From Jordan: "Jesus Leaves on his mission"

Dear ...Family,

           This week has been so wonderful, and as well sad Elder Erickson went home today and will arrive tomorrow in Utah.  It is kind of weird because he said that in June sometime he is heading to Idaho with his friends to the Idaho Center to watch a concert 20 minutes away from my house.  Also this week Jesus left on his mission, it was hard for me because I have been in this sector for half a year yesterday, I have seen him grow spiritualy so much, he was super nervous before he left, but I know he will be ok.  I also know that his family will be blessed very much.  None of them are members and didn´t want to hear about the gospel but they are now listening that Jesus has left and I am so excited to teach them.  This week there were 87 people in the church, the most that there has ever been while I have been here,  it just made me feel happy.  A spiritual experience that I had this week and a somewhat eye opener that I had was on Sunday when the ward mission leader asked me if my talk was ready.  I had completely forgotten about that.  And only had 5 minutes before the meeting started, thinking franticly on what to speak about.  I said a prayer and instantly felt calm.  We partook of the sacrament and then it came my turn to speak as I got up and walk to the stand my mind was then filled and I began to talk in a language that I only started to speak 8 months ago.  I spoke on missionary work and the example my sister is to me and told them about the story of Jet.   I know that God still tries to help out his children, even if they have memory loss and are irresponsible.  Keep on trucking yall I love you.

Love Jordan

P.S. Eden I did get some of the seminary letters a couple weeks ago.

Me with a huge wall of Colo-Colo behind me.

the farewell of Jesus

me and McNeil in the bathroom

School Is Out!!!

My children are officially out of school, though it doesn't yet feel like "summer" break. The weather has been completely unconvincing!  Even so, Fred finished putting my bench back together yesterday and, bundled up, I forced myself outside and mowed the lawn so the yard looks lovely and inviting but isn't until the sun decides to resurface. I'm hoping this isn't a re-do of last year where summer didn't start until July. Fred says rain or shine we are putting in a garden tomorrow because we are SO LATE!

Mikayla went to the YSA ward today for the first time. There were almost 100 there,which is fantastic. She said she really enjoyed it. Her best friend Tessia was in town so they went together and took Jet. Because they came together and sat together, her Sunday School teacher asked if she and Jet were dating. That is not their relationship at all but those kinds of situations make Jet feel uncomfortable and awkward, so he was quick and forceful in his answer in the negative and Mikayla who takes all that kind of stuff in stride, prolonged his discomfort by saying, "rude!" and then he had to recover from that, poor boy. She does have that little devious side to her, naughty girl.

I am so proud of her this week however. She finished her Personal Progress and will receive her Young Womanhood Recognition next week. I was so grateful to Bishop for talking to her about the importance of "finishing" in his final interview, and because he used to feel the same way he could explain it so it made sense to her. She has worked so hard and accomplished so much good along the way and even though I think she "finished" more for me than for her I know the process has been so good for her and will mean even more to her as the years go by. Now I am going to start focusing on finishing mine with Eden. Abe is closing in on finishing his "Faith In God" and his "Arrow of Light" and the summer is always such a perfect time for non stressful goal setting. I am looking forward to that interaction with my children.

Poor little Maunzy has been having some real struggles these past few days. Mikayla noticed that one of his eyes was puffy and his nose was bleeding on Wednesday. She did some research and he was portraying many of the symptoms of teeth problems. Then later she noticed that he wasn't using his front foot and had stopped eating. Eden finally fessed up that she had stepped on him the day before. Of course it's a holiday weekend, so I can't take him to the Vet until Tuesday, but I am worried about the poor guy. I have been praying for him and he has started eating again and the swelling around his eye is coming down, and though he is getting around well, he still isn't using his foot and I'm not getting response from his eye. I am praying he won't be blind or crippled. It was all an accident and I know Heavenly Father is mindful even of these little animals. 

