Dear David!

So Miranda came home from her mission a couple weeks early to have some surgery, but I have this great excuse to still write our family history down, since her novio is still on his mission in Paris, France for the next year.  So until May 9, 2019, I'll still write a missionary letter for our blog posts.  =)

Dear David, 

Hey, I bet you didn't realize that I planned on continuing our family letter until next April, did you??  Surprise!

But this week's is a little lame because everyone was sick, so they didn't really go to any of their practices, games, etc. and we didn't go do anything because we were a little in limbo mode waiting to hear if Miranda was coming home.  So!  Here goes:

Carlie doesn't like this piece because it was an art trade on an account that turned out to be a joke, but she still drew it, and it still goes here:

Our friends, the Gee's, are the ones who sold everything and are living on the road around the world, and make a living now in travel journalism.  They post all the time about all the crazy places they are, but this one deserved special attention. They're living on this BOAT now:

We're going to pause right here and appreciate the ferociousness of our little Xena.  I took this calm, cute picture of them one morning.

Sterling hopped up and started playing with her.

But she's so crazy, and always pushes it too far for him.  Case in point:

Let me just zoom in so you can appreciate this cat, the Warrior Princess:

So with Morgan, Halle, Kierste & Connor sick, we limped along this week.  First, we heard that Miranda is coming home for surgery, so we went into preparation mode:  giant sign ordered for the neighborhood, Chloe groomed, her bedroom cleaned out, etc.  But thing after thing, I couldn't believe how many little things went wrong this week.  Hahahahaha!  Here we go. 

I counted money at the end of the Book Fair at school because a bank signer had to be there to tally everything, but on the 3rd day of it, I got a message that Chloe had been picked up by the police, and by the time I called them, they had taken her to the shelter in Lindon 20 min away.  Here are her mug shots from the police FB page:

The last thing we needed was for Chloe to be adopted out 5 days before Miranda came home from her mission!  So I left an inexperienced lady (saint) with all her kids at the bank with the PTA money, and ran down, paid my $75 impound money, got the 3rd degree from them, and now I have a ticket from the police to pay, too.

5 other things went wrong during the week, so by the time the twins were gathering all their stuff to sell for their 5th grade store on Friday, it did not even phase me that Halle broke her toe.  It was kind of just par for the course, so I left her at home, ran my errands, and checked on her later.  It was a weird week, because after a while, I just expected the things to happen.

Friday, Carlie got on the freeway to pick up her prom dress in Salt Lake, but there was an accident that was going to make it impossible for her to get it and be back in time for her "day date" that night, so it didn't surprise me when she called, and I knew it was my new task for the night.  I rearranged the kids, met my friend by the side of the road who took the kids home for me, and ran up to make it in time... 

As I worked on the laundry that evening, I counted the loads - 39.  Hahahahaa!!  I started realizing how early I had to drive Derek to Provo in the morning for his tennis tournament, and the bishop called to tell me that we were cleaning the church building in the morning at 7.  I just smiled.

For her "day date," Carlie went to an improv comedy club:

I was a little numb when Carlie got home at 11 that night, tried on her dress, and IT DIDN'T FIT.  The lady had taken it in too much.  Of course, why not?  I called Carol, and she said she could save us... Thank heavens!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But by Saturday, I can't think of things that went wrong - we must have gotten it out of our system.  =)  Derek had his tournament, and did really well:

Connor was still sick and missed his game, Morgan had a bye week, and Halle's toe was still hurt, so Kierste played her game:

Then this beauty was picked up by her handsome date, Andrew.  =)

They were having pictures taken somewhere else by someone else, so we just snapped these really fast while they blew away in the wind:

At dinner at the Garden Restaurant at the top of the Joseph Smith Memorial Bldg. in Salt Lake:

And the reflection above them:

The restaurant looks over the temple:

Bam.  Successful night, even without smooches.  Dang it.  

And the memes.  This is us this week:

And some more serious:

Love you!  Good thing we still have a missionary letter to read every week.  Keep up the amazing work you're doing!!  Love, us

I nuuuu it…

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{For 18 months – Jan ’17 to Jul ’18 – I’m posting our letter to Miranda while she's on her mission to Cochabamba, Bolivia.  Our letter titles are taken from a list of family sayings & catchphrases we recorded onto a pillowcase she has with her.  You can read her adventures on her mission blog: www.hermanamadsen.blogspot.com!}

Ok on Monday, we had our Volunteer Appreciation brunch for all the parents who came in during the year and volunteered at the school.  The kids sang them this amazingly adorable Thank you song, and then the teachers (& I) held up noodles to make a rainbow tunnel for them to run through, to go to the brunch.  It was really touching. =)

That night we played Apples to Apples with our FHE, and then played a rummy game where dad decided he needed a hairband to cut off the circulation to the top of his head, and Morgan needed to wear my sunglasses...

