Adapted from a letter to Elder Baker dated 6/12/17. His birthday is 6/15 so this was his birthday letter.
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The Week in a Nutshell
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We went to Tucson! We hiked partway up the trail to Wasson Peak, but Rosebud petered out after about 5 minutes and after dragging her along for a while we decided maybe it was a great time to go visit my old house. It was interesting to see the purple garage again, which was further enhanced by the teal trim. We visited Uncle Charles and Aunt Alba in their home for the last time. So many memories there. It felt like going back in time 30 years to sit and have lunch with them at that table where we had so many birthday celebrations and holidays. They accompanied us to the Tucson Temple Open House.
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The tour began at the Tucson North Stake Center, which is where I was baptized! Also my 1st grade year was there and we peeked briefly into my classroom. :) They showed a video there then had us board charter buses to be taken about 5 minutes away to the temple. I loved seeing the Tucson Temple, especially the baptistry and all the unique and Christ-centered art. It is amazing to think that if I were still there growing up, I would be able to go do baptisms every week. What a blessing to the Saints there!
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We visited my cousins W and R before leaving for Mesa. They attend a day program for disabled adults. R was having a hard day, but W smiled and I was able to hug him. I hope their transition to living in Houston goes well.
The house. Oh, the house. It was one of the more frustrating and stressful weeks. Communication problems with the framer, who rarely answers my calls or texts and who sent only 2 people to work for a few hours each day. Finding out from one of those two that there was a drop in the floor of two of the attic bedrooms. Following up with the truss company, it was revealed that it was a 12-inch drop! And in Fluffy's and Ham's room it went right across the middle! I still can hardly believe that the truss company thought this was a great idea. After many conversations with various people, including one over email with an architect, it is looking like we will need to use rafters and joists on those two bedrooms instead of trusses. This is fine but I have lost my confidence in the remaining truss design and want to have a structural engineer review it and make sure all is well.
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There was some small progress otherwise. I decided on and hired our electrician. Vent blocks were installed and the walls poured for the areas with crawlspace. Also I was able to build a tentative schedule for all the remaining work. I project that the house will be finished in mid-October. Building a house is not for the faint-hearted!
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In happier news: Fluffy got his driver's license! The next day Fluffy went on his 2nd date! And then the day after that Fluffy took the ACT! I imagine he will tell you about all those things in his letter. It was a big week for him, and I had some growing pains as his mother. Especially about the date. But I think that it is very good for him to develop friendships like this and feel that it's part of the plan Heavenly Father has for his life.
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Daddy and I had a fun date while Fluffy was on his fun date (Sweet Honey Ham babysat Rosebud and they had fun, too :). We used a gift card to eat at Burger King, then walked on the golf course trails around the temple. There is so much grass out there! And a lovely pond. Then we used a gift card to get pie at Trapper's and sat on one of those Taylor benches that they have all along main street. We were sitting on one at Main Street and Center Street. Cars were zooming by us as we ate our pie and in between the zooming we could hear a livestock auction going on at the rodeo grounds. It was cool. Then we crossed the street to the museum and found a gazebo with a picnic table and trees all around! (Guess where we'll eat next time? :).
Yesterday was a beautiful day. I was blessed to feel more peace about the situation with the house and just felt a lot of joy in being able to go to church and be with the family. Bishop B had asked Grandpa and Daddy to bless with sacrament with Russell*, so I played the organ for the sacrament hymn. As I heard Russell and then Grandpa bless the sacrament, and saw the three of them reverently administering the bread and water, with Hyrum passing it to me near the organ, I felt so much gratitude. For each one of those worthy men / young men, for the restored gospel and how it has blessed my life since birth, for the ordinance of the sacrament itself, and for the Atonement of our Savior!
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"And now, my son, I trust that I shall have great joy in you, because of your steadiness and your faithfulness unto God. . .I say unto you, my son, that I have had great joy in thee already, because of thy faithfulness and thy diligence. . . ."
Alma 38:2-3
I love you, Clyn. How grateful I am that you came into our family 19 years ago! You are so bright and good and fun to be with, and you have brought me and Daddy so much joy. I hope your birthday is happy and memorable, with lots of service and also treats. :)
Love,
Mommy
Quotables
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The T’s were visiting us, and after breakfast Ena (age 3) had sticky hands.
Nana: "Ena, do you need some wipes?"
Ena, at the top of her lungs: "EAT some WIPES?!" and then she laughed very hard.
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After Becky sat on the floor so as to be near Baby S while folding a blanket, he crawled away and I came in, surprised to see her sitting on the floor with a blanket on her while everyone was doing their chores. I looked at her quizzically and she explained the situation and said: "Fickle, thy name is baby!"
