When I was a young child General Conference was a three day affair...in all probability it was more likely a whole week with the broadcasts only on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.  I vaguely remember my mother having meetings for the various auxiliaries that she had callings in during the week - they were held in the Church Offices and R.S. buildings and put on by the General Church leadership.  I remember coming home from school on Friday and Mom would be so excited to share a talk that had been important to her...or I was hushed so she could finish listening to the talk.  LOL

Somewhere, sometime it was changed to the two days of sessions that we currently enjoy and now I always think back about how glad I was to have conference over then as I feel sad for how quickly it will be over now.  And, today Rich and I made preparations to enjoy this weekend to the fullest.

Rich invited a good friend, Emily Sammons, and her husband to watch conference with us here at home.  They have usually gone to the Church and we were a little bit reluctant to invite because we know they have family in the area and didn't want to intrude on family time.  However, Rich extended the invitation today and they accepted.  I have been wondering what kinds of food we ought to have because it seems like we ought to have the old standbys - but being on Eastern Daylight Time - maybe not...and all the plans I had for tomorrow have died as tonight Julio, Rich's counselor, was supposed to have his guys over to our home for a cooking group (they were supposed to learn how to make burritos) but not one showed up.  I had cooked a tri-tip all afternoon so that they could have shredded beef burritos, but since that didn't get used it needs to be eaten...so I think that's what we'll have for lunch tomorrow - or between sessions more specifically.

This afternoon Rich and I went to Sam's to get a few extra items for the Priesthood Session.  He is bringing cookies, pie, and ice cream for their little social prior to the session.  We had picked up the bulk of items yesterday at Costco when we were in Chatanooga but we knew we'd want a few things (i.e. peanut butter cookies and double chocolate chocolate chip cookies and the ice cream) from Sam's.  While we were there he found a small TV for the office and a blue-ray player for the family room - both were a very good deal.  I'm hopeful that once we get the office set up we will find ourselves "anxiously engaged" in genealogy and getting through the boxes and boxes of things I have brought home from Mom and Dads'.  I think the TV will help that happen - go figure!  LOL

Today I had a chance to talk to Dad.  I had spent quite some time talking to Mike last night and knew that he was feeling very anxious and worried about Dad and wondering if we'd made the right decision.  As I talked to Dad I was sensitive to those feelings and wondered how I would feel and what my impressions would be.  To be honest - I hearken back to the family conference call on Wednesday morning and I cannot deny the sweetness of Shauna's prayer and the powerful impressions that we were being attended to by heavenly hosts.  It is unusual for us to have unanimity in anything and yet we were one.  All of that was turned upside down when Dad seemed to be coming out of the fog and haze he had been in...but as I listened intently to Dad today I knew the decisions we had made were the right ones and that the time frame may be a little different but the outcome would still be the same...Dad is slipping away and will soon be returning to our Heavenly Home to be with Mom, his parents, Tony, and our Savior and Heavenly Father.  We will miss him...but in reality...it will be a joyous thing.  He said, as late as last Sunday, that he felt like he was in jail and he didn't think he could "do this" any longer...I don't think he'll have to and I am grateful for that.

My knees are very, very stiff and painful still.  This round of synvisc seems to be like the round two times ago.  It was many weeks before I was able to get around.  I'm wondering how I will survive another set of injections on Wednesday but I know that I need to have them or I will never have the relief I so desparately seek.  Right now I am living on hydrocodone and voltaren gel and wondering how many more times I can go through this before I actually have to have the replacements...not too many I think.   I'm sure glad I didn't have the 3 in 1 shot!

Well - it is nearly 11 p.m. so I am hitting the hay - I want to get up early and see if I can get some weeding done before conference...I may not if my legs aren't any better...but I can hope!