Ducks (in a row and otherwise)

 

We were going to do some gardening for YW but it rained hard all day so I had to come up with a last minute something. Pinterest to the rescue. Sort of. I had already planned a “women in the scriptures” night for next month. My problem is there are way more women I’d like to highlight and share lessons from their lives than we could do in one night...or 50 nights. So this was the perfect opportunity to throw in another lady. I chose Hagar and found a great lesson on her. We talked about her life and how even when it seemed bleak,at best (she was alone, pregnant, and in the middle of the wilderness), God still saw her. He sees us, always, no matter how awful and alone things feel. We talked about that and then the girls made a painting to take home. I think it was really fun. We didn’t have a lot of girls there but those who came enjoyed it.

Yesterday we had a mother duck with a broken leg on campus. She had 8 ducklings. They got separated and mom disappeared in the rain. Today the now abandoned babies (I guess, I wonder if there had been a little less helpful intervention if mom may have been able to stay near the babies, but you know what they say about the best of intentions) were adopted by a family who has a little farm and has “always wanted to raise ducks”.   Before they left Bianca and I went over and take a peek. They were really, really cute.

Yesterday Grace got her Covid shot. She also went to the Ophtalmologist. Her brain and eyes are fine. We have been thru all the “ologists” that are even tangentially related to her symptoms that there are. Besides EDS and fibromyalgia there is “nothing wrong” and “not much that can be done”. So good news: no brain tumor or heart problems. Bad news she just gets to live with her symptoms because there is no fix. Next up, counseling to learn how to live with chronic pain. She’s got Lincoln who helps, and she’s tough, but it stinks.

Today after school Grace went swimming at Letties.

Yesterday was the first night of new marcher camp. Since Lu is now a section leader she gets to go to even more band things. She got to drive herself. So that was huge. She did fine and just like that all my ducklings she is now able to drive herself anywhere she needs to go. She’s well on the road to independence. 

30 years

Chris and Sierra 💕

I’m 30 years post cancer. What?? How crazy is that? I hardly think about it but every now and then it pops into my head. I few weeks ago I realized that this big day was coming up. It was also my birthday 53.  Comes around every year.  It was a good day.  I had lots of phone calls and facebook birthday wishes.  

 Saturday night Grace and a bunch of her friends went to Myles' birthday party.  I drove a full car load of girls down there.  The traffic was crazy.  They went to Wonder Works on I-drive.  When I was dropping them off our car was surrounded by 50 motorcycles whizzing down the road, doing wheelies and acting crazy.  I-drive was so crowded.  Grace had a good time.  They had pizza and watched a magic show and hung out together.  Myles is new to our ward, he was baptized just a month ago.  I don't think he knows a lot of people so it was super nice of the girls to go.  I think there were about 10 kids from the ward there.

After I dropped her off Rob and I went for birthday molten chocolate cake at Chili's.  He also bought me a beautiful australian opal bracelet.

Yesterday was an unusually busy meeting day.  We had ward council.  We used to have it only every other week (which I loved) but now we meet every week.  Then Grace and I went to pick up Avory who was going to meet with the missionaries.  She sat in.  We went to sacrament meeting, and then we went to Sunday school on zoom.  In the evening we had a camp meeting, Grace is a YCL this year, and finally we had a fireside.  It was a lot of meetings, it felt like old times.  We have gotten used to having a lot of free time on Sundays though so it was odd.

At 10 pm I heard Grace run down the stairs and then back up.  The Evans had baked me a cake! How sweet is that.  In the afternoon Rob and Grace played games with me.  I love games, they don't so that was nice.  We played Cat Crimes and Phase 10.  

 

news

 

First off these little cuties, who we were told were fraternal twins in utero, and who look just alike, got their DNA results back and they are identical! Not that it matters but it's fun to know! They are the sweetest baby girls and hard to tell apart so I wasn't surprised.

This little pumpkin is a licensed driver now.  What?? How did that happen.  One more step toward independence. 

Air ship seems to be moving along.  Which is exciting and scary at the same time.

