Another week gone, and one less to go. We're anxiously awaiting to hear if you're being transferred as I have a package on the counter ready to go. My bet is you stay...maybe your companion won't. I was able to finish the yearly Christmas card, need to work on the letter, and then we'll send you a bit of Christmas spirit for your mailbox. So sorry your mail from here has been minimal! When I do sit down I have to do seminary...I'm thankful for the weekend, and look forward to my Sunday morning "Tanner time."
Last Monday morning began with Breyer getting sick very quickly, and needing to see the doctor right after school for an ear infection. I had let Hunter drive the car, so I had to wait to bring her in. Poor thing. She is a bit more tender than you and your brothers. They either are worse infections, or seem to bother her more, and it's only her second one! She started a z=pack that day, and still has a chesty cough, but is so much better! Porter traveled to the school's official first game (not scrimmages or previews) Monday, and the freshmen team was scheduled to play. Porter was put in the 2nd quarter, played all of that, all but two minutes of the third, and started the fourth. At the conclusion of the game, J.D. said of Porter, "That's the best I've ever seen a freshmen play this season." Then the junior varsity game began, and he started Porter. He only had one quarter left to play, so he came out when it was over. Needless to say, he wanted to talk about all that stuff when he came home. Dad says he beats his whole team down the court, just like you. He had quite a few turnovers and steals as well.
So I've lived through my almost worst nightmare: Sleeping through my seminary alarm Tuesday morning. I guess I didn't notice my phone battery being low, and it shut itself off in the middle of the night. Nothing like having Hunter come running up the stairs, not so calmly announcing seminary students were knocking at the door. Completely having my worst nightmare come true would be sleeping through my alarm, and not having anything for breakfast. Luckily for me, I had a conversation with Jeremiah about his Pop tart, and thought they might be fun to have before the Christmas break. So we ate those for breakfast. Usually I'm semi-awake, and don't even need an alarm, but Porter's basketball game was in Gallia and he got home after 11 p.m. Because he needed to eat dinner and tell me his basketball story, we got into bed near 12:30 a.m. Add in Breyer's ear infection misery two nights in a row, and I had reason to be sleeping soundly.
The cub scouts tackled their tall tales requirement this Tuesday. I went through my costume box, and pulled out one or two props for all twenty stories in their book, such as Davey Crockett (your raccoon hat and wooden pistol), and Barbara Fritchie (American flag and bonnet). They did a great job telling their stories, and letting the other boys guess, and made trail mix, another requirement, to eat while being entertained. My own tale? We, meaning Cooper, Sawyer, and Miller, waited from 7:20 to 8:45 for our ride home. Hunter went home teaching and Dad was working the Christmas tree lot for the Optimists. My backup plan, in case Hunter was running late, was to grab a ride home with somebody else, but that somebody stayed late to count popcorn money that had been turned in that night. I was a little agitated only because Breyer was with Larry, and usually he watches for just over an hour, not close to three! You might be thinking, "Why didn't she ride home with a different somebody else?" but by the time I picked up all my props, there were no other somebodys. Always make sure you have a back up plan for your back up plan ;-)
This week the Scholastic book fair rolled into town. It's been fun to see Kathy for a few days. She's as feisty as ever, and very brave to eat dinner with us Thursday! I worked the fair Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Kathy did really well, so hopefully they'll let her come back. This was up in the air as they thought the area might be saturated. Cooper stayed home from school with Breyer's virus, so that helped with babysitting. Sawyer came just for fun the first day and worked so hard. The book boxes are so heavy, he got on his knees, and would push them to the right table.
I lifted every box in the room...I was so tired! Porter came on Saturday and helped me pack up. Of course they all loved looking at the books, and I came home with three boxes full of product as payment. After we left the fair on Friday Dad went to Porter's basketball game. He started J.V. again, but Dad didn't get there in time for the first quarter. Friday was also Pearl Harbor day, and Miller's birthday. He was SO excited when he woke up on Friday, and came running downstairs pulling down his bottom lip. "Mom!" "Mom!" He lost his second tooth, on.his.birthday, and didn't swallow it, and didn't have blood or pain. It was the BEST day ever! Except we were never home together to celebrate his birthday so we had to postpone further celebrations.
After we closed the fair on Saturday we went right to the concession stand at the high school for the wrestling team. Why wrestling parents don't have to work is beyond me...all the other sports have to cover a shift, but we're happy to help. Dad and I had fun rag mopping the floor with our feet. I washed and he dried. He went to Miller, Sawyer and Cooper's games earlier in the day...When we were all home together in the afternoon, for about an hour, we let Miller open his gifts from Mom Mom. She knitted him a steel blue sweater with a large red "S" on the chest, and a detachable red cape. Super Miller! He loves it. He wore it to the ward Christmas party, and the following morning to church. She used an "S" for Schenewark instead of an "M" for Miller, so it can be worn by others, but he thinks the "S" is for Superman. All the boys were putting in orders for sweaters with capes. It was very funny.