Abe had his 5th grade Graduation Ceremony and is now officially a Middle Schooler... and I am officially freaked out!  He seems to be growing up so fast. I am glad to be sending him to Charter School and bypassing some of the drama of those Middle School years because of a different environment. We are planning on pulling him back into the regular school system once he reaches High School. Our new High School just had it's open house last weekend and it is amazing. It was funded during the "hey days" of the economy and is larger and more equipped than even Mountain View -- and all for this little community. We are so excited for the opportunities that it will bring our kids. It is really quite an amazing building and a brand new LDS church sits adjacent to it waiting for it's open house. The Lords hands are always in the works.

Mikayla is going to BYU-I this week, with her best friend who is in already attending school there,  to "scope things out". I really hope they were referring to housing and not men! =) She earned money for the trip by painting furniture for Marg all day yesterday, so she is excited. If she can find a permanent job, we have given her permission to go on a Disneyland trip with Tessia's family in September. They have been planning this "magical adventure" for years and it is finally coming to fruition. So many exciting things--such an exciting time of life!

I am glad that January seems so far away, because my heart is already becoming fragile about letting go of my girl. It's a different kind of fragile then letting go of my boy, but any kind of fragile breaks easily. We are going to store up such a plethora of good memories this Summer and Fall!

A man from our ward was asking about Jordan today and I told him that he seemed so happy that I wasn't sure if he were going to want to come back and Abe piped up and said, "well if he does come back, we might be calling him Tubby!" I was a little shocked and I think Bro. Thompson was caught off guard as well. I quickly explained that Jordan was "blessed" by the members generosity and had put on a little weight. The man said his missionary son in Brazil is having quite the opposite experience and has lost 20 pounds and is "really struggling". I'm glad I don't have that worry, but sometimes I do worry about Abe's social manners=). I'm afraid all of that big brother teasing is going to come back to bite Jordan.  I am just glad he's not starving! I feel blessed that he is so happy. I remember Taylor having that same "Chile excitement" even after he had been home for months. It is fun to watch that fire.

Tonight I will go to bed with dreams of hammock weather, good books, growing things and family all around and will just keep on dreaming until it ALL becomes a reality...because, after all, isn't that what summer is really all about?

Graduation "Walk" with Mrs. Janssen (Teacher)

The Proof

Abe, Mrs. Berg (Principle)

Leah Myers, Beau Pirto , Abe (Best Friends)

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Posted By Bloomers to KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES at 5/30/2011 08:27:00 AM

Mikayla's Graduation

Middleton High School Class of 2011

The Big Day

How It Feels

Jet Burke (fellow "debater", convert of 3 months), Mikayla, Sharise Panike, Bailey Neil, Aleisha Fields (good friends)

Jared Crossman, Beau Kunz (friends from forever), Jet

Hunter Holt (fellow "crazy", brand new convert of a few weeks ), Mikayla

Tyler Theile (Chemistry buddy), Mikayla

Jeff Soloman (Mikayla's Prom Date, Valedictory Speech that included Mikayla and Eden=)

Mrs. McIntosh (Elementary teacher Mikayla was T.A. for this year)

Eden, Brooklyn Crofts (an angel with Downs Syndrome) , Mikayla

Mikayla's Art Work

Mary Diaz (good friend), Mikayla, Eden

Jessie Holmstead, Mikayla, Eden, Kalli McDonald

Denise Mills, Jessie, Bailey, Mikayla

Mikayla, Joseph Holmstead

The Blurry Handshake

Proud Siblings

Mikayla, Tyler Pace (guitar jamming buddy)

Sis. Fisher (Stake YW President), Mikayla, Lily

Grandpa, Lily, Mikayla, Grandma (so kind to come for Graduation)

Bishop Thacker, Mikayla

Cody Gibb (our darling Trek son), Mikayla, Eden, Abe, Lily, Sophie

Mikayla, Jared McCullough (known him "forever"), Jeran Weber (Senior Class Pres, Stake Council committee friend)

