With All My Love

August 9th - 

Dear Elder Schenewark,

This was a wonderful week to put in the record books - due to the wedding of Hunter and Julie. Dad and the kids left Thursday morning, getting there Friday afternoon to watch Porter play in a doubles volleyball tournament. I flew out after a half day at work Saturday, arriving in time to shop for some food, go to the open house in SLC, visit Ben and Rich and families at Ben's house, go to the store for refrigerated items, drop off food at Tanner's house, pick up kids, and go to the hotel. It was a busy night.

The open house was lovely. Simple decorations, simple food, lovely people that didn't want to make the drive down to Payson. Think Sis. Parrish times thirty or so. Cute elderly folks that loved Julie and her family, that had watched her grow up, taught her in some capacity, served with her father. It was a ward reunion of sorts.

Sunday Jarrod and I attended church in Tanner's ward. At first I thought we were in the wrong ward, as Tanner and gang were in the foyer when they first arrived. We checked out of the hotel and after making a few sandwiches, drove up to Rexburg, Idaho. I had arranged for a large house rental through AirBnB. It was a beautiful piece of property on a private lake. There were plenty of beds, a pool table Miller loved, kayaks, paddle boards, ping pong, a hot tub, lots of games, food and fun. 

Monday we drove to Jackson Hole, WY, about 90 minutes away, and at a ski resort went down the alpine slide. We were the last customers of the day as there was a lightening threat. We found a yummy pizza place in town before we drove back. Sarah Whitcomb doesn't live too far away so she spent a lot of time with us while we were there. Julie also had her sister Rachel come, The Bachs met us there, after their quick trip to Montana. They've moved to California, and have a lot of boxes to unpack. 

Tuesday everyone else drove up to Yellowstone National Park, but Miller and I stayed behind to play the frisbee golf course. We also enjoyed the Best Corn Dogs in the World food truck, sitting by the lake, playing a frisbee golf course in Idaho Falls with Riley, Sarah's husband, and then going to a yummy hamburger joint. For dessert we also found a new business that sells homemade fried pies, so I bought about 16 and brought them home to share, with those that arrived back from traveling about 9 p.m.

August 16th - 

And obviously that letter did not get finished. I think I was too tired.  Recuperating from wedding festivities 'fer sure! It's a lot of work to create a wedding. I had nothing to do with the open house mentioned above, but when we returned Wednesday we began preparing food for the wedding luncheon and wedding reception. We did not have to do anything for the family dinner Friday evening - just drive north and partake. Breyer, your brothers and the Bachs were a tremendous help making boutonnieres, shredding pork, cutting peppers, building photo stands, building parking signs out of pallets. Julie did a tremendous job planning everything she needed, how to obtain mostly by borrowing, or buying on the down cheap. But it all was amazing. We are still waiting for the photographs from family members, so be patient, but you're in them all. We missed you. Your being there would have made the day complete.

The sealing, obviously the reason we gathered, was wonderful. President Hinckley's son, Richard, affectionately called Uncle Dick, was the sealer. He was also present for the family dinner Friday evening. His daughter and son-in-law had lived in Boston, and Grampy had called him as Bishop of an inner city ward (Soullier). He knew of your grandfather, got on his phone with his son-in-law, and texted back and forth for a minute. He read this to me off his phone, "He officially went by 'Hutch' and did call me as a Bishop. He is the best missionary I've ever known in the Church, including Clay Christensen. Ken Hutchins is the GOAT missionary. I love him dearly!"  Such a tender mercy to hear this thought about my father from a Hinckley. When I asked him if he would send me the text, he did. So now I have Dick Hinckley's number in my cell phone.

At the sealing he mentioned this connection to our family, and then recounted a moment when President Hinckley, at his last sealing at 97 years of age stood, and said, "I have now sealed each of my five children, and 23 of my grandchildren, and this, in my opinion, is the finest thing I have done." Consider sitting in a sealing, and feeling the significance of those words coming from a prophet and all his accomplishments while serving for 13 years.

I flew in Sunday evening, the rest of the family arrived Wednesday afternoon. Sawyer jumped back into the leather working business, Miller started chucking his frisbees, Breyer groomed the dog, Dad prepared school work. Life back to normal. 

Your brother's honeymoon to Ireland didn't work out due to covid complications regarding multiple tests and associated costs. They left San Francisco after three days, hunkered down in SLC for a few, and are now on their way to Portland since neither of them had been in the northwest.

Sawyer had a girl friend come to church today. She asked to come. She said sometimes her parents go to Stonewater, but mostly they don't. Between Dad sitting on the stand as Bishop, me on the organ during singing, Sawyer and Miller preparing the sacrament, we were concerned she'd be sitting in the stands all alone. But it worked out just fine, and she thoroughly enjoyed the meeting - the music was more appealing than the rock songs she usually has, and she enjoyed listening to the speaker, versus a professional speaker. She said she'd be back.

That's a wrap up, in addition to the other letters you're receiving, hopefully all the holes have been filled in. Know of our love for you. 

Love,

Mom