Email check in from Mom: Saturday, August 21, 2021

To: Christian.garcia@missionary.org
From: Mom
Date: August 21, 2021
Subject: Saturday

Hey,

Just wanted to drop in and let you know I love you. This has been the CRAZIEST week and there has been something on the calendar every single night. I thought I was going to have a break today but it looks like since it is Big Banning's birthday we have plans now with the Stephens and the Millers to do dinner.

We had a backyard pool/bbq last night for a Back to School celebration. Robbie and Sean were there, Grandma and Cowboy came, and then we had the Stephens, the Millers, the Wrights, and even Amy Earnest and her new boyfriend and kids were here too. (That was an interesting add) Anyways, I sent the invite to the Riddles a while ago and Shawna immediately responded and said her family would be here, Andrea wasn't sure when Evan would have a mountain biking race so she would have to get back to me. Well...she never did but when B was texting Damon to see if he was coming he said that when he asked Shawna, she said they hadn't been invited!!! So, I sent a screen shot to B of the invite and her response and told him to ask his Mom again. In the meantime, I sent the invite back to the both of them and said "I know you both said you were planning on being here so I wanted to let you know that dinner is ready and we will be here until 9". Immediately Shawna replies with 'Alaina has covid, not sure if we should still stop by' yada yada yada...I told her that if it worked for her to come by I am sure it would be fine with everyone else. So...her and Chuck showed up and were visiting. Making it super weird you know? Well, I found out that Robbie had a chance to visit with her and she was like "Jen! Does Shawna's daughter have like a massive crush on Christian?!". I'm all....whhhhaaaatttt?

This is how it played out I guess. Ready???? Here goes... Shawna was visiting with Robbie, who was just trying to get to know who Shawna was. Chuck came up to them and listened I guess as well. Well, I guess Shawna was saying how great you are and that Alaina misses you and she is so glad you are on a mission but that even at school it is so weird to not see you in the hall or the parking lot. Robbie said Shawna kept going on and on when all of a sudden Chuck inserted himself and was trying to sell this new boy (I have to assume he means Cole) and how great he is. That he is a good kid too, not great like Christian but he is a good kid and respectable enough. Robbie said she sat there for like 10 minutes listening to Shawna rave about you and how much Alaina misses you while Chuck was there trying to sell that Cole (The new boyfriend) is a good kid too. Robbie was dying and I sat there listening to her trying my hardest to not laugh my face off! I can't even imagine her trying to put it all together with not knowing the full behind the scene stuff. :/

Robbie finally left and of course then Chuck and Shawna start walking the yard alone and pointing at things that we have done. I watch Shawna bend down and feel the plaster of the pool. They go over and look at the heater that the kids are sitting under. I immediately wish they would just leave! They doing one of two things...1. Judging every last thing we have done because they are jealous of it or 2. trying to take note so they can just copy everything on their new house. Either way....stay out of my yard already!!!! Ugh... After this week and the lies and them saying they will be here and they aren't, I am done inviting. I think Tyler was more than fed up too so it's easy to be on the same page together with it you know?

This has been a hard week for me when it comes to missionary stuff. Having Kaitlyn stateside has spoiled me and I have felt very empty not having the same kind of access to you in Africa. I seriously find myself wondering what you are doing throughout the day. I wonder what you have weather wise especially since ours is so freaking bi-polar right now and I am keeping a watchful eye on a hurricane set to land right near Boston this afternoon. I do not know what is happening this year with weather! I wonder what your days are filled with and am thrilled when I see you with GOATS! :) Are they like people's pets or just random goats wandering around? It's so wild to think that this is 'normal' for you! Anyways, when I message you on the Facebook and I see the small circle with the checkmark on it, I know that means it has gone through. I cannot tell you how often I go looking to see if that checkmark has changed to your profile picture! And then when I get a reaction to something my whole heart just swells with happy. It is the hardest thing I have done not being able to stay in touch on a regular basis. I know, I know...I get to hear from you weekly but you know what I mean. :)

Anyways, I just need you to know you are always in my thoughts and I am always wondering what life looks like for you right now. I miss you. I miss having you around the house and hearing you flit about doing your thing. I love you more than you will ever know.

Mom