Mikayla, Jared (Sis. Crossman's son), Sis. Crossman (Laurel Advisor)

Jared (showing off his height), Mikayla

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Posted By Bloomers to KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES at 5/29/2011 01:32:00 PM

"Shazam" From Jordan

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Jordan Bloomquist
Date: Mon, May 23, 2011 at 5:24 PM
Subject: shazam


To her that birthed me, her husband and those others kids also,

      Everyone is growing up way too fast and I don´t know how I feel about that, so I am going to please ask you nicely to stop.  This week has been a super good week for me but at the same time a little different because we have been walking around in a threesome all the time.  Elder Lopez the new elder is so funny he knows almost perfect english as well as sayings and all of that other fun jazz.  He has been helping me with my spanish as well.  He used to be serving in the Dominican Republic but ate some bad meat and ended up with a worm.  He got sent home for a month to kill the worm and chose to come back out so they sent him here.  He has been an answer to my prayers, he is such a good kid and just wants to work as hard as he can to make sure he has no regrets.  

   Our bathroom is still coming along surely but slowly and we should be in there next saturday which is too bad for Elder Erickson because he goes home on Monday so he will only have two days living all that hard work he has been doing.

   This week we have been working hard with menos activos that are on our ward list, trying to see also if we can get references of others that live nearby that are in need of the gosple,  we also found a lady by helping her fold her laundry just when we were passing by.  It is amazing the miracles that come from simple acts of kindness.  I just want to let you know that when ever you go to church please try to greet as many people as you can possible to make them fill at home even if you do not know them and especially if you do not know them.  Their are so many people here that are afraid to return to church because they do not know how they will be recieved. 

I love you all so much have a good rest of the week.

Jordan

The pictures are first of food that we found in the fridge, it used to be noodles and chicken

The second is a creepy manican that we found while going through the feria.

From Jordan

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Jordan Bloomquist
Date: Mon, May 16, 2011 at 5:26 PM


Bloomsqueekers,

        How have you been this week, I am sorry it is still cold over there, its starting to get cold over here as well so I have no idea where all this warm stuff is going to.  FOME, or lame in english.  My week has been wonderful other than the part that I looked on the scale this week and I weigh 202 lbs now.  Last Monday we had a devotional with president and then watched the Other side of Heaven  

with Elder Grobergs brother visiting with us and watching as well.  That movie motivated me to work harder and have a stronger love for the people.  I am just so greatful for modern day technology and all the privaleges that we have been blessed with.   This week I went on divisions with Elder Turner who only has 5 weeks in the mission and barley knows any spanish.  Lately I have been talking to Elder Mcneil about being scared to be a senior companion because I still feel like I am really weak at spanish.  But he was like don´t worry dude Heavenly Father always blesses his children to help them do whatever needs getting done.  I experinced it first hand when I was with Elder Turner many times he asked what people were saying and I had understood perfectly almost not realizing that they were speaking a different language.  I do have a testimony that God is a God of pure love and mercy.  And we are the only ones that get in the way of God helping us is our own selves,  the commandmants are simply laws of Nature and God if we do not compleat with these laws it is not that he does not want to help us but he simply can´t it is impossible.  

  Today was changes and I had the privalage of staying and am now in a threesome with Elder Erickson and Elder Lopez who is actually from Chile but can speak almost perfect spanish.  I have a feeling that he is a hard worker and that we will have a lot of fun together. 

Hey I love you guy just sent big airmail huggs should slap you in the face any second now. 

LOVE, 

Elder Bloomquist

P.S.

Dad could you please send me my priesthood line of authority. Thanks

P.P.S. The pictures are of Elder Mcneil, Jeffery a member and I having a Family Home Evening with Fabi

and the othe is me and Elder Afeiki he is samoan and does the whole smell thing like Feki on The other side of Heaven.

