With All My Love

 Dear Elder Schenewark,

It's difficult not to type Cooper! I hope you will have a wonderful preparation day today. That was of concern to your whole family this week, as well as the other issues you shared. Chin up!

Yesterday our stake conference was cancelled as the leaders were sensitive to all those in the stake still dealing with issues related to having no power for multiple days, as well as water issues related to broken pipes. One of the counselors, as it was changed to a stake devotional, shared some pictures of his pipes that were broken in the arctic front. There will continue to be a lot of news in Texas regarding the privatized energy company that failed to provide the state adequate service. They say it's because the wind turbines (25%) froze, and the solar options were not viable. So their fossil fuel reserve wasn't enough to overcome those two obstacles. Ercot is now under investigation, and I've already seen an eleven million dollar suite against them as the mother's son froze to death in their mobile home. So so sad. The insurance companies will be overwhelmed as well due to all the claims regarding flood issues. Although, something I never knew until I moved here, and just happened to have a conversation, is that normal house insurance does not include flooding repairs. Natural disasters or broken pipes. Unless you add the optional insurance, you're not covered. And yes, I chose that option, especially living close to one ravine on one side of our house, as well as the low ground on the wall side. Thought it was one of my more prudent decisions.

Due to the arctic temperatures continuing from last week, and snow incoming early Wednesday morning, I drove to Dallas, and spent the night in a hotel. It was a fairly 1 mile commute to the court building where I work. And because I forgot to adjust my alarm, it went off at 4 a.m. instead of 5. So I clocked in early and helped remove all the trash that's collected in Communications as there have been no janitorial services all week. Because the ice is so extreme, and over a million lost their power, resulting in no heat, resulting in frozen pipes, resulting in bursting pipes, there are not too many people on the roads. So compared to last week's snowy day, this week has been quiet. I submitted a memo and a copy of the $400 plus bill to the superiors asking for reimbursement. I stated how there were no arrangements made for employees who are ordered to go to work. Dallas PD gets housed for free in hotels across the city. Parkland Hospital, of JFK fame, and a Dallas County entity, houses their employees in empty hospital rooms. Contractors who work for us were put up in hotels (DSO tow). We have cots we could sleep on, but there was no heat, space heaters are not allowed per their updated fire code, and there was no hot water.

And to finish off this chilly conversation, Hunter's visit unfortunately came to an end. He and Dad made a three hour drive and spent the night in my hotel room, and then Dad made a three hour drive dropping him off at the airport and returning to Granbury. The roads were much better, but only one out of six lanes was clear, and there were still ice spots. Another reason I had to stay in a hotel as I would not have been able to fill up my car with gas, as there were no gas deliveries being made.

I hope you have heard about the landing on Mars. What I did not know was that the  ex NASA engineer watched her project land on Mars while serving a LDS mission with her husband. How wonderful to have been involved in what truly is an historic moment in space history. I think Dad told you a Granbury High School graduate is one of the candidates to be chosen for the space ranger cadre.

I've had several instances this week during somewhat stressful work situations, where multiple deputies came on the radio all at once. If I can recognize a radio call number, usual policy is to advise, "multiple units," and call on one of them to go first. Sometimes there is no recognizable radio number. But more often than not, I recognize their voice. I am not in the same building with those I dispatch for. I've not met ninety percent of them, and would not know recognize them if we came face to face. But having their voice in my head usually in non stressful circumstances, I have come to know their voice, and am able to ascertain who is calling for help. Such a powerful moment for me to realize again that the Savior too has the ability to know who we are, and what we need, and knows us by name. Use your voice with the Savior, and become familiar with him, especially during non stressful moments.

One such moment involved the North Texas Auto Theft Task force, a group of six deputies who spend their entire day using satellite equipment to locate GPS signals on vehicles automakers have turned on the tracking signal. One day this week Penske called and advised their trailer had been stolen, a report had been filed with Dallas PD, and the tracker had been turned on, with the location being in our jurisdiction. I sent one auto theft deputy to the location and upon seeing multiple trailers behind a fenced residential property, called for back up. While he was waiting for cover, he saw two males striping the trailer. He asked for the nearest city police unit to also be sent, code, and proceeded to chase down the culprits. He was able to detain one, and the second fled. So K9 were used to track his trail.

One other thought I've had this week, is that love is a show, not a tell. Our actions speak much more loudly than the words ever will. Us reaching out to those we minister says more than us thinking of them when we pass them in the hall. Perhaps this week you can find things to do instead of things to say: to your companion, to those you're teaching, and to those who don't know who you represent.

Much love,

Mom