The Chosen released episodes 2 & 3. I love that show.  I love how relatable the apostles are. Watching this helps makes sense in my mind that they didn't "get it" while Jesus was with them. That's something I that I have thought about a lot.  I love Peter because of his mistakes and the hope it gives me that I can make mistakes and still be useful, but still I would shake my head and think how did they not see? Following Jesus changes us, but not all at once.  It takes a lifetime of following and believing and repenting.   Most of the time the changing, the refining, the "perfecting" is so small, just line upon line really, that we don't notice.  It isn't until later that we can look back and see the progress.  I know this but I didn't apply it to them. Ah ha.  Thank goodness He is perfect since the rest of us aren't!

Monday

 

Nikoli, Grace's clarinet teacher, is the principle clarinet for the orlando philharmonic orchestra.  Or course with covid everything has been weird but they found a way around the problem...parking lot concerts.  He gave Grace two tickets to go hear them play! So we went. It was pretty fun.  It was nice sitting outside, especailly once the sun went down.  We watched the stars come out while the music played.  I always love to watch the conductors.  This one was very animated and I could see him from the front as well since it was in the parking lot you could see him in the glass fronts of the building.  They did play one piece that I didn't like.  It was an orginal compostion by someone I am pretty sure will never be famous.  It was atrocious.  

In other music news Grace is the new clarinet section leader! And Lettie made drum major!

The senior Crawleys are in Idaho visiting Ezra.  Their hotel has a pool so he got to try swimming for the first time.  Hannah said he loved it! Cute baby!

All the livestock in Utah is doing well💖

Yesterday it rained.  A lot.  Liked poured! We got soaked leaving chruch.

Bonus picture of Cora with her Cora Cooks book! I sent them books last week, a Cora book and a Ruby book.  Jenna told me that they had a lot of Ruby books but that was the first Cora one so I searched for a second one and she just got it!

Ethan writes great missionary letters.  I love each monday reading them.  I am going to put them all together at the end of the mission for him but I'm going to share this weeks letter here:

"This is going to be a long email so here are some sparknotes: 

A lady from the Spanish ward hemmed my pants this week so I had to learn some sewing vocab. I've adopted a new attitude of finding the good and focusing on that. We had a really good Sunday stake conference. A very cute and funny lesson with a little girl we are teaching English to. And someone who served his mission in Orlando as I left for here took us out to lunch, and some English members raced to get us food.

So the hem in one my pairs of pants fell out and I have been just taping it on the inside for a while to fix it. But I found out a lady in our ward Hna Fonseca has offered to sew for missionaries. So I asked her to sew a dobladillo in my pants and she said yes and then came through clutch.

I felt a bit discouraged that despite how hard we have been working, and how much I feel I have been growing personally, we hadn't seen much success with actually bringing others to baptism. I realize that this is a bit foolish, because all the good we do is at least planting seeds for future goodness, and the scriptures say to not be weary of doing good, but it was still frustrating. I had a lack of confidence in my teaching ability really. Especially in Spanish. But then maybe I heard a talk or read something, I can't remember. Basically the way I'd sum it up into what I'm trying to do is just find the good and focus on that. Another thing that helped is a book someone sent me. I read it this week and it talks about how aligning your will with God's is the surest way to find happiness. This can be difficult but the good thing is God I'd there to help us do this. If we come to him with a desire he will help make that change in our heart.

I feel like every transfer in my mission there has been something to learn each and every time over the 6 weeks. The first transfer was charity. Having a love for the people. The last transfer was definitely pacience and humility to. This transfer I feel like I have been learning to hope. Sort of like how I said earlier. 

And that hope was rewarded this week when a family moved in from Venezuela and like 6 of them want to be baptized! Whats very I interesting about this is that they were all ready to be baptized when we found them. Never in my mission have we found someone that isn't ready, or has the desire, and been able to bring them to a desire. It is always they come with that want. Really it is humbling to see our role in conversion compared to the spirit's. We just really help them along the path the holy ghost is already taking them on. 

One very fun experience this week is when we were teaching Mia English. Mia is maybe 8 years old and we really just do her homework. One section of the work was a little story about penguins that she had to answer some questions for. One part talked about how father penguins have to stay with the egg for 2 months and in that time they don't leave to eat or do anything, just living off their body fat so that the baby stays warm. We asked Mia why the papa penguin can't eat for 2 months. She didn't know at first but thought about it for a minute then confidently said (translated) "the papa has to fast for the babies health for those 2 months and that's why he doesn't eat anything" it was super sweet.