Then we headed to the ward Christmas party. Let's just say Cooper makes a cute camel, Hunter a fine Joseph, and Dad as inn keeper brought the house down. They were to share their perspective as participants in the Christmas story. Cooper's best line? "I'm a beast of burden. I have no thoughts." Dad's best line? "I'm known for my hay." We were all feeling a bit rebellious. And tired. So we planned an early mass exodus. Before closing prayer and clean up. First time ever we haven't stayed to help, and I still feel a bit guilty.
Did you get any new packages this week? Any new letters? Is your district or zone doing something together for Christmas?
One of the newest list serv subscribers says her son has been out for ten months, and is currently serving in Tupa. Do you know Elder Serrano? I went back and looked at the names of elders you had lived with, and he wasn't listed. Do you know him, and have anything wonderful about him I could share with his mother? The word on the Missionary Mom email list and Facebook page is that this current round of Brazil missionaries did not get their visas in time. The missionaries scheduled to enter the CTM this week are ALL going to Provo instead. I do know SLC doesn't wait as long for their visas to come through, as they did yours, because of the Christmas holiday.
"Your CTM companion wrote home about fasting, and happened to mention how blazing hot it is there, how dry and crusty his mouth was by the end of his 24 hour fast, and how badly he needed water. He was very parched! So just a gentle mother reminder to remember to drink a LOT all the time, especially the day before you plan on fasting ;-) I read his blog the night before I had to teach seminary students about the woman of Samaria at the well. "Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst..." It was a perfect seminary moment. You elders who work so hard and are so obedient provide me with much inspiration while I'm teaching. Thank you!"
I shared your picture of your companion with his holey shoes with his mother. She didn't know about the shoes. I love to send mothers pictures of their sons they've never seen. She also enjoyed seeing his face drinking your banana juice.
I was able to obtain all your addresses except the mission home. I'm not having any luck online...but I'll ask Grampy this week. I've sent you the others:
Last Monday morning began with Breyer getting sick very quickly, and needing to see the doctor right after school for an ear infection. I had let Hunter drive the car, so I had to wait to bring her in. Poor thing. She is a bit more tender than you and your brothers. They either are worse infections, or seem to bother her more, and it's only her second one! She started a z=pack that day, and still has a chesty cough, but is so much better! Porter traveled to the school's official first game (not scrimmages or previews) Monday, and the freshmen team was scheduled to play. Porter was put in the 2nd quarter, played all of that, all but two minutes of the third, and started the fourth. At the conclusion of the game, J.D. said of Porter, "That's the best I've ever seen a freshmen play this season." Then the junior varsity game began, and he started Porter. He only had one quarter left to play, so he came out when it was over. Needless to say, he wanted to talk about all that stuff when he came home. Dad says he beats his whole team down the court, just like you. He had quite a few turnovers and steals as well.
So I've lived through my almost worst nightmare: Sleeping through my seminary alarm Tuesday morning. I guess I didn't notice my phone battery being low, and it shut itself off in the middle of the night. Nothing like having Hunter come running up the stairs, not so calmly announcing seminary students were knocking at the door. Completely having my worst nightmare come true would be sleeping through my alarm, and not having anything for breakfast. Luckily for me, I had a conversation with Jeremiah about his Pop tart, and thought they might be fun to have before the Christmas break. So we ate those for breakfast. Usually I'm semi-awake, and don't even need an alarm, but Porter's basketball game was in Gallia and he got home after 11 p.m. Because he needed to eat dinner and tell me his basketball story, we got into bed near 12:30 a.m. Add in Breyer's ear infection misery two nights in a row, and I had reason to be sleeping soundly.
The cub scouts tackled their tall tales requirement this Tuesday. I went through my costume box, and pulled out one or two props for all twenty stories in their book, such as Davey Crockett (your raccoon hat and wooden pistol), and Barbara Fritchie (American flag and bonnet). They did a great job telling their stories, and letting the other boys guess, and made trail mix, another requirement, to eat while being entertained. My own tale? We, meaning Cooper, Sawyer, and Miller, waited from 7:20 to 8:45 for our ride home. Hunter went home teaching and Dad was working the Christmas tree lot for the Optimists. My backup plan, in case Hunter was running late, was to grab a ride home with somebody else, but that somebody stayed late to count popcorn money that had been turned in that night. I was a little agitated only because Breyer was with Larry, and usually he watches for just over an hour, not close to three! You might be thinking, "Why didn't she ride home with a different somebody else?" but by the time I picked up all my props, there were no other somebodys. Always make sure you have a back up plan for your back up plan ;-)
This week the Scholastic book fair rolled into town. It's been fun to see Kathy for a few days. She's as feisty as ever, and very brave to eat dinner with us Thursday! I worked the fair Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Kathy did really well, so hopefully they'll let her come back. This was up in the air as they thought the area might be saturated. Cooper stayed home from school with Breyer's virus, so that helped with babysitting. Sawyer came just for fun the first day and worked so hard. The book boxes are so heavy, he got on his knees, and would push them to the right table.
