With All Our Love

Dear Tanner,

How was your week? We are hoping you'll tell us all about it today. Since you've been district leader, your letters have been shortened accordingly. First week, one paragraph. Last week? Three paragraphs. That's just a guess. And we are teasing. A bit. Do you have extra computer work with this assignment? Don't forget to peek at our questions! I try to remember to put in lines so you can find them easier. Sometimes I forget. Here's a test. How many missionaries are in your district? _______ Do I dare ask about your 2.5 months overdue package? _______

Dad was able to squeeze in a few thoughts, so I'll let him go first.


We will be having Rec Fest at Marshall and I have a table for the Sport Management Program. Your mom thought of the missionaries having a table, as last year there were nine churches represented, so I brought it up in Bishopric meeting. The Bishop agreed that it was a good idea and will use funds to have a table/booth at Rec Fest for the missionaries. It is the one event that your brothers look forward to at Marshall. Individual contributions can seem insignificant when viewed in isolation, but aggregated over a lifetime of faithful service and combined with those others seeking similar pursuits, it is clear that we are building patterns and standards for others to follow. "Be not weary in well doing for ye are laying the foundation of a great work" (Doctrine and Covenants 64:33).

We received at Christmas time the following book from your grandparents: For All the Saints by Kristen Smith Dayley. It is about the building up of the church in New England, especially in the Boston area. I really like the book and have read completely through it once, and sections multiple times. Obviously it has sections about your grandfather being called as Stake President, helping with the building of the temple, and its dedication, and other such moments. I like the following quote in the book from your grandfather. "The gospel's true ... The issue should be what you do with it. It's got to change your life. It's got to drive who you are and what you do and how you treat people. When you become converted like that, then the joy flows into your life."

As to missionary work, you would be happy to know that Porter has given away a number of pass along cards to cross country members. He also had his Eagle Board of Review. He passed and apparently did very well. The board would not allow me to observe, so I sat out in the car. I have observed in the past, because I was serving as scoutmaster and even though I continue to help very much, I am not the official scoutmaster. In the past, I know the members of the Eagle Scout Review Board in this area have given the scout a hard time about the church, with little jabs here and there. When Porter came out to get me, I asked him what questions were asked. He said the board asked him mainly about the church. They wanted to know if all LDS boys had to do scouting, if non-members were allowed to participate in church and some of the doctrines of the Church. Apparently Porter did very well. Not only did they approve his advancement, three of the four talked about how much they learned about the church and its association with scouting. You would be proud of your brother. He wants to wait until you get home before he has his eagle court of honor. This is his idea.

Other things of note? It was a joy, as you may imagine to be in New England. The weather was good, especially one day at Lake Winnipesaukee. I took your brothers and cousins down to the lake's beach. The breeze was perfect, as well as the temperature and humidity. I laid upon a bench, shaded by pine trees (I really do like pine trees), only a few feet from the water, and looked into the blue sky. It was heavenly. I also did a smidgen of research while in the area about the first intercollegiate athletic event. The lady at the historical museum did not know what I was talking about and I assured her that my sources said the event took place. She went off to make some phone calls and follow up on my information. She said I could look around and I found a booklet to commemorate the hundredth anniversary. My goal is to find a grant that would fund doing research next summer.

I love you. Dad

Well, I'm back. Lauren came home this week. This was my favorite picture of her, as she was serving in the capitol of cheese, Wisconsin!

Elder Cummings said, "This week I ate some new things. For breakfast I made a sausage, egg and chicken heart sandwich (chicken hearts are super yummy)! I also got to eat cow heart at a barbeque this past week and it was surprisingly good, although I like the chicken hearts better! Wow. I don't know if I could be as adventuresome. Have you enjoyed such fare? We also learned from the Cummings that you are listed on our ward's electronic website as a missionary. Was this picture when you submitted your mission papers, or was it taken at the mission home? _____

Keep Elder Bennett in your prayers. He's suffering with a lot of physical issues right now: mainly knee and sinus, and being sent to work in the office. He got that last one worked out, though, and will be able to stay in the field.

Porter had his Eagle Scout board of review this Wednesday. You can see from the pictures he looked sharp! He's the first boy to wear a BOLO instead of a scarf. The board all said how impressed they were with him. When they saw he was affiliated with a LDS troop, there were a few questions about the church. Hip, hip, hooray! He's done! Three down, three to go ;-) Speaking of eagle scout projects, your cousin Kaleb was going tonight to get his project approved. He wants to uncover, map, and record history regarding the original foundations of homes built in his town. I think. Something along those lines.

