Hey Brad:
Hey you! How are you doing? Tonight is your last night of actual training and you probably just finished your 15k march. What a champ you are! I'm hoping that you'll be able to call me tomorrow since you'll be doing out processing and have more free time. I'll have my phone with me all day, but it will be off while I'm flying to Utah and my flight leaves at 11:35 CA time. Anyway, now that we are confident that you are going to graduate on time I emailed Sgt. Williamson and asked him if he could give me your final AIT day. He emailed Sgt. Bishop and then Sgt. Bishop emailed me and let me know that your tentative AIT graduation date is December 14th.
So, now that I know that, I've been looking at cruises a little more seriously. The one that we were looking at is pretty much all booked up (only expensive rooms left), but don't worry, there are lots of other good ones. There a bunch of good ones that start on December 16th, but I think that is cutting it too close. Plus, you wouldn't be able to spend any time with the girls. The one I am the most excited about is on the Princess cruise line, it leaves on December 23rd, it is a 7 day cruise, it goes to Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, and Puerto Vallarta, we'll be on the ship for Christmas and our anniversary, we'll be gone from CA right when Dan and Danni are going to be here for Christmas, so it won't be too crowded, and the best part is it is pretty cheap, especially for being a cruise over Christmas. The reason it is so cheap is because I just found out yesterday that cruise lines give a military discount. Cool, huh? We really need to remember to take advantage of that little perk. I'm also getting a military discount on my hotel room in Lawton next week. Anyway, this cruise is only $600 per person with the military discount, normally priced at $900 per person for an inside cabin (the cheapest room) crazy huh? Anyway, I have all of this stuff written down and when you call me (hopefully sometime in the next couple of days) we'll discuss it and then book the cruise. I am so excited!!!!
I thought that I would include a great quote from the season finale of the second season of the Office, Casino Night:
Michael: “Oh, and another fun thing. We, at the end of the night are going to give the check to an actual group of boy scouts. Right Toby?”
Toby: “Actually, I didn't think it was appropriate to invite children since it's uh you know there's gambling and alcohol and it's in our dangerous warehouse and it's a school night and you know Hooter's is catering. Is that enough? Should I keep going?
Michael: “Why are you the way that you are? Honestly, every time I try to do something fun or exciting, you make it not that way. I hate so much about the things that you choose to be...”
Maren has started doing the kicking the leg thing that Jane used to do in bed where she picks both legs up and slams them down. Hers is not quite as loud or as crazy as Jane used to do it, but she's getting there. It's pretty funny. I also just got out the next size of clothes for Maren and it is so crazy because it feels like Jane just barely grew out of the clothes that I am getting out for Maren.
Jane is getting really close to being able to say “I love you”. I called your house and talked to your mom today and she put Jane on the phone and she talked to me a little bit and I heard your mom tell her to say “I love yoU” and what she said sounded pretty darn similar, especially for a 17 month old. I will work with her on it and then get her to say it to you on the phone. She is so adorable. I haven't heard heard her on the phone in awhile and her voice is so high and girly, I'm getting a tiny, tiny perspective of what you have been experiencing.
I was talking to my mom today about her migraines and asking her how she gets through every day with so much pain. That got us talking about how we are actually capable of more than we know. I know that I have gone beyond what I was I used to think I was able to do and that I have done it well, which is so amazing. It also makes me think about all that you have accomplished at boot camp. I bet that you have done things that you didn't think were in you, like running 2 miles so fast. Every time you get more push ups into that two minutes, and every minute you tolerate foul language or exercise patience with your Drill Sargent, I bet you didn't know you had that much in you. You are so amazing Brad, I am so proud of you I just can't even express it. I know that Heavenly Father is helping you and me through this experience and that it has made us stronger and better. We can do anything together and it's exciting to think about. I love you more than an airplane loves the sky.
Love-Jess
P.S. I'm going to be in Oklahoma one week from today! Wahoo!
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
10-16-07
Hey Brad:
How are you doing sweetie? How is everything going with your camp out? I'm really interested to hear about these last few days and about what your final rite-of-passage experience was. I also hope that once you are done on Thursday that we will be able to talk on the phone more. If we are then I probably won't send you a letter every day. I also probably won't send many letters next week since you won't really even get them before I am there with you! My being there in person is going to be SO MUCH better than a letter :)
I was thinking about how our family is pretty spread out right now. Daddy is in Oklahoma, Mommy and Maren are in California, and Jane is in Utah.
