Email from Mom: Sunday, December 19, 2021

To: Kaitlyn.garcia@missionary.org
Date: Sunday, December 19, 2021
Subject: Hey!

Happiest of Sunday to you! How are you today?

I have never wondered about you more during the week than I have over the course of the last 7 days. :) I pray your new 'normal' and your new routine are doing well and that you continue to find joy in this journey you are on as a missionary.  How has this last week gone for you? How are things with the companion and the area and those that are adding to your plate? Were you able to talk to or meet up with Mayara? How are things with her? Anything I can do there to help?

This week was a wild one to say the least. The last week of school before Christmas continues to be one as a parent that always makes my head shake. :) Tyler and I had our Covid booster on  Monday and it nearly wiped me out for 2 days. Holy cow. And the spot of the injection? Yeah...today it finally feels normalish and the water in the shower doesn't hurt it. Seriously...so wild. We had a literal crap ton of snow fall overnight on Tuesday into Wednesday. So much that they canceled school! Not that it mattered here because B had an ortho at 8:30. But thankfully the plows had been out on the major roads so we got there without any hiccup. She was so funny that morning. Had the butterflies going in her stomach and sweaty hands. But in the end she was thrilled to have braces gone. She was in them for 31 months! And her smile is so pretty.

I have never been more glad to not have regular appointments to have to go the office of Horsley too. I am thankful for the work they did but they taught me a lot along the way. I will value people's time more and I will learn to be more humble as well. I cannot believe the blatant cockiness of who he is as an individual and that he is rubbing off onto his staff. The vanity is unreal to say the least. B does have a few more appointments that she will go to but not like it was every 8 weeks thank goodness!

I had the auxiliary cookie party here on Thursday and was reminded yet again of being respectful of people and time. Jaci Thornell cannot seem to make it on time to literally anything. We had a full house and the party was supposed to start at 7 but we waited until 7:15 just to see if she would arrive (she had RSVP'd so...). She didn't so Natalie started and at 7:45 Jaci arrived and was annoyed as heck that we started without her. Um..hello! Anyways, it is just another reminder as well as a known fact that it is best to not invite her to things because she has continued time and time again to make it clear that she is never on time and expects you to just be okay with it and cater to that. So frustrating. Grateful for small reminders of lessons to be learned in day to day life though too you know?

I ran to the cabin yesterday to help Tyler get stuff ready for the new carpet that is going in after the first of the year. I didn't actually end up helping much though because I was just so dang tired. Seriously...I sat in the chair by the fireplace and my eyes got so heavy and then I was asleep. So...I ended up just coming home. He got the upstairs all done and we will need to go back and get the two main level bedrooms done but that shouldn't be too terrible. Pretty pathetic day really for me but it is what it is. :)

Today is quiet here. Jason came up and needled my neck and tops of my shoulders for me. Headaches are getting more frequent again and the knots in my shoulders are totally the worst. High Council is speaking at our ward and we were going to go to Oakley but instead we are staying in and going to have a gingerbread house decorating party with the three of us later tonight. In fact, Tyler and Brooklyn are at the Costco now picking them up for us. That should prove to be fun right? I will be sure to send photos of our end results.

Brooklyn is loving the chance to be off of school and sleep in. In fact last night she was going to try an all nighter but instead stayed up until 2:30am!!! She is nuts if you ask me. When I went up to see if she was still awake at 1am, her and Cutler were on facetime and talking. She said he fell asleep at like 1:30. I don't get it. I like sleep way too much.

I got the cutest card in the mail yesterday from Sister Parrish. I literally sat at the kitchen island and cried as I read it. She is the sweetest and I will forever love that the two of you are in each others lives. I pray it stays that way for forever and that there will be days where she will be poolside in our backyard. I didn't think I would be blessed by friendships while you served but here I am relishing in this sweet soul and counting my blessings for your choice to serve because of that. So..thank you. :)

I miss you. This week should be a good week for you with your zone activity and also being able to be inside of the temple. I cannot wait to hear how that goes for you! I cannot wait to hear all about your experience and feelings. Brooklyn has an ortho and a dermatologist appointment on Wednesday morning and then we have tickets to go to the actual movie theater on Thursday to see Sing 2 on Thursday. That has been a hot second since we have done that. Other than that, we are low key this week here. I am not going to Grandmas on the 24th...still not ready to pretend on relationships...especially at Christmas. We could go to the adult ward gathering at the Balls on Wednesday night but I doubt it. I have zero desire to go and entertain all of what Ashley is or brings to a table. But I guess we will see what Tyler wants to do. I could always send him with the Millers or something. (That would be funny!)

I have you in my thoughts and prayers. I hope this week there has been some settling in your heart and you are able to feel of the Lords love and protection as you have gone about your days. I pray you can feel of my love and of my prayers for you too. You are quite simply one of my greatest accomplishments in life and I am so grateful to be your Mom. I love you more than you will ever be able to comprehend.

Have so much fun at your activity on Tuesday and enjoy and relish all you can when it comes to being at the temple on Wednesday. I love you for forever and for always.

Mom