Email from Mom: January 14, 2022

From: ME!
To: Christian.garcia@missionary.org
Date: Friday, January 14, 2022
Subject: Happy Friday!

Good morning from home but good afternoon in Africa. ;) I still cannot believe that 7 hours is what the difference is between the two of us. I think about it and it blows my mind. Most days when it hits me I am in the early afternoon around 1 and it is usually when I am my busiest with stuff at home or running around. All the while I am reminded it is roughly 8pm where you are and instead of running around you are getting ready to close out your day. Then as we sit down for dinner it is even more crazy because you would be in bed. I tell ya...time zone changes are NUTS!

Anyways...how was your week? You anticipating a t-text here tomorrow yeah? I am excited and anxiously waiting to hear what is in store for you next. Any last thoughts or feelings on what you think will come through?

This week at home has been full of stuff that I am sure looking forward to finishing out and closing the doors on it. Let's get into it shall we?

Monday Tyler and I headed back to the cabin to finish painting and setting up the big back bedroom upstairs. The only thing left to put together up there is the little sofa in the loft area and then we will need to tackle the red bathroom. I don't know what color to paint on the walls up there quite yet so I am in no hurry to pull a trigger on getting that done. It is sure nice to have the project finished for now and the cabin put back together enough that we can have people up to stay and use the snowmobiles. I took the mask exemption form to the middle school for Brooklyn so she won't have to wear a mask at school during this lame new mandate that is in place. Most of the kids didn't wear one anyways she said but it was still nice to be sure she was covered and couldn't be made to wear one.

Tuesday Tyler flew to Las Vegas for work to see if he could find new products to add to work to sell. I had lunch with Katherine Chelius and then mostly just hung out around the house. B wanted to go get her nails done again so we headed to the nail salon so she could get a fill and a new design. It is so wild to think that she is almost 14 and likes to get her nails done. Not a girly girl at all but she loves the nails. :)

Wednesday I had lunch with Maya Thornell. It was nice to sit and visit with her and catch up. She is trying so hard to get her meds under control to get the green light to submit her mission papers. There is so much going on in that girls world (and that house really) that I just hope her appointment next week will be a good one and her psychiatrist will sign off. She is hoping to put her availability date for April. Maybe you could say a quick prayer on her behalf?

Thursday was the worst day around here. But let's start out with the good. Holy cow Kaitlyn hit her 1 year mark! I still cannot believe it! It has flown by and I know your mission is going to do the same. I went and visited with Kaden White's Mom, Heather, for a bit. It was nice to catch up and see how she is doing. We exchanged Christmas gifts too since we weren't able to meet up before the holiday. She seems to be doing well and she says Kaden is happy and thriving. I am glad to hear that for him. I am sure coming home early from a mission would be tricky to navigate. She asked how you are doing and just smiles when I share how happy you are and that Africa is truly right where you are supposed to be. I love being able to share you and your experiences with others. <3 Thanks for including me in on them.

After I left Heathers I headed home because I had an appointment at the vet for Charli. This last week has been super hard on her and I knew I needed to get her in. I told you how she struggled at the cabin and how she got high centered on the stairs. When we got home she quit eating and was drinking very little. She couldn't get herself up into her crate and night and when I helped her she just whimpered. On Wednesday she didn't move at all during the day. And on Wednesday night when I tried to give her an ice cream (which we all know she totally loves), she wasn't interested. As I got to the vet and into the room, my heart was racing and I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes. The vet came in and gasped audibly. She asked what was going on and was taking a look at Charli to assess. Her skin was pale, the vet was having a hard time finding a good strong heartbeat, and when they weighed her she weighed in at 3.8 pounds. This time last year she was 5.5! We talked about her struggle to move and keep stability. We talked about her not eating this last week. In the end, the vet said that there was no muscle in her back legs and even in her neck which is probably why she whimpers and whines when she tries to eat. I had two choices...1. I could bring Charli home and wait in anticipation for her to fall and break one or two of her back legs or worse, her poor little heart that was trying to stay strong and steady would give out and she would have a heart attack or 2. I could choose to peacefully let her go and have the afternoon moments with her right there. I could not believe what I was hearing and yet I was peaceful with what choice I knew I needed to make. Charli went to live her best, and healthiest, life on Thursday, January 13, 2022. She was so peaceful and as hard as it was to say goodbye I really do think that it was the best day for her. The staff at the hospital were so wonderful and so caring with me. The let me take whatever time I needed and they allowed me to make the call when I was ready to say goodbye. I know Charli knows we all love her and I hope that she knows I truly gave her my all to give her the best life I could even with her crappy beginnings. Thursday was a hard day.

