The Best Sunday Ever (In New Hampshire)

• 4 Rolls-$0.00
• 1 small baguette-$0.00
• 1 small bag of white cheddar popcorn-$0.00
• 1 bagel with cream cheese-$0.00
• 1 bottle of water-$0.00
• 1 very large home grown vine ripe tomato-$0.00
• 2 Nature Valley Fruit N Nut granola bars-$0.00
• 2 Nature Valley Oats N Honey granola bars-$0.00
• 2 single size Oreo packages-$0.00
• 1 can of diet Sierra Mist-$0.00
• 1 quart size bag of those instant potato pearls distributed for LDS food storage-$0.00
• 2 ripe pears-$0.00
• 1 small bag of peanut m&m's-$0.00
• 6 eggs (4 of them 1 day fresh!)-$0.00
• 6 hard-boiled eggs-$0.00
• 1 gallon bag of salad-$0.00
• 2 Yoplait yogurt cups-$0.00
• 1 Minute Maid mixed berry juice box-$0.00
• 3 single packages of Newman's Own salad dressing (ranch, Italian, and southwest)-$0.00
• some mayo packets-$0.00
• Sautéed veggies (including squash and eggplant)-$0.00
• Two Italian sausages with red onions and red and yellow bell peppers-$0.00
• 1 corn on the cob-$0.00
• 1 small bag of baby carrots and yellow bell peppers-$0.00
• 4 cheese sticks-$0.00

What is this a list of? I'll give you some choices.

a) Things I want for Christmas (especially those mayo packets! Yum!)

b) My grocery list (You can totally buy individual mayo packets now. Crazy, huh?)

c) A list of things they never included on those Master Card commercials (driving you're readers crazy because you won't tell them what the list is? Priceless.)

d) None of the above.

If you picked a, b, or c, stop reading now because you obviously don't know me very well. I would never ask for mayo packets for Christmas. How crazy is that? I would ask for the whole bottle. Duh. And only that Kraft olive oil mayo because it's "better for you". It can't be my grocery list because I only have $10 to my name for the week and would not buy mayo packets by the packet even if that were possible. So impractical. Also, they don't make single packets of the Kraft olive oil mayo. And if it were a list of things they never included on those Master Card commercials there would be prices after all of them.

Wait, there are prices after all of them? Oh.

Well, the point is the correct answer is d) None of the above.

It is in fact a list of the things included in a care package I received yesterday (Sunday September 5th).

Let's go back to the start just like Chris Martin.

I've been attending the Derry ward in Derry New Hampshire the whole summer. It's the closest one to Pawtuckaway.

I already feel like a constant outsider in these family wards (my own fault, I know) but the point is in the Derry ward there were two sisters who made me feel like I kinda, sorta belonged there. Even though one of these sisters was only there for a couple weeks that I was there (she went on vacation, I went on vacation, we just kept missing each other) she made me feel welcome.

Yesterday was my last Sunday there. I actually felt a little sad. If it didn't take almost an hour to get there I would try to get my records transferred again (plus they would only be transferred for about 6 weeks. Doesn't seem worth it). Anyway, this sister came to me and asked if I wanted to come over to her house for a break the fast snack.

I had a potential drop-in program (not officially scheduled so flexible) at 2:00, but I felt I should accept her invitation. So I went.

I got to meet her daughter who reminds me alot* of me at her age. She loves to write stories. She particularly loves to write stories that have a little dark side to them (well that part of her is more like me now rather than me in Jr. High). She loves science and wants to be a Zoologist. She has a bunch of fish and has given them rockin' cool** names. It was really neat to get to talk to her. We ate cheese and crackers and grapes and a yummy oil and herb bread dip with warm bread. It was great. I had a wonderful time. Before I left, this sister sends me off with two grocery bags of stuff (the above list). I couldn't even be unhappy that I couldn't find my way back from her house it was such a good afternoon. I simply pulled out my map once I got to a map-able highway and found my way home. It was also a beautiful day so getting a little lost in rural New Hampshire was not too bad.

And that, loyal readers, is what made this the best Sunday I have ever spent in New Hampshire. My gratitude to this sister for her kindness and love is inexpressible. She is truly a gem in the jumble of New Hampshire church members.

I only wish I could pass on this good feeling.

I can't leave the other sister out of it all. She has vowed to try and stay in touch with me so she can hear more about my adventures. I also have an elderly sister who said she will try to write to me.

I only spent a couple slightly awkward and lonely months there, but the support of these sisters made my experience in the Derry Ward worth going to church every Sunday this summer, even though it meant I had to work extra late on Sunday to make up for those hours.

So, there you have it.

It's Labor Day and I am working because there is alot* to do before we start the fall season tomorrow (yep, we're jumping right into it). But thanks to this sister, I have Italian sausage with sautéed veggies, salad, pears, diet Sierra Mist, and Oreos to look forward to.

* intentionally misspelled

**Go But you only have to watch the first part to get it.