May 5--Dear Elder

Katrina ready for church

Dear Elder,

Hi!  Thanks for taking the time to talk to us on Monday and for the nice letter.  I deposited money in your account so now you have $250.  Let me know if that is enough.  My brother, Tom, says to buy a cheap camera from the fayuqueros.  I have no idea what fayuqueros are, but you probably do, right?  It doesn't mean drug lords or anything, does it, ha ha.  I know what you mean about that last step to keeping things tidy.  It's all about resisting the urge to procrastinate.  Procrastination is the thief of time.  It is also the thief of order.  If you learn not to procrastinate now (instead of procrastinating it, ha ha), it will help you in every aspect of your life now and in the future.  Sorry about preaching, but I've been thinking a lot about it in my own life lately.

Thanks for sharing the experience you had with the family you visited.  We love reading about those kinds of things.  I'm so glad that you were guided by the Holy Ghost to know what message to share with that family to help them in their lives and to help them want to refer people to you so that you can teach others the gospel.  You are a wonderful example to me of living by the Spirit.

Hi, Matt.  Today is Friday, and I can't believe that the week has gotten away from me like this.  It has been a busy, but happy week.  Yesterday we went to Thomas's band concert and enjoyed hearing him play the trumpet.  He's not taking band next year, so who knows when we'll hear him play again.  Also yesterday I talked to my sister Julie on the phone because it was her birthday.  I found out that her husband, Kelly, left the firm and started his own bankrupcy law practice.  Pretty cool, huh?  Yesterday was also my first day subbing in the class I will teach for the rest of the year.  It went well, and I look forward to doing it again today.

Thom and his jazz band teacher

The rest of the week is a bit fuzzy, lets see...Tuesday or Wednesday Miriam took the test again and missed it by 2 points.  It costs more than $100 every time she takes it.  I thought it was $80, but no.  What a racket.  Wednesday Katrina went to a birthday party that night.  She gave her friend a sonic screwdriver for a present, ha ha.  She and her young women group also went to the temple still under construction.  They were able to learn more about the temple being built.  I went to the church with my sewing machine and, along with other moms, helped Thomas's Varsity scout group sew hammocks.  Thomas's hammock is red, and he enjoyed trying out decorative stitches in black thread as he sewed it up.  His was definitely the snazziest hammock there.  Dad stayed late working at the laundry.

Hi, Now it's Sunday.  Guess what?  Cassandra and Emerson may have a chance to move closer to us.  Isn't that great?  Dad promised Cassandra that if they do, we will babysit Lily for them every weekend so that they can go out on a date.  Sounds good to me!  Today is fast Sunday, as you know, so I am praying that the right thing will happen for them, whatever that is.

 Tuesday I bought some clothes.  Weird, huh?  I don't do that real often, or at least I didn't till this week.  I not only bought clothes on Tuesday, but on Friday and Saturday also.  It's because of the cruise.  I now have some nice pants, shirts, a dress and some shoes.  My fashion consultants were my sister Sarah on Tuesday via cell phone, and Dad on Fri and Sat.  Yes, Dad.  I tell him what kind of style I want, and he tells me what he thinks looks flattering on me.  He picked out the dress I bought all by himself.  Miriam says it's very pretty and flattering.  I'm wearing it to church today.


Miriam ready for church

I hope we spend lots of time together as a family today!  Already, Jon and I had fun chatting in the living room this morning.  He's so fun to talk to.  He didn't want me to take a picture of him to send you, so I took one of Thomas who just woke up.

Bleary Thomas

Now it's Sunday night.  We had gyoza for dinner and we visited outside with neighbors.  Thomas played "possible and impossible with the neighbor kids.  It's been a good evening with wonderful weather.