Smithfield Scoop

What a blessing it is to have everyone feeling better! It took Dad the better part of a week to feel like getting up and around. He got quite a bit of reading and resting done before he felt entirely better. So, so happy Elise, Jenn, Rand, Rosie, Scott, Wesley, Chet, Lauren (to some degree), Eliza and Henry are all feeling better. Words cannot explain how fortunate and grateful Emma and I feel to not have had to deal with the particular bug that afflicted so many of our family members.

We thoroughly enjoyed our visit to Kaysville last week to listen to Lori's dad, Dave Baird, give a presentation about Joseph Smith, the Book of Mormon, and show artifacts hand made by himself that depict different aspects of the restoration of the gospel. My favorites were the liahona and the death masks of Hyrum and Joseph. If possible, we would love to have Brother Baird come to one of our family gatherings to give that same message. If that doesn't work out, we would strongly encourage you to keep in touch with Lori and Joe to see when he is speaking again so you can attend! It was fascinating, interesting, and very inspiring.

Things have gone basically smoothly the last couple of weeks, after Dad got well. Besides Dad having a couple of teeth break and having to get a crown on one tooth, and the truck breaking down, things have been going well here. Emma has been busy with classes, work, study, dates, speaking in church, going to California with friends for spring break, and making future plans - including being accepted by ILP to teach English in the Dominican Republic from the beginning of May to the end of August. 

It was especially wonderful to gather with some of our family for Grant's baptism on the last day of February, which happened to be "Leap Day." It's a blessing to be with loved ones for these memorable and eternally significant occasions.

We celebrated heading into March with the Harts coming to our house for Ian's birthday! True to the little saying, March did "come in like a lion" this year and we awoke to snow. Despite the snow and it being Fast Sunday, Ian was a good sport and we enjoyed dinner, games, ping pong and frozen fruit with birthday candles in it. The rest of the family returned to Idaho Falls while Ian remained here to go with Grandpa to California to keep Emma company for the rest of her spring break vacation. They missed Thomas and Victoria by a few hours, though the Ts were in Los Angeles rather than in San Diego, so their paths wouldn't have crossed anyway. We will have to report on their adventures next week after they get back to tell the tale!

Some favorite recent pictures of some of my favorite faces....

Happy March to all!!