Sunday Morn

July 29, 2007
Dear Elder Sean,

A much calmer Sunday morning this week especially since we have hot water. I actually wrote you last Sunday but I only sent your letter to one of your emails and I guess you didn't check that one. Sorry about that. Let me know if you're just going to be using your gmail account or if I should send everything to both each time. I opened that sheet music you sent and the only thing weird about it was that the notes were all in the shape of a fortissimo "f" so it made it extremely difficult to read and play. I guess it could be done, but with a lot of work. If I can find that same version with actual notes, I'll send it to you along with Clair de Lune.

Just so you know what's happening with your letters each week, your emails are just for family now. I waited until Jared was gone to stop forwarding them. Also since we have the roommate/friend newsletter that I'll send you each month and I've sent everyone your pouch address and mailing address. If you really feel strongly about someone getting your forwarded emails, let me know, otherwise just send handwrittens to those you want to keep in contact with. I'll also be starting a combined newsletter with Jared too so you'll get to hear his news monthly.

Dad just popped home unexpectedly this morning since it's the 5th Sunday and there are no auxilliary meetings. He's off again to make some home visits. I think he's going over to Erickson's too. Jill has been pretty sick and the doctor thinks she has west nile virus. She definitely has all the symptoms. It's odd to see her just laying around and not outside working in the yard. I went to visit her yesterday and she looked so unhealthy. I'm kind of worried.

Dad and Alex and Brig got back yesterday from their high adventure. They said it was a lot of fun, the food was fantastic (Ashton managed to get some really good deals on pork ribs, free bacon, steaks, etc from Albertson's). They went to Deadwood and went mountain biking, shotgun shooting, kayaking. I'll let dad tell you more about it, but all in all sounds like everyone had a great time despite dad's clutch going out on the way there.

Brig is with us until this Tues when he flies home. We fly out to CA on Wed. So next week we'll be writing you from CA.

For the past couple of days Kristina has been taking care of the Thomas's home so of course we got to use their pool, aaaah. It's so blasted hot here still and swimming felt sooo good. Leah did her first dive off the board, she's a natural swimmer and still says she wants to be on a swim team. They said she has to be able to swim 25 yds without stopping in order to be on the team, so we're working on that. Nikki actually swims in the deep end now thanks to her swim lessons and me showing her how to tread water. She jumped off the board, first into my arms (nearly drowning me!) and then on her own and swimming to the side.

Kristina has also been working for Jodie Hugentobler at Other Mother's store. She got her first pay check and is hooked. She told Jodie to call her any time to help at the store. And her bigger news is that she's getting her braces off tomorrow! She's so excited. She actually got them on after Kirk left and is getting them off before he comes home, so he won't have ever seen her in braces. I'll send you a picture of her later.

Jared's mom called me yesterday. She said they were sitting in their living room with Jared's stuff all over the place trying to pack. She had a lot of questions about what to take, etc. I told her not to fret too much since he was only going to be in Provo and how easy it is to send things there as compared to overseas. They are leaving for Utah today, going to the drum corp show Mon night in SLC, staying with Tyler's mom probably on Tues night and checking into the MTC Wed.

Have you gotten the newsletter yet that I sent you? I think you'll really enjoy getting that each month. Just wondering how long it takes to get there through the pouch. How's your Spanish coming along?

So how is the work going there this week? How was the poncho fest different than our fairs here? I'd love to hear about it. Grandpa Trumbo said to tell you that even when he was on his mission way back when, people bad mouthed the USA. He said it got so bad sometimes that he actually had to sit down with a family who was complaining that all these guys from the US were super rich and had everything they wanted and how they wanted more and had to explain to them that he was only able to be on a mission because he had a father who worked on the railroads very hard and scrimped and saved so that he could help send his son on a mission. He said it was the same way when he was in Korea, so he said it sounds like things haven't changed much.

How is la familia Melo doing? Are they progressing and accepting the truth? Any word from la familia chazampi? I know that Hermana Concepcion feels comforted from your visits. It's sad and lonely for people who know they are dying and it's important they have people around them, even just to hold their hand, to feel some physical contact and for her to feel the presence of the power of the priesthood and the spirit in her room. My heart goes out to her and I am glad you are there.

For my birthday last week, dad and the kids gave me a new camera. I love it so far. It has a really large LCD screen and a 10x optical zoom which will be nice. BTW, are you able to open attachments that have short videos on them? Just wondering if I sent a short family video in your email sometime if you'd be able to open it. Let me know or maybe we'll just have to experiment one week.

Well, better go wake up Alex and Brig and tell them it's almost time for lunch and to get ready for church. I made eggs for the girls and they were in heaven. I hope I can still please them this easily when they are teenagers.

Have a miraculous week.
love you,
mom
xoxoxoxxoxoxox