What a week. We’re curious as to how you might have been affected as Brazil lost their World Cup game. And to lose because of an error by a Brazil player – darn!
What a week. We’re home from the vacation in New England, all together again, with the weather twelve degrees cooler upon our return. We brought the Texas weather with us for sure, as their temperature went up fifteen degrees upon our arrival.
Monday morning we drove to Cape Cod – Tanner had to rent a vehicle as your grandparents’ van was getting a cracked windshield repaired. What a lovely day. The beach was very empty, the sun bright, the breeze cool, and the water refreshing. Nora is a mermaid. Breyer and AnneMarie created their own tails out of sand. Sawyer, Miller and Tanner threw a baseball. Hunter swung a club, hitting his balls into the Atlantic ocean. Dad’s catching of a king size horseshoe crab, alive, was the highlight. Cooper found mini crabs, spending most of his time snorkeling. The restrictions on having his appendix removed were lifted just in time for our vacation. Me? I just sat back and soaked it all in. I love my family and love spending time with them.
We also stopped at the Cape Cod potato chip factory for their tour – got a little mini bag of chips for our efforts – and had a snack for the longish drive back home.
Monday evening we had Uncle Ben’s family over to the Bach’s for dinner, and a modified FHE. We played a get-to-know-the-far-away-cousins game, and enjoyed Sis. Bach’s famous Hogwart’s butter beer.
Tuesday afternoon we had a little mini reunion. All of my siblings were there except for Uncle Zach. Grampy checked himself out of the hospital just in time for the barbeque. The pool was the main attraction even though there were other games spread out on the lawn. Uncle Aaron took a few on his boat. You snooze, you lose. We’ll have to catch him on our next visit out.
The fourth of July was probably my favorite day of our vacation. We had access to an empty house off an outlet of Lake Winipesaukee. Former Bishop Varney came with his boat and took us on fast and bumpy rides, pulled us behind on a big yellow pillow, pulled out a kayak and paddle board – so much fun! We had a lovely picnic lunch, and shared apple pie I made for Hunter’s 23rd birthday. Hunter and I rode up with Becky the night before, so I had plenty of time to make potato salad, black bean and corn salsa, and pie.
Your grandparents have given us their old Toyota Sienna van. They’re the proud owners of a new navy Honda CRV. We spent Thursday morning packing the old van with treasures from your grandparents’ and Bach’s basements. One just moved and one will be moving, so we’re the lucky recipients. Your father and siblings were on the road back home by 10 a.m., and TanMarie, Nora and I went to the cliffside mansions in Newport, RI. It was a beautiful summery day with a nice breeze. We sampled the local fare, with Nora inhaling my ice cream cone. We drove up to Aunt Shirley’s on the way home, and she had a chance to meet AnneMarie and Nora for the first time. They dropped me off at your grandparents’ home as I was leaving the next day. They’re in the area until Tuesday, AnneMarie’s 24th birthday.
Friday morning, o’dark o’clock, your grandmother and I worked in the garden for two hours. She asked me to weed in front of the fence, but being a type A personality, felt compelled to clear the whole 5x20 patch. It was not hard. The dirt is moist and dark - weeds slide right out with a little tug. Nothing like getting grounded when you’re in the garden. Your grandfather hopefully will be sliding into a more comfortable routine. His fevers might be caused by running out of a cancer medicine that has now been refilled. His bladder infections might be a side effect of a medicine that is being switched. If those are both handled, he’s left with his neuropathic feet and of immediate concern, pain in his thigh. That could be from a fall while he was moving, or related to the metasticized spots that might be on a nerve.
I had a bumpy ride all the way to Texas, flying through large thunderhead clouds. Lucky me. I picked up some groceries, leaving behind a large bag, unbeknownst to me, that your father had to pick up right after pulling in from a three day drive. Lucky him. I spent the whole day Saturday, all alone, doing those chores I never get to: Polishing kitchen cabinets, cleaning bathrooms, cleaning under Breyer’s bed, changing two beds, doing wash, mopping the kitchen floor – it was a very productive day. They arrived home by 2 p.m., I think, and we were able to unload both vehicles in a short amount of time. Much quicker than putting it in. If we can get the large Ford van to run, we’ll send Hunter to BYU in the Toyota. That’s his project this week, and he’s very motivated.
In Bishop Causse's talk, It's All About People, he said, "...[T]he key to understanding the Church is not to see it through the outward appearance of its buildings or even as a well-organized institution but through its millions of faithful members, who strive each day to follow the example of Jesus Christ...In other words, the Church is all about people. It is all about you, the Lord’s disciples—those who love and follow Him and who have taken His name upon them by covenant."
That's a quick summary. Hopefully I'll get some more pictures up before next week.
You are one of the Lord's "people." You are one who is perfectly striving to follow the Lord's example. It is all about you, one of the Lord's disciples. Be safe. Be healthy. Know of our love for you.
Mom
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