From Mom: Happy December 15th

Dear Alec,

Well it's been another wonderful week for us. We got snow this weekend so it is a beautiful winter wonderland here, although we are all crawling along the icy roads at 20 MPH. Rachel had her Eagle High Choir Holiday Concert on Saturday and it was incredible! All the choirs and soloists were amazing, and I'm not just being prejudiced. This coming Sunday we are having our
musical Christmas Sacrament meeting and I will be singing in the choir for that. Christmas music is the best, because you can feel the Spirit as it testifies the divinity of the Savior, as well as the divine origin of the love we have for one another.

Caitlyn is doing great; she made 8th grade student of the month for academic progress and citizenship, and her grades are steadily climbing. She is so smart, and learning so quickly that she constantly amazes me. If all goes well, I will be driving her down to Utah this Friday to spend Christmas with her family.

Rachel is learning how to put the pathfinder into 4 wheel drive. She decorated the house and tree for Christmas, a duty I have gratefully relinquished to her. When we went to choose a Christmas tree on Saturday, we drove to the lot by Flynn's Saddle Shop and parked right in front of a row of trees. We got out and the salesman asked what kind of tree we were looking for. Scott told him, "a noble fir, about 8 ft tall and narrow at the base." The man pulled out the tree right next to the car: it was shaped perfectly, cut just a few days prior and less cost than the last several past Christmas trees we have bought, so I paid for it while they tied it on the top of the car, and we were out of there 5 minutes after we had arrived. It happened that we met some friends there and the husband stared in envious disbelief, as we picked the first tree at the first lot. They had already been to 4 lots and had 4 more to see before a decision could be made!

Seminary is going well. Now when I have to get a sub, I feel sad because I don't get to study and teach that particular lesson, and I worry that the sub won't say what needs to be said. I know that is irrational and arrogant, but I guess it also shows my level of commitment to the class, which is a change in the right direction. Speaking of which I need to prepare tomorrow's lesson, so I'll sign off.

Love you forever,

Mom