Elder Pihl who served in the ward in Florida left for home in Salt Lake a week before I came out here. This week he took me and elder Burns out for lunch. It was really fun and cool to see him as well as the role reversal. Usually it was me waiting in the car for him and his comp to come get food, but that flipped around here.

On Sunday, we hsd stake conference. Elder Kevin J. Worthen, an area 70 spoke. His talk was super awesome and talked about how the book of mormón is a book about families. If we read it from that perspective we can get so many lessons out of it. Anotber thing be spoke on was how the atonement is for everyone. He mentioned a scripture in Psalms 139:7-8. This says "7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?

8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there" what's cool is the scriptures says the spirit is with all of us wherever. If we are doing all the right things living as righteously as we can, he's there. If we are maybe not doing so hot, he is still reaching out for what the second we look for Him."

1. Me and Pihl 

2. The hemming ladies food storage of bleach bottles 

Saturday

Today we slept in until 8. We got up and did chores. Laundry, bathrooms, grocery store. The usual.

Grace had a clarinet master class followed by a clarinet lesson. 

I had planned a fun date for Rob and I. I booked us a couples massage and it was super nice . We both loved it. 

Phase 2 of the date was supposed to be a taste of the 7 seas at Sea World and a visit to our friends the killer whales. Grace also had plans, she and Garrett and Katie were going on a picnic.   Out of no where a big windy, rain event popped up and changed everyone’s plans. Grace went to Wendy’s. We went to Bahama Breeze. 

Yesterday we got to drive a lot. I drove Grace home. Then we drove the flex and the Hyundai to the dmw. Then we both hopped in the flex and drove to the car shop where his new truck was finally getting it’s new leather seats. Then we took the flex and the truck home, got back in the truck and drove back to the dmv to pick up blue. Finally we drove blue and the truck home. Good times! Now we have our cars registered and our leather situation worked out so it’s all good.

Friday

The kids had spring break this week. They went to Moab for a couple of days.  Everyone loved it.  Marshall loved climbing all over!

Grace had leadership camp for band all week.  They started right after school and went until 6pm.  She was tired and hurting after.  Good thing she has that big brown heating pad to comfort her.  They find out this weekend was offices they will have next year. 

Elder Pihl found Ethan and took him and his companion out to lunch, then he sent me this picture! yeah!!

Last night we had a service project scheduled for the youth.  We were going to go to a food bank and box up food.  The project was from 5-10.  We told them we'd come at 7.  Before we even left we got a call that the work was done.  So bummed!

I got the call just before it was time to meet so we still went to the church to tell everyone.  The youth wanted to hang out together still so we played volleyball in the gym for an hour.  Lilly and I had the same mask on!

Rob sold a kayak online! He bought it for $400 and sold it for $700! This is crazy.  Usually we "like to" buy high sell low, so this was a nice change of pace. ;)

Sawyer got a new job! and Hannah has one class left for her BA!! and Ezra is adorable:)

Sierra and Chris are going strong.  I am hoping for an announcement soon💗

 These little chickens continue to be the cutest!

And we are caught up!

random thoughts on an easter/ conference weekend

 

We got our first picture text from a stranger. Ethan and his companion dying eggs!  It was so fun to see him.  I am so proud of him and what good work he is doing.  I couldn't help but think about my brother Michael when he was on his mission.  It was a long time ago and I don't really remember getting lots of pictures or hearing from him a lot.  I wrote to him every week and when he came home it was such a fun family weekend.  We were all there and we were so excited to see him and to hear all his mission stories.  He was an amazing missionary.  We sat around the piano and sang together for hours, we took silly pictures, we listened to him tell story after story. It was really fun.

