Journaling

We learned this week that Henry passed away. He was one of the reasons why we started writing a weekly email. He was L4’s next door neighbor growing up. L4 decided to write Henry a letter in late May of 2006. We talked about sharing a letter with my Aunt Lois also. We then decided that we might as well share with our family and friends about our happenings since we lived so far from home. I looked back today to one of  our first letters. It was when we announced that I was pregnant with Underfoot and how hopeful we were. Looking back we were still  gardening, keeping busy with fixing this or that, and being involved in church, community, and work. Our lives haven’t changed very much. We continue with the same goals. Hopefully we are better now because of experiences that life has brought to us. We enjoy the letter as it has provided a
pseudo-journal for us.

Over this past week, we have had the Scout fixed so there are no oil leaks or transmission leaks, participated in Joy School, went to a children’s book group where we read “Go, Dog Go!” and then had a dog party with hats, and continued in our cleaning of the house and being a family.

A few fun stories: We were telling bed time stories to the boys about when L4 and I served missions in Spain and Panama respectively. Underfoot waited patiently for his turn. He said that when he serves his mission in Pocatello he will get to be with his K and J. He has talked a lot about wanting to be a missionary lately. He thinks that his mission will be the next time we go to Idaho.

K2 has started to identify the different parts of the body and loves to sing “Head, Shoulders, Knees, & Toes.” He giggles his way through it. He also is quite resourceful in getting into the refrigerator with Underfoot’s help. He likes to help me make supper and point to everything that is hot. Sometimes he will blow on the hot item for added measure.

On Saturday we went to an estate sale in our neighborhood. We found a few metal files, a sewing machine table with an old sewing machine, a vintage dress (which I wore to church), and an old blue Ball bottle.

It was interesting to go and see what this couple had valued and collected over a lifetime. It was interesting to go through their home and see the private part of their lives. I started to think about the things I have and what value they are to me. I wondered if what I value will valued by others and if it would be treated with the same care.

On Saturday L4 spent the day fixing the irrigation system. Last week when he tried to fix it, it leaked like a colander. This Saturday morning he identified the problem as a defective valve. (It leaked out the top, through the screws!) He returned the faulty valve (a quick 40 minute drive each way...) and put the new part in its place. In doing so he discovered that the valve assembly he purchased last week had a pinhole crack in the casting. He returned a second time to the irrigation supply store! It worked and is fixed! Only 3 trips to town to get it to work- one last weekend and two this weekend. The best part is he didn’t get angry.