Eliza fame for 4th of July this year. She and her new boyfriend Tristan were celebrating his birthday with a horseback ride near Zion. it was fun to get to know Tristan and to spend the holiday with them. We hosted a BBQ with all the grandparents and tried to stay cool in the house!
Dear Wilson,
Your birthday letter this year is bittersweet. I feel overwhelmed with emotions which will be hard to put into words. On July 17, Wednesday, we hosted a BBQ with two of your roommates Mike and Jake. We had a nice evening of food and conversation. You'd mentioned you might like to fish at the pond by your house, so we gave you a new fishing pole. You were disappointed Harlow couldn't join us, but we had a calm and happy evening. Dad and I tried hard, as we have for 28 years, to make it a special day where you could feel our love.
Your frustration with not seeing Harlow continued throughout the week. On Saturday you made arrangements to spend the day with her at our house, but you had an ulterior motive for coming. When Harlow was down for a nap, you took my phone and locked yourself in the bathroom to go through my texts with Wendy. When I confronted you, you told me you were gathering evidence. You asked if I was ashamed. I wasn't ashamed, because I don't have anything to hide. I felt terribly betrayed.
In the Book of Mormon, when Alma and Korihor argue about whether or not there is a God, Korihor insists that there is no evidence of God or His love. Alma counters that there is overwhelming evidence of God and His love everywhere including the stars and the world and His Son. For whatever reason, you seem to spend most of your time and energy like Korihor, looking for evidence that I don't love you, that I don't want the best for you or that I don't think you have great potential. The reality is all around you. Everything I do and have done is because I love you. Even my worst parenting mistakes have most often been motivated by love and wanting to help you reach your potential.
I'm proud of the things you have learned in the last 28 years. You have learned empathy. You have learned to manage your anger. You have learned that what is best for you isn't always best for others. I have great hope that you will now learn to trust. Please trust me when I tell you that I have loved you from the minute I laid eyes on you. I have loved you when you have made big mistakes and when you have suffered. I love you now and I always will. Happy Birthday my big beautiful boy.
Love, Mom
We have had the opportunity this summer to participate in several beautiful weddings of people we love. The last two weeks have included temple sealing, so they have been particularly meaningful. Last week we hosted 70 (yes seventy!) people for Corbin and Brit's wedding brunch. As usual, everything came together beautifully. A Loaves and Fishes miracle meant there was just enough food. Tyler and Chelsea made a great memory by sneaking out of the brunch with all the college aged cousins to get burgers at In n Out. Dad performed his first grandchild's sealing and gave special attention to Brit's insistence on a temple wedding. He used the parable of the two sons in his counsel and promised that together they can meet Christ where he will give them a robe and a ring and welcome them to his kingdom of heaven. After the temple everyone rested before the big party in LaVerkin at the family farm and orchard. It was a beautiful night and I think Dustin and Kimberly were relieved and happy.
Our second temple wedding was Savannah and Tate in the Provo City Center temple. They had been married the night before in a beautiful venue in Lindon that looked like something out of Pride and Prejudice, the absolutely ideal place for a girl like Savannah. We were all so touched when the sealer referenced the angels in the room, a clear reference to James, and Betsy confirmed how many times she had felt James' influence attending to the details. It felt good to be working with Andrea, Kari, and Kim pulling off the food. There is no better feeling than being with your people united in a common cause of service. After the temple there was an informal picnic at Jeff and Betsy's Max came over and i appreciated again the sweet relationship Jeff has built with him as they work on the yard together. I was also glad that Sam chose to join us on this trip. We were able to go thrifting together, he spent time with Eliza and connected with Max. We spent the night at Tyler and Chelsea's so Tony got to play some pickleball and I went on a marvelous walk to the canyon just enjoying the chance to be outside. It is something I miss so much being in St George-being outside in summer!