I lifted every box in the room...I was so tired! Porter came on Saturday and helped me pack up. Of course they all loved looking at the books, and I came home with three boxes full of product as payment. After we left the fair on Friday Dad went to Porter's basketball game. He started J.V. again, but Dad didn't get there in time for the first quarter. Friday was also Pearl Harbor day, and Miller's birthday. He was SO excited when he woke up on Friday, and came running downstairs pulling down his bottom lip. "Mom!" "Mom!" He lost his second tooth, on.his.birthday, and didn't swallow it, and didn't have blood or pain. It was the BEST day ever! Except we were never home together to celebrate his birthday so we had to postpone further celebrations.
After we closed the fair on Saturday we went right to the concession stand at the high school for the wrestling team. Why wrestling parents don't have to work is beyond me...all the other sports have to cover a shift, but we're happy to help. Dad and I had fun rag mopping the floor with our feet. I washed and he dried. He went to Miller, Sawyer and Cooper's games earlier in the day...When we were all home together in the afternoon, for about an hour, we let Miller open his gifts from Mom Mom. She knitted him a steel blue sweater with a large red "S" on the chest, and a detachable red cape. Super Miller! He loves it. He wore it to the ward Christmas party, and the following morning to church. She used an "S" for Schenewark instead of an "M" for Miller, so it can be worn by others, but he thinks the "S" is for Superman. All the boys were putting in orders for sweaters with capes. It was very funny.
Then we headed to the ward Christmas party. Let's just say Cooper makes a cute camel, Hunter a fine Joseph, and Dad as inn keeper brought the house down. They were to share their perspective as participants in the Christmas story. Cooper's best line? "I'm a beast of burden. I have no thoughts." Dad's best line? "I'm known for my hay." We were all feeling a bit rebellious. And tired. So we planned an early mass exodus. Before closing prayer and clean up. First time ever we haven't stayed to help, and I still feel a bit guilty.
Did you get any new packages this week? Any new letters? Is your district or zone doing something together for Christmas?
One of the newest list serv subscribers says her son has been out for ten months, and is currently serving in Tupa. Do you know Elder Serrano? I went back and looked at the names of elders you had lived with, and he wasn't listed. Do you know him, and have anything wonderful about him I could share with his mother? The word on the Missionary Mom email list and Facebook page is that this current round of Brazil missionaries did not get their visas in time. The missionaries scheduled to enter the CTM this week are ALL going to Provo instead. I do know SLC doesn't wait as long for their visas to come through, as they did yours, because of the Christmas holiday.
"Your CTM companion wrote home about fasting, and happened to mention how blazing hot it is there, how dry and crusty his mouth was by the end of his 24 hour fast, and how badly he needed water. He was very parched! So just a gentle mother reminder to remember to drink a LOT all the time, especially the day before you plan on fasting ;-) I read his blog the night before I had to teach seminary students about the woman of Samaria at the well. "Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst..." It was a perfect seminary moment. You elders who work so hard and are so obedient provide me with much inspiration while I'm teaching. Thank you!"
I shared your picture of your companion with his holey shoes with his mother. She didn't know about the shoes. I love to send mothers pictures of their sons they've never seen. She also enjoyed seeing his face drinking your banana juice.
I was able to obtain all your addresses except the mission home. I'm not having any luck online...but I'll ask Grampy this week. I've sent you the others:
Your line of authority is in a separate email that you can print.
I think that's about a wrap-up of the week. I wanted to share one more thought with you. In seminary we reflected on the scripture in John where Jesus is teaching in the synagogue, "Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed...I am that bread of life...And many of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying...From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him." The gospel is hard. But it's worth it. Your job is hard. But the people you're teaching are certainly worth it. You being gone from our family is hard. But we know it's worth it. We love you for your sacrifice, for your example, and for choosing to walk with Christ. Have a wonderful, uplifting week!
Love, Mom and Dad
I think that's about a wrap-up of the week. I wanted to share one more thought with you. In seminary we reflected on the scripture in John where Jesus is teaching in the synagogue, "Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed...I am that bread of life...And many of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying...From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him." The gospel is hard. But it's worth it. Your job is hard. But the people you're teaching are certainly worth it. You being gone from our family is hard. But we know it's worth it. We love you for your sacrifice, for your example, and for choosing to walk with Christ. Have a wonderful, uplifting week!
Love, Mom and Dad
2 comments:
Love the animals on the walls!
So many wonderful things going on, and way to go Porter!
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