Game night

Week 78

This week went quite well.  We got a gym membership with mission Presidents permission, and are currently in some moderate level of good pain.  

Funniest thing that happened this week: BAD BEANS

So, I enjoy cooking. You could even count it as one of my talents if you so wished.  I found a bag of beans and after buying a gym membership I thought "Protein".  SO I cooked this bag of beans (my first time cooking beans mind you) and bugs started to float up to the top of the water while they were soaking. I was disturbed by this but just spooned it out and figured they had probably just been living among the beans, and not in them.  So after drowning a colony of bean beetles, I risned the beans and started them a boiling.  After boiling, it was about time to start eating if we wanted to leave on time. but there were a lot of beans, and unfortunatly they did not get fully cooked to the soft point.  It was like trying to eat cereal covered in ketchup. Elder Larsen didnt want to offend me so he ate ALOT of it.  Lets just say we both have had... problems... ever since.  Not the kind of problems we need to call Sister Sullivan for, just the kind of problems that need to take their course. We both feel better now.

Other than that we had a good game night and were able to find some Potential Investigators. WE played Dominion which is like a mix between monopoly and Yugio.  There were three other Americans that were there as Peace Corps Volunteers, they thought. It was also good becasue it built a little bit more of a kind friendly fun image of missionaries.  Hopefully people will change their views, and let the Holy Ghost change their hearts.

Love you all!

Hey Jax,

Your package arrived...and you were right, Kaestli looks darling in her outfit!  Thank you so much for sending all that fun stuff!  We loved it!

Good job on the Scholarship entry!  It was great.  I had Grandma edit it and we were able to send it in.  We won't find out until June probably.

I looked more into your housing and found out that in the room with all the elders, warner, mccleary, olsen and montgumery is going to be Jacob Mika and his cousin Paul Mika...  Jacob is Ron Mika's son and went to Lake Powell with us that one year.  Dad used to work with Ron at Sorenson, he was one of the Partners...they also worked together at Bain Capitol in Boston.  So small world:)  I guess Jacob Mika was friends with Elder Warner at Waterford private school.  The room you are in still has an open bed with you in room 3, if you think of someone I should ask.  There are 2 other people in your apartment at this point and one of the names seems kind of familiar to me...Dallin Joseph Fairbanks.  Does that sound familiar to you?  Still no word from the FLH.

Our week was good.  We had school Valentine parties for all the kids.  I did Kaestli's party in her class.  It was Kate's birthday on Wednesday, Grandma's birthday on Friday and Allie's birthday on Sunday and it is Grandpa's birthday this friday, so maybe give a birthday shout out to all those people.  

I had Jordy's parent teacher conference with his new teachers at Oqquirh middle.  He is doing so good!!!  It has been a real blessing.  I'm counting it as a mission blessing totally.  Last year was so hard and he was going nowhere at the other school.  He is doing so well now.  The teachers love him.  He is one of the higher kids so he is able to have some responsibility and helps with some of the syndrome kids and seizure kids.  He is able to be in choir and next year will be in choir, partner dance classes and seminary.  He is getting good grades, they are finally adapting to what he can learn and he even has an H in choir, where there is no aide in the class with him.  It's a huge turn around!

Cam has his infected Salivary gland again, so that is too bad.  It hurts him really bad.  This is 6 times in 6 months now.  It is so frustrating.  He starts his annual appts. this week starting with his Renal U/S.  So I'll keep you posted on that.

The weather has been nice and the kids have spent a ton of time outside which is great.  The puppy is really growing and getting big.  She is a good dog.

We did a girls lunch with my sisters on Friday for Galentines day for Traci...(Galentines for girls with out a valentine).  Yesterday I took allie, Kate and Kaestli to get pedicures for their birthday's.  Lyndsee came too.  Kate and Kaes got matching toes and so did I and Lynds.  

Dad and I went to the last BYU home game last night.  We lost and played pretty terrible.  Dad isn't sure if he will get tickets again next year.  We shared them with a guy he works with which worked out nice because we didn't have to go to every game.  So I won't mind if he does it again.

