Mom, if I called you today I would tell you . . .
. . . Conner just attended his first formal dance this weekend! The prom. He asked the sweetest girl in a very creative way -- you shouldn't be surprised that it involved Star Wars. Haha! So, I always thought that the boys had it easy when it comes to prom. The girls have to spend so much time on dresses, hair, make-up, etc. Well, I was wrong! The getting ready part was easy, oh yes, but the planning . . . the planning! And trying to get a group of teenage boys to communicate and plan together . . . forget about it! Let's just say there was a lot of mom-nudging. In the end they planned a great double date and had a fantastic time. Conner's date wore a beautiful, elegant, modest dress. Conner was super handsome and a wonderful gentleman. It's so fun to see him growing up!
. . . Then on Sunday night we had our Stake Young Womanhood Recognition night. They have been doing this event for several years -- I remember telling you all about it when you were the Stake Young Womens president and connecting you with my friend Susanne (our Stake YW president) so you could pick her brain. It turned out really really well. I had a lot of fun putting together some decorations. Everything was pretty simple -- white with elements of natural greenery. You should have seen me -- Sunday morning I was tromping in my flower beds, wearing my church dress, hair curled, and clipping branches from the olive tree. Sounds just like something you would do! Anyways, I think you would have loved to see all the creative touches.
. . . You know firsthand how busy it is to work in the Stake Young Womens . . . From one activity to the next! Such is the case for us! We have a Saturday event for the YW in 2 weeks. I'm supposed to teach a workshop on Stewardship. We have a whole nautical theme going on with the word "ship" as part of all our workshops (friendship, worship, etc.) Got any fabulous ideas for me to make it fun/cute/engaging? You're always so good at pulling stuff out of your hat!
. . . And because life isn't busy enough, (ha!) I'm also speaking this Saturday at our Stake Women's Conference. Eek! Thankfully, it's the same lesson that I gave back in January at a Relief Society night. With some tweaks and adjustments. I have some added perspective & experience & inspiration that I'm putting into it. Wish you could be here to hear it! I know you would have driven up in a heartbeat to come listen.
. . . Scott started a new job! He's been training for the past 4 months and officially started 2 weeks ago. I know how much you worried and prayed for us. Which is crazy, because you were dealing with much bigger issues. Cancer. But that's just how you are -- more worried and prayerful about others than yourself. Anyways, I know you would be relieved to know that things are working out.
. . . I got some new plants for my backyard! Several months ago my sweet Oregon friends gave me a giftcard to a local nursery and instructed me to use it to get some plants or a tree that remind me of you, or a house plant like a fiddle fig leaf that I could talk to. Good friends don't judge you when you talk to plants. :) I went to the nursery a couple weeks ago and spent a whole morning wandering the rows and rows of plants. I stopped at each one that has made an appearance in your many gardens and took a moment to smile & remember. I gathered the ones that reminded me the most of you. (And that will grow in my dry desert - sad we can't get hydrangeas or peonies to grow here). I had such a wonderful time gathering & organizing the plants, standing back to imagine it all together, trying to find the right balance. It felt so good. Therapeutic. At one moment I looked at this grouping in my red wagon, and I had a rush of emotion -- a feeling of connection to you. And that made me so incredibly happy.
I went home with Wisteria (one of your absolute favorites! It made me so so happy to find that at the nursery), Dusty Miller, Cosmos, Delphinium, and Dianthus. Oh and some basil and cherry tomato plants too.
I have a morning watering routine, which I am loving. Please help me keep them alive!
. . . I'm working on something special for your 60th birthday. You told me once that you have never had a birthday party before. Well, I think that needs to change. Our trip to The Academy France is giving me some inspiration. Can you believe that was 2 years ago next month? What a beautiful adventure that was!
. . . The springtime reminds me of our mother-daughter trips because we usually went in April or May. I feel so fortunate that we kept that tradition for so many years. 15 or 16 years, I believe? BYU Women's Conference, spa trips, Portland trips, spray tans, Broadway shows, The Farm Chicks in Washington, and to top it off with France! I really miss those special weekends of exploring, taking way too many pictures, and trying new things with you.
. . . Love you.
