September 20, 2015
Dear Riley,
I hope you’re feeling all better this week, no more troubles? And I hope you’ve had a great week. Are you learning any of the Elan or the other language spoken there?
Before I get too far, I have to share a few funny Josie dialogues of late. Josie came up to me this morning in my bathroom admiring a ring of Elise’s. She told me, “I won’t lose this again because it is special to Elise, precious.” Then lifting the ring closer to my view and with BIG blue eyes, “See? Prec-ious.” Yeah, that what I was thinking too.
She’s gotten a little more private of late when we have company. Typically when she uses the toilet she’ll call out, “I went poo-oo” when she’s ready for me to come wipe her bum. Well last week when DJ was here, she quietly approached Elise (I was gone) and said, “Elise, I have to go to the bathroom and I want you to come with me.” Elise resisted, ‘cause DJ is good company, you know. “But Elise, I’m going to go poo and I need you to wipe me.” Elise suggested Josie just call down when she was done. A minute later, a reserved almost questioning, “Elise? I’m done now” floated down.
We’ve had a few new families move into the ward and two of them are sunbeams with Josie. Josie was getting ready to go somewhere and she was really concerned about her foot attire options. Mom, I don’t want to wear those shoes because they are plastic.” I didn’t have time to probe her statement just then, but a little later I asked what she was talking about. “Well, M (new sunbeam in a new house built between Grandpa P’s and the W’s house) said those shoes are plastic (obvious disdain in her tone).” I asked what was so bad about that. “Well, he said HIS shoes are rubber (and I was thinking leather before she got it out) but mine are plastic (disdain).”
My dad and grandpa got home last night from the Honor Flight. I talked to my dad today and he was very happy they did that. He shared some of the highlights from the trip with me today and I teared up picturing it. They visited Fort McHenry which was a pivotal battle in the war of 1812 when the British were trying to recover the States and invaded Baltimore. The Star Spangled Banner was written from the emotions of that battle. The veterans were handed an enormous flag like the one that flew at the fort in that time. It was 32’x42’ and the 15 stripes were 2’ wide, broad indeed. There were 15 stars on that flag because at the time that was how many states were in the Union. They were shown that the stars (which were also 2’ tall) in the top row tilted up, the next row, they pointed right and the next left. Stars set this way was called spangling. When they were done learning the history of the song, the veterans sang our national song and my Dad freely admitted it was a touching moment. Dad really enjoyed the places they visited. He also said that as the veterans would walk off the airplane, people would spontaneously divide on either side and applaud as the veterans moved single file through the crowd.
At The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
At Fort McHenry
Things have been good for us at home. Dad and I put a light on the bike and took three different rides this week, well he actually took four because he went with Elise on a mutual bike hike. But they hadn’t been out long before there was terrible lightning and drenching rain. So Dad changed the gear shifts and handle grips as they are part of the gear shift Tuesday night after the youth ride and it took longer than he anticipated so we went out later Wednesday night than we planned. We took the MC trail and about two miles out, the trail was wet and flinging water spray up my back. Then after five miles there was rain… cold rain. We got home and I decided I wasn’t that dye-hard.
On a ride later in the week we saw a mother doe and her fawn. Last night we rode down to the R where they had Chalk the Block, they turned the parking lot stalls into canvases and then rode up to BVF. There were STARS! But we maybe had a low tire or something… it was a harder ride than I’ve had on the same trail. Or maybe I was just tired? Something.
The weather has gotten cooler and as I mentioned we’ve had rain so of course -- we’ve had viruses. Dad hasn’t suffered, but I think everyone else did.
Parent teacher conferences were this week and Mr. K, Mr. E, and Mr. N all especially asked me to forward their best to you after asking how you were doing. Parker is doing well in school. But his iguana isn’t doing well. There’s this balance we’re hoping to achieve somewhere between obsession and abject neglect which has eluded us thus far.
Elsie is very excited because the youth will go back to the temple this week. She is so helpful with Josie and actually all the kids at home. She is doing well and is sweet as you remember. She was told today that she was the best baby-sitter a new family had ever hired. That's good to hear.
Aleah had the cougar crawl this week. She was so excited and rounded up her donations. She was really concerned because last year her grade didn’t meet their goal so they couldn’t ice bucket her teacher, so Aleah gave her own money. She started with $5 then crossed that out and made it $10. O and JF were over visiting that night and O even gave her some money. When she went to Sister S’s, G offered to have her come paint with her at her house Saturday. Both girls went and they brought home some beautiful watercolor flowers. They get to go back another time. Aleah was effervescing, you can imagine.
Cambry is well. They had a new influx of single move-ins in her ward and she is super happy tonight. But I did pray last night that she would at least get a spark soon.
Primary is going well. We have our program next week. Two weeks ago I was wondering if we would really make it. But this week I broke out the singing measles and introduced the word “contagious” and let me tell you, the first couple rows of kids were red in the face they were singing so hard.
Dad is doing well. He fixed the van. I took it into the shop and spent another $250 after last month’s $350 and it still had stuff to be done. But Dad fixed it the rest of the way and he’s kind of my hero.
DJ did laundry here yesterday because Grandma and Grandpa had gone up to I to help take care of those twins M and S had for a while and have again. S had woodbadge training and M had a convention of some sort. But DJ said that in his job (a secretary) he works with a lot of girls and he’s listening to them as a fly on the wall. He realized that the way girls see boy relationships and interactions is completely different that how boys talk about things. He said boys are all about action, girls are analytical. It never occurred to him that he could be judged just as harshly for the things he DIDN’T do as the things he did. It was so fun to have him around. He borrowed 14 of my old cassettes for his car. It’s going to be a great week for him discovering the 80’s and 90’s with fresh ears. Haha. It was funny going through the stuff.
We’ve had an impromptu party here tonight. I made a cake, a very yummy cake, and so we invited Grandma and Grandpa here and just as they were getting ready to leave, J and A showed up. Oh it feels like ages since we’ve sat around visiting like that. I did turn anti-social, regrettably, about 10 because I had to finish this letter. But you have such good family, son.
I love you like crazy. I can’t wait to hear what’s up and and how things are going. I hope Elder H and you are reaping what you sow. I hope you’re attuning that ear of yours to the subtle whispers of the Spirit.
Love and hugs and, if you’d let me kiss you, kisses!
Mom
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