Anyway, I got another great letter from you yesterday. You talked about being excited for track and school which makes me really happy. You also talked about Private Fisher's memorial service and it sounded like it was a pretty nice experience. Hopefully it helped you guys get a little closure about the experience; especially your battle buddy. Well, actually I don't remember if it was your battle buddy or your bunk buddy or what, but I remember that you told me that one of your buddies was the one firing the gun and that he was having a really hard time with this whole thing. How is he doing now? I was thinking it might help him to hear about your experience with Steven. You probably have already shared it with him if you guys are friends, but it's kind of the same situation where you feel some personal responsibility even though it was totally out of your control. Anyway, I'm just so proud of you and how well you have handled every challenge and responsibility that has come your way so far in this whole boot camp experience and it is about to pay off. You are almost done! Can you let me know when you know for sure that you are going to graduate (I know that you already know that you are) so that I can have Sgt. Williamson find out when your last day of AIT will be. Before, when I asked Sgt. Williamson what your last day of AIT would be he said that he wouldn't be able to know until he knew that you were going to graduate from Basic Training.
The lyrics for today are from an episode of the office. The beach day one where they take a bus and Pam walks across coals and Andy floats away in the giant sumo suit. They sing this song on the bus on the way to the beach. It is Kenny Roger's “The Gambler”:
“On a warm summers evenin' on a train bound for nowhere, I met up with the gambler; we were both too tired to sleep. So we took turns a starin' out the window at the darkness 'til boredom overtook us, and he began to speak.
He said, son, I've made a life out of readin' peoples faces, and knowin' what their cards were by the way they held their eyes. So if you don't mind my sayin', I can see you're out of aces. For a taste of your whiskey I'll give you some advice.
So I handed him my bottle and he drank down my last swallow. Then he bummed a cigarette and asked me for a light. And the night got deathly quiet, and his face lost all expression. Said, if you're gonna play the game, boy, ya gotta learn to play it right.
You got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em, know when to walk away and know when to run. You never count your money when you're sittin' at the table. There'll be time enough for countin' when the dealin's done.
Now ev'ry gambler knows that the secret to survivin' is knowin' what to throw away and knowing what to keep. Cause ev'ry hands a winner and ev'ry hands a loser, and the best that you can hope for is to die in your sleep.
So when he'd finished speakin', he turned back towards the window, crushed out his cigarette and faded off to sleep. And somewhere in the darkness the gambler, he broke even. But in his final words I found an ace that I could keep.
You got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em, know when to walk away and know when to run. You never count your money when you're sittin' at the table. There'll be time enough for countin' when the dealin's done.”
I wanted to tell you about the things that I am going to bring to you for you to have while you are in AIT and you let me know if there is anything else or if I don't need to bring some of these things. I'm planning on bringing you a cell phone and wall charger. I'm also going to bring the iPod and a wall charger for you. I'm also going to bring you some extra civilian clothes for you to wear on the weekends in AIT. It's so exciting that we are even able to start talking about this and planning for this and that it's all going to happen next week! I love you so much Brad and I can't wait to see you again. I love life with you! I love you more than Santa Clause loves Christmas...
Love-Jess
P.S. I just bought your iPod wall charger today on Amazon.com for $5; pretty cool huh? Since I'm going to Utah on Thursday I had the charger mailed to your parents house.
How are you doing sweetie? How is everything going with your camp out? I'm really interested to hear about these last few days and about what your final rite-of-passage experience was. I also hope that once you are done on Thursday that we will be able to talk on the phone more. If we are then I probably won't send you a letter every day. I also probably won't send many letters next week since you won't really even get them before I am there with you! My being there in person is going to be SO MUCH better than a letter :)
I was thinking about how our family is pretty spread out right now. Daddy is in Oklahoma, Mommy and Maren are in California, and Jane is in Utah.
