More Letters from Teach in Texas

It's getting colder in Texas, but this is Utah snow pre-mission.

I just love hearing from Teach! She is growing and changing so quickly as a missionary. I can't think of a single experience she could have that would help her so much in her life and as much as I miss her, I wouldn't have her come home for anything. But it is hard to hear her tell of some of the things that are hard or maybe even a little dangerous.

We had a man threaten to call the cops on us this week. That was pretty exciting. I also found out that a lot of people have way harder lives than I do and that I am somehow and for some reason protected from many of the physical and spiritual dangers that this world has to offer.

She has always been a goal-setter and that has only intensified on her mission. She is working to become a better, stronger person in so many ways.

Physically I am sleeping well, I have been exercising but I want to up the intensity in our morning jogs, but I know it's a process and I can't go from a walker to a marathon runner over the course of a week. I am working to learn to be the master of my own physical body that the Lord has given me. Sometimes I get so frustrated with being mortal because "the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak" but that is how we learn. Thank goodness for the Atonement. 

Teach has always been such a friendly person so I was surprised when she said she was afraid of talking to people. She has been doing a lot of work with less-active people and she has been pretty successful getting them back to church.

I have up and down days but I know that the Lord will take care of me when I do his will and talk to everyone so I just need to let that fear be overpowered by my faith. I absolutely love the ward though! I feel that I am a pretty effective less-active work missionary. I love working with those who have felt the truth before but have forgotten the feelings of the Spirit because they let the things of the world get in the way.

Then she will just say something awesome about me and it makes me feel great for the rest of the day!

Sometimes I think about how you've shared your testimony with us throughout your life and I realize that it is rarely in full drawn out words like this, but I just want you to know how much it means to me to know that you know that the church is true. I'm so grateful that you have that deep profound understanding and that you strive everyday to heed the promptings of the Spirit. I hope... I hope with all of my heart that I can someday be like you and I can share my testimony with my children with my actions as well as my words. But since I can't see you... it is nice to read the words because I can hear your voice and the voice of the Spirit testifying that you know and I know that you know that it's true. (: I hope that made sense. 

Still the same old Teach. How I miss her! Her sweet positive attitude and happy smile.

I love being a missionary. I know that so many miracles have come since I've been serving...

I pray for y'all. I love y'all. 

I think she is definitely coming home with a Texas drawl, what do you think?

A Trip to Scheels

We were supposed to get the concrete today for the basketball pad in the backyard, but the contractor stopped by and told us it was too wet and would have to wait until tomorrow. The kids were SO disappointed! They were looking forward to the big trucks and the excitement. My sweetie even took a day off for the event.

We decided we needed to do something fun with the kids who were off-track. My sweetie thought I was crazy when I suggested a trip to Scheels. He said we would never be able to afford to buy anything there, but I insisted I had heard good things about visiting that had nothing to do with shopping.

So we piled in the van. The kids were a little confused, but they are always willing to try a new adventure. They loved the statues in the front of the building, especially this one of Abraham Lincoln.

The minute we stepped inside, they could see the huge Ferris wheel that took up the whole middle of the store. We managed to walk past it and head upstairs on the long escalators. We wandered a bit, just looking until we found the game simulator. Sport was happy to try it for us. Each play cost a quarter or a token, but that's not bad for 3 minutes of throwing fast balls. The kids all gave it a try, even me and Baby Doll (although I think she got a better score than me!).

Then we went back downstairs to ride the Ferris wheel. Curly was a little timid until he learned that he could ride with his dad and then he was ok. I took Baby Doll with me (she was not a bit afraid!) and Sport and Scout took up a third car. It only cost a dollar each, so that's not bad. My kids had never been on a Ferris wheel before, and it definitely qualified as an adventure. Baby Doll and I were stuck near the top while they loaded and unloaded cars. Still, she sat calmly and looked around the store at the animal display and at the ceiling.

When we finally got off, they all wanted to climb right back on again, but I explained that we had no more tokens and the line had gotten long, so we decided to find the aquarium. It was pretty cool, part of it going right over the top of our heads. They got bored of the fish quickly though, so we made our way to the kids area where they have a playground like you might find at a fast food place, and it was free! They loved climbing all over and we hung out there for about 20 minutes.

Our last stop was the candy factory where we sampled several flavors of their fudge before we settled on a few kinds to bring home to all the kids for FHE treat. Even before we got out the door the kids were asking when we could come back!

I think Scheels might just have to make it to our list of fun (mostly free) things to do.

Finally...A Day of Rest

Ring Around the Rosies

OK, let's not get that dramatic!

Pocket full of Posies

Normally we go to church at 11:00 and that gives us plenty of time to sleep in a little (unless we have choir practice). But this morning we had to get up early to go to Bossy's 9:00 ward to see Fajita get confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Once again my sweetie got to do the honors. He gave her a beautiful blessing as well. Then we stayed for the remaining of the meeting. It ran a little long and we rushed back home so I could get my nursery treats ready before we headed for our own ward.

After 3 more hours of church including 2 in the nursery with the little ones, I was more than ready to go home. We pulled together a quick lunch and then I started working on dinner. The Gym Rat was coming over and I assumed that we would have Bossy's family as well since that is our normal Sunday mode.

