"Down-Home" "Redneck" Fun

Jan, (no that's not right) Feb. (no, that's not right either, ) March (whoa, it has been a long time...) Okay, April 2012

Dear Family,

Yes, okay, I am sufficiently humbled (via Ruth...thank you, Ruth) to write a quick blurb. Boyd and I are doing well. We are continually challenged (just like all of us) with decisions of what to do each day. Usually we choose 'good' things, but I need to do better at choosing the 'best' thing, hence this family letter.

I really, truly don't know what to write. Our lives are fine. We are happy. Boyd is still serving as Bishop and he is gone much of the time so I miss him. I have some good friends who try to keep me in the mix of life, however. There are not very many things here that I can get lost it that are usually found in most areas of the country (shopping, going out to eat, movies etc.) But I really enjoy the people of this town. They have good hearts and give us plenty of "down-home" and "redneck" fun.

Clark is doing well, also. He is in Borlange, Sweden. One of his super good friends from Georgia has been called to serve in Denmark,(sooooo close) but reports to the MTC one month before Clark comes home. (Denmark is one of the temples they allowed the Elders to go to when he was serving in the Southern part of Sweden. They just needed to take a ferry across the waters). He also got to see the Christus and the Apostle sculptures by Thorvelson. Jealous! Someday maybe I can go see them. They are incredible works of art.

I hope Eric and fam., Dane and kidlets, Joy and fam (ahem) will report on their families. Dane and his children, along with Eric, Jill and their kidlets came down to Joseph city for a week last month. They came down to help us celebrate Joseph City founders day, as well as welcome the horse riders that had ridden from Wells Ferry (on the Northern border of Utah and Arizona) clear to our Stake Center area, Winslow, AZ. Perhaps you read or heard about it. Our Stake had been working on this for 5 years. Our Stake Pres, Pres. Gene Hancock, (who was also one of the riders), asked the first presidency for permission for the Priest aged boys, along with their leaders to make the 150 mile ride. It was to be in commemoration of not only the Pioneers but it also fell on the 100 year anniversary of AZ's statehood. The horse riders made the ride in a week, and it sure was fun to welcome them back, seeing them all sandy, dirty, (but happy) left an impression on me. Ruth, girls weren't invited, darn it, but it sure sounded like fun!)

Having Eric and Dane's family here was fun for Boyd and I. The children helped grandpa (Boyd) build a temporary fire pit for hot dog roasting and smore making, jumped on the trampoline, went on walks where the kids found their own petrified wood rocks, hiked in and around our Joe city dam, slept in a pop-up camper, games, games, games, and other assorted fun activities. We were mighty cramped in this small house but nobody seemed to mind. I loved having them come, we just missed Joy, Mike and their girls! Hopefully Joy will be coming down soon, too!

Well, that's all folks.

So happy for Liz. We will pray for your success on your mission. So proud of you!!! Hopefully we can all see each other soon. It has been forever since we have seen the whole family (yes, all y'all).

Love,
Julie