It was an interesting end to the month for Howard, when he came through LA airport and was told that his Resident Alien card wasn't any good anymore: it had become faded and some of the information wasn't legible. He was told the next time he tried to get back into America with it, he could be deported and fined. He re-applied for a new card, but while waiting he can't leave the country. That isn't stopping his travel, just his travel abroad. He has trips planned stateside during his waiting period. We are wondering if the new Compromise Law that was just passed might delay his card becoming reissued. The family isn't too sad to see him stay closer to home. His trips will only be week long ones, as opposed to weeks long.
Melanie is gearing up for the Stake's Family History Center Conference, which is Saturday. Her young women are making lunches for 130 people, as a fundraiser for camp. Melanie needs to buy meat, bread, cheese, chips, etc. and organize 25 young women to make the lunches and sell them. This usually earns about $700 for the young women to be used to defray the cost of camp. It takes about a week's worth of organizing, and a day's worth of work for assembling and selling. It will make the weekend go by quickly!
Siovhan hasn't made up her mind whether she is coming home this summer. She has the opportunity to come home and work at Tyco again, for $10/hour, with rent and board being free, or stay in Utah, find a job and pay for room and board. She won't be home until the end of June, as she needs to stay for a communications class.
Braden is finished with the Musical "Beauty and the Beast." They did the Broadway version of the Disney's "Beauty and the Beast." Howard and Benjamin really liked the performance. They were impressed with how professional it was. The costumes were amazing! Braden is sad that he once again has no life. He was gone up to four days a week with practice and now he has to share his free time with his family. He has been lifting weights and working out at the YMCA. He would prefer to swim, but the lap times aren't family friendly.
Ben recently purchased an electric guitar. He starts lessons this month. We just have to encourage him that practice is the only way to go. He likes the fact that it is spring and he can go for walks in the woods. He goes in heavily armed: a long wooden pole and a pocketknife. We have foxes and coyotes in our neighborhood. It hasn't deterred him, just made him stick closer to home. He loves being outdoors.
Mikaela is finishing up gymnastics for the spring. She isn't sure she wants to do them during the summer, and I don't blame her. She loves the class when she gets there, it is just a bit tiring to have to drive for a half an hour to get to class. No short cuts to the building. She just finished up her specialized math class and had a blast using math in everyday situations. Her math teacher is a lot of fun and had a lot of fun games and activities to teach the children with. I like the fact that our district takes those who test high in certain areas and encourages them with specialized classes (even if it is extra curricular).
It was so much fun to be in Utah during the good weather time. I loved being with my siblings and my daughter. (I thought that Mom and Dad went without saying. Who isn't glad to see their parents?) I appreciate all that you do to try to keep Siovhan family-oriented. She isn't easy to get a hold of. (I know, I was with her for a few days, and one day she left me for someone much younger, stronger and of the opposite gender.)
God bless you all for you endeavors in our behalf!
Happy Easter.
I found this interesting fact on Martha Stewart's page: In late-nineteenth-century Germany, eggs were used as birth certificates. The newborn's name and birth date were etched into the shell of a dyed egg, and courts honored these "IDs" as proof of age and identity.
I wonder if our extended heritage did this.
Mel
