Dear Scott, 13 February 2011

Dear Scott,

It was such a great treat to hear your voice this afternoon.  I wish we could have said more.  It is hard to know what to say in such a short amount of time.  It felt like we were on the phone for just 2 minutes.  I have not done much today but it sure has been busy.  I feel like this is actually the first moment I am sitting down and I realize how tired I am.  There is presidency meetings, making dinner, making valentines for visiting teachees,  cleaning up dinner, doing some laundry, straightening up the house, looking for doll, running around after Rubie refereeing between the children, etc. I have actually downloaded some preschool games on the ipad that they love doing and that is keeping them busy at the moment.

This week was much the same as last week.  I did get sick as I reported to you on the phone.  It was really weird.  I don't know how I was able to fall asleep for 3 hours in an afternoon but somehow I did.  When I woke up the kids were laying next to me on the couch asleep.  I felt enough better that we went to the planning meeting for a new book club.  Carly Pendleton has headed it up.  The members are Chelsea Marshal, Kes Rocha, Catherine Bartlett, Alana Hutchings, and Diana Rosenthal.  I'm really excited to be part of the book club but also a little worried about being able to get the books read at least for the few months while you are gone.

I took the kids snowshoeing again on Friday.  This time Carlee Tulett came and brought her boys.  The kids went even further this time.  Although after awhile no one wanted their snow shoes on anymore.  They were too cumbersome and they didn't sink in the snow anyways.  It was a beautiful day and we all came home with pink cheeks from the sunshine.

I really love reading your letters.  It is interesting what your BCT experience has caused you to reflect upon.  I love reading about your experiences.  I am grateful that you are choosing to have a good attitude concerning your Drill Sergeants and other soldiers.  You are a leader and an example to those around you.  Thank you for being a great example to me and to our children.  I'm afraid the past few days with being sick and extra tired I have had a lack of patience.  I am repenting and trying to do better.  The kids, well, Rubie seems to be lacking in attention.  She does everything I ask her not to do.  She makes a mess of everything and wants to be in everything.  For a little girl that doesn't like to cuddle much she is always saying, "I want to hold you up high."  Meaning she wants me to pick her up and hold her.  I try to take a few minutes to hold her but there are always so many other things that seem to be urgent.  Right now she is sitting on my lap while I type this.  She at first wanted to push the buttons herself.  But whenever she does she totally messes up the computer and it takes forever to get it working again.  So after stressing that she cannot touch the computer she is trying to mimic my typing on the desk.  She wants so bad to be old enough to be able to do so many of the things that I do.  Why do little girls seem to just want to grow up so quickly?  You should see her today in a red dress with white polka dots, red tights with white polka dots and little heart hair clips.  She is the cutest little Valentine ever.

Eric has been so good for me.  He is getting easier to reason with.  He wants to do what is right.  Friday night he slept in his bed in his room.  Ariana Taylor came over to babysit while I went to the temple.  When I got home of course Rubie was in bed, but she also had Eric asleep in his bed.  She must be magic.  I was certain that he would come get in bed with me sometime during the night, but he never did.  It was the best night sleep.  I sleep all night without waking up to being kicked, snoring in my ear, or someone cuddling up to me.  It was great.  Saturday I tried to get him to go in his bed again, but he said he just wanted to sleep in his bed just once.  But it at least gives me hope that one of these days he will go back to his bed.

I hope you have a nice Valentine Day.  I'm going to be making plans to come and see you for graduation.  I'm pretty excited about that.  But having someone to watch the kids will be a little tricky since it is during the week.

I love you!  We pray for you several times throughout the day.  I feel like saying "Be all you can be!"  But you probably hear that a lot, or see it places.

Anyway....Be great!


Love you,


Jennifer