Spencer’s Home

Oh hello my boy!

Well, Spencer is home. For me, because he’s older than Jacob and he talked about his mission for so long before he left that it seems like he was gone for longer than he was. He came home the 24th, Pioneer Day, so I took a day off of work. 

I got up and did some projects before it got too hot. I changed the air filters on my 4Runner and rotated the tires. I like to do my own service like that so I can see the condition of the vehicle. For example, when I have the tires off I can check the brakes, I can check my steering and suspension, and I can check my tire wear. I use my car pretty heavily, and it seems to be holding up okay. 

After that I came in to get cleaned up. It was getting pretty hot out there. Spencer was supposed to get in at 12:40 but we got a text from uncle Justin that his flight had been delayed until a little after 4. Poor auntie Selena. There had been a big computer glitch that had caused flight delays all over the country all week. So mom and I used the time to go grocery shopping and errands. 

Ben was able to come with us to the airport but Jake was working. The airport was busy with a lot of missionaries coming home. We waited a while for Spencer, but it was fun to see the reaction of his family when he came through the doors. I must say he seems exactly the same, I think because he waited a little he didn’t change as much as your brothers did.

After, we again met for burgers at the downtown Crown Burger. It’s fun to be with the family during these happy times. This was my first realization how long before it’s your turn. Not that’s bad, you have some great experiences ahead of you. But I like you, and admittedly, I miss you. In honor of you, I ordered a BLT, but I kept the T. After, mom treated us to some shakes, both strawberry and cookies and cream. The shakes there are good and I ate more than my share.

After we got home we all sat around the house pouting about mom’s fireworks ban. I think Even mom regretted not having family over because even she seemed a bit disappointed. Maybe next year, for sure the year you’re home. Surprisingly, all the noise from the neighborhood was done by 10:30, maybe because it was a week night.

Today was Spencer’s homecoming talk. Do you recall how the Spirit sometimes affects me by making me feel so peaceful that I’m able to get a little profound rest? Well, yea. According to your mother, the talk was good. Afterwards we went to the Bergs house for sandwiches, salads and yummy treats. It was fun.

Yesterday Ben suggested we go on another rock hunt. This time we went to Lakeside Utah, which is near Tooele. It wasn’t too far or too rough. There was a small hike up a canyon. Ben scooted on up first. By the time we got to that last foothill before the canyon we could see that a bull was very interested in Ben. I’m not sure that Ben even saw the bull because he just kept walking. So we followed Jacob’s better judgment and went around the small area where that bull and his two girlfriends were hanging out. From the canyon we could see the little neighborhoods in Lakefront, the freeway, the Great Salt Lake, and Antelope Island in the distance. It was pretty. We could see Ben on top of one of the outcroppings searching. He found a rock full of fossils, encronite, which is a rock made up of ancient sea creature parts that look like Cheerios. We went up for another mile or so and he kept finding those rocks. Mom wants him to give a little talk to the kindergarteners about geology so he’s selecting samples. We may plan an overnight trip to the San Raphael Swell to look for gypsum. 

One little experience stood out to me on that hike though. The trail was narrow and kinda loose. At one point on the way down it was steep and loose where it crossed the dry stream bed and I stepped on a small rock. My foot rolled over it and I lost my footing. I was tipping towards the stream bed which was four or five feet below the trail. The arc of the fall made me think I was going to land head first on some rocks. Perception speeds up in those situations so I could almost picture it happening. But just before I did start the rotation I found my footing. I was surprised that the footing was solid and that I was perfectly upright. For a second I thought I was a sure footed mountain goat in a tubby dad body. But then it occurred to me that we always start our trips, big or small, with a prayer asking for protection. So I chose to thank Heavenly Father instead of thinking I was a nimble mountain climber. 

I just got back from Stake Mission correlation. It was helpful.

Mom and Ben are prepping pizza fixins’. It smells good. I think this is all for my letter this week my boy. I love you, I look forward to chatting with you tomorrow. 

Pops