One Perfect Day...And More to Come

Saturday here was one of those perfectly perfect days--gorgeous weather (80's)--and nowhere to be all morning or afternoon, so I rushed through indoor work, doing just the bare basics, and then spent hours doing yard work, getting sunburned, and digging in the dirt with my bare hands to plant and transplant flowers. And then we got all cleaned up and went to the girls Young Artist concert which was fun and beautiful and rewarding. I laid my head on my pillow that night with a smile...only to pop it back up again minutes later as I suddenly heard rain pelting the roof and realized that the towels and sleeping bags from Fred and Abe's overnighter were "airing out" on the trampoline, but it was coming down so hard, they were already drenched so I left them out hoping to dry them out on Sunday, but winter has found us AGAIN and the weekly forecast is not bright. I'll probably have to drag them into the garage to drip dry all over the floor before they mold. I'm not looking forward to that chore today. Yesterday we had gusting winds and hail. My poor little flowers--I'm not sure they will make it through.They are surely stressed out of their fragile, little stems.  I AM DONE WITH WINTER!!! I guess it's not done with me.

Mikayla's last day of school is this Thursday and she has been ecstatically celebrating her "freedom" since she got back from San Francisco. Oh, the zeal of youth! The rest of my children are out next Thursday which is so exciting for us all to be finished before May is even out. 

This week is Fred's 44th birthday and our 21st anniversary. How grateful I am for the lifeline of the gospel that has seen us through these many, sometimes rocky, years. How I hold onto it with clenched, white knuckled fists! Mikayla says it's a good thing I was born into the gospel and not in an environment void of truth because, with my personality, had I caught onto some belief that was false I may have never let go. Scary thought.

Fred and I went to a YSA mtg. Sunday morning (the first since the new branch was organized) and it was a spiritual disappointment. There was more "leadership" in the mix than there has previously been and I think too many of them thought they were in charge of the mtg. and a couple of them became a little territorial and I think a few forgot whose errand we were on and we really accomplished nothing of importance. After five years of the most perfect, uplifting meetings, I sat in the corner dumbfounded. Once, I looked at Bishop Lewis and he raised his eyebrows at me. You know the look that Garth gives to Walter when Hub is sleepwalking in "Secondhand Lions"? I think that's how we both felt. Fred was un-phased until we got out and I started venting. His experience with "meetings" at church or work" have not been positive; he hates meetings and thinks they are all unproductive. My experience has been just the opposite and it made me sad. I'm sure it will work itself out and everyone will find their place and we will move forward together, but I'll be honest, when Pres. Walker left the room, so did the Spirit. We have another meeting next week and I pray it goes better. We may need some humbling time and we surely need some order, but it was a room full of good people, so I'm sure we will get there...eventually.

Mikayla will finish up her Personal Progress this week. Her goal is by graduation and I'm grateful she is not taking it to the wire of her 18th birthday. That's always too much "mother stress". It has taken some prodding to get her to finish (she is not motivated by awards and doesn't always see the need for reaching the finish line if you've run a good race) but she has "become" and learned so many things (that maybe she doesn't even realize) from the process. I have so much confidence in the journey, but "finishes" are so important. I am trying to talk her into working on her "bee" by helping Eden and I on our last laps before she leaves for college. It will be good for her ...and for us.

We are already making plans to start exercising and gardening together again. I love that camaraderie of summertime and how I love my almost grown up girl.

From Jordan (last week)

We got to talk with Jordan (Skype actually) for almost 2 hours last Sunday. IT WAS SO MUCH FUN!!! He looked as cute as ever and HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY! He called us from an investigator's home who had bought a new microphone for their computer just for the occasion (I thought that was kind). He says he is getting fat from all the white bread and good food. He says everything there is good and the only thing that he has had to eat that was "questionable" was bits of floating tripe in a soup once. I guess with this last transfer he got a companion from the office who is skilled in construction and going home in under a month and they were given permission to move in with the other set of Elders and remodel the bathroom in their house (which is so nasty that the shower walls were black with mold) as a service project. The owner is paying for all of the materials and they are providing the hours, the brain, and the brawn. Jordan is just hoping they can get it done before his companion leaves because he doesn't know what he's doing.=) Jordan is already talking about going back as a civilian when he leaves. He loves it that much!

