Funny story. I'd been catching up with Grandma P on the phone and worked while we talked. Josie had played Barbies and kitchen stuff. She hadn't eaten her breakfast (fried bread!) and though she'd been pleasant, she was about at her wits' end when I asked her to clean up before lunch. Oh how she cried. She was completely overwhelmed. I helped here and there, but I was making her lunch and doing my own chores. I pointed out that she hadn't felt burdened getting it all out and she'd done that completely alone.
Finally I decided to employ empathy. I went in on my knees and said, "You sound like someone who needs a hug. Can I give you a hug?" She melted onto my shoulder and explained her dilemma. "It's just that sometimes I don't have to clean anything up before lunch. But sometimes I have to clean everything up before lunch."
Sometimes we forget to be grateful for things until they change!
But I was happy earlier in her play when she said she was hungry and tired but not to worry because hungry and tired can both be fixed! I guess I say that. ;)
Dad asked me to go to lunch Friday. I wanted to use our gift card to the Cheesecake Factory for a late lunch which turned into an early dinner. It was delicious. It took a long time to get there and home because of construction and traffic. But yum.
The Godiva cheesecake tasted like Switzerland in cheesecake form.
The Godiva cheesecake tasted like Switzerland in cheesecake form.
Holy lumins, Batman!
Together again. In everything.
Dear Riley,
I’m smiling just thinking of you while I try to remember this week. I’m so glad you’re on a mission in Thailand right now. It’s good we’re on the downhill slide, but I know from racing that it’s the middle third of the race that takes the most mental toughness. You have what it takes, I’m sure.
I loved your last long letter. I can’t wait to hear how your member referral program pans out. Sister S taught about missionaries in primary a few weeks ago. She went to your blog (you’re the only missionary from our ward currently?!) and got a couple pictures and stories. She did the same with her nephew. Then she shared her own conversion. She told the kids that missionaries often don’t do a whole lot toward conversion other than inviting and teaching the people how to recognize the Holy Ghost. I thought about that lesson when I read about the LA sister you’ve been working with. We have to keep the channel for the Spirit open in our lives continually.
We’ve had some really cold weather here. Today is beautiful, clear, and mild. But we had a storm blow through this week with a little snow that stuck around a day or two. I sent you a picture of Josie exploring it a little bit as we were headed out someplace this week. I also sent the picture I took while slogging through apples. I dried one dryer load this week. The apples are too soft to turn through the peeler/corer/slicer, so I did everything by hand. I don’t much like soft apples, even in the dehydrator because the texture is a little different than when they are fresh. But since the crop was so small this year, I didn’t want to stuff any away while the kids would still eat them, and then almost overnight, they were too soft. Sigh.
Dad is well. We’re tired. (We are trying to keep up with a courting couple in our house and no one is getting enough sleep.) We had a funeral for KC yesterday as he died Tuesday. He’d had a stroke and was in the hospital recovering and suddenly passed. Dad did a beautiful job with his closing remarks. Friday dad called to ask me to go to lunch unexpectedly. I hadn’t showered because I hadn’t exercised because I was talking to grandma and working in the house. So we decided to go later when the kids were home and could babysit. We had a gift card for The Cheesecake Factory and I suggested we use that. I had to go to work to cut checks for payroll and then we left a little before three. Traffic was terrible due to construction and it took us a little over an hour to get to the restaurant and instead of lunch, we had an early dinner. It was delicious. Every bite. We were famished and left totally satisfied.
The one sad reality is that Dad and I didn’t bike yesterday. It was mild and beautiful and it would have been great, but we just didn’t have time. I’ve kept him in the bike saddle and the yard is starting to pile up on him. Since we had the funeral, I decided not to ask him for additional time away -- though it sure would have been fun!
