My Dear Family –
During the month of April much to my happiness and therapy, I got to see so much of my family that my heart was full. What a blessing to see Emma, Jean, Reid and Rachelle, Alex, Stewart, Erika, Brittany, Sterling and Jennifer, Ruth, Rose, Stacy, Caroline, Dave and Nicole, Scottie, JC and Becky, Anne Marie, Lillian, Thomas, Maryanne, Hannah and April. Emma and I got to meet April on campus for lunch and ice cream, and too soon the week was over when I had to send Emma back to BYUI. Her life is much fuller than it was in CT with good things both of learning and the gospel. Thank you to whoever started the Bannock Stake Academy in 1888. It has been a blessing for many in the Barrus family. I was thrilled to be able to attend Rachelle’s and Erika’s graduations. How exciting is that? Rachelle also started a new job at an eye doctor’s office. She is preparing herself to be able to help Reid when he sets up his practice in a few years. And that dream is all because of Scott Olson and his list that he made of jobs as he looked for what he could do. That list he shared with Reid helped him decided what he wanted to do in the future. See how much we bless each other? Brittany looked beautiful at her wedding reception.
I was also blessed to hang with my many sisters and brother/Megumi and now you can quit reading all who don’t think work is fun. I enjoyed mulching, weeding, gathering tables and chairs, building a deck, etc. Working together gets people talking and laughing together and making memories as things happen. Where do you think the nickname “Konka Bob” came from? How many projects can you name over the years that we participated in? We have cleaned homes, harvested hundreds of pounds of vegetables, put on new roofs and porches, relandscaped homes, built a deck in Kansas, made quilts to give away, helped others after surgery, mowed lawns, picked up rocks from the pasture, helped finish basements and move walls, finished a storage room, and the list goes on. All good things to help the bonds become strengthened. The next generation is right behind us with Austin coming down to Georgia to help Aunt Chris and Uncle Scott with a long overdue deck. Austin drew up plans, sent them to the inspector, and had Chris order the wood so that all would be ready when he came down. His organization skills were amazing and the deck was finished in four days. It turned out beautiful. You can see pictures of the before and after on Scott Felsted’s Facebook page. Bob flew down to be his right hand man and learned to take orders from a new boss. When the inspector came for the final inspection, Chris was not there but she found on the paper he left “Nice Job” underlined two times. What a great compliment!
So here I am back in CT after three and a half weeks getting a booster from seeing everyone. Chris helped me start a new way of eating which I started while in Utah that does not include cookies, cake or candy. I refuse to get on the scale but my pants are a little looser and that is what I am looking for. I am looking forward to making Flora’s carrot cookies in a few weeks. They are so good! I will never be a slim jim, but maybe just a normal norma. I will not lie. It has been hard to come home but this is where I am supposed to be. Bob did great things while I was gone. He fixed the driveway, repaired the front path that was sinking, did laundry, vacuumed, cleaned the windows on the main level, repaired my hippo in the front garden that had been run over in the snow, and fertilized the lawn. Saturday we ordered the vanity for the bathroom in the basement. We must be on a roll. Hurrah! It feels so good to get things done.
Thank you to all who helped make my stay (for it is all about me!) in Utah a healing and restful place. It must be what Heaven is like. There is a rest from labors that are pressing at home which helps the heart. Heather and Spencer are expecting the end of October!
Love, Bob, Ruth and No Emma Jane-Jane
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