Thanksgiving 2022

 

November 27, 2022 – 11:30pm

Dear Family:

News:   

·        Happy Birthday to Sheri and Emery last week; (we have a couple birthdays in December coming up – Marissa and Tanner)

·        Emery got to come home from the hospital finally AFTER  THANKSGIVING

·        Thanksgiving happened in Oregon, Washington, Chile and Utah.

o   Brian and his whole family were together

o   Packams were in the hospital

o   Tanner & Haley went to San Antonia after dropping Thanksgiving off to the Packams

o   Mike’s boys are in Connecticut

o   Don was with Ben, Lacey and her family

o   Glennda and Scott were home in Corbett

o   Jay & Alena were home in Ocean Park and then spent a couple days at the Oregon beach

o   Haley and Steve were in Nevada/Arizona?

·        I finally met my great grandson Cole Giles. 

·        Amy &  Mike gave the Tesla it’s first road trip to Spokane and I went along.

·        Lots of wonderful food on Thanksgiving and family activities

·        AND AMY CAME DOWN WITH COVID THIS MORNING

We all had such a wonderful time at Brad and Sheri’s home (which is beautiful – by the way).  It was decorated for the holidays and there was room for all of us:  Brad, Sheri, Amy, Mike, Me, Tayor, Kelsy, Cooper, McKay, Riley, Corbin and Cole.  Riley and family arrived a day late, because Allegiant Airlines wouldn’t land in the fog on Wednesday night, so they arrived Thursday afternoon. Carter being in Chile on his mission was included in every prayer.

Amy was in great health until this morning when she woke up.  I heard her say, my cough is different today.  When we sat down in the car to come home about 10:30 all of a sudden it hit her; cough, headache, body aches, congestion – in general she felt horrible.  We all just got a text from Mike a little while ago that she tested positive for Covid late this evening and he notified all of us.  Mike and I seem fine at the moment.  I had Covid in July and August, so my antibodies should be up (hopefully). 

During the last week I’ve been reading a 22 year old book by David Baldacci who is an author of murder mysteries, suspense, thrillers.  This book was a novel but based on the life of his mother and great grandmother.  The setting was 1940’s in Virginia.  There was a forward and an afterward written by the author dealing with family.  You know what a sap I am about family so I thought I’d share some of the things he said 22+ years ago.  I liked what he has to say and you might too. I just happened to read this book during Thanksgiving week when our family was together - literally or via text or FaceTime, Facebook, etc.

David Baldaai from the introduction to his book, WISH YOU WELL (2000)( Inspired by the life of his mother and grandmother)

 “When we reach adulthood most of us assume we know everything there is to know about our parents and other family members. However if you take time to ask questions and actually listen to the answers you may find there is still much to learn about people so close to us …..Oral histories are a dying art which is sad indeed for they show appropriate respect for the lives and experiences of those who have come before. And just as important they document those remembrances, but for once those lives are over that personal knowledge is lost forever. 

Unfortunately we live in a time now where everyone seems to be looking ahead as though we deem nothing in the past is worthy of our attention. 

The future is always fresh and exciting and it has a pull on us that times past can never muster. Yet it may well be that our greatest wealth as human beings can be discovered by simply looking behind us.”

 

 

“I will never forget that the passing down of memories is the strongest link in the gossamer bridge that binds us as people. “. … what we hold in our hearts is truly the fiercest component of our humanity “

 

“I want my children to know where they came from - what their ancestors were like- how they struggled persevered - the mistakes they made- the failures they suffered - the triumphs they achieved - isn’t that how one’s values and character are built.” 

 

Judy, Glennda and I with our families recorded our Dad’s oral history when we were all on a camping trip many years ago.  Aunt Margaret made a special trip to Idaho to record her brother Grant’s oral history (Grant, Margaret and my Dad were siblings).  I wrote my personal history and in addition, many of my remembrances are included in these weekly letters.  I’ve read a few of David Baldacci’s books, but this one was totally different and got me to thinking about my parents, grandparents and ancestors again.

 

We all will have Amy in our prayers for a fast recovery and hope everyone else doesn’t get it. 

 

I love you all.  Be well this week

 

Love Mom, Grandma, Great Grandma, Sister and Aunt Suzanne

 

 

 

Thanksgiving, Emery's Birthday and prayers for her speedy recovery

 

11/20/22 – Dear Family:

This week we will celebrate Emery’s Birthday and Thanksgiving.  Being with family is our "best thing".  I’m excited to be with family in Spokane this week. I remember as a girl having Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners with just our little family.  When we moved to Portland we sometimes had it with the Carl and Lucille Simmers family. As we 3 girls raised our families we almost always had Thanksgiving together; lots of adults, lots of kids, lots of food, lots of dishes, LOTS OF FUN!

I understand from Riley that Emery is still in the hospital and might be for a while yet. Our special thoughts and prayers go out to Jake, Kenlee, Emery and Addie this week because of Emery’s illness.  Life is delicate and can take a turn for the worse at any time.  I appreciate Kenlee keeping us all up to date.  I can’t help but remember the emotion and fear and prayers that I uttered when my little boys had health/surgery problems as little tykes.  I remember feeling that Nothing in the World mattered but my little boy. Everything else was meaningless.  I even remember picking a pink camellia off our bushes to take to the hospital for Brian, even though he was only 5 weeks old.  I remember not wanting to leave the hospital because I knew that Brad needed me even though he was only 6 weeks old.  I’m sure that all these emotions have filled Kenlee and Jake this week.  Faith in our Heavenly Father and that he loves us and supports us sometimes is all we have in our quiet moments when it is just you and your little girl.  "Heavenly Father bless Emery to get well very soon."