Cambry and C are doing great. One night this week she came home and he wasn’t behind her and I was worried they’d broken up! They are together all the time. I’ve told you this, I know. And that’s how it is when you’re dating your spouse, you resent sleep and work and homework and class and all things that take you away from them. Kind of funny. C looked tired yesterday and he pretty much just napped beside Cambry while she knocked out her homework. There was a little bit of coloring and then they watched Inside Out. Most of the rest of us joined them. I love that movie, mostly because the main character, Joy, is CAMBRY! They also got through The Hunger Games series this week and went to the second part of Mocking Jay Friday night.
Parker has not had enough sleep this week. He kind of thinks C comes to visit him, you know, and doesn’t get to bed before midnight. Parker spent a bit of time this week at the writing lab completing his college applications. He wants to get into BYU, but his GPA and ACT are both low. I think that has him discouraged. Then too, he missed some school which is essentially death to an AP student and his grades are not up where they need to be. Combine all those together and you get “massive assault on Aleah” yesterday. Oh, I can ride a lot of storms, but I was really displeased with him yesterday because while Dad and I were at the funeral, he denounced Aleah and said he’d never loved her and he never would. Then when I got home he did it again. That’s not resolved and yes, he has been called to repentance.
Elise is doing really well (although tired.) She had a couple of babysitting jobs this weekend and had to turn one down. She is getting so good on the piano. She’s faithful with the temple weekly and is a good friend. She still has to catch up in a couple classes from her sickness.
Aleah is struggling a little bit. Of course, being at odds with one family member consistently isn’t helping. Ideas? She is my most faithful in personal scripture study and prayer and I’m praying that will temper her. But she’s often out with the majority of the family because she is reactive. I don’t know. Did I mention we’re all tired? (C is conked out on the sofa as I write.)
Josie is so cute. Yesterday I took her with me on errands in the afternoon just as BYU was getting out of it’s senior night home football game. We drove past the new Provo temple slowly enough that she could see it well. She said, “Oh, I want to get married in that temple. But who am I going to marry? I could marry Dad!” So I told her he was already taken, but if she could find a guy like him, she’d do well. “Well, I could marry Riley then.” I smiled and said that you were a lot like Dad and will make a good husband. But you will marry someone not already in our family. “But Mom, Riley has the clothes. You’re supposed to wear a dress and really nice church clothes and he has that.” After I’d kindly shot that one down, she asked, “Parker?” This was super entertaining. Again, that qualifying -- not already in our family -- phrase. Quietly and from a little slanted mouth, “Well then, I guess I could marry C…” Josie had to go potty and we were stuck in traffic and in a hurry. And yet it was fun.
Well it’s Grandma P’s birthday and I need get some things on for a dinner we’re sharing with her tonight. I love you so much and I relish your letters. The gospel is such a blessing in my life. I cannot express the many times I feel guided in my daily activities, even in small things. But I do. I wish I were more obedient to those little whisperings, because things go so well every time I do.
Take care,
Mom
[Riley got on to email quite a bit earlier than usual this week and Dave was at tithing settlement. So I quickly compiled some of what I knew Dave wanted to send him.]
I didn't tell you this because I knew Dad would. But since he can't, I'll do my best.
A little less than two weeks ago when Bro C had his stroke and was recovering in the hospital, Dad went to visit with them. He was so touched by the love and affection, the tenderness demonstrated between K and B. And he had this thought, "if this marriage is not blessed by the Holy Spirit of Promise, we're all in a lot of trouble." He went back to D&C 132 and read the promises to those in the New and Everlasting covenant of marriage and was blessed through it.
KC had a marvelous intellect and was very schooled after his mission and temple marriage, and he couldn't reconcile evolution and the restored gospel. But he had amazing integrity and he would honestly tell his bishops where he stood. He went to church every week. He paid tithes and offerings. He was faithful in every way to his covenants and the standards of the LDS faith. But he didn't believe. But he was radiant and happy.
Still, his unbelief presented some difficulty to his family as to how his soul would sit in the here after. Dad shared those section 132 scriptures and his impressions and also Alma "those who are happy will be happy still..." The Spirit confirmed his words and we were all edified.
You have a good father, son. He loves you so much.
Love,
Mom
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