Anyway, I got another great letter from you yesterday. You talked about being excited for track and school which makes me really happy. You also talked about Private Fisher's memorial service and it sounded like it was a pretty nice experience. Hopefully it helped you guys get a little closure about the experience; especially your battle buddy. Well, actually I don't remember if it was your battle buddy or your bunk buddy or what, but I remember that you told me that one of your buddies was the one firing the gun and that he was having a really hard time with this whole thing. How is he doing now? I was thinking it might help him to hear about your experience with Steven. You probably have already shared it with him if you guys are friends, but it's kind of the same situation where you feel some personal responsibility even though it was totally out of your control. Anyway, I'm just so proud of you and how well you have handled every challenge and responsibility that has come your way so far in this whole boot camp experience and it is about to pay off. You are almost done! Can you let me know when you know for sure that you are going to graduate (I know that you already know that you are) so that I can have Sgt. Williamson find out when your last day of AIT will be. Before, when I asked Sgt. Williamson what your last day of AIT would be he said that he wouldn't be able to know until he knew that you were going to graduate from Basic Training.
The lyrics for today are from an episode of the office. The beach day one where they take a bus and Pam walks across coals and Andy floats away in the giant sumo suit. They sing this song on the bus on the way to the beach. It is Kenny Roger's “The Gambler”:
“On a warm summers evenin' on a train bound for nowhere, I met up with the gambler; we were both too tired to sleep. So we took turns a starin' out the window at the darkness 'til boredom overtook us, and he began to speak.
He said, son, I've made a life out of readin' peoples faces, and knowin' what their cards were by the way they held their eyes. So if you don't mind my sayin', I can see you're out of aces. For a taste of your whiskey I'll give you some advice.
So I handed him my bottle and he drank down my last swallow. Then he bummed a cigarette and asked me for a light. And the night got deathly quiet, and his face lost all expression. Said, if you're gonna play the game, boy, ya gotta learn to play it right.
You got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em, know when to walk away and know when to run. You never count your money when you're sittin' at the table. There'll be time enough for countin' when the dealin's done.
Now ev'ry gambler knows that the secret to survivin' is knowin' what to throw away and knowing what to keep. Cause ev'ry hands a winner and ev'ry hands a loser, and the best that you can hope for is to die in your sleep.
So when he'd finished speakin', he turned back towards the window, crushed out his cigarette and faded off to sleep. And somewhere in the darkness the gambler, he broke even. But in his final words I found an ace that I could keep.
You got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em, know when to walk away and know when to run. You never count your money when you're sittin' at the table. There'll be time enough for countin' when the dealin's done.”
I wanted to tell you about the things that I am going to bring to you for you to have while you are in AIT and you let me know if there is anything else or if I don't need to bring some of these things. I'm planning on bringing you a cell phone and wall charger. I'm also going to bring the iPod and a wall charger for you. I'm also going to bring you some extra civilian clothes for you to wear on the weekends in AIT. It's so exciting that we are even able to start talking about this and planning for this and that it's all going to happen next week! I love you so much Brad and I can't wait to see you again. I love life with you! I love you more than Santa Clause loves Christmas...
Love-Jess
P.S. I just bought your iPod wall charger today on Amazon.com for $5; pretty cool huh? Since I'm going to Utah on Thursday I had the charger mailed to your parents house.
Monday, October 15, 2007
10-15-07
Hey Brad:
Hey sweetie! Thanks for calling me yesterday, I loved talking to you on the phone. I know you started your final camp out today and I've been thinking about you all day. It's crazy to think that this is your last big thing of boot camp; that by Thursday you'll be done. It has taken forever, but it also seems like it has gone really fast. I'm glad that Basic Training is almost done and that all we have left is AIT because I think AIT is going to be a lot better and easier and it is going to go faster. You are going to have more freedoms and it is going to be so much shorter than boot camp. Almost half the length of boot camp. Also, let me know what you think about me bringing the girls to visit you in El Paso at Fort Bliss.
Here's another poem:
I took your family to the airport this morning and Jane went with them. I already miss her so much. I can't imagine how you are feeling, missing your girls. Jane is doing so great. On Saturday we went shopping and to a little farmer's market. Jane was in heaven because there was a bunch of fruit samples. Then your parents bought some really tasty peaches and Tim handed her one for a bite and she basically devoured the whole thing. It was really funny! She ate it so fast and there was juice dripping everywhere.
