Missionary letter

Hi Sweetie!

Your last letter was awesome.  I am going to take your advice and just write about things I am grateful for.  Shining a light on the good in your life is so very good for the soul.  I'm sure that is why we are commanded to be grateful in all things.  And I need that.  I came home from Thanksgiving with a full heart and a full belly, but then I was asking our family about what they thought of the trip and I realized that Dad had a completely different experience than I did, and his seemed much better, so I started to get all grumpy.  So let me remember the things that I am really grateful for this week again.  There are a lot of them.

Griff and Eve turned three!  How amazing that we were granted that blessing of having two more babies in our old age!  And that they are so smart and fun and beautiful--just like we hoped they would turn out like their older siblings, they did!  They say the funniest things too.  The one that comes to mind most is that we were at dinner one day this week and Griff kept taking out his penis.  I told him to put it away because that is a private part and he said, "It's not a private part, Mom.  It's a toy!"  Hilarious kid, that one.  Eve is a crack up too, but my brain is drawing a blank right now on specific examples.  What great blessings though!

We got to go to Nevada for Thanksgiving, which was exactly what I wanted to do, and I got to see my sisters and brother and parents and YOUR beautiful sister.  The people were definitely my favorite parts.  We even got to see Uncle Dick and Aunt Kathy and even Bryan for a minute, which wasn't supposed to happen.  Those unexpected hugs and a short solitary visit with Kath were just absolute frosting for me.  The main course was seeing my excellent parents showing me how to be excellent parents.  They are the best.  I always imagine coming home to Heaven will be like coming home to my parents who just fill the whole room with love when I walk in. And the food they served with their trembling hands and aging backs was delicious and perfect.  It was fab to see my sibs and some of their kids.  It was the best to have Eliza do my hair and Willa do my makeup to get ready for the day and family pictures. (The ones you'll see on my blog aren't quite as good as the ones I hope Uncle Joel emails me to use for our Christmas card that he took for us.)

Speaking of Christmas and cards, I have some questions for you.

1. Is it ok if I put that picture of your trio on your first night on our Christmas card?  I thought you looked so beautiful in it.

2. What would you like for Christmas?  I keep thinking of what you as a missionary might need or want and all I'm coming up with so far is Target gift cards!  But they are highly mailable, so maybe that is a good!

3. Did those scriptures for your birthday ever come???  I hope those slackers got them to you already!

4. Will you put Aunt Kathy on your email list?  She loves you and wants to hear what you're doing.

OK.  Last blessings.  Dad and you and your siblings.  I was most excited to see the ones I love that I don't live with, but I completely love our little family.  You guys make my life worth living.  (Willa is pretty sure you are my favorite.  Dad overheard her telling one of her cousins.) The gospel!  And that I get to teach it to kids in Primary again!  (Today I WAS Primary.  The chorister and the rest of the presidency were out of town, so it was pretty much the Heather show.)  Healthy body!  (I got a physical this week and found out I have slightly elevated cholesterol.  That doesn't seem fair or right, does it?  Dad said it really isn't a worry and everything else was perfect, but still--I shouldn't have that!)  The earth.  It is glorious!  And I can't really think of it without thinking of the creation and the plan of salvation and how glorious the whole enchilada is.  So very cool.  Such blessings!

I adore you, sweet Mariah Faith.  Thanks for being one of my very favorite blessings!

xoxoxo-

Mom