We had a giant storm that night and woke up to THIS!!!!!:

This week, Barbara Bush, wife of the first Pres. George Bush, died.  She was a really, really good woman.  Here are some of my favorite quotes that came across my feed:

This awesomeness came about:

And during Mutual, since Dad's back was hurting so bad, he stayed home and sat in the hot tub with the little ones while I ran errands (so no pic), then sat in the hot tub with the Mutual kids later that night.  My girly troubles & I stayed out this time:

Thursday another awesomeness appeared for the week:

And later, I took these to sillies to the store with me. When I came to drive them, this is what I got:

Friday, Derek went to his tennis match.  I love it that he can't stop smiling. It's one of the best things ever.

Friday, we went out for Daddy & Cory's bdays:

And Saturday, ON DAD's BIRTHDAY, I ran to Aspen's bridal shower.  There's Adrianne & Paris next to her.  It was so great to get to know her more through their little games, and I WISH we had gotten together with them more over the years... just like Barbara Bush was saying.  =)  Aspen is getting married in the Manti temple.  She said she's always loved it, even though she's never been inside.  =)

I ran back home to take Connor to his soccer game, 

Swung him by the house for his tennis racket, dropped him, Walker, and James Galloway off at their tennis lesson, went straight to Morgan's soccer game,

Dad took Derek to get his phone switched over to Carlie's 6, because she bought herself an EIGHT.  It's so awesome.  On the way, Dad flagged down Lightning McQueen (this is right on the corner by the VanKomen's house!!!) to get a picture.  This guy must get this all the time.  But we had to send this to Alex & Natalie to show Jack.  !!!!

Then I picked up Connor from his tennis lesson, where he was playing in between games, pretending to have a machine gun.

As soon as we all got home, we opened presents with Dad.  He got a new bath robe - it's as opulent as he was hoping a new bath robe would be:

He got a BYU hammock, some electronic stuff for the house, and Grandpa Levie is going to order a cool handgun that he's wanted.  =)

What I love, is that Dad's co-workers sent him this video of them singing Happy Birthday to him, even though he had the weekend off.  I love that he's the kind of Dr. that they trust & love. Some are dictators, and don't care if the people who work with them like them or not.  Your daddy is such a good man.

After Daddy's presents, we ran to H&K's soccer game.  K:

And it's hard to see H here.  She always made good plays on the other side of the field where I couldn't see her very well, but she had just made this really great kick into the fray:

IT WAS ZEUS' BIRTHDAY TOO!!!  He's FIVE.  Poor dude - for his birthday, he got a bath.  Thank you, Morgan.  But Zeus did not think we loved him... the constant bacon treats helped a little, though.

That night, we went to Alex & Natalie's for adult game night.  At first the boys watched the Jazz game while we talked, 

Then we went to see Whitney & Steven's house... 7 out of the 10 are going to be living within a block of each other in these new houses, and be in the same ward.  They are going to have a very funny ward!!!  I am so funny.  I took pics of Whit & Steven's house in the dark, but I'm afraid they don't do it the justice it deserves.  IT'S SO WEIRD.  And totally them, and they are going to LOVE it.

Here's Grandma's drawing of "crying your eyes out" .... oh my gosh the eyes are out.

Yesterday, we celebrated Dad's bday at Grandma's.  His nice talk was so great, and everyone gave him really thoughtful gifts that he loved.  G & G got him this propane fire pit... YES!!!!  It's so cool.  =)

What a great 45 year old man.  I love him so much you can't even imagine.  My nice talk was about his willingness to do what it takes to be worthy to be in Heaven.  This man is constantly trying to become better & better, as we all should be doing.  He's a great example of hearing some course correction, and applying it as fast as possible to his life.  That's what it takes, and that's all that matters here on earth.  And I'm so lucky to have him as my eternal companion.

Let's get some memes on here!!!  It was Earth day yesterday:

This is for G&G Levie.  They've been eating a vegetable-based diet, which is AMAZING.  We should all get as healthy as that!

And because Solo comes out in a month:

Ok, a little more serious:

You're the best!!!  We are praying for you, and we know that you're going to come through this new trial like refined silver.  That doesn't mean it won't be hard... Sometimes it's still just really hard to go through it.  We just have every confidence in you. Not that you'll never break down and have weakness - that's part of being human.  That you're made to handle hard things.  You're a rock.  And a rockstar.  Love you so much I can't stand it!!!!!  Mom