The lyrics for today are Chantal Kreviazuk's “Feels Like Home”: Somethin' in your eyes, makes me wanna lose myself; makes me wanna lose myself, in your arms. There's somethin' in your voice, makes my heart beat fast. Hope this feeling lasts, the rest of my life. If you knew how lonely my life has been and how long I've been so alone. And if you knew how I wanted someone to come along and change my life the way you've done. It feels like home to me, it feels like home to me. It feels like I'm all the way back where I come from. It feels like home to me, it feels like home to me. It feels like I'm all the way back where I belong. A window breaks, down a long, dark street and a siren wails in the night. But I'm alright, 'cause I have you here with me and I can almost see, through the dark there is light. Well, if you knew how much this moment means to me and how long I've waited for your touch. And if you knew how happy you are making me. I never thought that I'd love anyone so much. It feels like home to me, it feels like home to me. It feels like I'm all the way the back where I come from. It feels like home to me, it feels like home to me. It feels like I'm all the way back where I belong. It feels like I'm all the way back where I belong.”
Like I was saying on the phone, I like to imagine what our reunion will be like too. The last letter I got from you described what you thought it would be like. Like I was saying on the phone I think it will be like when we saw each other for the first time after your mission, only 10 times better. I can't wait to just be with you again and be in your presence. When I have a hard time falling asleep at night, I lay there imagining what it will be like when we are together again. I can't wait to hug you and kiss you and smell you and touch you...
Love-Jess
P.S. If you get a chance, I think that underwear that you found that you told me about on the phone yesterday is a great idea.
Hey sweetie! Thanks for calling me yesterday, I loved talking to you on the phone. I know you started your final camp out today and I've been thinking about you all day. It's crazy to think that this is your last big thing of boot camp; that by Thursday you'll be done. It has taken forever, but it also seems like it has gone really fast. I'm glad that Basic Training is almost done and that all we have left is AIT because I think AIT is going to be a lot better and easier and it is going to go faster. You are going to have more freedoms and it is going to be so much shorter than boot camp. Almost half the length of boot camp. Also, let me know what you think about me bringing the girls to visit you in El Paso at Fort Bliss.
Here's another poem:
It seems we began this separation so long ago.
There is never enough time when saying goodbye.
I'm being stretched beyond my previous limits,
Being apart from my love affects me to the core.
Our love is my strength and it fills in the gaps.
My Savior also buoys me up.
I am about to be with my lover again.
We will be together for a short, but precious time.
I wish everyone had what I have and was as lucky as I am.
There is never enough time when saying goodbye.
I'm being stretched beyond my previous limits,
Being apart from my love affects me to the core.
Our love is my strength and it fills in the gaps.
My Savior also buoys me up.
I am about to be with my lover again.
We will be together for a short, but precious time.
I wish everyone had what I have and was as lucky as I am.
I took your family to the airport this morning and Jane went with them. I already miss her so much. I can't imagine how you are feeling, missing your girls. Jane is doing so great. On Saturday we went shopping and to a little farmer's market. Jane was in heaven because there was a bunch of fruit samples. Then your parents bought some really tasty peaches and Tim handed her one for a bite and she basically devoured the whole thing. It was really funny! She ate it so fast and there was juice dripping everywhere.
The lyrics for today are Chantal Kreviazuk's “Feels Like Home”: Somethin' in your eyes, makes me wanna lose myself; makes me wanna lose myself, in your arms. There's somethin' in your voice, makes my heart beat fast. Hope this feeling lasts, the rest of my life. If you knew how lonely my life has been and how long I've been so alone. And if you knew how I wanted someone to come along and change my life the way you've done. It feels like home to me, it feels like home to me. It feels like I'm all the way back where I come from. It feels like home to me, it feels like home to me. It feels like I'm all the way back where I belong. A window breaks, down a long, dark street and a siren wails in the night. But I'm alright, 'cause I have you here with me and I can almost see, through the dark there is light. Well, if you knew how much this moment means to me and how long I've waited for your touch. And if you knew how happy you are making me. I never thought that I'd love anyone so much. It feels like home to me, it feels like home to me. It feels like I'm all the way the back where I come from. It feels like home to me, it feels like home to me. It feels like I'm all the way back where I belong. It feels like I'm all the way back where I belong.”
