Dear Riley,
Happy Valentine’s Day! I hope you feel our love all the way from home. We sure do love you, Riley. It seems in some ways like you’ve been gone forever and in others that judging from how fast times has passed like you’ll be back in the blink of an eye.
We’ve had a massive week. We attended C’s play Monday night. It was great. It was a small cast - 10 - adaptation of Peter and the Star Chasers, Peter Pan. C played Slightly, one of two lost boys next to Pan. The show was made for audience interaction, it plays matinees daily for school audiences. Josie was in heaven.
Tuesday night Dad, Cambry, and I went to C’s choir concert at BYU. It was fabulous. We spent time visiting in the foyer. Oh! I have to tell you a story. C was going around rubbing the frayed end of his hoodie cord in peoples’ ears. Dad observed this and quietly moved positions in the group (away from me). All the sudden I realized that Dad had given C a Wet Willy! He’d gone to the drinking fountain and wet his finger and waited patiently for 5 minutes or more for C to turn his head just right. I guess we’re better friends than I thought! After visiting in the foyer for some time, Dad and I, C and C, and the C’s walked over to the creamery for ice cream. It was a lovely evening.
Wednesday was parent-teacher conferences at the high school. Had some good conversations with a couple teachers. Hoping Parker pulls it together. After running all afternoon to all the normal obligations, I was tired. Aleah had to go to the church for activity days. Blah. I took her and knew she was headed into the multipurpose room. But I noticed a text which said they’d changed rooms, so I parked and went in to make sure she made it ok. That’s when I realized I had an RS meeting to be at there. I just wanted to go someplace quiet (the temple was the plan) but ended up staying. I’m glad I went, I had some good impressions. We were challenged in the month of February to make meaningful service to people we usually don’t. So I’ve been praying more sincerely in the morning to be led to those God would have me bless…
Thursday morning Bro H called for Dad. He’ll be 100 in two months. He always says when he speaks to me, “I don’t believe I know you…” So after dropping Josie off to music class and loading K into the carseat, the Spirit said, “You aren’t so very busy. You could go visit Bro H.” So I smiled and did. Bro H told me while I was there that his days get long and lonely. I was glad I’d listened to the impression.
Friday morning while I was saying my prayers, they were interrupted by the impression to pray for CY who I visit teach. I know her burdens and I was eager to throw her needs to top priority in that prayer. But I didn’t think much more about it. Until the phone rang 30 minutes later and B was telling me that she’d been riding her bike in Las Vegas the night before and had been hit by a truck. She was in critical condition, but is expected to recover. That was a tender moment for me. I was used to bless my friend who really needed to be blessed in that moment. She’s a sister.
Dad and I went to Texas Roadhouse that night for Valentine’s day. It was delicious. I don’t crave steaks like Dad does, but mine was really tender and flavorful. He also gave me roses and See’s dark chocolates. Last night as I was getting ready for the adult session of stake conference, I bit into a dark truffle. It was a chocolate cloud. I wanted to eat it all myself and at the same time share the marvelousness of it with Dad. I shared. He loved it and since I hadn’t yet gotten him something for Valentine’s day, I suggested we go after the session and get him a box of truffles.
As we were pulling out of the parking lot following the session, I plugged my dying phone into my car for life support. We were pushing 9 and we weren’t sure we’d make it to See’s to get the chocolates before they closed. But Dad scooted out of the parking lot and I said, “I think we’re going to make it for chocolates!” and in that moment, the radio sang out like Angelic Choirs, “Ahhhh” as the system had finished trying to communicate with my phone. Oh, it was funny! We barely made the purchase. But. On the way home we were eating and Dad asked for a nut cluster. He bit down hard -- on his tongue. He made meatloaf in that spot, ah poor guy. They handed us the wrong box, not the truffles, which wouldn’t have caused him to chomp on his tongue. I’ll have to go back for him later.
Our Stake Conference was excellent. I felt the Spirit throughout and I was instructed. Last night Pres B encouraged us to be more patient. Oh, I need that. And it was good because a brother spoke today who had brain cancer and therefore speaks very slowly. I had to force myself to settle down and patiently wait for words to form. He said that he was grateful for his cancer. It made me think of my conversion when 1 Nephi 21:18 became a treasure. I understood that the hard things that happen in our life, the ones we allow to bring us to Christ, they become beautiful souvenirs on our path back home, dazzling ornaments we bind to us as we walk into union with Christ.
The P are in town and everyone is over at Grandma’s already. I’ve gotta go.
I love you so much, son. Keep up the good work.
Love, Mom
Grandma requested they sing for us again.
This was intentional.
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