Week 20

Dear Scott,

Happy Saturday!  I hope your week has been amazing.  This week you're into the 20's when counting up the weeks you've been gone.  Not that any of us are counting, or anything--just an interesting fact! ;)

On Saturday last week Dad did install the new doorknob and kitchen sink faucet, and it's been great having those function properly again.

Sunday kept us busy.  I subbed last minute for the organ, and then for Primary piano (previously arranged).  I would love it if that were what I did every Sunday!  Maybe someday...

We had a good afternoon together (including naps) and then Dad and I picked up the sister who lives 30 minutes away and drove out to the Stake Center for a kickoff meeting of the self reliance classes they're starting.  They asked each ward to have a member of the Ward Council attend, and since I haven't done it yet, I volunteered.  Plus, I'm actually looking forward to learning more about personal finance over the next twelve weeks.  (That sister recently moved into a new home, and now has access to a car, so I anticipate not having to drive her around so much anymore.)

Monday was the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, as well as Edith Johnson's 94th birthday.  Some sisters in the ward met up for lunch and a movie with her.  I decided to take all the girls with me, since the movie was "Little Women" (though we didn't go to the lunch).  The movie is about the adventures of four sisters (and their mom!), and we thought it was great.  There were no men in the movie theater, though--but I bet Dad would like it if he gave it a chance.  Tessa and Benson started piano lessons again after Sister Matheney's maternity leave, and Gracie and Caytie also had their lessons with Sister Knight.

Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday were pretty typical school days.  Emma had a couple babysitting jobs in the evenings, which isn't typical, but she found out her choir trip next year is to London, and she'd really, really like to save up enough money to go, so she's already starting.  I hope we can make it happen.  That would be an amazing opportunity!  (Gracie is, of course, wondering why art never gets trips like band and choir.  Maybe if she saves up, we can take her to an awesome art museum somewhere in the world...)

On Friday I went to Benson's school to see him get the Shining Star award for his class.  He reacts differently when he sees me in school than the girls did.  They used to be very excited to see me.  He basically ignores me. :)  I like to think that he was glad I was there, anyway.  (PS--the Watkins student body is as large as it has ever been.  We barely all fit in the cafeteria.  They're going to expand the building, but haven't started yet.)

That night was the Mother Son Game Night at school.  As we were about to leave, Dad and the girls discussed what movie to watch while we were gone, and Benson said he wanted to watch the movie, too.  So instead of the game night, I took him to get some ice cream with a coupon he earned, and then we came home to watch the movie with the rest of the family.  It was great!

Dad took Emma out driving today, and she did a great job.  She'll be driving to seminary in the mornings now.

For "Come, Follow Me" this week I've been thinking about how in Nephi's vision, the images from Lehi's vision are interspersed with important events from history, and what it might mean.  I haven't figured much out yet, but thought it was interesting in 1 Nephi 11 when Nephi is shown the birth of the Savior, and then the angel asks if he knows the meaning of the tree, and Nephi says yes, it is the love of God, and then the angel shows him the Son of God going forth among the children of men, as they worshiped Him.  Then they talked about the iron rod and what it means, and then the angel showed him John the Baptist and the baptism, ministry, and death of Jesus.  Then they talk about the great and spacious building, and then Nephi saw the progression of his own people to their ultimate destruction.  Also, Bro. Harris pointed out in Sunday School that the whole book of 1 Nephi is a big chiasmus.  I'll have to get you a copy of his flyer.  Interesting to think about.

All right--time to go!  We love you muchisimo!  Caytie says to say hello, and that she made a little cake out of milk plastic.  Benson also says hello!

Love, 

Mom

Week 19

Dear Scott,

This week was a bit of a blur, with not much news.  Let's see what I can come up with...

I gave the spiritual thought in Ward Council on Sunday, and used this quote from Michelle D. Craig, a counselor in the YW General Presidency.  I especially liked the last line.

I went to the dentist (all is well) and watched a little boy whose mom was sick, plus had my preschool class, general shopping and laundry and other "duties".  I went on a new trail in our neighborhood on a walk one morning, and it was way longer than I was expecting, but really pretty, along a little creek.  Oh, I volunteered at Benson's school for a disabilities awareness day for a couple hours.

Emma had some trouble with some grades last semester, so we're looking at ways to help.  She loves her guinea pig.  Bella has been scratching at her closet door, trying to get to the attic access, so we put some mouse traps in the attic, but so far, we haven't caught anything.  I hope it stays that way...  She was set apart as a Young Women's senior class counselor.  (Our ward now has only two Young Women classes, and they're calling them junior and senior.)

