Thanks a Lot, Joe!

February 15th was our friend Joe Winder's 40th birthday, and Michelle asked a few of us to give her some pictures and memories of Joe to put in a scrapbook for him.  There are so many because they have been close friends for a long time....long enough that they are actually family now.  But as I was thinking and writing, one memory made me smile...and then chuckle....and then laugh out loud, and so I decided to blog it.

My favorite memory of Joe is the time he got me in trouble with my bishop.  Oh wait….. he just nearly got me in trouble with my bishop because my bishop, fortunately for me, has a sense of humor!  It started out as an innocent night with friends, a chick flick, and popcorn and nearly ended up in excommunication! 

Here’s how I remember it:  Michelle and Joe came over one night, and when the guys starting talking about some boring manly stuff (cars, guns, …who knows…it’s all just a boring blur), Michelle and I decided to ditch them and watch a Jane Austen movie.  The kids were downstairs watching TV, so we went into my bedroom and sat on the bed to watch Emma.  After a few minutes Del and Joe began to feel left out (or simply bored into a stupor), so they came in and climbed onto the bed, too, since that’s the only seating in our bedroom.  Anyway, within a matter of minutes Joe was sprawled across my bed sound asleep, forcing Del and me onto the floor, which wouldn’t have been so bad except for the fact that he began to snore and snort!  We laughed and nudged him every now and then, but mostly we just enjoyed the show.  At the end of the movie, with hunky Jeremy Northam’s kiss punctuated by a snort from Joe, Michelle woke him up and he staggered groggily to the car. 

The next day at church I was leaving the Relief Society room and maneuvering through the crowds in the hall next to the bishop’s office, when I saw Joe.  He looked a little sheepish and said (much too loudly), “I’m really sorry about falling asleep on your bed last night.  I guess I was really tired.  I hope I didn’t snore!”  As I looked around me at several very interested faces, including the bishop’s, I must have looked a little stunned.  After a painful pause, I announced to the group at large, “We were just watching a movie in my bedroom!” Then I decided that I hadn’t made it much better, and I just started to laugh and said, “Michelle and Del were there, too!”  It had been a couple of months since the bishop had found time to have a PPI with me (I was Relief Society president at the time), but he quickly made time that day, and we had a good laugh after I explained Joe's blunder!  When I told Michelle what Joe said, we laughed so hard we had tears rolling down our faces, and it has been fun to tease him about it ever since!

Since I never heard any rumors flying around at church, I guess Joe’s cherubic face and spotless reputation were powerful enough to squelch any gossip.   

Thanks for the memories, Joe, but the next time you fall asleep in my bedroom and start snoring, why don’t you just write me a nice quiet note of apology, OK?     
Happy Birthday!

Music To My Ears

Thanks to our good friend, Diana Heder, who offered to teach Maren flute lessons in exchange for babysitting last year, my daughter has developed a talent we had no idea she had!

Maren and Carmen Thiessen, taken by Grandma's cell phone.  Thanks Mom!

We went to Maren's band concert a few weeks ago and had a really great time.  She has been in band all year, but in January she decided to sign up for Jazz Band, too, and they played some really fun pieces.  During the concert we were surprised by the announcement that the band teacher chose Maren as the 8th grade MVP!  Very exciting!  She was also chosen, along with five others in her band, to participate in Honor Band at BYU-Idaho.  She spent the day learning music with kids from schools all over the area and then played in a performance that evening.  Chris and Emma and I traveled to Rexburg that night for the show, and then we all went out to a frozen yogurt place with tons of yummy mix-ins to celebrate.  Poor Del and Devin were in Boise working on a bathroom remodel and missed all the fun!

On a final note of bragging, Maren decided to try out for ISU's Junior Symphony last month, and she made it! It is for students in 8th-12th grade, and she even has a few solo lines in a couple of the pieces. I can't wait for her concert in May.  Thanks for suggesting lessons, Diana, and thanks for encouraging her in the flute!

Life is one grand, sweet song, so start the music.  ~Ronald Reagan