7/23/23

CAN'T WAIT to talk to you tomorrow!!!! And hear all about what Colombia is like!! It's late, but here are highlights of our week: ANNE GOT HER PERMIT!!! And she's been driving every chance she can! AND She is in the top pool for tennis tryouts (which looks like a great chance for making JV/Varsity); Tryouts are next week! I attended my first (zoom) Braver Angels meeting--a national organization trying to improve political dialogue--made up of members from both sides of the issues--love it so much. Had a quick visit w/ Maddie and Brian's family on their way up to Teton/Yellowstone park with the Stephen's family. (Matt just came home from Africa a few months early because of too many rounds of malaria, and Hayley just got engaged!, so they'll have a grand time all together!) Mildenhall Cousin Reunion at Camp Lomia Friday-Saturday was a BLAST! We got up there in Logan Canyon Friday afternoon with all of these cousins of mine I haven't seen in YEARS, and we shared fun memories of our Mildenhall grandparents, had a children's talent show, cousin Jake told the true story of the giant bear Old Ephraim as he sat right in front of the bear's portrait on our cabin wall, there were glow sticks and sling shot propellors and drones and games, and SO MUCH FOOD!! We had the lodge to sleep in, or a giant field, and the biggest group stayed right under the stars--it was just a piece of magic, and has made my soul happy all weekend. Seth said in his prayers that night, "Bless that we can stay here 8 nights because it is so fun." It was SO fun getting reacquainted EVEN THOUGH I left my duffel of clothes for me and Seth at home, AND my pillow, AND I left my keys in Dad's car without realizing until he had left Sat morning. AND there was no phone service, AND I was supposed to help manage a funeral luncheon that afternoon for Joan Argyle's friend. I felt horrible getting there later than I had planned, but there was still plenty of time, and it all worked out (though I'm sure Joan was stressed, as well as poor Jake trying to chase Brian down). It all worked out, but I really died when looking for the Little Caesar's coupon in my purse that night, I found a SPARE KEY to the van I could've used all along--no idea I even had it! Oh brother! Dylan spoke for his mission today--the sweetest thing as Livvie got choked up singing with him,--they love each other so much. Then Dave Parker spoke, getting emotional (which I've never seen!) talking about his Dad and the influence he had been in his life. I had talked in Ward Council about what strength there is in counseling together--that we come up with better ideas and revelation as we work together, and how much we really all need each other--not just our own good ideas. (a lot of what Braver Angels stands by too, that better solutions come from more voices). I got to hug Julie Harris--Brooklyn is getting married this week, and Brent, Breely, and Lily were read in as members of our ward, and my heart just kept expanding with HOW GOOD GOD IS to give us each other. Our connections to each other are everything, and make life SO RICH. The ties to cousins and children and parents, to pioneer relatives, to friends and neighbors--there is so much goodness, even though relationships were also the cause of most of my stress this week: letting Joan down (again!), family frustrations, fighting sisters, etc., etc.--the goodness MORE than outweighs all of it. I love that God works so much to GATHER and UNITE us "to have our hearts knit together in unity and in love" (Mosiah 18:21), and I see SO MUCH joy experiencing pieces of that. We had lots of leftover pulled pork from the reunion, so we had Gunderson's and Harris's for a DELIGHTFUL dinner tonight--just so much fun--especially since they have Zack in Colombia too! Love and pray for you so much! Love, Mom pictures of us cousins, all the cousin kids doing a rabbit tail hunt (Seth won a prize!), Seth playing with my Grandma's old blocks, the bear story, the mattress colony, and Anne's permit