Angela – Page 181 – Letters from Home

Daniel, you made it!

Dear Daniel,

You are officially finished with another year of school. It’s been a big year for you with many milestones and academic excellence.

You are a trusted and beloved friend. You even stay in touch with friends and relatives in Texas.

You take your priesthood responsibilities seriously and I love having discussions with you about the scriptures.

You’re a great ball player. You learned great sportsmanship and showed honor on the field, despite some disappointment.

We don’t have many photos of you because you’re often one step ahead of the rest of us! You have an adventurous spirit.

You outgrew our homeschool group, but you were a good sport and came to support me when I taught art class. You’re a great artist.

Grandpa John would be proud of you in golf.

Someday I hope to hear your piano composition performed by a bell choir. It would be perfect played on bells.

You did it! You earned a place on one of the front pianos in your concert.

You’re a great Boy Scout. Remember how you rescued that woman’s glasses in this pool beneath the waterfall?

You worked on family history and helped find some names for temple work.

It was good to see you in the temple this year.

You were a great assistant when I taught science class.

I think your best subject this year was math. You read around 50 books, did research papers about George Washington and James Madison, and continued to volunteer at the community pond. You achieved the rank of First Class in Scouting, and your Lego engineering still amazes us. I know you’re growing up and you don’t want a lot of attention, but I hope you know that we are so proud of you. XOXOXOXOXOX -Mom

Congratulations to our Third grader!

Dear Timothy,

Wow, you are finished with third grade! You are so smart and so funny.

You are understanding, kind, and respectful of others.

You nearly dodged this picture, but it reminds me how good you are at math and how you don't like a lot of attention.

I love your art work, especially the Star Wars battle scenes.

I hope you continue to study animals. I like them, too.

You turned nine and got to have a pocket knife this year. That's impressive.

This was the day that you gave the pledge at the Community Breakfast. You were brave to do it!

You and Dad made a really nice Pinewood Derby Car.

You won the People's Choice award for your car!

It was good to see you begin golf lessons. You were so friendly to everybody in your class.

You performed on the piano for 2500 people at Centennial Hall.

I'm proud of you for taking charge of your Cub Scout rank advancement. You'll be a Bear in no time.

You're a member of one of the best baseball teams in town!

You read the entire Harry Potter series, you memorized 10 pieces for Piano Guild auditions and you are amazing.

Congratulations! You’re ready for 4th grade. I love you. XOXOXOXOX -Mom

A letter to my Kindergarten boy

Dear Mark,

I am so proud of you. You have had a great Kindergarten year! Sometimes people can’t remember Kindergarten very well. Here are some things that I remember about this special year in your life.

Here's how you look when you're happy in the woods.

You came with us on all of our hikes and you were filled with wonder.

I like how you always help out when we make things in the kitchen.

Remember how we helped you learn your math facts? You learned them so well!

You had good times outside with the dog.

You painted a lot of sunsets. You are good at that!

You worked hard to learn how to write your letters well.

You learned a scary lesson when you got lost: "Stay with the pack!"

You saw the Hoover Dam from the bridge that shook with each passing car.

We didn't think you cared, but months later when we were talking about Geronimo, you said, "I saw his rifle!"

You did a good job in art class. Here is the day you made a mosaic with tiles.

Here is your mosaic. It's a sunset, of course!

T-ball was an important milestone for you.

You have a nifty red helmet and bat and you played really well!

Some mornings you did school in your pajamas, and that's kind of fun, isn't it?

You worked hard each Saturday to earn some time on the Wii.

You made a goal to read the Boxcar Children and you did it!

You have been such a smart, dedicated, and happy student. I love you!

I know you are looking forward to adding history and spelling to your subjects next year. You will be a great first grader! I love you, I love you, XOXOXOX -Mom

Little Green Army Men

I discovered these pictures of army men on the camera, taken for one of Daniel’s film projects.

They speak to me.

They are reminders that boyhood is alive here.

I like to think that someday when we move away, another little boy will discover some of our lost army men in the dirt and call them treasures.

Because these guys are treasure to us.

Dinner Theater

Rose, our Laurel president wrote a play for the youth to perform. She directed it, prepared the set, and put up tables and chairs for the dinner theater last night. It was Laurel awesomeness.

Lady Emerald, the maid, Professor Topaz (Paige), Mr. Onyx, Aunt Pearl, Mrs and Mr Ruby were the suspects in the whodunnit thriller, Who Stole the Cookie from the Cookie Jar.

Sherlock Holmes and Watson were on hand to solve the crime.

The lights went out…thunder rumbled… and someone stole the jewel cookie!

Sherlock accuses Auntie Pearl!

Oh, the drama.

Our new Beehive shouts, “Let’s hear it for Rose!”

The kids had a lot of fun. Daniel did the lights. Paige was a great bespectacled Professor Topaz. Everyone was a star.

Record

I’ve been looking through old photographs to find a picture of my friend’s son who passed away last Friday. I found him. There he was at a Primary activity in Austin back in 1997. The children were dressed in pajamas and I was telling the children “bedtime” stories. And there he was, a member of my Primary choir at the ward Christmas party, dressed as a shepherd. I will send these to his mother who is a dear friend.

I love photos. They help to reinforce the memories of dear friends and family. When I go to a party, you can find me in the corner looking through the family’s photo albums and scrapbooks. When people come to visit, I pull out the photos and hope to find a funny one from our past for them to take home. And when someone is having a hard time I try to find a photo that will cheer them.

I hope my small offering helps my friend. It’s a record that her son’s life lives in my memory, too.

Busy

It’s the end of the school year. We’re so busy.

Mother

4 generations: Can you recognize me? I'm the bald one.

I’m thankful for the mothers in my life. My mother, who gave me just about everything and my grandmothers who carried faith, traditions, etiquette, and propriety through the generations. I’m glad to have elements of a Victorian woman in my own skill set because it’s kept me out of some trouble.

I’m thankful for the women who have mothered me, even though I was not their own. Some had children of their own to love; others did not. My experience has taught me that they, too are mothers.

I’m not a big fan of Mother’s Day for my own benefit. I don’t want a lot of fuss made about the “sacrifices” of motherhood. Frankly, I’m living the life I always wanted. I don’t need a cake to compensate for my time! I love to being a mother. I always have.

I will be accepting extra hugs and kisses from my children all day today. Happy Mother’s Day!

Sorry, Sue

Sorry, Sue. I fell asleep on the job and didn’t post something for you yesterday. I hope you’re feeling better. We received your fun-filled letter yesterday.

Date night

The Young Men in the ward treated their moms to a Mother’s Day dinner this week. The boys prepared an invitation and were drilled in etiquette in the weeks leading up to the event. We had a lovely meal outdoors overlooking the lake. I noticed that Daniel opened every door, pulled out my chair for me at the table, and prepared my plate before his own. I enjoyed my time with my good looking, dashing and intelligent young man.