With All Our Love

I can't remember if I asked you last week or not, but Uncle Roger would love for you to join him at summer camp. It's a week and a half after we've arrived in New England...up to you. Dad, Cooper, Sawyer and Porter are going. Hunter might be swayed if you go, but he also wants more time with Grampy. Let me know. He wants you to teach the trail to first class with him, which Sawyer will be attending.

Also, we are committed to getting money into your bank account this week ;-)

Dear Tanner,

It was wonderful to read your letter last week, and feel of your sweet spirit to build up the kingdom. Your mission has climbed the ladder, so to speak, and I know you're a major driving force. Your presidents have been outstanding, as well as the quality of missionaries that have surrounded you during your two years in Brazil. How fun to begin to finish, and know you're finishing so strongly.

This week was crazy in the sense that there is no more school! No more schedule, no more lunch making in the morning, or requiring matching shorts and shirts; no more breakfast time (they just eat all day ;-)...so today at 11 p.m. I realize it's a Tuesday, and I need to be typing!

Miller enjoyed his last regular season baseball game. He had one player on his team hurt his hand, so it was more difficult than usual to get the win! They were down one until the bottom of the sixth (last) inning, and they were able to tie the score 3-3. Four more innings of play, and it's still tied, the bottom of the tenth, two outs, and your brother comes up to bat. I yell from the outfield, "Miller, I want to go home! Hit me a good one!" He gets two strikes on him, and then smacks the ball into the outfield over second base, and the runner on second scores. Game over. Miller didn't know he could stop running, and as he was rounding first his coach picked him up and hugged him. They remained undefeated 16-0, and he got an other game ball. He posted, "I expected nothing less than a shoot out tonight in the season finale. The game went 10 exhaustive innings and in the end, Eastham Black prevails 4-3 with Miller Schenewark providing the walk off hit scoring." He has been invited to the all star team, and I have listened for days now to him asking when his practice is, and when somebody is going to call. He's in serious withdrawals. Sawyer got the call tonight. He's very excited as well.

Now that Hunter's out of school, he is helping to feed the missionaries weekly as well. Dad takes one pair, and he'll take the other. His favorite place in the west end is now Hardees. His favorite hamburger now is their 1/2 pound western - bacon, BBQ, cheese, onion ring, freshly made bun... . You'll have to join both of them in their lunch excursions ;-)

This Saturday was the regional oratorical contest. Porter thought he should relinquish his first place position, decline going, and let Hunter go in his place as second place winner. Since Hunter is going to school and on a mission Porter thought Hunter should get the money, as well as him having been there last year had a better chance this year. It was a very magnanimous thing for your brother to do, although Hunter offered to pay him $20 for letting him try, and $500 if he won. And he did. He received $2500 for his speech, and $500 for the district senior scholarship he had applied to and had already been invited to receive. Don't feel badly. We'll help you when you get home. He's developed quite the list of jobs, and you'll be his wingman upon your return.

This week Sawyer and Miller are going to the little basketball camp run by Speed. It's from 3-6 p.m., and they come home tired! Love it! Today Sawyer had another check-up MRI. We'll go to the doctor appointment Monday to see if anything has changed. He also had dye contrast, which means i.v., but he did great. It's SOOOO loud in there and for so long (45 minutes!) we both leave feeling a little shakey and headachey ;-)

This weekend was also seminary graduation. Both Hunter and myself were asked to speak. Hunter did a good job. He said that one of the things he learned in seminary was that girls liked Elder Holland quotes, so of course he used one at the end of his talk! I began mine with a David Letterman top ten list. I called Grampy for some help, and he contributed funny ones, right then and there!

Top Ten Reasons You Love Going to Seminary

10. After finishing all the indexing requirements, you could minor in a foreign language!

9. Free breakfast Friday!

8. You get an extra hour to put on make-up ;-)

7. Because you have a great excuse to end those really bad dates!

6. Friends think you're training to be an Olympian...Your other friends think you're training to be a monk.

5. You get to see what everybody REALLY looks like!

4. You have the most spiritual naps ever!

3. You can finally say the whole name of the brother of Jared.

2. You don't have to wait until you're 16 to group date!

1. Understanding that sharing on your wall is a whole lot easier than it was for Samuel!

I also spoke of things I learned again this year:

• You learn Heavenly Father truly loves you (Ether 2:25)
• You learn how truly unique and special you are as a member of the Church in these latter-days (Jacob 5:70)
• You learn what your purpose truly can be (Moses 1:6)
• You learn about the type of person you can become (Alma 48:17)

 We can talk more when you come home ;-) We love you! We're busy over here. The boys are helping me pack, take apart things, and fix other things. It would be great to finish before you come home so we won't have THAT hanging over our heads. Have a wonderful week - be safe! Your letters arrived this week - April/May - thank you so much! Sawyer had been asking over and over again when it was going to arrive.

Love,

Mom and Dad