Life in a Northern Town: FAMILY LETTER 05.17.15

Dear Loved Ones,

Another cold, rainy May Sunday evening…I really love this weather and we need the rain so much after our dry winter. It’s making for a pretty crazy baseball season, though.

Monday I went visit teaching in the morning then took Niles and his friends to the park since the sun was out and it was an absolutely perfect spring day. I let Ammon crawl and toddle all over the park and he was so exuberant and joyful. He would stop periodically and just raise his arms and squeal and clap for joy. It was really something. That night we practiced batting for Family Night and daddy took us to Pickle Barrel for ice cream.

Tuesday was a crazy day. Addie and Rich needed to go to a broadcast for the youth at church and I needed to take the boys and Heidi to James’ baseball game in Gardiner (50 miles away). So I loaded up the kids at 4:15 and headed out—we had to grab dinner to go. I was surprise they hadn’t called the game yet because it was raining in Livingston and the Gardiner forecast said 70% chance of rain. So we headed out and just after we left town I got a text cancelling the game. We stopped at the ranch to give Grandma her Mother’s Day gifts since she had been in Idaho on Mother’s Day. We came home and built a fire and finished folding laundry while we streamed the same broadcast that Rich and Addie were at. It was a discussion with Elder Bednar and his wife and they gave great counsel. My favorite part was when Elder Bednar told the youth that they didn’t need somebody to tell them if certain actions were right or wrong because they have the gift of the Holy Ghost—if you aren’t feeling good about it, then it’s probably not good. Trust the Spirit. Good advice.

Wednesday I was supposed to have an EMG on my left shoulder and elbow but I got the time wrong and was too late, so they did a couple of other tests and went over some labs and rescheduled for later. I ran home to meet up with the family for James’ baseball game. We ate pizza dinner at the game and Rich had to leave early for scouts. James hit the first pitch on his first three at-bats and he caught a pop fly at the pitcher’s mound. It’s so fun to watch him play and I’m glad his league is so easy-going (we are definitely not competitive in this family).

Thursday I got to go to “Muffins for Mommy” with Niles. I took Ammon with me and we all enjoyed some muffins, fruit and yogurt with Niles’ preschool class. They were adorable. I came back home and finished up some laundry and mending and prepared for our first night home together all week. It sure was nice (I’m such a hermit). Friday Rich took his scouts to the Spring Camporee in the freezing rain. They camped in a quarry and learned climbing, rappelling and bouldering skills. I stayed home and learned chauffeuring skills. At 5pm, Addie went to a “Selection” Tea Party at the library celebrating the release of the newest book in the “Selection” series. She looked so pretty and had a great time. I went home and fed the other kids, then took Heidi and James to meet up with friends to see “The Avengers.” Then I took Niles out for a milkshake because he felt left out. By then it was 7 and time to pick up Addie. She helped me get the boys to bed, and then it was time to pick up Heidi and James at 9:15. I got them all to bed and settled into bed myself at 11. Then Ammon started screaming for no reason and Niles woke up crying with an ear ache and for an hour I was having stereo screaming. Soon everyone was medicated and comforted and we slept from 12:30am-5:30am.

It was pouring rain on Saturday morning, so we did chores and played games and watched movies and tried (not very successfully) to nap. Daddy got home from his scout trip at 6pm and we met him up at the church so we could clean the building for Sunday. We were done at 7:40pm and so exhausted!

The little boys seem to have a bit of a cold and I caught it. I stayed home with Ammon today while the rest of the family went to church. We slept most of the morning. Ammon seems better, had two long naps today. We need our strength for a busy week. Tomorrow I have electrocardiography with saline IV, whatever that means (they are still trying to see if I show signs of a TIA back in Feb-March). Then Tuesday is Niles’ 4^th Birthday. He is so excited! We’re also excited for Cousin Jared Melin’s baptism next Sunday, on his mom’s (Aunt Elena’s) Birthday.

Love, Rich and Jamie and Family