Happy Birthday Jessie!

Dear Sister Payne and Elder Payne,

Emma is reminding me that I need to go outside and make sure the chickens are in their "palace," so this will be short.

Jessie, I hope your birthday was wonderful.  I thought of you several times today and hope you felt our love from afar.  Thank you for your gift of time, love, and service to Jesus and our brothers and sisters in Canada.  We all pray that the next year will be amazing, just like you!

Love,

Dad

Woah, the first day of the month should not be allowed to be a Monday.  Reyna's car broke down, so she didn't make it in to work until early afternoon.  I probably spent half the day today working on loans.  That's not my comparative advantage anymore.  As a result I didn't make much progress on the rest of my responsibilities today.  Fortunately, Reyna bought a new car today, so that problem should be in the past.

FHE tonight was nice; I just have to remind myself that little girls grow into reverence.  They need patience and gentle guidance as they mature.  Tomorrow is Grandpa Dee Woodward's birthday, so Julie's dad joined us by video chat to tell some stories of his father.  It was fun.  He loved missionary work.  Mark was especially interested to hear how he started gospel conversations with others.  I'm not sure Grandpa's approach will work for Mark, or for anyone else for that matter.  He was one of a kind.

We sang Happy Birthday to Jessie and enjoyed some chocolate cake to celebrate her birthday.  I can't believe it's been 21 years since Julie and I went to the hospital in Phoenix to have our first child.  Fatherhood has been a wonderful adventure and defines everything I do.  I had no idea what to expect as a father.  Seeing other righteous fathers can only prepare you so far; actually holding your own child is completely different.  It is at once humbling, terrifying, and exhilarating.  Now 21 years later, I still look in the eyes of each of my children and see their potential, my hopes, and the growth that lies before them.  I pray for God's help that I can magnify my role as father, and for the blessings of the atonement of Jesus Christ to make up for my mistakes and shortcomings.

Thankful: I'm thankful for Julie, Jessie, Mark, Abbie, Spencer, Neil, Isaac, Emma, Camilla and Nathaniel.  (Boy that's a long list! 😊)

Ministering: I don't feel like I did a lot today.  Here are three options from today:

1.       I used my turn signals when changing lanes.

2.       I picked up ten library books on my way home for Neil (and whoever else had reserved a book).

3.       I prepared the FHE lesson for Julie, who had spent the day helping the kids with their FHE assignments.  It was only fair because Abbie made the chocolate cake we used for FHE treats.

More later…

FHE buddies

Isaac's baptism card (and cash!) from G&G Woodward