Wednesday, July 25, 2024

                 It has been a while since my last entry.  I have been under a lot of stress with lawsuits and mediation.  At the moment, my stomach feels like a huge knot and I have very little appetite.  I have lost 3 pounds in the last 3 days.  At the moment, I am having a hard time understanding how people can be so deceptive and dishonest.  I am also having a hard time understanding the court system.  I feel like no matter how hard I try to protect myself and do what I am supposed to, evil tends to have small victories.  Why does the good get tainted by the bad?  It is unfortunate and it will not be the last time a trial like this occurs because there are so many greedy and hurtful people.

                In order to continue and function, I have to keep myself busy and immersed in truth and light.  I am grateful for conference talks because they take away the sting.  But is I constant battle because my mind tends to drift and I forcefully have to refocus.  I am grateful for Tim.  I need to rely on him at times because I get so overwhelmed.  So now I am forcing myself to focus on the good that has happened since my last entry.

                We had a wonderful trip to the Philippines as a family.  We met a lot of nice people and enjoyed swimming in the ocean, trying new foods, and bargaining at the outside markets.  Yes it was hot and humid but the people were so gracious.

                Jacinda recently toured BYU and had a great time.  She got an in depth look at the theater department.  I really enjoyed seeing the costumes.  They have a huge collection.  We also saw her apartment and got to say hi to Ben Fisher.  He showed us the chemistry department.  I think we walked that campus 7 times in one day.  I am very excited for her.  She is going to love it.

                McCabe spent 6 weeks in Taiwan as a foreign exchange student.  He loved it.  He got to go to their schools and see how they learn.  He stayed with a few different families so he got a taste of their living conditions and had a chance to try chicken hearts and an oyster omelet.  The omelet made him gag but the other foods he enjoyed.  McCabe also went to All Stars priesthood camp with Teagan and his cousins. They had a great time.

                Xadia is at FSY.  She went with her friend Brynlee Lilywhite.  I was able to talk with Xadia yesterday.  She is having a great time and meeting a lot of friends.  She sent a group picture and it looks like she fits right in.  Xadia is also working at Lagoon this summer in the foods department and riding dirt bikes in her spare time.

Teagan is going into 7th grade.  He is committed to boxing.  He tries to go 3 times a week.  He also is a big help at home.  Yesterday he helped Tim make a bigger chicken coup.  It was pretty awesome!  We have 11 chickens now and they are all trying to get along.  Teagan and Xadia like to ride the E-bikes.  The other day they went to Lowe’s and Walmart.  That was at least a 10 mile ride and took 4 hours.