With All My Love

Dear Elder Schenewark,

Another win with last week's letter. I had tears running down my cheeks, laughing with delight at your bed take down description in the letter. You've a gift for capturing the human side of your adventures. Loved your thought at friends, as well. Very sweet.

Your cousin Kaleb was hit by a car this week, and has a cracked knee cap. Aunt Becky received a call from Alaska, letting her know that Kaleb had been directing an elder in the standard backing-up-a-car procedure they use. The elder thought he had put the car in drive, and when he stepped on the gas, it plowed backwards into Kaleb, pinning him against a wall. She got to speak with him, and all's right. He'll be home in twenty days, his normal departure date.And of course your father wants you to remember two things: Don't stand directly behind a car, and if you are, don't have a wall behind you.  His sister Kayla's airplane reservations arrived this week.

Aunt Joy and Uncle Ben celebrating an anniversary the western way!

Today was the annual Primary sacrament meeting program. Our Primary really is quite large. Huge. The music director was fabulous, and had unusual features I've yet to seen until today. Those cute little 3 and 4 year old children took very seriously the hand-behind-her-ear gesture for them to sing more loudly. Dad stayed on the stand, and had a vivacious girl almost grimacing in pain she was trying to sing so loudly. Breyer led off her CTR Six class at the pulpit, and was able to read her part perfectly, standing tall , loud and proud. She looked like Snow White with her white skin and beautiful dark  hair. Miller led his class as well, and was a bit quicker, but clear. And they both sang. Your father closed the program with a few remarks. He wears the mantle well.

Hunter called today. His adventures always make me laugh. He sent me a video of him in dance class. I don't know what kind of dance he was doing, so I'll just call it the slide and twirl technique. He looks great. We laughed at the instructor's critique. "Perhaps your elbows need to be a bit higher." "Don't rush the music." Truly,Hunter is good, but even as his mother know he can't make that CD go any faster. He loves his organ shoes / dance shoes he found on Amazon, which enable him to truly slide and twirl. Smoothly. He won a contest at work last week, and used his winnings to purchase a BBQ mini grill to use at his apartment. He had trouble lighting the briquettes but had invited a boy from humble circumstances, who was able to help him. It was inspired as his friend hasn't been able to afford to purchase meat.

Your sister made three goals yesterday in her game. No vomiting

Miller wasn't as lucky, but he played hard. Sawyer had an away game that Dad saw in Stephenville. He scored the only touchdown, and had great catches. He also ran in a cross country meet, and came in second for the school. Friday he invited a few friends over to play ball, and play games. I was gone, but Dad anted up and went to the store to grab some boy snacks: Caramel corn, ice cream, beer nuts, soda, pizza...total guy food. They had a ball.

Cooper had a bye in tennis this week. He played the piano in priesthood today. It's all Hunter's doing. He played while he was home in August. He heard Cooper practicing, and passed the torch. Through me. Through Dad. Through Gammons. Cooper needed to be asked by the right person. He played beautifully. Hopefully you're able to tinkle the ivory keys while you're there, and play during church as well.

Tanner and AnneMarie and the baby are all doing well. They're gearing me up in case they can't travel in December. I told them my grandchild would be cooperating. Tanner asked me to redo my top ten reasons why I should get a cell phone list. I don't know if I can come up with ten reasons, as my week was less adventurous, but there are a few new reasons:

4. When Hunter needs a reminder to buy lighter fluid, I would have been there for him.

3. When Breyer is throwing up at the soccer field, she might enjoy talking to her mother.

2. When my son gets backed into by a car driven by his companion, I might want to be able to be reached by the mission president

1. When my daughter in law goes into labor, I might want a phone call.

I'm supposedly on my last week of working nights this week. Next week I should be on day shift, Tuesday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. Drawbacks? Not being help with morning routine and drop offs. It's a lot of driving for Dad. Having to ride the bus. Not being home when they get off the bus. Besides the schedule of being up all night, the main drawback of working nights was not being around for Saturday morning activities for Breyer and Miller. We'll see. Either schedule has me off for Christmas, when you'll be calling. That's all that's important.

First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve have approved the creation of a new stake, the Blackstone Valley Massachusetts Stake, from wards and branches currently in the Boston Massachusetts, Hingham Massachusetts and Springfield Massachusetts stakes. Your grandparents are thrilled to be in the new stake, as their early Foxborough branch is now in this new stake.

Natural disaster headlines this week come from California. The fires are among a series of blazes burning across Northern California that have scorched more than 220,000 acres since they began Oct. 8.th.

As many as 10,000 firefighters from throughout California and surrounding states have battled the fires around the clock. Almost 6,000 buildings destroyed, and 36 people killed. This is one of the largest wildfires ever to have devastated Northern California.

Savannah Irish leaves Wednesday for the MTC, before heading out to Boise, ID on her mission. She has thoroughly enjoyed reading your letters.

Well,that's the news. Now for the love. Can you feel it? Me and you, son. Still remembering your hugs. Love you dearly. Take care.

Love,

Mom