3/20/22 Family Letter

 Wassup

Well, not much to report. Just another week. rehearsals as usual and all the girls being on edge for no apparent reason. So I'm going to bake and bring cookies to try and cheer them up! I don't know if it will work. or if it will be appreciated. or wanted. I don't know! but that's really it! i test out of gym in a few days and MDT auditions are tomorrow, so wish me luck!

love you

Hyrum

HIIIIII 

THis week has been really Fun!!!

 Rehearsals have been going really well!! I'll send some photos of the stage makeup that I've been doing!

We had all brought pie to math for the entire school for pie day! It was super fun!!!!

For YW we went to airborne! It was really fun!!

 That's basically it, I LOVE YOU!!!!
 Mari Barlow

Sweet Eve,

How are you?  The photos on your google feed showed:  flooding?  goth makeup? (which actually looked really cute on you), a carnival in the church gym?  Elder pranks?   General fun and good times.  I'm guessing you will tell us more in your letter.  It looks like things are going well.  Have things been getting better with your companion?  I'm so thankful you are also living with a few other girls.  It sure looks like you have fun!

This week we helped Grandma Charlene move out of her Daybreak home. I'm glad she sold it but it was a little sad...memories.  Change is always a bit hard.  She moved some of her stuff into Larry's house (to help her feel more at home there).  The best part of the move was getting to see Anthony and Schery.  Holly couldn't make it.  Jr, Parker, and Tanner also came.  All those boys are getting so tall!  

This weekend was full of shows.  Thursday night we went to Eisenhauer Jr. High to watch Sami as the "Evil Queen (from Snow White)" in the musical "Descendants".  She did a marvelous job.  She was very regal and convincing.  She never broke character.  Last night we went to Kalia's play "Prince Caspian" (from Narnia).  Kalia was a very cute mouse who operated a mouse puppet.  It was very artistic...and had the longest fight scene ever (it seemed like 20 minutes).  In this fight scene kids would be killed, dragged off stage, then appear again, fight, die, dragged, appear again...over and over again!  At least it was fun to be with Dad.  

We also took Mom and Larry out to dinner (a very late Christmas gift).  We took them to Sauce Boss for their first time.  I think they liked it.  Larry loved the pork rinds and fried chicken.  He's a really great guy...so patient and kind.  I'm glad Mom is so happy!

Dad and I went out to Moochies for my meatball sub and his Philly.  We took a random picture in front of a carved wooden gnome that was holding a meatball.  

Speaking of gnomes, this week Jill Bryant and I took a "Fairy Garden" class.  We chose different mini-plants and figures for our Fairy Gardens.  I'll send you a picture.  (Actually I just remembered that you already knew about this because I spoke to you right after the class).  I'll leave this in the letter just for record-keeping.

This week in school I am teaching about the "Romantic" Era in Musical History.  In addition to listening to Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Schubert, Mendelssohn, Brahms etc. I will teach them about the different things that were invented during this time of enlightenment. (Joseph Smith being a contemporary of this era!)  This is one of my favorite eras to teach because it reminds me of the evidence of the Light of Christ moving upon the earth to inspire great things.  Inventions:  Roller coasters, telegraph, zipper, typewriter, sewing machine, bicycle, telephone, automobile, camera, Coca Cola, electricity. Also, many great writers were part of this enlightenment:  Mark Twain, Charles Dickens, Victor Hugo, Ralph Waldo Emerson. 

We continue to pray for peace in the world.  Grandpa Barlow told us that in the temple, they have been counseled not to pray specifically for the people of Ukraine, but rather, pray for peace in the world.  This makes sense because this is a world-wide church.  We have Saints in both Russia and Ukraine.  We love and pray for both. 

We also pray for you.  

I love you!

 Mom

Millie,

We have been praying all week for your teaching pool to increase.  Hopefully you have had some success.  If not, success is just around the corner.

We moved Grandma Charlene out of her Daybreak home.  She was a little dramatic about it.  They are trying to sell the place but there are existing lawsuits over the cracking stucco on the homes.  She thinks she can't sell the home with the existing lawsuits on the homes around her.  Her stucco looks ok.  I tried to convince her it was not a problem.  The home is paid for.  She can wait out the lawsuit.  Schery was there and we mentioned to her you were close to being home and launched into her plans for you when you get home.  She and Sariah want to take you shopping.  They plan to shop for boots, belt buckles, hats and see if you are interested in any of the cowboys in the neighborhood.  

We went to see Kalia play at Hillcrest High.  They did Prince Caspian and did a good job.  They have major sponsors to the props and costuming was amazing.  It was a major cast with several speaking parts.  This staging had the same problem with Riverton's Mama Mia.  They can't keep thr shirts on these young men.  The play starts with a guy not able to find his shirt.  I don't understand the decisions made in the staging of these plays.  We slept through most of the first act.  The second act things got exciting.  They had a major battle with a lot of stage fitting.  The battle kept going.  We assumed they were giving everyone in this major cast a chance to fight . . . and the battle kept going.  We noticed that some of the kids that were the dead bodies they carried off the battlefield were finding their way back onto the stage.  This battle lasted for about 20 minutes, literally.  It was the longest fight scene I have ever seen.  Hillcrest does a good job but they make Riverton look elite.

Hyrum will be auditioning for MDT tomorrow.  He has decided to not join the choir next year.  He has 2 songs ready.  Tiffany made him sing for us before he went to bed.  He sounds great.  He has to do the dance audition during the day due to a conflict with a Madrigal Festival.  He is eager to have the Choir season end.  As part of his grade for choir he was required to provide a song for Region.  He half heartedly got a song somewhat ready and performed it.  He was disappointed when he was awarded a Superior rating and now gets to perform for State. He sent a picture of those going to State and Emma started to congratulate him.  She did not understand his attitude toward all things choir right now.  He told the choir director that he would not be coming back and the response he got was "we will see" like he might get Hyrum to change his mind.  

That is it for us kid.  Good luck this week.  We have also been praying for you to find a way to get through to your comp.  That is another nut we know you need to crack.  The Lord loves her more than anyone and knows what needs to happen to get work done in your area.

Love,

Dad

Genesis 45:7-8