Josh had to speak in church today but was taking a nap on Monday when he actually got the phone call and agreed to speak.  So he wasn't prepared at all.  I saw his name on the program and me and Dad were texting him.  He said, he wasn't asked but to find out what his topic was.  I went and sat by Alan Lord who then told me it was Hadley Bennet that would know so I asked him.  We texted him his topic, Music, and Curtis texted a couple scriptures.  It was 6 youth speakers.  He killed it...seriously.  He told everyone how he had slept through agreeing to speak so everyone knew he hadn't prepared at all.  He did so well.  He was the best of all 6 by far.  It was awesome.  HE will be a great missionary and a great public speaker one day!

Jacob came out of deacons today crying.  HE said they talked about the plan of salvation and had everyone share.  He talked about Daddy Jake dying and how he will be able to see him again.  It made him super emotional and sad. 

That is about it for our week.  I am off to book club tonight.  It is our 9 year anniversary of starting it.  

So discussion topics.

1-packages...Did you get my package yet?  Details about how great it was and what your favorite thing in it is?  Also thank  for the package you sent us.  I would love to get a  couple more eggs when it is Easter.  Josh really wants to read the book you sent and wants to know if you read it for "language practice".

2-How are you doing?  How is your comp, area, district, branch?  Are you guys making any progress?  

3-How are the English classes there?  I know you  really built up the English practice in Sumy, will this one take some work to get it like that.  The website is awesome that they made.  I have to really keep myself from clicking on the phone number listed for the Kremenchuk lessons;)

4-Is there anything you need or I can help you with?  

5-Are you happy and positive?  Are things going a lot better where you are?

6-pics

7-recording...I liked last week.  I am glad you mentioned the gym membership or I would have wondered about that on your banking.  You are down to around $40. so let me know when you need more added.

8-This is more personal.  I have been wondering lately.  Do you resent me for having to grow up too fast or do more than most kids/teens had to do?  When you were growing up I was always so impressed with how natural it came to you to help me.  Honestly you are one of my biggest compensatory blessings.  I don't think I would have survived with out you.  I think it shaped you into an amazing person.  I think it helped you get accepted to BYU.  I think it will help you be an amazing father and husband.  But reading your Scholarship entry made me wonder if you see all those benefits and blessings and are grateful for it, or if you resent it/or me...or maybe a little of both.  I hope you don't resent me, but I am sorry if you do.  I am sorry it is the way you had to grow up.  I am sorry I needed so much help.  I am sorry it was so hard with Curtis for so long (I can't wait for you to see the person he has become though, it's so much better and we are really happy).  I am sorry you had to grow up too fast, and take on responsibility that never should have been yours.  But, from the bottom of my heart thank you for being my rock, for rescuing me over and over, for accepting me, for loving me, for helping me, for serving me, for cheering me up when I was down, for caring always, and for forgiving me.  You truly are the best son and I am so grateful I have you.  So if you do resent me, please forgive me and try to see the blessings that have and will come to you from heavenly Father.  Also know that Daddy Jake will never forget it, and you hold a special place in my heart but also his heart for doing it.

I love you more than you will ever understand.

Stay strong, work hard, do your best and pray always.  

I love you!!!

Mom

1  Yes I got it and it was great! I loved the package so much, so far my favorite thing has to be the Chocolate milk, it is a constant delicious reminder of good tasting chocolate drinks. Tell him he can read it and that I did not use it for language practice yet, so it better not be ruined by the time I get back!

2 Doing really well, we are making some progress with finding, we hope to get them interested in the church a bit more, but right now we are in the friend phase, but everything is good.  

3 We need to get them rolling, we are still "Trouble shooting" everything, the problem is that there seems to be a plethora of free English classes in this city, so we are not that special.  We need to do things that the other practices just cant match.  

4 You already sent my favorite package so far, so I cant think of anything else. 

5 Yes I am happy and positive. And yes things are going better.

8 no, I dont resent you, it has definitely given me a little bit of an edge on a lot of other people.  It may be one of the reasons that I have been a Senior Comp my whole mission.  YOu would be even more surprised that if I had the skills I have now back then, Josh and I would never have fought, and your kitchen would always have been 100% spotless.  I love you so much and you are the best, I definitely have 0 resentment for it. 

Week 1 of ProActiv