Life in a Northern Town: FAMILY LETTER 10.09.2016

Dear Loved Ones ,

We’ve enjoyed a fairly calm, warm, Indian Summer week this week. We’ve been so lucky to have mild weather so our tomatoes could ripen (for once) and the fall colors could fully develop. This week reminded me of an old Dream Academy song, “Indian Summer”:

It was the time of year just after summer’s gone

When August and September become memories of songs

To be put up with the summer clothes and packed up in the attic for another year.

We had decided to stay on for a few weeks more

Although the season was over, the days were still warm

Seemed reluctant to give up and hand over to winter for another year.

Indian, Indian Summer…

In the distance the city lights flickered in the bay

Any previous existence seemed a world away…

So pretty. Fall is my favorite! I’ve been making soup like a crazy lady, so Wednesday I invited my new-ish friend, Lisa Orback, over for “Crappy Lunch” (when you gather and visit with no expectations—yoga pants ponytails, PBJ=totally acceptable) and we ate left overs of Corn Chowder and Chicken Noodle soup. It was so nice to visit. She had to leave to pick up her grandma from the airport and I thought we are both so lucky to still have our Grams!

Monday we took some birthday cake and homemade salsa to Brother Jones for his birthday as a Family night activity. The downtown streets were just magical with blowing leaves as the sun set. Daddy got us Dairy Queen and it was a lovely night. Tuesday was a quiet night at home, so we decorated for Halloween. Wednesday was Scouts and Young Women. The girls met very early to go to Bozeman to a climbing gym and they had a blast. Thursday I took Heidi to an appointment in Bozeman and Rich had Scout Round table at the stake center, so Addie babysat at home and did a great job. Heidi and I made a quick stop at Target and she made me laugh so hard in the Halloween section.

Friday I went to Rexburg, ID and met up with my old friend, Lisa Reed to see the J. Kirk Richards art exhibit at BYU-I. We met up at the hotel and talked for a while, then went to dinner and talked more, then back to the hotel until we giggled ourselves to sleep around 1am. It was so fun catching up. We got in touch online a year ago after not having seen each other since 1989. We were close friends in high school when she came to stay in my ward as a foster child when we were 15. She had a baby boy who was adopted at the end of our sophomore year, and she went back to Mesa to finish high school. We continued to visit each other until I went away to college and she moved to California. The last contact we had was right as I was leaving on my mission and she was married with a sweet baby girl named Bethany—1992! Now Bethany is all grown up, married in the Mesa temple, with a little baby girl of her own. Lisa has 4 more sons, and has been in touch with the son she had when we were friends—he’s turning 30 this year. We’ve had the best time reconnecting and have been surprised and grateful that even though we took different paths, life has taught us many of the same lessons and we have so very much in common. We had great taste in friends when we were 15! We had a great visit. Saturday I took her to meet Debbie and Kurt Holm, then we went to the art show, then lunch, then delivered Halloween treats to some of our friends’ kids who are attending BYU-I. That was SO FUN!

The art exhibit totally touched my heart and soul! The scriptures that Richards chose to illustrate were so poetic and full of imagery. I think in pictures, especially as I read scriptures, so it’s like someone was looking into my mind. The most touching painting depicted sentinels in white, with the caption:

“And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.” -2 Kings 6:16

This is one of those scriptures that imprinted on my young brain in seminary and truly shaped my life. Although God hasn’t opened my eyes (yet), He opened my mind and strengthened my faith regularly and I can pinpoint times when I know that the angels who stand as sentinels around me, most likely called down by the faith and prayers of my grandparents, quite obviously scooped me up and out of harm’s way. This scripture has been a comfort to me all of my life, and more so now that I am a mother, knowing I can call down the powers of heaven upon my children. Now I have a painting to remind me exactly who has my back ;)

On the way home Saturday night I had a migraine headache brewing and it was full-blown by Sunday morning, so today I had to sleep it off today. It has been a restful Sabbath, and I am so happy to be home with my sweet kids and my awesome husband who lets me feed my Spirit and nurture my friendships and supports me in my creative pursuits, even the ones he doesn’t love as much as I do (heh, heh). He’s the best.

We love our extended family and are mindful of you all. The Marlenas are especially on our mind this week as Mark deploys for six months. Elena is an amazing mother and will do great with the kids on her own, but we pray that their family with have an extra measure of comfort and protection and love and that Mark will also be protected and comforted and brought home safely to his family next spring (Elena, maybe I will send you a print of those angels who are watching over your family J). Thanks to Ally for the cute videos of Mairi and the Laytons…we miss you all so much! Come back and see us! Have a great week, we love you.

Love, Jamie and Rich and Family