With All My Love

Dear Elder Schenewark,

Do you happen to have a come home day? I’m dreaming of it, whatever it is. I miss you. I’m grateful you’re where you’re supposed to be. I’m just playing the Mom card. Know of my love for you. Your Aunt Janel left a message, so sad that the package she mailed in May was returned as unclaimed. We’re so sad you aren’t able to receive our expressions of love through the mail.

Breyer had the yearly assignment of disguising a turkey, and unsurprisingly turned him into a mermaid, with seaweed disguising his feathers, and scales covering his body, including two appropriately placed shells. She's excited this week because in gymnastics she pulled off a back handspring on the trampoline. All by herself. Three times. That bumped her up to level three. She continues to charm. She spent yesterday morning with me at piano lessons, then at a Relief Society craft day, where she did all the free events for me under the watch eye of two friends. I left for Miller’s game and knew she’d be so much happier staying at the church. She loves your father. She reads book to him before bed time, always hugs and kisses him, and still reaches for his hand when walking. I saw this while watching them walk away from the baseball games.

Miller ended his long, wet baseball season playing two games Saturday morning in 45 degrees. He thinks it was a waste of money not because of the wet weather, but because his team was so unskilled. I disagree, and have mentioned why previously. But they did win a game on Tuesday, and entered the end of the season tournament Saturday, single elimination. They won the first game, against the same team, and lost the second. But Miller’s performance was outstanding. In one inning he struck out a batter; chased down a runner attempting to steal a base from second, tagging him out before he reached third; and because he had no hesitation, tagged out an attempt to steal home on a pitch that got by the catcher. That was one inning. In fact, now that I’m thinking, I believe he has made almost every out for his team. His last hit of the season was a hit to the fence itself, so close to going over. If he had hit the left field area it would have gone over the fence – which was his goal for this season. My bones were chilled for the rest of the day.

Miller was chosen as this month’s Shining Star from his class, and had no parent there to cheer him on. He had to drag his realtor sign proclaiming his award through his classes all day. And his school didn’t get the half day bonus. Dad was supposed to go but forgot that morning. Your siblings have gotten one every year since they’ve been at Oak Woods, including Sawyer. We’re so lucky.

Sawyer had a scrimmage Thursday night in a land far away. He got home after I had gotten to bed. He thought he was trying so hard he overheated, as he said he felt so hot. Then Friday morning he was freezing, admittedly the weather has gotten cold, but he actually had a fever. He came home mid-day due to a school funeral and crashed long enough to feel better and go to the high school football game. He’s crazy.

Cooper wants to have a Christmas party with kids in the Weatherford Stake, so I’m developing a list of to-do’s to make it happen. He worked on the fire pit this weekend, filling the bottom with the remaining fire bricks, and finishing the last wooden bench to go on top of the stone benches. He also cleaned up the site, getting rid of loose stones, string, stakes, buckets, etc. He has thoroughly enjoyed the stake dances, including the one last night, and was invited to a house to make use of the pool, hot tub, and foosball table. He does love his social engagements. He’s steadily working on his BYU application.

Your father is on week three of his healthy transformation. His third blood draw had amazing results – yet again down from the initial report that spurned him into activity. He’s so faithful in his diet, probably doesn’t get enough to eat, but is determined to draw the fat away from his liver and organs. He’s fitting into suits he’s never worn. He got a new desk from a co worker, and replaced the one I obtained teaching piano lessons. We’ll keep both. Breyer and I are excited to share one. I encouraged him to hang the old TV, which he did, and is used mostly for sporting events or western and military movies. We moved the smaller dining room table from the library, putting it over by the window next to the fireplace for games, etc. I love my home. I love my family. In all the world by nest is best.

If I were to tell you all that happened at work, which is so very interesting, you would shake your head, and know that our Prophet is a man of God called to lead and guide this church. The emphasis they've recently placed on the Sabbath Day is so obvious to me when I work that day and am besieged with calls. Let's say in a fifteen minute period I might have a disturbance between a father and son, an accident with multiple ejections, four other major accidents, an accident involving shots fired at the driver, a man having a seizure while on a bicycle, a mental subject pick up request and a female requesting an ambulance for her mother that turned into another disturbance. Fifty 911 calls involving multiple agencies as well. Makes for an incredibly busy few moments that are but an illustration from our little pocket of Dallas of how the world is in extreme chaos.

In The Blessing of Keeping the Sabbath Day Holy by H. Aldridge Gillespie he said, "The Lord commanded: “Go ye out from among the wicked. Save yourselves. Be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord.” A critical element in observing this commandment is to “remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.” The Latter-day Saints must lead out in sanctifying this appointed day each week. Quoting Elder Bruce R. McConkie, "To this very day, “the matter of Sabbath observance remains … as one of the great tests which divides the righteous from the worldly and wicked.""

May you find joy in your Sabbath Day observance, and set the kind of example that our far away brothers and sisters in Brazil need.

Love,

Mom