Like I was saying on the phone, I like to imagine what our reunion will be like too. The last letter I got from you described what you thought it would be like. Like I was saying on the phone I think it will be like when we saw each other for the first time after your mission, only 10 times better. I can't wait to just be with you again and be in your presence. When I have a hard time falling asleep at night, I lay there imagining what it will be like when we are together again. I can't wait to hug you and kiss you and smell you and touch you...
Love-Jess
P.S. If you get a chance, I think that underwear that you found that you told me about on the phone yesterday is a great idea.
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
10-09-07
Hey Sweetie:
I got such a great letter from you today, it made me so happy! It was the letter about Private Fisher's accident and your experiences with that. I'm so grateful to you for sharing your testimony with me of the Atonement and families being together forever. I really felt the spirit while I was reading your testimony. I know it's true and I know you know it's true and I couldn't ask for anything more.
I'm also glad that you remember my wishbone wish that I wished you will die of old age and not any other way. But, since you got the bigger half of the wishbone when we broke one right before you left, I'm going to make your wish come true which means we will be alright while you are gone. So, in order to make my wish still valid I made my same wish again over my birthday candles. So, as long as you do your part and Heavenly Father does His part, I think we are good to go.
The lyrics for today are Popcorn Popping on the Apricot Trees because that is the song that has been coming to my head lately when I want to sing something to the girls; especially Jane, she likes the actions: “I looked out the window and what did I see? Popcorn popping on the apricot tree! Spring has brought me such a nice surprise. Blossoms popping right before my eyes. I could take an armful and make a treat, a popcorn ball that would smell so sweet. It wasn’t really so, but it seemed to be. Popcorn popping on the apricot tree!”
Ok, now it's time for an update on the girls. Maren has a few new developments in her life. She has started talking instead of crying when she first wakes up which is always nice. When they are still newborns they usually just wake up crying. Also, think she is going to be ready to eat solid foods soon because she has starting anticipating things with her mouth. Like when I'm about to feed her and I get close with the bottle she will open up her mouth before I touch it to her lips and she does the same thing with the binky. The last new development is that she cries real tears now when she cries sometimes. It used to just be mostly noise when she cried, but now she gets tears on her cheeks. It's sad, but really cute too. Jane is now saying “hello mama” as her second two word sentence, with “no mama” being her first. She calls the Daddy book, “Daddy!” and really seems to enjoy looking at it and finding you. She has been sleeping so great the past couple of days. She has been going to bed at like 7:30 and getting up at about 9 am. Then she has only been taking one nap from about noon to 3 or 4 pm. She is such a love!
I'm going to try writing a poem (but it doesn't rhyme) too, let me know what you think:
I love you! That's all there is to it. I also miss you and can't wait to see you in only two weeks! Luckily, October has been going by very quickly and I think it will continue to go by quickly seeing as your family is coming tomorrow, then I'm going to Utah, then I'm coming to you. I hope it's going fast for you as well. I imagine that it is since you guys are now in blue phase and you only have like one and a half hard weeks left then out processing. Life is so good Brad, I just can't wait for it to get even better when we are together again. I love you more than a piece of birthday cake loves a scoop of ice cream.
Love-Jess
P.S. Here's a tongue twister for you. Try to say this three times fast, it sounds really funny: “Bob Loblaw's Law Blog.” It ends up sounding like “blah blah blah blah blah”
I got such a great letter from you today, it made me so happy! It was the letter about Private Fisher's accident and your experiences with that. I'm so grateful to you for sharing your testimony with me of the Atonement and families being together forever. I really felt the spirit while I was reading your testimony. I know it's true and I know you know it's true and I couldn't ask for anything more.
I'm also glad that you remember my wishbone wish that I wished you will die of old age and not any other way. But, since you got the bigger half of the wishbone when we broke one right before you left, I'm going to make your wish come true which means we will be alright while you are gone. So, in order to make my wish still valid I made my same wish again over my birthday candles. So, as long as you do your part and Heavenly Father does His part, I think we are good to go.
