2/24/19 - Family Letter to Emma

🙂 Hi Emma!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I entered woman hood , I cried for no reason yesterday !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Any way nothing new,Was new with you?

I got Kalia's phone number and we have been texting back and forth!!!!!!!!!! 

 MY VOICE IS CHANGING !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

VOICE LESSONS ARE PAYING OFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

love you  miss you

 Mari

M,

It was great to talk with you last week.  Please don't feel like you have to call every week.  After hearing what you went through to make the call it is a big chunk of your P-day.  Please don't feel like you need to call every member of the family either.  I would encourage you to still make your P-day as effective as possible.  You will find a balance over time.  We have set up Skype on our phones.  I will try to work from home each Monday to be available for your call.   Depending on when you call I might be available.  Eve said she sent up a Group Messenger for the family.  You can let us know when you might be calling so we can be available. 

I don;t have much to report this week.  I'm starting to make videos of our past family vacations with the play lists that have been created.  They might be completed by the time you make it back.  I struggle to complete this with the software I currently have.  It has been fun to review our past adventures.    Things are starting to warm up and it feels like Spring. It's a good thing we bought the snowblower, huh?  We might get another snow fall this year but after it gets 50 degrees that will be unlikely.

We were able to support Lauren Orsmby with her Special Olympics basketball tournament.  They had a tournament at the University of Utah.  They had teams based on regions.  Lauren was affiliated with Bingham High School.  We watched her first two games.  She did well.  They had some "helpers" on the teams to pass to the kids with disabilities.  Lauren stood far away from the basketball and celebrated when a basket was made.  In between the games I gave her a little coaching on where to stand and what to do.  In her next game she made a basket.  She was very excited and thought she was a real baller.  Last night your Mom and I went to see American In Paris at Hale Center.  I did not remember much about this show.  I just remember I struggled with it.  Once it started I remembered why.  There was a lot of dancing.  This was nice as it had me thinking of you but the dancing kept going and going.  They were very skilled dancers and did a great job.  They all struggled with the singing.  More singing would have helped as they were using dancing in place of singing for the story line.  It was still a good time with your Mom but a different experience. 

We just got back from a Schmidt family party and Grandma Charlene's.  The best part of the party was the ride to and from with Grandma Shea.  We had another earthquake over the weekend.  It was loud but didn't move much.  Your Mom was trying to explain the earthquake to Grandma Shea and Grandma's response was "at least its good for the grass".  When we dropped her off she was reminiscing about when they moved into her home saying they were moved in by horse and buggy.  Tiffany reminded her that she moved in 1976,  Her response, " Yep, by horse and buggy." 

Love you kid.  We are excited to hear about your new adventure.  Keep focusing and doing your part.  The Lord will do the rest.

Love

Dad

D&C 121:39-42

Wasa!

I finally got to paint my sword for the play.

It's gold and black! My life is kind of boring otherwise.

Life is life, and so it goes on.

Love you

Hyrum

Sweet Emma,

It was so fun to talk to you (even if it was like we were playing Charades😉).  Like Dad said, it's okay if you don't have time to call each week.  Of coarse we would LOVE to hear from you...but whatever works best for you!  It's been fun to hear about people's experiences talking to their missionaries.  Sam Bolschweiler's mom said it was too hard and that she doesn't want to talk to Sam more than once every few months.  That surprised me!  I thought talking to Sam would help her.  Too bad!  Delle couldn't talk to McKay because he is in a poor area without internet.  I don't think Levers could talk to Kade either.  We are very blessed that you are in an area with internet.  Talking to you about your mission was so cool for us.  We have been praying for Nedge (sorry I forgot how to spell her name) all week.  I hope she is still progressing.

Something funny this week.  I have Fridays scheduled for violin make-up lessons.  One of my littlest students, Quincy "Q", came for her make-up lesson. 

Me:  Q, please get your violin out

Q:  Why do I need a makeup lesson?

Me:  Because you missed your lesson on Wednesday

Q:  (looking sad) but I thought we were going to do Make Up, not violin!

We had another earthquake yesterday morning (3.1) around 2:30 am.  This one was really loud with not as much shaking as the other ones.  It wasn't as scary because I felt more prepared.  We got our 72 hour kits updated and some basics re-stocked (like T.P.)  This earthquake's epicenter was also in Bluffdale.  Weird stuff!

I'm sorry there's not much to report this week.  I've been busy each night with Stake stuff (Ward Conferences, New Beginnings, R.S. Glorious Rehearsal-I sent you our song).  Dad is so patient and supportive.  I know I will have the chance to support him when it's his turn. 

I'm so proud of you!  You are doing a great work.  Thank you for writing such good letters.  We really feel like we are there with you.  So many people LOVE reading your letters. 

Have a wonderful week and enjoy!

💜Mom

p.s.  Matt Langford told us that he got the job at Fidelity!  He seems very excited and thankful!  We'd really like to meet him (if it's not too weird for you).  I thought it would be fun to talk with him about Brazil, especially in preparation for us traveling there to pick you up.  Let me know what you think.😊