Your father is sitting at the table with me reading out loud from a newspaper Larry brought over. He's making me laugh out loud! In the news from Huntington? They announced they're having sewer problems because of all the wipes clogging their lines. Products listed as flushable really aren't, and the clogs burn up their expensive pumps. Their new catchy slogan? Keep WIPES out of PIPES! You could start a trend in Brazil ;-)

I was on Facebook the other night, signing out to sign into your account, when I noticed the birthday notification for "Grandma" Susan. Do you remember her at the end of our Hutto street? Who passed away two years ago? Who takes care of that stuff! Make sure my accounts go when I do!

We're getting back into our weekly routine of feeding the six missionaries in the ward. Last night we had a pair, and we had a pair for dinner today. One missionary's name is Elder Proctor. His parents were so excited when he was sent to serve in the Proctorville area. He'll have to see if he's distantly related to the town's founder. Another missionary's name is Elder Grow. Of course I had to ask him if he was related to Elder C. Scott Grow of the Quorum of Seventy, the man I saw set Uncle Rich apart as stake president of the Providence Rhode Island stake. He said he was, that they were distant cousins.

Hunter began his indexing again in earnest, as seminary begins next week, and he wants to earn the stake president's award which requires 150 names a month. Today he got to transcribe names from the 1842 Marine roster from the USS Constitution, the world's oldest commissioned war ship. Your father was quite excited, as he is Mr. History-is-my-middle-name and Brown-Signs-are-my-game Schenewark. Do you remember this picture?

This week we spent a lot of time getting physicals, meeting shot requirements, seeing the orthodontist, and fine tuning the eye wear. All of those things are definitely your brothers' favorite things to do. Not! Hunter and Cooper walked around all week complaining of their sore arms from their tetanus shots. Hunter moaned and groaned over any food chewier or harder than applesauce. Sawyer was sporting multiple cuts and bruises around his eyes where his nose pieces fell off his glasses. One of THOSE weeks ;-) Breyer had her own appointment at the doctor office, actually her third week in a row, except this time they finally diagnosed her with a very bad ear infection. She was put on a z-pack, and will be on the mend soon. If she's not feeling well, we all suffer!

This week we also spent a lot of time cleaning the supply closet in your old bathroom, to see what we had for school supplies, finding out what supplies are required, and shopping for what is on their lists. Then come Saturday and Sunday we were given THREE boxes of supplies! I must not be in touch with the spirit! I should have known that was going to happen, and save my money! Just joking. We're very grateful for those who think of us, and will have plenty to use throughout the year and into the next. Miller begins kindergarten, and we've begun in earnest his preparations. Such as, setting the timer for the lunch time, and not letting him get out of his seat until the buzzer goes off. He has a hard time sitting still, especially to eat! He likes to eat bites while on the run. We've also gone over the rules of the playground. All the boys will be going to the schools tomorrow (four) to meet their teacher and see their classroom, all in an effort to help them feel more prepared for Wednesday. I've also spent some time trying to update the house, and will send you photos when I'm finished. This week was the game room. Last week the upstairs bathroom.

This week Hunter has had three official high school golf practices and two golf tournaments. He was selected to play in both, which made him very happy. His second meet he came in second for his team, but I don't know if their team placed overall. He was then chosen to play in their third meet, early tomorrow morning. So sometime on Monday, while you're typing at your keyboard, know that your younger brother is on the greens in Ironton. Say a little prayer for him. He practices very hard, tries very hard, but is easily intimidated. When he gets all his golfing "drives" firing at peak performance, he'll be a force to be reckoned with on the greens.

Cooper and Porter go off to cross country practice together every day. It warms this mother heart of mine to see Cooper go. He sure loved those cross country dinners, courtesy of your time on the team, and if those five years of good memories are what keeps him going, that's good for him and me. It will be fun to see him at his first meet this weekend. The track coach showed up at practice one day, and asked the cross country coach to put him with somebody he could keep up with as he is not a runner, and hasn't been running. Cooper was selected. '-) I heard this story from Larry. So when I asked Cooper about it, and asked him what the coach said, he said, "You need to run faster!" Hah!

Sometime at the beginning of this week Dad found out he couldn't coach until the school board officially approved him as a coach. So he couldn't go to practices for a few days. The board meeting was Wednesday, and the principal said he couldn't approve Dad because he wasn't submitted on the original list of coaches. What? Then, he gave the head coach a new name to consider as a replacement, which definitely was NOT on the original list. Politics. Sigh. Long story short, the head coach got him cleared, Dad got his ten hours of online training finished, paid his $160 for that privilege, and will be back on the field tomorrow as a paying volunteer. We went to a lunch yesterday after the inner squad scrimmage hosted by the Quarterback Club, a newly formed fundraising entity for all things football here in Proctorville. We didn't eat, but worked the crowds, mingled with the men, panache'd with the players, and exited in style.

I loved this quote I found for you, but haven't found out whose it is: "None of us come to this earth to gain our worth; we brought it with us." If everyone had this eternal perspective the world would be a different place. We love you. We're so proud of your efforts and desires. Until next week, lots of love!

Mom