The lyrics for today are Popcorn Popping on the Apricot Trees because that is the song that has been coming to my head lately when I want to sing something to the girls; especially Jane, she likes the actions: “I looked out the window and what did I see? Popcorn popping on the apricot tree! Spring has brought me such a nice surprise. Blossoms popping right before my eyes. I could take an armful and make a treat, a popcorn ball that would smell so sweet. It wasn’t really so, but it seemed to be. Popcorn popping on the apricot tree!”
Ok, now it's time for an update on the girls. Maren has a few new developments in her life. She has started talking instead of crying when she first wakes up which is always nice. When they are still newborns they usually just wake up crying. Also, think she is going to be ready to eat solid foods soon because she has starting anticipating things with her mouth. Like when I'm about to feed her and I get close with the bottle she will open up her mouth before I touch it to her lips and she does the same thing with the binky. The last new development is that she cries real tears now when she cries sometimes. It used to just be mostly noise when she cried, but now she gets tears on her cheeks. It's sad, but really cute too. Jane is now saying “hello mama” as her second two word sentence, with “no mama” being her first. She calls the Daddy book, “Daddy!” and really seems to enjoy looking at it and finding you. She has been sleeping so great the past couple of days. She has been going to bed at like 7:30 and getting up at about 9 am. Then she has only been taking one nap from about noon to 3 or 4 pm. She is such a love!
I'm going to try writing a poem (but it doesn't rhyme) too, let me know what you think:
You are constantly in my thoughts, with me always.
I feel I'm merely breathing you in and out.
I crave your embrace, ache to be held
Where all my adventures begin and end.
When we're together again it will feel so good.
To once again to be in your arms, so close.
We know our family will forever be together
And our joy can only continue to grow.
I hope you know how you save my life every day.
You are my happy ending, my safe return.
I feel I'm merely breathing you in and out.
I crave your embrace, ache to be held
Where all my adventures begin and end.
When we're together again it will feel so good.
To once again to be in your arms, so close.
We know our family will forever be together
And our joy can only continue to grow.
I hope you know how you save my life every day.
You are my happy ending, my safe return.
I love you! That's all there is to it. I also miss you and can't wait to see you in only two weeks! Luckily, October has been going by very quickly and I think it will continue to go by quickly seeing as your family is coming tomorrow, then I'm going to Utah, then I'm coming to you. I hope it's going fast for you as well. I imagine that it is since you guys are now in blue phase and you only have like one and a half hard weeks left then out processing. Life is so good Brad, I just can't wait for it to get even better when we are together again. I love you more than a piece of birthday cake loves a scoop of ice cream.
Love-Jess
P.S. Here's a tongue twister for you. Try to say this three times fast, it sounds really funny: “Bob Loblaw's Law Blog.” It ends up sounding like “blah blah blah blah blah”
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
10-03-07
Hey Sweetheart:
How is the love of my life? How are your PT tests going? Did you find out about your expert marksman status? Is it going to count? I sure hope so! Guess what? I found a rockin' dress today to wear for your Boot Camp Graduation. I look foxy in it and I'm excited for you to see me in it.
Today I went ocean swimming for my exercise and it was so fun! I like to get a variety in my exercise and I was supposed to go running today, but I stayed up too late last night to get up early to run. So, later in the day when the girls were sleeping, James and I went down to the ocean and swam to the pier and then ran in the shallow water back so that there was resistance on our feet when we were running. It was very fun and worked us hard. I was a little afraid to go alone which is why I asked James to come with me. This was the first time that I had been in the ocean since I have been living here and it was freezing cold, but it felt great.
I loved your pictures in the last letter, and if you have time when you write letters, I would love more pictures. I love what you draw, I think you are so talented. That red wavy design in the last letter was amazing, it must have taken a long time. Even though I'm not getting letters every day any more, when I do get a letter it has several days worth or writing in it and I just love it. I'm going to try and answer some questions and address some topics in your last letters. You asked me if the days are going quickly and they really are. I still miss you so much, but it is much easier now than it was at first, I'm pretty used to it now. But I can't wait until we are together again.
Do you know how I often say funny things? Like the Seven Years In Tibet comment? Well, here's another one. I used to think that the song “The Farmer in the Dell” was actually “The Farmer and the Dale.” Isn't that silly? You married a smart one, I'm telling you. I must have a degree or something :)
So, in honor of this new knowledge, the lyrics for today are The Farmer in the Dell:
“The farmer in the dell. The farmer in the dell. Hi-ho, the derry-o. The farmer in the dell.
