Mother's Day

May 9, 2016

Dear Sister Kristina,

That was so fun getting to talk with you yesterday, You looked beautiful, sounded great and have a fun companion. Of course, talking with you made my day, me week and I’m hoping to hold onto that until November. :)

Dad is outside planting some plants in the garden, it’s that time of year. Looks like we probably won’t sell the house this year, too emotionally jarring and too much work, so dad will just keeping working hard. My goal is to help him so he won’t have to do as many night shifts any more. I think we’ll try to stay here until Nikki graduates. Not sure what we’ll do then, but we’ll just wing it.

I told both Sean and Alex that we might be making a little trip out to see them in November sometime after you get home cuz I don’t think they’ll be able to take time off to get out here. They said the sooner we come, the warmer it will be so we’ll try to keep that in mind.

Here’s a picture of my breakfast from the girls and dad:

It was yummy. I laughed because they used a bunch of different cereals and crushed them to be the granola on the fruit.

This is a framed picture of the Chicago flag that Sean and Blair gave me. People in Chicago really like their flag and you can see it flying everywhere.

Sean also sent me this and invited me to come over and enjoy some with them. I told him that was cruel, but I’m glad they were celebrating in my honor even without me. haha

So Nikki just told me last night that the Camerons aren’t moving to California after all. I really really hope that’s true. She said Rachael and Sis. Leifson both told her, so I think it is. That means that Christmas Eve is back on!!!

Here’s what Nikki painted for me for Mother’s Day:

She wrote me a nice note in a card too talking about how she wants to work harder at being nicer to me. It was very sweet. Leah gave me two things of nail polish and said she would do my toes for me. I’m going to hold her to it. It’s now sandal weather.

I hardly have any pictures of the girls and me any more, so we took one yesterday right before church. I used to think I had big hair until I stand next to Nikki now. Leah’s thinking of getting a perm so her hair can be curlier now. After she and Bianca straightened it, it has never been the same and only a little wavy.

Dad and I took one too. It was such beautiful weather yesterday and so nice to be outside. We have been eating dinner out on the porch almost every night and I just love it.

Here’s a cute pic that Kirk sent me last week when Addie had a little friend over for a movie night. Sarah loves having this friend over because she is so sweet and well behaved-a good role model for Addie. I just love the picture!!

Alex told me last night that he felt so blessed to be born into the best family ever. I told him I knew we had chosen each other far before this earth life. He said probably so cuz he always picks great teams. :)

I’m so happy with my little team, so blessed. I knew each of you had such great potential as I looked in your eyes and heart as a child, but it’s even more fun watching each of you find the potential within yourself. Most importantly you’ve learned that you can trust Heavenly Father and He trusts you. Watching you become, Kristina, is pure joy. There will always be growing pains in the process, but the beauty of your spirit shines right through your whole body, especially your eyes and it’s something you can share with others. I love the tenderness of your heart. That’s the sign of a strong, noble woman because you’ll know how to nurture and love caring truly for the other person. I have always loved this quote and I think of you now as the type of woman needed in this world:

"The world has enough women who are tough; we need women who are tender. There are enough women who are coarse; we need women who are kind. There are enough women who are rude; we need women who are refined. We have enough women of fame and fortune; we need more women of faith. We have enough greed; we need more goodness. We have enough vanity; we need more virtue. We have enough popularity; we need more purity.”

Margaret D. Nadauld-talk entitled The Joy of Womanhood 

YW Gen. Pres. 2000

I hope you have a great week, that it is full, that it is joyful, that you meet new people and that you get to bear your testimony often.

Love you very much,

Mom xxoo