Friday, April 3, 2009

April egins

Family and Friends,
David phoned April Fool's day to say it was snowing. It wasn't a joke, unless you this the weather this year has been laughable. I learned late the day before that the last day of March was the deadlline for removing studded snow tires. Not wanting a $124 ticket - surely with all the noise they make you couldn't avoid getting one - I was sort of happy to sit in the tire waiting room till 8:15 PM to make the switch.
Ruth's 30th birthday was March 30th and she celebrated for a full week. The Thursday before Debbie drove up with her daughters and over the weekend Adam and Nathan came out too. Of course the family from right in Pahrump joined in and they had a party all weekend long. Ruth's young women then gave a party for her on April Fool's day. So ended the best birthday of her life.
While Debbie was in Pahrump Jay send her the largest floral arrangement she had every seen and she generously shared that with Ruth too. Well it gladdened everyone's hearts.
The woman, who invited my family to investigate The Church fifty years ago, called me last week. She moved to Missouri several years ago. Through the last couple of years she lost track of contact information for her other friends in Bremerton. She was inspired to try my phone number. Since it hasn’t changed in the last fifteen years, it worked. It was great to talk to Mary Louise Peck Fulton again and I was able to help her.
Mary recently made a short distance move to within .3 mile of her daughter and son-in law’s Brian and Kristin O’Loughlin. It was an inspired move because shortly afterwards her six-year-old grand-daughter, Mary Grace, was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. The child first complained of leg pain but within four weeks she had lost bowel and bladder control.
It is a brain cancer but fortunately it formed not in her brain but in her spine. Consequently the doctors give her a 90% chance of recovery. She is several hours away from home at the St. Jude’s Cancer Research Center in Memphis, Tennessee. It was founded by Danny Thomas St. Jude is the only pediatric cancer research center where families never pay for treatment not covered by insurance. Kristin naturally needed to go with her. Her ten-year-old sister insisted on going too. Their mom is “home-schooling” them there. Living so close now, Mary is able to help the dad and the eight and thirteen-year-old sons, who need to remain at home. Mary said the bright side is that many neighbors and acquaintances have been touched by the peace that radiates from the family in spite of the calamity. I think you call that passive missionary work.
Speaking of missionary work, Nathan is hosting three students from Sir Lanka. They are attending a week long International Client Counseling Competition being held at Nathan’s college. Chithral, Shamir, and Charuka are of diverse religious backgrounds – Muslim, Buddhist, and Catholic. They see pictures of Jesus on the walls of Nathan’s apartment. Nathan takes them through the institute building after driving them to campus. They are impressed by the fact that food items available in the institute building are sold at cost and a simple box is beside the food for payment. Nathan says they are “blown away” by it’s being on the honor system. Nathan has ordered copies of the Book of Mormon in their language and hopes they arrive in time for him to present them before they leave Tuesday.
We are excited that Adam is flying into Bellingham tonight. Michael will pick him up and they will watch the first session of General Conference Saturday morning with Jenna and Anna Kate. Then Mike and Adam will drive down here to attend the Priesthood session with Daddy B.J. and David. Michael will return to Bellingham Sunday but Adam doesn’t return till Friday to catch his flight home. What fun we can have around here!.
Daddy B.J. flew with President Anderson to Kansas early Wednesday morning. They attended a training for Aviva along with Will in Topeka. Daddy B.J. returned late last night but President Anderson stayed at their layover point in Salt Lake City where he will attend General Conference. He will ride home with his parents.
While he was away I worked at his office so Brenda Holmes wouldn’t be alone there. I made a small dent in a huge project making curtains for Will and Mindie’s Vena house.
I will be heading over to the temple tonight since it is our ward’s temple day. Daddy B.J. was going too till he saw that an appointment had been scheduled with a client, who has been upset that it has been taking so long. I told Ruth I would put Tim’s name on the prayer roll as the graders still might be checking over his Nevada Bar Exam. He has the job he wanted as a prosecuting attorney IF he passes the Bar. He will.

1 comment:

Ruthie said...

You stay right on top of this blog. I'm impressed. If only I was so good with mine.