Sadly his life has taken such a turn for the worse.  It was slow...for a long time he was doing well, and honestly we have never lived near each other as adults or spent a lot of time chatting, so I was not witness to the day to day. Basically I would see him at family gatherings when we went to Utah.  He flew out to TX once, when Hannah was born, we visited him in NC once when he was doing summer sales, other than that it was when we were meeting at mom's house, so I don't know how it happened, but slowly I knew it was happening.  He stopped keeping the commandments and living by the covenants he made.  He was a successful entrepreneur but lived a party life style.  Eventually he married JaNee and they started their family.  Things seemed to be better for awhile.  They were loving parents, went to the temple, had two sweet kids. It didn't last though and Michael spiraled down a sad rabbit hole.  He stopped working regular jobs and got into growing and "selling" CBD products.  I'm not sure he actually sold any.  I won't go into specifics, out of respect for my mom's wishes, but things have been bad.  He is now getting divorced and barely gets to see the kids (which I think we all feel is for the best) JaNee is working and taking care of them. Mom and Dad sold their house and are living with Em while they are building a new one in a retirement community (basically to get away from him). He asks everyone for money.  Several of the siblings have had to block his number, including me now, not because we don't want to be asked but because when we say no he goes nuts.  It is the saddest thing and I don't know what to do.  I wish I could help, I wish things were different, I feel guilty that I don't /can't/won't help. I also was selfishly mad because the big blow up between he and I happened during conference weekend and so distracted me from my favorite weekend of the year. Mostly though I am sad that things are awful and I'm at a loss and he feels lost.  It's been a problem for 2 decades, just at varying degrees of seriousness so it's not a shock or surprise, just sad. And what do we do?

This is also Easter weekend. 

 Yesterday Grace went to celebrate Kaylynn's birthday all day.  They went to a smash room and to OG and to her house.  They had a great time . I am also mad yesterday because Kaylynn's family is the one who took Ziva.  I told her at the time that she went there that if they ever wanted to give her away not to and we would take her back. Then after she actually went there I was regretting it and told her if she wanted to give her back I'd want her back.  Then last week she asked me if it was okay to give Z to their neighbor who has little kids because she thought Z would be happier.  I said no, if you don't want her we want her back. Yesterday I found out they did give her to the neighbor. I felt betrayed and mad. I don't want Z being passed around, it was super frustrating.  

Tatum is graduating from elementary school.  What?? She's such a darling girl.  This morning I chatted with them.  They told me all about the jeep adventures in the desert! Also they got bunnies for easter that are the cutest little things! Marshall can do a flip on the trampoline. Did I report that Dani is finally living her dream and sold the minivan and got a jeep.  She's always wanted one!

We had book club on Friday.  Everyone hated the book.  It was still fun to talk to everyone. Tori sent me a mezuzah as thanks for their visit.  Now I have a little corner of Israel in my own house! The top picture is my Christmas present from Hannah, and the Shalom plaque is from Bethlehem.  

This cute boy had his first easter egg hunt.  They hid one raisin in each plastic egg.  So fun! I watched his video like 10 times getting his little egg.

We are down to one little Easter basket now. Our Easter was quiet.  We talked to Nana this morning.  She is looking good and recovering from her surgery.

Yesterday we had four missionaries over for dinner.  Rob made brisket and jalapeño stuffed chicken.  He cooks more meat now that he has the smoker than he had before.  I made baked beans, green fluff, broccoli, corn bread, deviled eggs and served ice cream for dessert.  It was fun to visit with them.  While Elder Smith was eating the green fluff he was saying he'd never had it before.  We were shocked as it's a pot luck staple.  His companion ratted him out and told us he was a convert.  He's only been a member for less than two years. Of course we made him tell us the story.  His parents are jewish, he went to synagogue but only socially. In high school his friend invited him to run cross country, which he did and he because great friends with the other kids on the team who were mostly members of the church.  Their senior year his girl friend, a member of the team and the church, invited him to church.  He went and thought it was kind of nuts (fast and testimony meeting) until the last testimony (the bishop) who was powerful and really touched him.  He asked a friend to get him a BOM on the down low and read it and referred himself to the missionaries.  He got baptized and went off to college where he remained active and loved going to institute.  At some point he felt impressed that the Lord wanted him to serve a mission so he applied and got his call to Portugal.  Then he had to go to his parents and tell them that he was going to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints for two years in a foreign country.  They were shocked and asked him why.  He then told them that he was baptized (a year ago) and knew the church was true.  He said they've been supportive.  Anyway, that was a fun story and he is a cute missionary.

My Saturday conf watching buddies

Grace has been coughing and I have had a stuffy nose.  We are both fine, it's probably allergies. 

Our cute Easter table. I wish we lived close to family but that’s not our season.

The Brandt’s got bunnies! How cute is that?

I loved general conference. Even having missed some focus during some talks I still felt the spirit and have such love for the Savior. He suffered for all this mess, and all the things that are hard, and all our sins. How did he do that? I don’t know how but I know why...he loves us. It’s the only reason there is to be willingly to pay such an infinite cost.