I picked up Brooklyn from school and we talked about the days events. She knew it was a possibility when she left for school so she had said her last goodbyes and she knew Charli's appointment was at 1:30. She said she was watching the time and she started to get sad. We both had a good cry on our way to the Fizz and continued to allow the tears to fall throughout the rest of the day. Tyler flew home and he had plenty of tears fall out of his eyes too. There was something truly special about this little dog and she had all of our hearts for sure. Tyler was adamant that we needed to get rid of the daily reminders of Charli so he asked Jason to come and help him move her crate out of my office and we cleaned up her food bowls and her toys as well. Akaela and Kynlee came up with Jason as well. Kynlee was so sweet and gave Brooklyn a flower and some treats (twix bars and a cold Mountain Dew) and Akaela brought some chocolate and cinnamon bears. Truly truly great friends that I am so grateful for. The Millers all shed some tears as well. I just don't know how to process life without her. She has been in our home for over 5 years and a huge player in each day. Ugh...

If all of that wasn't enough, there was a house fire on Emmeline that is in our Stake so the Stake Relief Society groupme was blowing up as to how we can all rally together to help this family out. They had a hoverboard charging in their garage and it exploded. The family had been living in the basement of their home while the upstairs was being painted (sound familiar?) and most of their belongings were in their garage so there is a huge loss but thankfully the fire wall between the garage and the home stopped the fire and there doesn't appear as of this morning according to my groupme that the smoke damage is something to be concerned about. Hopefully it will be a garage rebuild and a furnishings shopping trip is all that this family will have to stress about. I cannot even imagine! I had Brooklyn unplug her hoverboard in the loft and Tyler decided to unplug the golf cart for now too. Scary!!

Also Thursday...see! I told you it was a day...there was a story on the KSL news that there was a shooting on Mtn View Corridor and 4100 So by Hunter High School. 2 kids were confirmed dead with another one in critical condition. 4 juveniles ages 14, 14, 14, and 15 were in custody and the gun used was recovered. Well...the 15 year old in critical condition is one of the Asiata boys that lives behind the Balls. Talk about too close to home. As of this morning he is still in critical condition from the story on the news and I sure hope he survives. The 2 that passed away were 14 year olds and Freshman footballers. Epraihm Asiata is a Sophomore and plays football for Hunter I guess. Our neighborhoods were hit hard with some tragedies to say the least.

And if that is still not enough.....not kidding, there is more! Brooklyn has Monday and Tuesday off for the holiday and then a teacher work day and now Wednesday through Friday are virtual learning days from home. Back to some home schooling! Holy holy crap. Will this world and life ever get back to normal??? If all of what is playing out in front of us isn't a testament of the end of times I simply don't know what else would be. It is all testing my patience for sure and I find I am a non complier in the mask thing to the point that I will drive to Utah County for things if I need to because they aren't requiring masks. I am tired of Covid anything and wish it would just go down as a new virus that exists out there and that as humans we need to be cautious and careful and mindful and respectful of others if we do get sick. Common sense...but it just doesn't appear to be something that many have anymore these days. :/

Today is Friday and it's late start. I was up early not able to sleep anymore. Still processing so many feelings and emotions on my heart. Tyler and I are going to go to RC Willey to get a new piece of furniture for my office and then a Costco run. We are going to have the Millers up to the cabin this weekend from Saturday to Monday so I need to go get dinner and snack/lunch stuff. It will be nice to go escape for a weekend you know? I wish you were home to be there with us but in due time. :) We have Spencer's wedding tomorrow afternoon and then up to Oakley we will go.

I am sorry I couldn't do more for Charli to have her here when you got home but I really truly believe she is much happier. I couldn't be selfish and hold onto her and watch as she continued to decline and struggle every single day any longer. Even though I sure wanted to. I hope this week has been a good one for you and I pray your transfer news is something of excitement as you find out what the Lord has in store. You are doing amazing things and I am so proud of you. Thank you for your example and for your attitude and joy in all things. I love being your Mom. I love you for forever and for always.

Mom

The final piece upstairs at the cabin is put back together finally!

This elk was just hanging in the field by the cabin so I thought I would share with you

My favorite pic of a healthy Charli girl