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Jordan Bloomquist <jordan.bloomquist@myldsmail.net>
Date: Mon, May 9, 2011 at 1:41 PM
Subject:
To: Rachel Bloomquist <crogys@gmail.com>


Como estai chicos,

           I was so giddy with joy to see your happy faces yesterday.  And the pictures you sent me were so fun but it was wierd thinking that Taylor is married and that will be the next big step in my life.  um.......AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.  Anyways I hope you all have a wonderful week.

The pictures are of before and after pictures of our bathroom, before and after picture of the back yard, and going through the temple with Jesus my companion Elder Erickson is to my left.

I love you so much,

Elder Bloomquist

Photos from Jordan (last week)

More photos from Jordan (last week)

From Jordan

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Jordan Bloomquist
Date: Mon, May 2, 2011 at 4:03 PM


  Dear Family,

              I am glad you are doing well,  good news is always the most bestest news and I am happy to hear it is all good news except the part for the almost eaten bird the deaths.  Here in the country of Chile I am doing just shnazy, and growing in every aspect of life, with working harder, learning the language better, trying to work on obtaining Christ like atributes.  

   On tuesday some girls in our ward were walking back from work and found a drunk in the street that was trying to get back home but couldn´t even walk because he had too much to drink so they tried carring him but after awhile he just got to heavy so they finally called us crying because they didn´t know what to do.  We told them that we would come help them but when we got there found out that he lived half way across town,  We had another appointment at this time set up with an investigator at this time that rarely ever has time.  So I am ashamed to say I was a little reluctant to carry him when it was so far.   It ended up taking 1 hour but I am so glad we did because  this man was so happy to arrive at a house warm with a bed.  And when we went by the other person that we had planned after, she said she couldn´t anyway but we could come by tuesday of this week that she miraculously had free....to be continued.  I have a sita right now but I will write latter tonight. 

Love you 

Elder Bloomquist

Later:
I know my heavenly father had something to do with this.  He always knows what is happening and if he wants can make time.  What a great experience it was, I am learning every day what I need to work on, my weaknesses and how I need to make them stronger.

  I got a letter in the mail this week from my home boy Caden,  I loved it it had a drawing in it and a stick of gum.  Made my day..  On friday Jesus is going through the temple for the first time and he asked me and some other missionaries to go through with him.  I am so happy to have known him.  He is such a good example to me of just being a friend and a good person.  

   So today we went bowling and it was a lot of fun I havn´t been in quite a while so I stunk it up at first but ended with 3 strikes in a row.  So listen kids I want a lot of photos of you peoples in everything you are doing.  Trips, school, crazyiness qualquier cosa, ya?  

Photos in Bowlling

Sebastion

Elder Mc Neil

Elder Bloomquist

Hey I love you guys so much,

Elder Bloomquist

P.S.

I will call you next sunday a 630 my time woot woot I am so excited

P.S.S.

Mikayla people always blast there music in the streets so I pretty much have to listen to it all day but there is a singer that I think you would like named Julieta Venegas and her best song Amor Platonicos or something like that.

Continued...

Date: Mon, May 2, 2011 at 5:37 PM


I know my heavenly father had something to do with this.  He always knows what is happening and if he wants can make time.  What a great experience it was, I am learning every day what I need to work on, my weeknesses and how I need to make them stronger.

  I got a letter in the mail this week from my home boy Caden,  I loved it it had a drawing in it and a stick of gum.  Made my day..  On friday Jesus is going through the temple for the first time and he asked me and some other missionaries to go through with him.  I am so happy to have known him.  He is such a good example to me of just being a friend and a good person.  

