could wear to church with some sandals (what was on clearance) and she was happy.  I then went to Bennington to take Sean to his piano lesson, took him home and drove straight to Jody's house and tended her energetic children while they were at the temple.  Jody's 7 year old daughter told her how beautiful she was.

On Fridays I take the 2 younger Chappell children while Rachael goes to her homeschool group.  We usually go to the children's museum and leave in time to pick up Jenna from her friend's house, We get lunch and read stories until Rachael comes home.  19 month old Isaac and 3 year old Aaron love to sing so our car rides are pretty musical.  If we are not all singing, Isaac sings by himself.

Kay Baptizes Wal Simon Kuku

Leila (mom), Wal and Kay

Wet Wal right after baptism

Saturday we went to Wal's house to lead his family to the Stake Center as they had never been there.  No one was ready and his brother Deng said he "had plans" I told him to get his shoes on and he was going to  the baptism!  He did, but only he and mom went. We found shoes, socks and underwear. We left 30 min lag time and were there 15 min before it started.  Because of another community event we were encouraged to participate in, there were only 4 adults other than us to support Wal.  Kay baptized him and wasn't planning on it, but confirmed him too.  the other 2 men joined in the circle and Wal's Wolf Scout leader happened to be there for a boy in his ward so that was cool to have him.

Sunday my music leader texted me to say she was sick so I did music and taught a primary class of 4 kids who seemed like 12.  I think the only thing they learned is to say "amen" after a prayer.  Well that is the end of my week!  breathe.... I will be writing about our huge fire we had at the apartments yesterday. Janae