9-18-07

Brad:

Hey you! It's funny, now that I've written a couple of letters instead of typing them I think I actually prefer writing them. The main drawbacks are that it takes me a little longer and I find that I am not including lyrics and P.S.'s and stuff because I'm not able to see how it's going to space out like I can on a computer. When I write it, I just have to stop when I get to the end of the paper. Anyway, the main thing that I really like about it is it feels more personal. So I will probably be writing the majority of my letters from now on, but I think I'll send a typed one here and there just to shake things up.

Well, Jen had her ultrasound yesterday and she is not having twins, just one healthy baby. I was hoping for twins for Jen, but hoping for one baby for Todd. I think twins would overwhelm him a little bit. Anyway, I'm just really glad that her baby is healthy. They are coming into town next week for a couple of weeks and they will be here on my birthday.

I got all of our stuff figured out for “The Ten Talents Game”. I have invested your $200 ($100 from us and $100 from Dad) into an ING CD ladder. CD stands for Certificate of Deposit and the ladder just means that you invest different amounts of money for different lengths of time at different interest rates. For example, I put $100 in for 6 months earning 5.15%, $50 in for 9 months at 5.25%, and $50 in for 12 months at 5.25%. Then at the end of the first CD, after 6 months, the original $100 and whatever interest you earned is rolled over into the next CD, the 9 month one. Then 3 months later when it's been 9 months, all of that money is rolled over into the last CD. Then at the end of the year you have all of that money to choose to either reinvest it in more CD's or just use the money. So it's the perfect thing to do with your money for the family investment game because it can just sit there and earn money while you are gone. I've also started your blog on the “10 Talents” website and I chose a reward for you to offer. You can let me know if you want to do something else, but I was thinking you could make a CD mix for whoever chooses your prize. Then they could choose the theme and you could pick the songs and burn them onto a CD and mail it to them. Or, if they don't want to pick the theme then you could just surprise them with what is going to be on the CD. Let me know what you think. For my business I am going to wash windows. My prize is going to be 2 dozen baked goods mailed to whoever chooses my prize.

The lyrics for today are “I'm Singin' In the Rain” by Frank Sinatra. This song reminds me of when we watch “Singin' In The Rain” on Sunday afternoons. It also reminds me of when we had that argument about which notes the funny guy (Cosmo, I think) on that movie sings when he sings, “...watch my mouth...”:

“I'm singin´ in the rain, just singin´ in the rain. What a glorious feeling, and I´m happy again. I´m laughing at clouds so dark, up above. The sun´s in my heart and I´m ready for love.

Let the stormy clouds chase everyone from the place,. Come on with the rain, I have a smile on my face. I´ll walk down the lane with a happy refrain. Just singin', singin' in the rain.

Dancing in the rain. I'm happy again. I'm singin' and dancin' in the rain. Dancin' and singin' in the rain.”

I was just thinking about something and I wanted to make sure that you were keeping all of the letters and the little things that I am sending you so that I can put all of our letters together in a letter journal. I just got the letter yesterday that had all of your letters from while you were camping and they were wonderful. I'm glad that you can get packages with food now. I'm going to put one together for you in the next couple of days and probably mail it out by Friday or so. I'll update you on that, I was waiting for your go ahead to send you food. Also, I know that I told you that I got a bunch of new pictures printed last Saturday, but I accidentally sent them online to the wrong Costco to print them up. So, when I went to the Costco in Dana Point they weren't there. I sent them to the Irvine Costco and my parents are going to pick them up after their temple shift on Friday. So I will send a bunch in your package, including ones of the girls in their Halloween costumes.

The little silver necklace that you gave me that I always wear broke this morning. It made me a little sad, but we'll just have to get me a new one when we are together again. It has actually already broken once and I was able to fix it so I'm actually going to try that again first. I hope it works because I subconsciously keep checking for it around my neck, like I do with my wedding ring. Anyway, I am going to close this letter with an inspirational quote from President James E. Faust in his talk “Eternity Lies Before Us”:

“A basic eternal truth of this Church is that families may, if they are worthy, have an eternal relationship; for us it would not be heaven without our parents, our grandparents, our eternal companions, our children, and our posterity. This union of families comes through the sealing power exercised within the hallowed walls of the temples under authorized priesthood authority. An eternal family begins when a young couple kneels at an altar in the holy temple of God and make covenants with each other and with God and receive His greatest promises. This sealing is preceded by each making and receiving covenants which, if they continue worthy, will bless them in this life as well as in the life to come. The father and mother are equal partners with different roles in nurturing and teaching their family members on the journey to immortality and eternal life. To have full meaning, how can life be other than an eternal process?”

I'm so glad that I have an eternity ahead of me with you, I love you Brad

Love-Jess

P.S. Your parents are coming to San Clemente for UEA and they are staying in 401! I'm really excited because my parents are going to be out of town for conference and during the time that your parents will be here so now I won't be alone. You have a great family Brad!