   So today we went bowling and it was a lot of fun I havn´t been in quite a while so I stunk it up at first but ended with 3 strikes in a row.  So listen kids I want a lot of photos of you peoples in everything you are doing.  Trips, school, crazyiness qualquier cosa, ya?  

Photos in Bowlling

Sebastion

Elder Mc Neil

Elder Bloomquist

Hey I love you guys so much,

Elder Bloomquist

P.S.

I will call you next sunday a 630 my time woot woot I am so excited

P.S.S.

Mikayla people always blast there music in the streets so I pretty much have to listen to it all day but there is a singer that I think you would like named Julieta Venegas and her best song Amor Platonicos or something like that.

May Day

It has been a marathon weekend. Mikayla and Eden left for San Francisco early Thursday morning and that evening I decided to tidy their room, which turned into a 3 day overhaul. By the time the kids got home from school on Friday I had succeeded in pulling out so much from shelves and nooks and crannies that they thought the tornadoes from the south had hit our home as well. I did stop for party night however, which we celebrated at the community music concert down at the high school for 3 hours. It was fun to see all of the different talent in our area. The majority of participants were LDS, so was the majority of the audience and they had a free concessions stand with cookies, cotton candy and popcorn so the kids thought they were in heaven. I would have tried to talk Mikayla into performing if she had been in town and if they continue the tradition I'd love to see you sing with the twins. It really was an enjoyable night with only one number in three hours that I just could not appreciate because it felt dark. Pretty good stats for an open variety concert.

Saturday I spent the entire day in the girls room and Dad spent the entire day back and forth between yard work and re-doing the girls computer (and doing handyman fixes for me in the girls room). By that evening we had cleaned and organized every square foot in that room and even managed to cover most of the Maunzy holes (which are becoming SIGNIFICANT with decorations. By the time we finally went to bed the girls room and most of our back yard both looked like pictures in a magazine. The front yard and the rest of our house looked acceptable as well. I'm not delusional enough to think that it will stay like that long, but the girl LOVED it when they got home, which was fun and I think it will motivate them  for a little while. In any case it was fulfilling for us

Yesterday was May Day (a perfect one, I might add because it was beautiful weather and the girls are back) so we went and picked out favourite flowers on Saturday so we could celebrate the beauty on Sunday. Our house is infused right now with color and the smell of hyacinths, just waiting for the frosts to stop so we can put them in the ground. Ah, spring...dirt...sun! I can't wait. It seems like we only inch forward in our landscaping every year as at least half of the flowers we purchase end up being annuals, (only 3 people chose perennials this year) but we'll have some pretty spots of colour this summer.

Yesterday the YSA branch in our area was organized. Dad and I went to the meeting in Nampa to see the change take place. We are continually counselled  not to speculate about these kinds of things, but sometimes you just can't help having premonitions, which I certainly did this past week, but I was a good girl and didn't talk about them, even to Dad so I hope that's not speculation. I certainly wasn't trying to "figure it out" -- thoughts just came. and when we walked into the tiny branch and I saw two of the men that I had felt were going to be put in the branch presidency in attendance with their wives, I won't lie--I became giddy........ and then I shared my thoughts with Dad. =) And when Pres. Evans called for a sustaining vote of LeeRen Walker as Branch President of the new Black Canyon YSA branch I couldn't help it--I started to cry and the tears just kept coming when they asked for a sustaining vote for Bishop Lamar Lewis as second counsellor. I admire both of these men so deeply and have seen first hand their influence with the youth. I absolutely know they were called of God. They also sustained Bro. Doug Teichert as first counsellor. I don't know him as well and I hadn't had any previous inklings about him but  I know enough about him to know that he will be a great fit for that presidency. It's funny (well actually kind of sad) but when Pres. Evan first announced the reorganization and said the Middleton branch would be called the Black Canyon branch I leaned over to Dad and made a comment about why they would call it that and not the Middleton branch (because you know how much I love Middleton) and immediately Pres. Evans asked for a sustaining vote for the name of the branch. I've never heard that done before, but of course I immediately pulled my tail between my legs and swallowed my tongue and raised my hand. He then explained that the name had historical significance as that was the name of the very first branch in organized Middleton in the 1950's. He said there was much sacrifice and unity exemplified in the story of the lives of those saints and he said that he wanted that example emulated in this new branch. He said he would be speaking much about the significance as time went on.  So, we now have a branch in Middleton that starts meeting at the Lansing building at 11:00 this next Sunday. I went up to talk to Pres (what do you call a branch president?) Walker and Bishop Lewis after the meeting and told them if we hadn't been in the chapel when their names were announced, I would have screamed and jumped up and down. I could tell they were excited too.

