3/6/22 Family Letter

 Henlo Eve

Where to begin. Not much happened this week. just trying to do prom plans and failing because the group kept fluctuating. 

I have the ACT, a Hale show and a choir performance in that order on Tuesday. 

Other than that I have nothing to report! 

I love you!

Hyrum

HIIIII 

Rehearsal Is coming along! 

I went to see Shrek the Musical to support my friend. Not a fan. They did really well though! 

 I called the patriarch. No response. 

 I baked Brownies. Dad wouldn't let me bake Pretzels though.

I signed up to audition for a theater competition. 

Nothing else major happened this week. 

I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!!
 I MISS YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mari Barlow

 

Sweet Eve,

How are you?  The weather here has been nuts.  Most of the week has been really warm (mid 60's) and sunny and then BOOM! Yesterday, after I'd been outside working in the yard, the skies turned dark and thunder and lightning went sideways. Then large hail stones pelted down and kept coming until we were inches deep in really heavy, wet snow. Today it's been snowing like a snow globe...very pretty.

Preparations for the Stake Conference dinner with Elder Clayton have been going well.  I've enlisted the help of about 8 sisters.  Each of us are taking one part of the dinner.  I hope everything works out with keeping it warm etc.  Dad has been working so hard with his missionary assignment on High Council.  He has meetings from early morning Sunday, all day, and ends after we take the Sister Missionaries back home.  He remains cheerful and says that he is loving this!  He's such a great guy!

Carden is finishing another term.  Some of my students are not getting "A's" because of behavior.  One student, Adam (7th grade, his dad owns Downeast) came pleading saying he HAD to get an "A".  He said that music is his only class without one.  I told him that I had been telling him all term that he needed to behave better in class...that's all he had to do.  Adam is charming and he thinks all the girls love him and that he can get what he wants with sweet talk and flattery.  He begged for some worksheets to do extra credit.  No bueno!  That's extra work on my part...gathering the worksheets, copying them, grading them.  I told him, as a one-time-only deal, he could do a 10 page report on a composer...due tomorrow!  He agreed!     Sure enough, the next day he handed in a hand-written 10 page paper about Mozart and his relationships.  It was the most non-musical report about Mozart I've ever read...but he gets his "A".  When he turned it in I asked him what he learned.  He told me about Mozart.  I interrupted him and told him I didn't want to know what he learned about "Mozart", I wanted to know what he learned about "Adam".  Adam said he learned to do what he should all term, not just at the end.  I call that a success!

My challenge to you:  Celebrate the little victories, for they are the stuff that life is made of!

I am so proud of you!  Tonight at Barlow Family Night we announced your release date.  Grandma Mildred was especially happy.  Shirlene thinks you've been gone a long time, Angie can't believe you're coming home already.   Regardless, we are so proud of you and know you are doing good things!  We pray for you every day.  I hope you can feel it!

 Mom

Millie,

We are very interested to get to know your new companion.  If I remember right you should have your comp by now.  I fasted for you today and your finding efforts.  Here is to hoping mu uniting my faith with yours will lead you to someone.

This week has been very busy at work.  We have had several get promoted to other roles and it has left me to be the most tenured employee on the team.  I just moved to this role 14 months ago.  Several of the new folks are struggling to pick up the phone when it rings.  That leaves most of the work to fall on me.  It has taken some of the fun out of the job.  I feel more like a help desk rather than a coach.  We hope to get fixed soon.  My new boss, who I liked a lot, is also getting promoted.   There are a lot of changes happening.  Part of the reason I joined the team was to get to know the people who were on the team.  We are being flown to Boston for a national meeting and part of the fun is hanging out with the team.  The team has changed and is now a lot younger.  It will be an interesting experience when we go to Boston.  

Tiffany is doing well with Carden.  She is in a different world over there.  She has kids who act out and get bad grades.  Parents talk with her and think she will change the grade because she asked her to.  She has some parents who have been friendly but when she will not change a grade they are not so friendly.  I think they operate on favors and networking and when Tiffany does not bend to their will they don't know what to do.  Tiffany has her good and bad days but mostly good.  The kids generally love her and she is making a major difference.  She is now preparing for a dinner for the visiting authority for Stake Conference.  She has a small army of help.  Hyrum is planning on going to a restaurant for Prom so now I think I get to help with the dinner.  Tiffany commented in Sunday School how she likes to be busy all the time.  She is getting her chance.

Love you kid!  We announced your arrival date to the fam at Barlow Family Night. They are all excited.  We will be setting your talk for your Homecoming soon.  With Easter being the Sunday when you get home you might not talk until the 24th.  We will figure that out in a few weeks.  Until then keep focused on the work.  Remember what it was like to be trained by someone who was on their way home.  I have no doubt you can have a very successful last transfer.  

Love,

Dad

Genesis 28:16