Ashes, Ashes,

At 5:30 my sweetie took the Dog Walker to the Conference Center to practice for the Eagle Scout Choir. Did I tell you that's how his audition turned out? With a place in the choir after all? Anyway, the Gym Rat showed up at 6:30, but Bossy's family declined the invitation so we had a cozy dinner with just 7 of us around the kitchen table. Then we spent an hour or so visiting before the Gym Rat headed home.

I read a couple of chapters of the Mouse and the Motorcycle to the kids and then snoozed for half an hour on the couch. Then I got up and convinced the older girls they needed to work on Reflections for a while. Their deadline is Nov. 1, but that is coming up so fast!

We all Fall Down!!

I typed my letter to Teach so it would be waiting for her tomorrow when she gets to the library. Then I put in a batch of laundry, cleaned up the rest of supper and loaded the dishwashers. All the while monitoring a test the Dog Walker is taking for his economics class. He is pretty independent, but sometimes he gets frustrated and I have to talk him out of just randomly marking answers.

So you see, it was a much slower day today. I appreciated the chance to just spend some time with the kids and relax and visit with my oldest son.

Yeah, I think I will call it a day of rest. I might not get anything better for a while...

Fajita's Baptism

Today was a wonderful, busy, crazy day! We started at the Lowe's class at 9:45. Not everyone was with us, Sport had to report for his football game at 9:30, as did Taco. Not the same field, unfortunately. Prima Donna had rehearsal for the play at 9:00, and my sweetie was running Sport. We met up with the rest of Bossy's family and my Little Sis and her hubby and kids. It was a fun and quick kit except for the mess-up on Curly's that took way too long to repair.

We practically ran for the van and got to the field for the last flag football game about 5 minutes before it started. We had all 12 of our players there and the kids played their hearts out but we still lost to the Eagles. They looked like they had been playing together for a while. We handed out treats and pictures and certificates, briefly accepted thanks from the parents, and sprinted once again for the van. I wanted to catch the end of Sport's game.

Bossy dropped me at the field just after the start of the 3rd quarter. The score was 0 - 0, but Olympus scored right after I got there. We stopped their extra point, then we scored soon after and they stopped ours. It was 6 - 6 going into the 4th quarter. Both teams moved the ball well, but it was inside the final minute that Olympus had the ball on the 10-yard line. They threw a pass and the officials called pass-interference when our boys knocked it down. That gave them one more play on the one-yard line. Our boys held the line and we went into overtime. Olympus was first up and they had 4 plays to make ten yards. They did not score. Then our boys took possession. We ran it right up the middle for a touchdown on the very first play!

After the coach's speech we again sprinted for the car since Sport was now 20 minutes late for Nutcracker rehearsal. It took us another 10 to drive to the studio. I walked in with him and apologized and he said no one got after him, so I think he was ok. My sweetie and I drove home, taking a minute to breathe. The day was just getting started.

Fajita was scheduled to be baptized into our church at 4:30, but we still had a hundred things to do before then. We made lunch first to calm the masses, then I embroidered her name on a white towel Bossy bought for her. We practiced the song the kids were singing and I helped Bossy finish her talk while she tried to fix my printer. The kids were in and out with Nutcracker rehearsals until 3:00. Thank goodness the Dog Walker did all the running in between setting up his Halloween display. I made frosting for the 96 cupcakes Princess made last night because I knew she would be rushing when she got home from rehearsal.

Bossy headed for home about 3:00. By then I was sending the kids for showers and starting to get them ready to go. At 3:45 Bossy called me all in a panic. They didn't have a jumpsuit big enough to fit Fajita! Most kids get baptized at 8 and she was already 14. I was ready to go by then, so I pulled on my boots and headed for the distribution center near the Jordan River Temple. After several crazy moments, we finally found a dress I thought might work. I knew it would be tight and a little short, but the adult ones were way too big and they didn't have any jumpsuits that would even remotely work.

Thank goodness I had told Bossy to bring the fishing weights! When I arrived at the church my sweetie already had all the kids there. We slipped into the dressing room and I helped Bossy load the bottom hem with the weights. We didn't want her dress flying up when she stepped into the water!

When all was well they began the meeting. We were in the room with the font for the entire meeting since there was a funeral going on in the chapel. There were tons of family and friends there to support Fajita and they crammed as many chairs in that small room as they could. Bossy spoke first on Baptism, then I led the song that all the kids sang. Right after that I gave my talk on the Gift of the Holy Ghost. Then it was time for the actual baptism. My sweetie got to do the honors with the Dog Walker as one witness and Grandpa as the other. Fajita went all the way under the first time.

The confirmation will be tomorrow in their Fast and Testimony meeting. Our many guests devoured every treat! I hope everyone got at least one. Then it was back to the house. Bossy and I made a quick trip to Sam's Club for more tortillas while my sweetie finished up the Cafe Rio-style pork. Princess, Prima Donna, and Fajita took off for the Stake Dance right after dinner and Bossy, Gamer, my sweetie and I sat down to a few hands of Pinochle while the little kids watched a movie. It was a celebration after all!

Bossy's family left around 10:00. I cleaned up the kitchen, loaded the dishwashers and settled in to fold several batches of laundry while the Dog Walker read to me from his Economics book. It was a long and tiring day, but a great one!

Now if things would just slow down a little...