Keep a Kazoo handy for unexpected celebrations!

Sunday, June 5, 2016

Hi my scrumptious incredible son! #Taiwan Tieman How is every tiny thing? We fasted as a family for Elder Hongvilia. How is he doing? How are you doing? How is everything? How is the new area different? How are things?

You are such an incredible example. You may not be able to put the influence you have on the other side of the world, actually all over the world, on your weekly reports, however you are teaching the gospel everywhere. Your letters are like another discussion in your week to so many people that love you. Thank you for shining your light so brightly that it warms and teaches us on the other side of the world!

Here are some of the goings on at home:

We were teasing Spencer about taking the redbox out of the kissing picture from the picture scavenger hunt and replacing it with Lindsay. Very important. Spencer is talking about kissing, sometimeseven at the dinner table.
Annie is ending all of her sentences with "I bought it with my own money!: Even when it's not true and doesn't make sense. It is very funny. She is very yummy.
Seth was just outside playing the drums on the Sabbath. You can hear him all over the neighborhood. And thus we see that the there is righteous druminion in the neighborhood, and it's very important to note that he was wearing his monkey pajamas.
Joseph is doing awesome things with his first week of summer, even with big hair and weird parents, things are going swimmingly. He has worked, and gone to the temple, and he is trying to learn "Christafori's Dream" on the piano. He also did some service. We read a passage from Little Britches that said "the best boss is the boss who bosses the least, whether in men or government". So far so great.
Spencer CUT HIS HAIR. It looks fabulous. When he came home I cried because he looks like you. In a good way. A good cry.
Monday we had a fun family night on our ancestors for Memorial Day, games, activities and stories with Childs and the Gandersons (Georgia Andersons). The Flandersons (Florida Andersons', Spen's family left Monday morning). the Nandersons joined us (the Nate and Nic Andersons) and we had a very delectable campfire with smores, songs and laughing. We made up a song about pawn shop love that was pretty smoldering.
Tuesday we spent the whole day downtown at the Church History Museum, Temple Square, Conference Center, and the IPAD family history station. Everyone got tired and wanted a snack, but it was a great day in all. Saw zero llamas but a lot of other beautiufl things. Everyone enjoyed seeing Joseph Smith and Joseph Ross in movies.
Tuesday night was SO STINKIN FUN! Spen triple dated with Dallin and Tyler, Savannah, Paige Cowley and Lindsay McMullin. They were SO CUTE! The old standard picture scavenger hunt to us was brand new and fun to them. They only got yelled at and flipped off once when they held up their "Vote for Trump, build the wall" posters and campaigned in the Walmart parking lot.They came home and we tied their hands together and had them make and eat banana splits with only the two handsthat were tied together Dal and Ty had a lot of fun. Uncle Jon wanted them to know there are more than 3 mormon girls in the world.
I can't describe how yummy, how perfect, how perfectly delightful baby Bryce is. He is PURE HEAVEN. We all enjoyed him like it was Christmas morning all week. Kids would sit in a circle wherever he was and mimic all his movements and sounds, and he LOVED it. He is so cute. All the cousins are so precious, darling, unique and delightful.
Thursday the bowl filled up, the ducks came in, and I sat int he backyard reading my scriptures yearning for Heavenly Father's direction on the summer, kids, wedding, missionary, primary, everything. It was a feeling of perfect yearning joy, sitting by the backyard lake and soaking in Moroni's story. I have such a hunger to invite Heavenly Father to write his will on the fleshy tables of my heart. I want to follow him with every cell, every second, all I have and am. It is the most exciting jouney ever.
We also had an epic end of year homeschool party.
Thursday I also fasted for Jens. He had eye surgery. He's home for a transfer to get a cyst taken out of his eye. Please keep him in your prayers. The surgery went well. If there is bacterial infection, he will have to get another surgery to replace the plate that is holding his eyeball up.
Friday Spen's gig was fantastic. It reminded us exactly of an awesome highschool band, trying to be funny between songs, on a stage built out of big trailers with tons of Christmas lights around them, sounding fabulous on their music. Maybe because that's exactly what it was.
It was ninety four degrees today. The boats are all jumping out of the garages, Seth went this week with Aaron Glauser and Annie and Joseph both went boating different days with the Hunts.
Last night we went swimming at the Beckstrands. It was SO FUN! Wedding plans are coming together nicely. THEY ARE GETTING MARRIED IN 34 DAYS! AAAAHHHH!!
Spen has found you on SoundCloud, and Saturday night we listened to you in the kitchen. i just cried a little.
Testimony meeting was so great today. Justin Mcnew had had a dream about bearing his testimony and shared the story, scripture and feelings from his dream. It was so powerful. He talked about Alma the Younger and testified of the Atonement. The meeting just went on from there with powerful testimony after powerful testimony from Aleena, Shane MCnew, Andrew Lewis, Claire Morse (who is living in our basement apartment for a time until we find someone else), David Garner, Jo Bolton, Melanie Summers, Kassie Pedersen,Brea Pedersen, Barry Pilcher, it was AWESOME. I think everybody cried today.
I will close with some very sweet and happy news. Wesley Kyle Stokes has had his priesthood blessings fully restored and is preparing to go on his mission. He called us weeping on Thursday. So much joy. The Atonement is real.

Mckay, did you think over summer advice for the family, for mission, for life, LOVE YOU SWEET BOY! I LOVE WHAT YOU'RE DOING! I LOVE WHO YOU ARE! I LOVE YOU WITH ALL MY HEART!

p.s. Spen cleaned his room almost all the way.