With All Our Love

(Read first paragraph and write something wonderful about my cards ;-) __________

In regards to last week's letter my question was not in regards to what you'd like in a package, but just a question. This week's question for you to answer would be whether or not your shoes are holding up. We're reading about other missionaries who have gone through three pairs of shoes; others who buy shoes where you are, shoes that the local postal workers wear, and love them. Do we need to help you with another pair of shoes for the second half of your mission? _________

Dear Tanner,

Hello! Seems like forever since we've spoken ;-) I miss your face. Still. In regards to my last wonderful package of which you spoke so highly about, I forgot to ask you about your cards. Did you not love that cute missionary? But alas, just this week realized that you are unable to mail them without considerable expense on your behalf. Please use them as thank-you cards for special investigators and members where you serve that you need to write. Also, save a few, perhaps already written, to mail once you're back in the states. You do have another package coming, just an envelope with the Ensign, but it's stuffed with some serious LOVE ;-)

This week was one for the record books. Miller, while joining in with two neighborhood boys over unannounced, was hit in the head with a baseball bat. While I was speaking with Aunt Becky on the phone. Bless her heart that's still left. I scared her to near death. Miller's fine, never even went to the hospital, but watched throughout the night. Fortunately, mostly the eye/cheek bone took the brunt of the swing; unfortunately, it was the same eye that was black last week due to missing one of Sawyer's throws. Miller also lost both of his front teeth. He would not make a good mother. It's a good thing his eternal destiny involves holding the Priesthood and other such activities, as childbirth would be impossible with him. His tolerance for pain and blood is nonexistent. His desire to experience pain or blood is nil. His ability to cope with anything causing blood or discomfort is zero. Two whole days this week were lost due to him being unable to handle hanging-by-a-thread teeth and all the inconveniences they bring with breathing, drinking, eating, and brushing his teeth. But they're finally out, and he whistles unknowingly while speaking. My favorite! Expect lots of cute pictures in the near future. I just can't resist!

It gets better. This week was the bi-annual Scholastic book fair. I love working the fair in exchange for book product. This time it was back in Charleston, so I began and ended my shift with an hour long commute, five or six hours per day for three days. But I did come home with tooth fairy fodder, and boxes of books for your future perusal. Cooper babysat two days, with Dad helping a LOT. He also had them by himself one day, and took them to two departmental meetings, one Optimist luncheon, and one class. He and they were toast by then so he called it a day. I'm glad for both of us this is not our usual style of living, but twice a year makes it enjoyable for me to escape for a few hours with my dear friend Kathy. Porter joined me on the last day and was a big help in clean-up. He comes in disguise of working, and actually just wants to make sure I don't miss anything worth reading. Scholastic sells more than books, and at larger outlet venues have toys for sale. So I turned a quarter of my hours in for a wooden dollhouse that will be opened in December. I can't believe I'm going to have one in my house.

Sawyer has been suffering with a lot of headaches this year. I decided last summer, when school was beginning, to keep track and see if there was a reason for them. He's had four visits to the eye doctor, one visit resulting in eye exercises for him to do, and the last one for a different prescription. We've tried more sleep, less stress, more water, and less sugar. At his physical in March he failed his hearing test on the right side, and then described his headaches as being on the right side. We asked for a neurology referral, and his MRI last week showed an arachnoid cyst on the right side. Most times nothing is done to them unless you're symptomatic, as Sawyer. Usually you're born with them but they can also come from a head injury. It's nice to finally know there's a reason he's been suffering. We'll keep you updated!

Saturday Dad and Hunter drove two hours into Kentucky to the Blue Lick State Park, where the district Optimist Convention was being held. He competed in the district oratorical contest, against four other local winners, and did NOT win. He was a little disappointed, to say the least, having rode in the car for four hours, knowing he'd be mowing grass for two years to make up for not winning the $2500 purse. At least he can try again next year!

And, to finish off this crazy week, this week was also Relay for Life. This year we held it at the county fairgrounds Saturday from noon to 3:30 a.m. Sawyer and Porter helped me blow up balloons by 7 a.m., By 9:30 I was picking up Cooper, Breyer and Miller for a baseball game. 11:30 I was back at the game to pick them up and bring them to the fairgrounds with me. They had fun playing on all the inflatables, chasing Batman around the track for a picture, playing in corn hole tournaments, playing volleyball, and eating leftover cancer survivor lunch food. The weather was absolutely beautiful! I ran the three little kiddies home when Jarrod and Hunter arrived, and left them after quickly bathing and feeding them. Cooper stayed and was a big help in putting out and lighting the luminaries. I was up by 6:30 and back to pick up trash we missed in the dark. I got close to two bags! I also threw my keys away in one of the trash bags, and had to get a ride home. I'll get pictures up this week, but here's a few:

Today was an eagle scout court of honor for a boy in the second ward. Your brothers were all given parts in the eagle ceremony. It was very well done, which is a good thing if you invite the executive scout representative. Porter has finished all his paper
work, and collected all his letters of recommendation! Yeah! Only took a year! He just needs to turn in the paperwork to the council, and schedule a board of review. Yes! He isn't going to be having his court of honor until you get home. He told me today that's what he would like to do. I think it's a great idea! I had been asked to play the piano, and while doing so couldn't stop laughing when I realized that if you're going to sing all three verses of our national anthem as part of the court of honor program, be sure to hand out hymn books to the visiting scout executives on the stage!

I found this article yesterday, and thought it was interesting. The scientists are interested in seeing what happens when the earth passes by the meteor shower next year: "NASA scientists recorded the biggest explosion from a meteorite impact seen on the moon in eight years of monitoring. The lunar burst was caused by a 40-kilogram boulder-sized rock slamming into the surface at about 90,000 kph. It generated a flash 10 times brighter than anything seen before, which came from the thermal glow of molten rock at the point of impact. The moon, like most bodies in the solar system, is subject to relatively frequent bombardment by small space rocks. Most of these objects are fairly tiny, pebble-sized or smaller, but in 2005 NASA set up a specific program to identify how often they occur. The lunar impact team has since identified more than 300 explosions, most of them faint and usually happening at the same time as a meteor shower on Earth. Researchers want to know how often they can expect such impacts, which could come in handy when planning moonwalks during future astronaut trips to our satellite. The March 17 impact created a blast that was bright enough to be seen from Earth with the naked eye. It may have generated a crater roughly 20 meters wide, which could be imaged by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter next time it passes over the area, allowing researchers to see a very fresh impact on the moon."

We have an investigator in the ward who is about to graduate in theology from Marshall. He'll be baptized Saturday. I was speaking with Hunter and telling him that investigators such as him revitalize the ward. The whole ward rallies around him and his excitement in finding the gospel. We need to do more to experience that sweetness more.

While reading the conference talks, which you will soon enjoy, I came across this from President Packer. "I have come to know that faith is a real power, not just an expression of belief. There are few things more powerful than the faithful prayers of a righteous mother." Know that this mother is praying for you.

Love, Mom and Dad