Big fat soft old bald white blob

I’m sure in German there’s a one-word multi-syllable word to describe an old man’s head and face. But in my world, that’s what I look like in conference calls, and on messenger talking to you.

How are you my  Bakey? it was super fun to chat with you this morning while we walked through the Mexican market. Your response to those foods demonstrated how much you love Mexico even though it’s challenging. I think walking you through that store was the highlight of your mother’s birthday day. She can’t wait to go shopping there with you.

You look really good and happy despite your investigator’s sad stories. The affect they have on you is evidence that you care about those people. I’m not sure if you can keep teaching those guys because of their set-backs, but you can continue to show your care and concern for them. I was telling mom how grateful I am for the Word of Wisdom, because if I hadn’t been born into that, I could have just as easily had similar addictions. That thought made me equally grateful for my parents, and mom’s, because they had family members with those habits. Your investigator was embarrassed that you elders saw him in his weaknesses. Try to reassure him that you care for him and that you do not hold judgment against him.

This has been a great week being home with your mom, though I didn’t get any of the projects done that I thought i would. Tuesday we got up early to do baptisms at the oquirr mountain temple. I baptized mom, Ben baptized me and Joey, and Joey in turn baptized Ben. We got McDonald’s then Ben and Joey went to work. Mom got here hair done by Annie Cooks house. I went along and chatted with my cousins while I waited for her. Her hair turned out beautifully. We went to the mall afterwards, I love just hanging out with your mom.

The highlight of Wednesday was going sledding at Soldier Hollow at night. Soldier hollow is an Olympic venue where they held cross-country skiing. As a legacy they built a tubing facility. They had a moving conveyor-belt that carried you to the top of the hill, then about six different lanes to slide down. Your brothers walked up every time, I took the people mover every time. I’ll be we got a dozen or more runs in, it was very fun. Again, it was super fun to do that with your mother. We decided to try to make that a Rivera holiday tradition, it will be fun with you next year. 

Our time together as a family has been on my mind a lot this holiday. You being gone, Joey preparing to go, and Ben talking about going away to grad school in a couple of years is impactful on me. All of these are such positive things, seriously, they are exactly what I desire for you boys as you prepare for your lives. But being your dad and your mother’s companion has been incredible for me, beyond any happiness I could ever deserve. I’ll be happy and proud of wherever you’re lives take you, but I do like to be close to you.

I’ve also been thinking about my mortality because my doctor found me an affordable option for that diabetes/weight loss medicine. I’ll start it this coming week or so. Mostly in hopes that this next chapter of my life can be a little healthier, a little stronger than it might be. But honestly, I like to eat crap, I love fast food. This medication is supposed to make it so that stuff isn’t pleasant to eat, that I don’t have an appetite. Seems like it’s my responsibility to overcome my appetites, so it seems like a cheat. But I think that’s probably the wrong outlook on medication and modern medicine, I think in many cases it is an answer to prayer, and can become a miracle. I hope it ends up working for all the effort, then maybe the way I look on conference calls can better match the way I think I look.

I guess I have done a couple of things this holiday break. My model is almost done. I’m pretty excited about how the weathering has turned out. It’s the fun part of my hobby deciding what to build next. I also tweaked the stereo in the music room. I hooked up a cheap Black Friday sub woofer and it made a huge difference. I also got my streaming device working so that it sounds far better than even my vinyl records. It fun to listen down there, but hard to find time to listen.

Thursday mom and I got up early again to do endowments. It really had me thinking about the relationships we have for those we do work for. Then I think about how time may work, or if it even exists, pre and post mortality. Mostly I think of the promises Heavenly Father make us, how incredibly generous they are, and how relatively little we have to do to claim those promises. And how hard it is to do so that sometimes.

After that your mom and I met aunt patti and Artie at the Capital Grill for lunch. It was really good food, and so fun to be together.

After that I had to meet my staff at the BYU museum of fine art. There’s an exhibit there by one of my favorite American artists, Maynard Dixon. I didn’t really want to go, I wanted to stay with mom. But it was a good exhibit and I’m glad I saw it. 

Friday everyone was home. In the morning the landscape architect guy came over to show us our yard plan. It looks great. I wonder though if it will ever get done. Uncle Tim and I had discussed going to the Hill AFB Museum. Ben came with us. I really enjoyed going with your uncle. Uncle Tim’s super power was once again manifest. We met an old timer who was volunteering there. Kind of a legend, he flew F-100s and F-4s during the Vietnam war. He flew OV-10s and A-10s in the 70s and 80s. Wow. He was also stationed in Panama in the late 70s so uncle Tim asked if he knew his (and mom’s) uncle Virgil who was a colonel in the Air Force at that time. He did, knew him well and judging by his reaction had a ton of respect and affection for him and aunt Leila too. We met another old timer who was the Fire Control officer on an AC-130 gun ship during Vietnam. The AC-130 is a 4 engine cargo plane that was converted to an attack aircraft by adding mini guns and a 105mm howitzer canon to it. One of the most devastating aircraft ever. Ben got a kick out of how long we could chat with these legends and how many questions we could ask. I assured him I could spend many more hours with both of those men and my awe would still not be satisfied.

It’s been raining hard all week, hopefully it will go a ways to refill the reservoirs here and alleviate the drought. If it was snow here in the valley instead of rain, we would have several feet in accumulation.

Today I got up and went to McDonald’s with Joey. He had early start at work. After I came home was the errand to the Mexican market you came with us on. After that we went to the big Costco. It’s not as much fun when Ben goes as it is when I go with your mother. She likes to look at everything. Ben just wants to get it over with.

Tonight we went to Texas Roadhouse to celebrate mom’s birthday. It was fun to be together. That’s where Ben was talking about his future hopes and plans regarding grad school. He was talking about going to Colorado, Washington, Michigan, or even Stanford. My heart simultaneously swelled with pride and sank with sadness for him being potentially far away. Like I said at the start, it’s all super positive, a dad could not hope for more from his boys. But I’ll always be guilty of wanting you boys close to me.

We’re watching the CFB Playoffs right now. TCU upset Michigan, and Ohio state is leading Georgia 38-25 in the third quarter. I really don’t care who wins, but it’s fun to think that the Utes matched up well with these guys last year and would this year too. I’m feeling positive about our chances on Monday, but a wee bit anxious too. Rising still hasn’t made any announcement about next year. I fantasize about he and Keithie coming back so you can get a season with them and we can go to the playoffs or Rose Bowl with you next year. A fantasy it might remain.

Tomorrow church is at nine, sacrament meeting only. But mom’s buddy Ashley is speaking in her ward at noon, so mom said we could sleep in and go to that ward instead. I’ll take it.

I’ll send this tonight, then we’ll chat Monday. I’ll take President Holtom’s request to heart and pray for miracles in your mission. With your upcoming visit to the embassy in mind, I put your name in the temple on Thursday. Looks like the visit is coming sooner than I had anticipated.

I love you kid. Find happiness in your labor, stay close to the Lord and follow the Spirit.

Pops