Katie's visit

Katie and Audra, not so happy at the "happiest place on earth"

My favorite youngest sister, Katie, flew down to Anaheim on Friday to spend some time with me at Convention. I was filling in on the floor for my friend Ashley on Friday, so Katie hung out with Ashley and our friend Meredith for the afternoon. After going to lunch, they got to check out the House of Bishops, the other legislating body of the Episcopal church. The girls met up with me after our legislation session and we walked around the exhibit hall, making a plan of attack for later purchasing. Katie, Ashley and Meredith went to an amazing Eucharist put on by the Integrity organization. Bishop Robinson (our homosexual bishop) was the presider, and our first ordained woman Bishop, Bishop Harris, gave the sermon. From all reports, it was an amazing experience that Katie better blog about (hint, hint sister). I went to the Program, Budget, and Finance hearing on funding instead, (which I'll blog about later) with my friend Bill. It was pretty cool.

Yesterday, Katie and I headed to Disneyland. It was my day off, so what else should i do? We went in the morning with our friend Audra who is here for a week. She has been serving as a missionary with the Young Adult Service Corp, and got the week off from her ministry in Columbia to share her experience with the GC. We had so much fun walking around with Audra. And amazingly, we got on most rides pretty quickly. Oh, and we learned that the secret to not being in the Indiana Jones ride line for 2 hours is to volunteer as a single rider. You're used as a seat filler, so you don't ride with your friends, but you get to go straight to the front of the line. We went back Saturday night with Ashley for dinner and more fun. We got to see the fireworks, and we rode a bunch of rides in Storybook Land that none of us had remembered riding. Ashley and I got to go on our favorite kid ride again, Peter Pan. And for the record, Pinocchio's ride is really creepy! I also got my first ride on Star tours (it was always closed when I've been in the past). It made me slightly queasy, but so fun.

We all went to Eucharist today. It was crazy amazing! The Presiding Bishop gave the sermon, and the past two PBs Edmond and Browning helped to preside. There were even drummers, dancers, and flag wavers. So fun. We get Katie for a few more hours before she heads back to Spokane. Megan, Me, Ashley, and Hannah, some friends from GC.

Rowan Williams, The Archbishop of Canturbury; Bonnie Anderson, President of the House of Deputies; Katherine Jefferts-Schori, the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, and the Bishop of Olympia whose I can't remember!