Monday, November 18, 2013

Letter to Richard - 18 November 2013 (Richard's 20th birthday)

Dear Old Brother!

So not only have you left your teens, but there are no more Powrie’s in their teens anymore! So now I can wait for you guys to start joining me in your 30’s J

At work I’ve been busy with end of year stuff finally. Finalising the exam marks - including have the external examiner checking, planning for next year – which seems to have worked out really smoothly, having time to work on the new group accounting textbook some more, and also getting to take time out to do most of our visiting teaching.

On Friday Caleb couldn’t go to Aunty Wendy because she had to go and sort out her passport urgently. So I had to keep Caleb at home, which made for an interesting day! We did the grocery shopping and then went to visit Colleen so the kids could play together. All 3 of my kids are doing so well at playing nicely with other kids J

Then I spent the afternoon while Caleb slept packing for Andrew and Josh to go on the Priesthood camp… While the storm gathered outside… Friday night saw one of the worst storms we’ve had the entire year! Co-incidence that it was at the exact time that a body of the Priesthood were planning on gathering together…? Maybe, but Andrew and Josh still went, even though they had to sleep in the car, and they were completely soaked! They did get to walk around a little bit on Saturday morning, although the rain didn’t stay away completely. But the amazing thing is that Saturday, Sunday and Monday night all had weather that would have been good for camping, as well as the week building up to Friday… But Friday itself! But this evening we pitched the tent in the front garden for FHE and had a picnic supper out there, which all of us got to enjoy then J

So I had Hannah and Caleb at home with me on Friday night, and if you know anything about the sleeping patterns of our children, you’ll know that I had the wrong set of children for me to get any decent sleep! Both Hannah and Caleb are the early risers, while Josh likes to sleep to a decent time, like me. I also let Hannah sleep in my bed, “to keep me company”, and we painted nails and watched a Barbie movie after Caleb went to bed. So I think she had fun, but I was very glad to see Andrew driving into the driveway on Saturday afternoon!

It was the Primary presentation yesterday, and the kids did so well! Josh quietly sang all the songs, while Hannah sang the ones she knew. Hannah went up to the mic for each of her lines, but she wouldn’t actually say it – I think there were just too many people… But Josh said both of his – the second one quite confidently, even though softly. Primary is SO amazing in what it does for our kids! Neither of the families I invited could come, but Andrew invited a less-active couple from Meadowridge that work at Federal and they came J Andrew’s parents, and Amanda and Clint and their girls came for the presentation and then for lunch afterwards. Again, the kids just loved playing with their cousins.

Wow, our missionaries had a tough experience last week! They were teaching an investigator couple, and the wife said a few things that the husband got angry at, and he started getting physical! The elders had to restrain him, and really struggled to defuse the situation! Hopefully you’ll never have an experience like that! And our new elder is only 18, and such a little boy still in many ways… Shame, he shouldn’t have had to go through that… But the wife was at church this past Sunday, so at least she’s not wanting nothing to do with church anymore now.

And that’s about it for this week… I’m definitely feeling the end-of-the-year tiredness… Pretty weary in general. But things are winding down, so at least I’ve got something to look forward to! Andrew’s taken the day off tomorrow, and we’re going to try and do as much Christmas shopping as possible. And I think we’ll make pretty good progress.

Anyway, I’m very much in need of bed! Love you lots J

Shelly

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