Gracie is back in full swing of homework.  She is not really enjoying her tennis class any more, and would love to drop it, but we're encouraging her to stick it out until the end of the school year.  She's been good at getting us to play board games, especially on Sundays.  She's starting "Maple Leaf Rag" in piano.

Caytie is going to make us a cheesecake for dinner tomorrow.  She has a big sweet tooth, but we don't complain when she makes us treats!  She was released as the Beehive class president.  She's playing "In Summer" from Frozen in piano.

Tessa also really loves her guinea pig.  It's good that she and Emma are the ones who got them, because they both love to cuddle, and it's good for them to have to work together on cleaning the cage and keeping them fed.  It's not always conflict-free, but it's a good common goal.  She decided not to do soccer again, and we have REALLY enjoyed the extra time it gives us both.

Benson has really enjoyed playing catch with a football with anyone who will play with him.  It's generally his first request of me when he gets home from school.  He convinced us to go eat at Chile's for dinner on a spirit night this week.  I guess we can support the school once during the year...

Dad's keeping busy in the garage, building his and Benson's pinewood derby cars, and helping Caytie with her doll house.  Today we got a new kitchen faucet and door handle for the front door, since both of those things are currently broken, so he'll be installing those soon.

Oh, our neighbors behind us got two horses!  They are really quiet, so I forget they're there, but if you look through the fence by the play fort, you can see them.

We look forward to hearing from you again!  Have an amazing week.

Love,

Mom

Week 18

Dear Scott,

We're back in the routine of things again, which is good in many ways.  (The alarm is very early, though...)  

We loved having church at 10:30 instead of 9 am on Sunday.  There was time to get up and get Benson's Primary talk written and practiced, and after church (which was a delight), we had time to play new games.  The girls had a crew meeting that evening, and Emma was elected the President.  They're planning to go to Philmont in July 2021, and I may have to go with them, depending on other moms.  I hope it isn't as hard as all the pictures and testimonials I've ever heard make it seem...  Ha.

Monday was our last vacation day, so we made it fun.  Tessa built some more Nintendo Labo things, including this "race car" that vibrates like a hex bug to move and has a camera to show where it's going.  I took Emma in for a follow up visit for her foot, where all is well.  We also FINALLY saw Frozen 2 at the McKinney theater, and it was really good.  (My only question:  why did they make the water spirit a horse instead of a sea creature?)

Tuesday started seminary (Book of Mormon begins this semester!), school, preschool (and the housecleaning that precedes it), work, and all the things that fill our days.  I had a blissful three hours of alone time.  So quiet.  Loved it.

On Wednesday I went to Tessa's school to see her get a choir award.  Yay!

Then I took Emma to school, since she had woken up feeling sick but was feeling better, and then I went to Walmart, and then I went back to the school to give Emma something she needed, and then I went back to Walmart to get something I forgot.  :)  That afternoon I had the DIY Girls club at our house.  We made plastic out of milk (super interesting experiment, but only partially successful) and peanut butter playdough (always fully successful).

On Thursday afternoon I took Emma to the Scottish Rite Hospital in downtown Dallas for her scoliosis check up.  Good news--her brace is working!  That means that as she's growing, her scoliosis isn't.  It's not getting better, but it's not getting worse.  We got home in time for a quick dinner before Dad and Benson had Cub Scouts at our house.  Those boys are LOUD, but they're obviously having a good time, so it's working for them.

On Friday the temperature got up to the 70's, but a big cold front was coming, so they cancelled everything after school in preparation for the big, big storms on the way.  We did get some rain in the afternoon, and lots of wind, and then some more rain in the evening, but that's all we got in this area.  (I think a tornado was spotted in the Bedford area, but I didn't hear of any damage from it.)  Then this morning we got some sleet, and teeny tiny bits of maybe snow that melted when they touched anything.  

Today (Saturday) I took Benson and Gracie to the Firewheel Mall--Benson for a party at an escape room (which he loved!), and Gracie to get a book at Barnes and Noble (which they didn't have, so we had to go to one in Plano to get it).  Meanwhile, Tessa was with Brei (it's her birthday), and Dad took Caytie and Emma out to lunch with your Freddy's gift card (there was $15 left on it!), and then to Wylie East for Emma to practice driving.  Benson now has a troupe of boys over, and they're shooting each other with darts.  Tonight Dad and I have a double date with the Billings, Emma and Gracie have babysitting jobs, and the others have a date with Disney plus!

