My Letters to Sister Kristina: Finally Home!!

Aug. 2, 2015

Dear Sister Kristina,

We got home from Salt Lake just a few hours ago. Leah and I have been gone for two weeks and it seemed so long. I'm still kind of out of it trying to remember what I'm supposed to be doing. Debbie drove Nikki down on Friday so she could go to the shower yesterday. Blair's cousin hosted the shower and it was fun. I gave her a present in your behalf, it was a cute short robe made like a sweatshirt. I'll send you a picture so you can she what you gave her. haha

I got to see dad for a few hours before he had to take off for a night shift in Emmett. I missed him and sure like my vacations better when he's with me. Nikki went to girl's camp this last week. I'm going to tell her to write you because she has so many stories and had such a fun time. She said it was awesome!!

Leah and I babysat Addie while Sarah went to her girls' camp. Sarah said her camp was so much fun. Sarah loves to camp so she was right in her element and I can see why she got called as camp director. She can't wait til next year. Addie is so fun to be around and it's so fun to see her trying to walk now. She doesn't look like a baby any more when she's walking, she's definitely a toddler now. So sad, but fun at the same time.

Leah's leg seems to be getting better each day. She's actually putting a little weight on it now and doesn't complain about it. She only uses Tylenol or Motrin as pain medicine which is excellent. But it won't be fully healed for another five months. Ughh. It's really hard work helping her with everything, clothing, bathing, walking, getting her wheelchair in and out of the car, etc. I was so tired some days, but I'm sure it was an excellent work out for me. :)

We've moved the girls to the big room downstairs. Both of them will sleep in there. We still have a lot of work to do to get it ready for them, but at least their beds are there. We painted Alex's bed white so it will match Leah's bed. Dad took all the weapons off the wall and we'll probably paint the one wall a different, fun color. I told the girls they are now responsible for getting themselves up in the morning, etc because I can't just yell like I used to. All the counselors tell me I need to let them be more responsible for things they should be doing on their own. If they don't get up and out the door on time for school, they will just be walking and Leah really doesn't want to have to walk all the way to school with her crutches. We'll see how it goes.

Dad has been working super hard these past few months and I'm so excited for him to have a real vacation. Sean and Blair are in full wedding swing now and moving mode. They're looking for places to live in Chicago. I'm not going to lie, it will be really odd not having them in Utah. I'm excited for them, but sad at the same time. On all these trips to Utah, I haven't been to Provo once. You're not there and the boys work in Draper, so there's no need to go down there. Very strange in a way.

My Uncle Marv passed away last week. Remember him? The bass player. His funeral was yesterday and I couldn't go to it because I was going through the temple with Blair(she loved the temple by the way), so instead I went to their house on Friday night with Leah and visited my cousins and Aunt Jerrie. It was a lot of fun talking with my cousins. I hadn't seen some of them in years! Steve and Carolina showed up there too so we got to visit with them too. They're busy moving into their new old house down the street and getting things ready for Dakota's wedding.

Everyone asked about you and said to tell you hello.

I'm anxious to hear about your week in your new area. I want to hear more stories about the people you meet with during the week, their trials, their families, your trials and what you do with your companion, how you work together, people you're praying for, etc. If there's ever anyone you'd like us to pray for too, let us know.

This will be a busy week for us getting back into real life. We have dentist appointments, laser appointments (haha), RS luncheons, Taekwondo, room re-arranging, mutual, shopping, paying bills and all the usual. But it's so good to be back in my own room in my own bed! No more hotel living, although it was really nice having a handicap room, because they're so big and roomy. Roxy and Eddy are happy to have us back too.

We went to the Samoan ward again today. I'm beginning to feel right at home there and I love singing the songs in Samoan. Nikki got to go with us today and she loved it too. Dad told me that Ammon (Beyond 5) got his mission call to Apia Samoa! How fun is that!

Well, that's about it for last week. It's a bit hard for me to think so I might be leaving something wonderful out, but if I think of it, I'll email you during the week. Have you started using Facebook yet? Let us know what you do there too.

Thank you for being such a sweet, wonderful, loving daughter. Words can't possibly explain how much that means to me and what a blessing that is in my life. Have a great week.

Love you so much,

Mom xxoo