The farmer takes a wife. The farmer takes a wife. Hi-ho, the derry-o. The farmer takes a wife.
The wife takes a child. The wife takes a child. Hi-ho, the derry-o. The wife takes a child.
The child takes a nurse. The child takes a nurse. Hi-ho, the derry-o. The child takes a nurse.
The nurse takes a cow. The nurse takes a cow. Hi-ho, the derry-o. The nurse takes a cow.
The cow takes a dog. The cow takes a dog. Hi-ho, the derry-o. The cow takes a dog.
The dog takes a cat. The dog takes a cat. Hi-ho, the derry-o. The dog takes a cat.
The cat takes a rat. The cat takes a rat. Hi-ho, the derry-o. The cat takes a rat.
The rat takes the cheese. The rat takes the cheese. Hi-ho, the derry-o. The rat takes the cheese.
The cheese stands alone. The cheese stands alone. Hi-ho, the derry-o. The cheese stands alone.”
While Parker has been here we got out a lot of my old books and toys that I used to play with when I was a kid. One fun book I've been reading to Parker and Jane that I remember reading a lot when I was little was James the Jaguar. Parker has also been listening to Power Tales which are books about important people like Florence Nightengale and Louis Pastuer, but they are written for kids and then we have tapes that go along with them. It is all so fun and it reminds me a lot of my childhood. One of my favorite things that I used to play with, that I want to see if my mom will give me for our girls, was a thing called MapleTown. We had all these little families of animal figurines and my mom made us houses and things to make roads, and furniture and everything. I know that they have it stored in a box somewhere, I think it's in UT. So with this move I'm sure it will be found and I think it would be really fun for our girls.
I don't know about you, but I want our next baby to be a boy. I've found out from Jen that there are ways, timing wise with ovulation, that you can increase your chances of getting pregnant with a boy. I won't go into details here in this letter, but I'll tell you on the phone later. Anyway, speaking of having a baby boy, my dad is going to give us this really cute set of baby pictures of my uncle Bruce that I think will look so great in the nursery when we do have a boy. I think it will be appropriate since Bruce will be our son Bruce's namesake. So I'll be bringing them home with me. I've been getting lots of fun treasures while I've been living here...
I'm very excited for conference this weekend. I've been needing some spiritual enlightenment. I'm sure that you aren't going to be able to watch. So, we'll have to catch up once you are back. I also missed the Relief Society Broadcast last weekend, we just completely forgot to watch it. So I need to catch up on that too. Everyone is leaving tomorrow, my Mom, my Dad, Jen, Todd, and Parker. So, I'm going to be alone for like six days until your parents get here next Wednesday. But it's a lot easier this time then the last time I was alone, right after you left. I think I'm actually going to enjoy some alone time. I need a break from being parented. My parents are doing great with me living here, but they can't totally resist giving me advice and being my parents. It's kind of a challenge to go from being on your own and actually being parents, to living with your parents again. But it is also such a blessing, so any challenges are worth it.
Well, I better wrap this up. I love you so much!!!!! I hope that everything is going really well with you. Keep up the great work and I can't wait to talk to you on Sunday!
Love-Jess
P.S. In your letter you mentioned that you felt like you didn't even recognize Maren anymore. I can't wait to see your face when you finally get to see her again.
How is the love of my life? How are your PT tests going? Did you find out about your expert marksman status? Is it going to count? I sure hope so! Guess what? I found a rockin' dress today to wear for your Boot Camp Graduation. I look foxy in it and I'm excited for you to see me in it.
Today I went ocean swimming for my exercise and it was so fun! I like to get a variety in my exercise and I was supposed to go running today, but I stayed up too late last night to get up early to run. So, later in the day when the girls were sleeping, James and I went down to the ocean and swam to the pier and then ran in the shallow water back so that there was resistance on our feet when we were running. It was very fun and worked us hard. I was a little afraid to go alone which is why I asked James to come with me. This was the first time that I had been in the ocean since I have been living here and it was freezing cold, but it felt great.
