9/13/2020

 Dear Family, 

Just a little update now that our whirlwind summer has wrapped up!!

in a nutshell:

Brent home from Taiwan>>Brent and Breely reunite>>Char called to RS presdicency>>Brent and Breely engaged>>many hikes with Grandma after not getting to see her through March & April >>Emily graduates>>camping trip to Willow Flats>>Briant & Katie visit over 4th>>Bree & kids hike>>Brent & Breely beautiful wedding>>Spencer & Emily work at Arctic Circle & Subway (respectively)>>Anne starts Comp Soccer TeamEmily visits GA>>Granddarling Thomas James is born!>>Seth turnsEmily moves to Provo>>School starts at public school, BYU, and USU on same day!

That verse from 3 Nephi 13 (and NT) has been my mantra: "Take no thought for the morrow for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself, Sufficient is the day"

This pandemic living of not knowing what tomorrow will hold or look like has been great faith exercise for me.  I normally would rather plan out my next 20 years at a time, but I could barely go a week this year because of all the unknowns.  We may have had a full house for a few days (or months), and the order we thought the next year or two would go in may have gotten a bit shuffled, but it has been GOOD! I have been amazed at how much I have been able to enjoy wonderful days even when I was not sure how they would work out until the minute before, and it has been stretching and refreshing.  (I have had meltdown lonely and crying days too, but mostly a lot to be grateful for).  It is good for a personality like mine to be reminded that God is at the forefront of things, and I can let go and trust His care.  I still want to see the whole picture and a decade or two ahead, but at least I have had practice at trust.

Our county moved to Green risk this week--(minimal Covid risk), which doesn't change our lives significantly: still wearing masks in public and at school, and still wondering what the next several months will look like.  

Everyone started school with a bang! Brent & Breely as married folk (Brent found out many professors in his dept are Chinese! and Breely is loving Economics in her marketing degree), Maddie & Brian as new parents, Emily as a new freshman, Anne taking core classes with an online school, and Spencer, Lucy, and Jane loving the chance to be back with their friends after so long! As a major celebration, we got free tickets to Mary Poppins @ Hale Theater the first day after school! So amazing!

School has been only half-day here for 2 weeks as everyone adjusts (my daily goal is to shower before they come home for lunch!).  I've been CRAVING Yellowstone, so Emily came up & we left Thursday night of Labor Day weekend for Idaho, and drove 2 days up to the park from G&G Duncan's.  We got a good hike in to Fairy Falls, saw huge buffalo and elk up close, and spent an unearthly amount of hours in our party bus (van), but it was nice to get a change of scenery, nice to be with family (even had cousins join us one day), and nice to enjoy coming home.  

Spencer stayed home to work--he's currently being trained as a supervisor (and wondering how to balance job, school, and grumpy mom who has to pick him up late some nights).  Anne's enjoying her new soccer team as a key defender.  Lucy and Anne just started the community orchestra, and Jane is working hard at being a better reader (most of the time).  Spencer also had his first school dance for Homecoming this weekend--one of the few schools holding a dance!--they had to buy tickets to specific quandrants of the dance floor (football field) and stay contained-haha.  Seth has learned sign language for "More" and "Milk" and thinks that's all he will ever need to know! He LOVES to be outside, picking raspberries or tomatoes, and is cruising around like a pro.  Anne went in to the dermatologist to have some warts all over her hands looked at, and ended up getting her skin biopsied to make sure her eczema is not also psoriasis! Since it's a deductible year, we're also looking at trying some bologic injections to see if they help her skin at all.  Brian's also following up with all of his medical visits to see how his Crohn's/liver growth (and more!)are all doing.  I'm just trying to keep my lower back from getting sore, while living for visits from our grownup kids & pictures of GrandThomas!

Lots of good--I think I may even have time to read a book again soon! Lots of love to all of you that your todays and morrows will be wonderful,and praying for you daily! 

Love, Mom (Charlotte)