We love and miss you.  I got our pictures up on the wall finally, so we can look at you more often!  Oh, and I have some family history pictures that I'll be sending to you soon, so keep an eye out for them--in a month or so...

Love, 

Mom

Sending Off Scott

Dallas Love Field, 6:45 am.

Luggage checked in.  Last family photo.  (I tried really hard to be sad, but I was really so very happy for Scott and the choices he had made and the adventure he was about to begin.  I did not realize yet what our family would be like with a Scott-sized hole in it.)

Goodbye to my boy!  (Insert happy sad emoji here.)  We found a gap in the wall and watched him go all the way through security, gather all his things back up, and pass through the final doorway.

I was so very nervous for him, going on his first international flight alone, and having to navigate the Mexico City airport, but he reported that there was another sister from Denver waiting at his gate, and they flew together to Mexico, and there was a person waiting for them to drive them to the MTC.  So--I guess everything went smoothly, and I was so happy to get his short email that afternoon to let us know he arrived and all was well.

We dropped off all the kids at their schools, and then I had my preschool class, which was a great distraction.  Then I took Tessa to an orthopedic doctor our friend recommended to get her finger checked out and then put into a cast.

So many emotions for one day.  I am so grateful for the eighteen years we have had Scott in our family, and I look forward to watching him grow and serve even more during these next two years.

My blog is going to shift into the letters I write weekly to Scott.  Hope you don't mind...

Week 17

Dear Scott,

We made it to January!  We are still on our school break, so all the days are mushing together, but I do have a few things I can share with you...

Gracie spent a lot of the last days of December working on finishing her personal progress (and she did it!!!).  A biggie for both of us was sewing a skirt from a pattern.  I haven't used an official pattern to sew something since I was a young woman myself, so I had to do some YouTube education to figure a few things out, but look--she (we) did it!  She clocked her time and it took 13 hours.  The best part of the skirt is that it has big pockets.  She was able to wear it to the New Year's Eve dance.

Speaking of New Years, it was pretty quiet, as the girls were at the dance and Tessa was with a friend, so Dad, Caytie, Benson and I brought in the new year binging on the Mandalorian and Raising Dion (a show about a kid with superpowers, and the mom trying to help him learn to use them and finding out why he has them), and caramel M&Ms.  (Benson fell asleep at about 11:45, and wouldn't wake up!)  Then Ben picked up the girls and we all headed to bed.

I had some black eyed peas soaking, but I didn't get around to making them until the next day.  I cooked them with bacon, onions, and spinach (collard greens are more traditional, but I didn't have any...), and they were delicious!  But Gracie was babysitting, Emma was at a brunch party at the Lamarches, and Tessa was with Brei (again!), so just Dad, Caytie and I partook.  The others missed out on the good luck they bring!

One of the days this week (I really can't remember which--I think it was before New Years), I took the kids to the library, but made them walk around the trails outside first for some exercise.  I tracked it on my watch, and we went 2.25 miles, so that wasn't bad.  They all got armfuls of books which kept them (and me) busy the rest of the day.

On the 2nd we went with the youth to Epic Waters in Grand Prairie.  We had free passes for the younger two from when they went before, so we brought them along, too.  It was really so much fun!  I spent a lot of the time following Benson around in the lazy river, but I also rode slides with all the kids, and we tried the boogie boarding (which is tricky).  Dad and Gracie went on one that does a loop!  Now we have another set of free passes, so we'll be going again sometime this year.  I had my phone put away most of the time, so I didn't get any pictures besides this:

We got all of our Christmas things packed up and put away.  (Having the missionaries over for dinner last night was a good motivation.)  The kids start school again on Tuesday, so our vacation is almost done!

I'm glad you get to study "Come, Follow Me."  The elders here said they've been asked to get it all done in three months, so they do a week a day!  Their mission president has their studies planned out for the year for them.  Speaking of that, our mission is getting divided in July.  We'll be in the "old" Dallas mission, and there will be a new Dallas East mission.  I guess that means the work is moving forward here!  (Plus, I read an article that said Texas gained the most residents of any state this past year.  I believe it.)  Oh--do you have any ideas on how you will prepare for the Restoration General Conference in April?  President Nelson challenged everyone to come up with their own plan to get ready.

We love you, Scott!  I hope you have an amazing week.  I look forward to hearing from you on Monday!

Love,

Mom

PS-- a couple extra pics

Benson's pajama day at school

Gracie and Tessa enmasked