I feel passionate about this exciting opportunity for the young people of our area. I know this opportunity and this presidency is going to bless their lives. I think it would be a good fit for Jet right now, but I don't think he has the courage to venture into something new without the stability of Mikayla and she doesn't turn 18 until after he is deployed. I won't push him. He called and asked if he could come over yesterday after church. He talks big, but I know he craves the light I'm glad he feels here. We have some pretty good verbal "battles" here and I know he is listening even as he spars. He's a good kid.

I don't know if you have heard about the tornadoes that rampaged the south last week, but our Elder Ware, who was just transferred, had part of the roof ripped off his family's home. His family is all okay, but you just never know when tragedy is going to strike. I am so grateful we have the security and peace of knowing that our Heavenly Father is in charge and is mindful of us and has our lives in his hands. I am a worrier, but that brings me great comfort and stability.

Another bit of big news here is that Bin Laden and Colonel Quaddafi's son and grandchildren were all killed in raids yesterday over the weekend. It is all over the papers and the Internet and there are many reports of people cheering in the streets and celebration, but I just feel this sad, heavy weight that we have all become so filled with hate for each other that we can celebrate death. This is a mixed up world that is in desperate need of the gospel and the pure love of Christ. I need it as much as anyone, but I just can't find pleasure in that.

Maybe I'm overly sensitive. A baby dove flew awkwardly through our yard yesterday, with Olive sensing it's weakness, hot on it's heels and I just about gave Olive a heart attack with my rebuke. I guess that flight wore the poor thing out because it sat on our fence for the next few hours with it's mother cooing to it from Tentingers roof. Every one in a while she would fly down and feed it and then fly back up to watch from afar.  Eventually a hawk started circling so I had to coax the terrified baby under the branches of  a nearby tree. It made for a stressfully, protective day for us. Olive's hunter instinct was all fired up and we had to call her away continually, luckily she is obedient enough to listen begrudgingly (especially when Dad is around). Jet, being the war monger that he is, couldn't see the reasoning behind "interfering", but we verbally pummelled him enough to keep him semi-quiet during our vigil. The fledgling did try to fly again once and wasn't very successful and ended up flying into the side of the house. That got Olive all fired up again, so we had to resort to a Sunday walk to cool her off. We put the baby under the tree branches again and watched Olive until she went to bed. The bird was still there this morning and I kept an Eagle's eye on Olive when she got up, but a few minutes ago I checked and the bird is gone. Now I am nervous about where it is. I have checked our yard and see no sign. I just hope it flew somewhere safe because if we find feathers on our lawn today, it is not going to be happy around here!

We are all looking forward to more sunny skies and the end of school. Mikayla only has 18 days left. We are all also looking forward to being "plugged back in" on Tuesday. Mikayla and Eden didn't end up being very diligent but Abe, Lily and Sophie were AWESOME and we will celebrate their success for sure. I do always miss family movie night for the month, but it has been good to explore other family time for a month. Doing wholesome, hard things is always good for us.

Protective Dove Parents

Baby Dove

Pretty Garden Spot on May Day

Lily among our flower treasures on May Day