I loved your pictures in the last letter, and if you have time when you write letters, I would love more pictures. I love what you draw, I think you are so talented. That red wavy design in the last letter was amazing, it must have taken a long time. Even though I'm not getting letters every day any more, when I do get a letter it has several days worth or writing in it and I just love it. I'm going to try and answer some questions and address some topics in your last letters. You asked me if the days are going quickly and they really are. I still miss you so much, but it is much easier now than it was at first, I'm pretty used to it now. But I can't wait until we are together again.
Do you know how I often say funny things? Like the Seven Years In Tibet comment? Well, here's another one. I used to think that the song “The Farmer in the Dell” was actually “The Farmer and the Dale.” Isn't that silly? You married a smart one, I'm telling you. I must have a degree or something :)
So, in honor of this new knowledge, the lyrics for today are The Farmer in the Dell:
“The farmer in the dell. The farmer in the dell. Hi-ho, the derry-o. The farmer in the dell.
The farmer takes a wife. The farmer takes a wife. Hi-ho, the derry-o. The farmer takes a wife.
The wife takes a child. The wife takes a child. Hi-ho, the derry-o. The wife takes a child.
The child takes a nurse. The child takes a nurse. Hi-ho, the derry-o. The child takes a nurse.
The nurse takes a cow. The nurse takes a cow. Hi-ho, the derry-o. The nurse takes a cow.
The cow takes a dog. The cow takes a dog. Hi-ho, the derry-o. The cow takes a dog.
The dog takes a cat. The dog takes a cat. Hi-ho, the derry-o. The dog takes a cat.
The cat takes a rat. The cat takes a rat. Hi-ho, the derry-o. The cat takes a rat.
The rat takes the cheese. The rat takes the cheese. Hi-ho, the derry-o. The rat takes the cheese.
The cheese stands alone. The cheese stands alone. Hi-ho, the derry-o. The cheese stands alone.”
While Parker has been here we got out a lot of my old books and toys that I used to play with when I was a kid. One fun book I've been reading to Parker and Jane that I remember reading a lot when I was little was James the Jaguar. Parker has also been listening to Power Tales which are books about important people like Florence Nightengale and Louis Pastuer, but they are written for kids and then we have tapes that go along with them. It is all so fun and it reminds me a lot of my childhood. One of my favorite things that I used to play with, that I want to see if my mom will give me for our girls, was a thing called MapleTown. We had all these little families of animal figurines and my mom made us houses and things to make roads, and furniture and everything. I know that they have it stored in a box somewhere, I think it's in UT. So with this move I'm sure it will be found and I think it would be really fun for our girls.
I don't know about you, but I want our next baby to be a boy. I've found out from Jen that there are ways, timing wise with ovulation, that you can increase your chances of getting pregnant with a boy. I won't go into details here in this letter, but I'll tell you on the phone later. Anyway, speaking of having a baby boy, my dad is going to give us this really cute set of baby pictures of my uncle Bruce that I think will look so great in the nursery when we do have a boy. I think it will be appropriate since Bruce will be our son Bruce's namesake. So I'll be bringing them home with me. I've been getting lots of fun treasures while I've been living here...
I'm very excited for conference this weekend. I've been needing some spiritual enlightenment. I'm sure that you aren't going to be able to watch. So, we'll have to catch up once you are back. I also missed the Relief Society Broadcast last weekend, we just completely forgot to watch it. So I need to catch up on that too. Everyone is leaving tomorrow, my Mom, my Dad, Jen, Todd, and Parker. So, I'm going to be alone for like six days until your parents get here next Wednesday. But it's a lot easier this time then the last time I was alone, right after you left. I think I'm actually going to enjoy some alone time. I need a break from being parented. My parents are doing great with me living here, but they can't totally resist giving me advice and being my parents. It's kind of a challenge to go from being on your own and actually being parents, to living with your parents again. But it is also such a blessing, so any challenges are worth it.
Well, I better wrap this up. I love you so much!!!!! I hope that everything is going really well with you. Keep up the great work and I can't wait to talk to you on Sunday!
Love-Jess
P.S. In your letter you mentioned that you felt like you didn't even recognize Maren anymore. I can't wait to see your face when you finally get to see her again.
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