Dear Riley,
Happy Independence Day! I thought of you last night during fireworks. I think it would be so fitting to have fireworks after a baptism: we are then free from the bonds of sin and have place with our Godly heritage. The battle is half won in that moment!
I hope you’re doing well and still seeing success. Sometimes when we work hard, we do see success. Sometimes when we work hard, we can only see that we worked hard and that we did all that was in our power to make a difference. Neither is more noble, but one is certainly more rewarding. ;)
I had a few really touching moments as I thought of our great country this week. Friday the Candy Bomber -- Gail Halverson did a candy drop in SCERA park. It was like 104° Friday. Dad had taken the younger girls to the park to await the drop, but I was home with Parker when I heard the rumble of engines above. I darted outside hoping I could capture some of the magic of the moment remotely. There were two smoker escorts flying next to the candy bomber and all three planes circled above for about 10 minutes waiting for the go. As they lined up and dropped our direction I couldn’t help but tear up. This man, a member of our faith, has become an embodiment of what we as American’s see ourselves as: empathetic and charitable. But he didn’t know that would be the end of his first little act of charity to the German youth he first reached out to. He was just being true to the whispers of the Spirit which teach us to love and serve our fellow man. (By the way, the candy missed it’s target and the girls didn’t get a candy bar. :()
The second was today in sacrament meeting as we sang the Star Spangled Banner. Brother G shared a touching story from our revolutionary war that he had heard David McCullough share at a BYU devotional. The American troops had suffered a mauling at the British hands and escaped only with the darkness of night across the East River and to the island of Manhattan. The troops were formed of farmers and other men who had other work to do. Their term was now up. George Washington lined up the troops to acknowledge their just release, but also to beg them to stay with him. He asked if they would step forward as acknowledgement of their willingness to stay past their enlistment. Not one man stepped forward. Feeling a defeat greater than one an enemy could deliver, General Washington turned the horse he was riding away from the troops and began a dejected retreat. But before he had gone far, he came back and told the men that he could not spare one, he needed them, their country needed them. One man stepped forward, then five, then 100, then thousands. I contemplated the Divine Hand which has formed and protected our land while I sang those last two verses with tears streaming down my cheeks. We Latter-day Saints see this Providence uniquely as we believe the freedom of religion was essential to the sowing of the restoration through Joseph Smith some 50 short years later. I love America. I love Americans. And I love the Faith that teaches me reverence here.
I finally got the virus that’s been going through the family. I had the lightest case, but it’s no vacation none the less. I keep thinking I’m recovered only to find myself too content to laydown.
We were able to have the missionaries to dinner Tuesday evening. It takes me all day to serve a dinner to company. That was also the day they were repaving the street in front of our house, so that was inconvenient. I had cause to meet a PTA volunteer down the street since she couldn’t get to our house. As I turned to walk down the deserted street, it felt like a Twilight Zone moment as there is never a time without cars and living on our street.
But we really enjoyed the missionaries. I served Chinese Wonton Chicken Salad since it’s been so hot. I don’t know if they loved it but it tasted good to the rest of us. One elder is from Denmark and one from Dallas, TX. Elder P, from Denmark, has been in our home a few times; this is his first area, but fourth month here. He leaned over to me as we were starting dinner and asked what the latest family picture was like. His companion was then treated to the album which is getting quite thick!
Thursday was a total waste. I had to deal with my broken computer because I had to make payroll happen this week. I was trying to finagle a solution and thought to clone my old laptop onto a portable hard drive. But when that was going to take over nine hours, I decided it would be faster to transfer and load all the programs onto my new computer. Ugh. Only problem is that I couldn’t see my portable hard drive any more. And all this took AaallLLLL day. When all I really wanted was to take the girls swimming. alskdfja;kjf;eiwra;wenrkejanfajfn. Thursday was rough as well. I loaded the monitor from downstairs, my broken laptop, my new laptop, my invisible portable hard drive, and all the associated cords into a laundry basket and hauled it all down to work before 8 hoping to take care of everything before the morning was through. But at 1:00 I had to just go home for lunch. I headed back and completed just the basic work stuff I would usually do. I couldn’t remember how to get my laptop onto the domain and so that progress was nil. But I did get support to help me see the portable hard drive, so at least I have one less problem. I spent an eight hour workday,feeling crummy and overwhelmed, grumbling in my heart that there are sometimes heavy burdens as a small business owner. I’m over it; who else gets to decide to take a bonus when the money’s there? But I will find an IT group to come help this next week.
I’ve sent you all the funny on Parker. He has been trying to go without pain medicine for most of the time. He’s a lot more swollen than you were, but less than Cambry was.
Today Cambry is overwhelmed. She is being hit full force with her calling for the first time without much preparation. She came home in tears today. Callings do stretch us, don’t they? Cambry and I have taken to walking 4 ½ - 6 miles in the canyon daily. It feels so good.
Elise has girls’ camp this coming week. She had Dad and I to herself during fireworks last night. She said she likes it. Aleah’s fine, still quick to fight. Josie’s the same. She said PK was dis-re-pect-ful in taking her chair today in primary. Elise and Aleah got a haircut this week. They looked beautiful, but I didn’t even take my camera out for anything this week. Other than the family picture -- it was 100° while we took that at 7 Monday night. Did I mention that I felt crummy much of this week?
Have a good week, son. We love hearing from you. Our accountant mentioned that he hears good reports on the missionary work from Elder H’s dad. It’s good to have friends in the work.
I love you,
Mom
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