other things...

Seriously, the emotions of having Quayd be so close and yet so far are making me crazy!  I can't even imagine that this has had such an impact on me!  INSANE!  I wonder what he's eating, if it's enough.  I wonder if he is loving it.  Is he is learning tons.  Is he bored?  Is he excited?  Do his feet hurt from walking?  It's been a crazy two days and there are more to go!  My eyes are wide open as we drive, hoping for a peek at him.  I keep telling myself that it would be different when he's in Southern California because I won't be so keenly aware that he could be just up the street at any moment. And the girls miss him too!  CRAZY!

So, last night, as Quayd is my every other thought, while cooking dinner, I decided that we needed to give him a different side of his "mini-mission" experience.  I called Liza and then, gathered Doug and the girls.  We each immediately wrote him a letter.  While dinner was in the oven baking, the girls and I ran to the store and grabbed a few of Quayd's favorite things to eat.  We came home, added the letters, his treats and a couple of shirts, and put them in a gift bag.  I added a card, "Your FIRST care package!" and delivered it to the missionaries home while they were away. I know that missionaries are fed dinner by the local members between 5-6PM, so I knew it was a safe time to deliver without seeing him.  Now, while he's experiencing missionary work, we have also made sure that he has the 
family part of the experience too... letters and care packages from home.   I would love to have seen his face because I'm certain that this was an unexpected surprise!

A few other things...

ZJ has opted to be a manager for the high school football team.  She has spent her first two weeks of summer break getting up at 5:45 to be ready to leave at 6:45 for Football Camp.  Then home at 10 (which is never really 10) and back at 5 in the afternoon until the sun sets.  Wednesday was the last day of camp, but she and Lydia and their friend Ashlee are going to be busy during the football season.  It has been fun to hear their stories of cranky boys, cute boys, appreciative boys.  What this will mean is that they are basically, watergirls, who also manage the equipment.  It's serious work.  They work hard and don't get breaks.  I'm impressed... but then, ZJ is one of the hardest working fifteen year olds I've ever known.  She's fine with it.

Yesterday was "National Best Friends Day".  I was happy to enjoy an early morning breakfast with Denise at Herms and a late night Hot Tub with Carol. In between, I emailed back and forth with my lovely friend, Gayle.  And then, there's my numero uno best friend... Doug!  I  truly am blessed with many great, great friends in my life.  And it doesn't take National Best Friends Day to recognize it! 

Speaking of best friends... these two have such a friendship!  They've taken the family room and turned into their own jungle since we think they are too old and too cute to sleep alone in the back yard anymore.  They say, "You used to let us."  We say, "You used to not be teenage girls that look like a million bucks!"

 Yesterday was also the first anniversary of the passing of Carol's husband, Robert.  Carol had asked me to run an errand with her to Pocatello.  I was concerned about it being too late of a start because I had to pick the girls up from Football at 10 and never know if 10 is really when they will be done.  It was 11:48.  It was a good call to send Carol on without me!  But, we visited last night. Her daughter had sent her flowers, Her sister sent her flowers.  She had several phone calls throughout the day.  I literally just sat her shaking my head.  We miss this good man and it's hard to understand.  There are no words.  I love Carol and hate more than anything to see her hurt.

It's hot!  Really hot!  We've finally turned on the AC a few times.  That's one lovely thing about Cache Valley.  It really doesn't get that hot very often.  And with all of the trees surrounding our home, we've even lit a fire a few evenings.  Loving the summer!  Life is good!