I’ve been think lately about why some people end up as adults being kind, considerate, generous, compassionate, polite and just generally a good person….and why some people end up as adults being selfish, cruel, and maybe even a criminal.  The only history I have to evaluate personally is my own. I don’t know the how a criminal or a selfish person was raised, but I can kind of guess.

Our father was raised on a farm.  Back then one of the reasons folks had kids was for the help they could offer to provide for the family.  The majority of the nation lived on farms in 1919.  They raised their own food, meat, eggs, milk, vegetables, and fruit. Selling eggs was how they bought flour, medicine, etc.  It took lots of work to do that.  In turn, our Dad insisted that his children would learn how to work.  Judy and I had the farm experience, me more than her, because I was older.  We all were taught to be respectful of our elders, not to talk back, to be obedient and to work hard.  Mom wasn’t raised on a farm, but by marrying a farm boy and living on farms, she learned quickly to work just as hard.  We didn’t have the latest anything.  We had one dress to wear for church and we had very few school clothes – girls couldn’t wear pants or jeans to school back then. If I didn’t wear out my clothes by the time I outgrew them, they were handed down to my sisters. Dad had been a barber in the Army so he cut our hair (unless mom beat him to it, because Dad would cut it too short.) Dad had unfortunate schooling experiences and might have been dyslexic, but mom reminded us regularly that she was the salutatorian of her high school, that she got straight A’s and we were expected to do the same. We were taught to be honest.  If we tried to lie, we only did it once.  If we weren’t busy working at something on the farm or in the house, we were told “Find something to do. Something needs to be done.” 

Dad and Mom have been gone a long time, but I wish I had thanked them for the way we were raised. 

Judy, Glennda and I decided that we had some kind of “performance” complex.  We thought we had to be productive all the time. We were also taught that “Anything worth doing is work doing well.”  So no haphazard sloppy work was accepted.  As a result we 3 three girls decided that we turned out really pretty good.  I’m grateful that my parents loved us, provided for us (even though we didn’t have much), fed us, clothed, us and taught us to be good productive members of society.  I need to also give credit to the fact that we were raised in the church.  Those weekly teachings about the Golden Rule, Jesus, being kind, serving others, contributing to the ward by taking callings – all were GOOD THINGS.

I feel sorry for those who were raised without love, rules, examples, teachings of work ethic, examples of honesty and faith. I think that those who are selfish, unkind, cruel have been cheated in life.  I do know that we are responsible for ourselves and that we can always change for the better.  I guess God will sort it all out.  I’ve often thought, that even though people want to DO THEIR OWN THING, that the way us Short kids were raised was a GOOD WAY.  Thank you Mom and Dad…

I will give extra hugs to my family this week.  I miss having family around like in the old days.  You are all the best.

 

FROM ELDER SCHNELL (Thanks Sheri for sending these along)

Time is flying like crazy, it feels like I just sent my Last email maybe two day ago. Things are moving along smoothly, I’m getting closer with my maker and I am excited to see where this path takes me over the next two years. My two companions and I are getting along just fine, I am not the biggest fan of my trainers idea: living the law of consecration, or rather, 'you pay for my bus tickets and I'll eat a little bit of all your food'. I'm kidding. Maybe. (Mission president, if you see this, that was a Joke.)

 

It’s a bit tricky to get used to sharing everything including food or money, right after being practically territorial over your belongings in college, plus the fact that we are very very poor. We all live on 66 bucks USD for 2 weeks, for all of our food, and bus tickets. we have to take a bus everywhere, I'm on one right now. From the north border to the South border of our area, along the coast, it's a 5 hour walk. We are not reimbursed for bus tickets. We took a bus to San Antonio, a neighboring city this morning to pull money out, because that is the nearest ATM and there wasn’t anything in our accounts, so where hoping tomorrow Will be different. We are required to travel to other Cities for meetings and it is draining our wallets because of the cost of travel. Other than that, all is well, it's a blessing to be here in this area, everyone says it's unlike anywhere they’ve ever served, just about everyone is willing to listen. And in regards to my Spanish, Estoy mejorando, no hablo o entiendo mucho, pero lo intento, siempre. Estoy aprendiendo muchos palabras chilenas, estoy escribiendolas en un libro para estudiar personal. Enseñando el evangelio en Español muy difícil, pero el espíritu santo me ayuda.

 

Id like to get emails back from ya’ll if you’ve got a minute, love hearing about how things are back home :) I really miss music. Pero, todo bien. Las escrituras son mi gozo ahora. Everybody email me pictures of you guys, I don't have any, I don't wanna go 2 years without seeing all your faces :) I'll send ya’ll some pictures in this email.

I love you all! Con mucho amor

 Well family, have a wonderful week and wonderful Thanksgiving.  I have so much love in my heart for each of you.  It almost brings tears when I realize how fortunate I am to have you all in my life and in my memories.

Love Mom, Grandma, Great Grandma, Sister and Aunt Suzanne

 PS Carter's Email address is in the To: in the email

Elder Carter Schnell and other news

 

November 13, 2022

Dear Family:

 

We have a couple weeks until Emery (22nd) and Sheri’s (25^th) birthdays.  I honestly can’t believe that McKay is 2 years old already; Cole is 6 months old.  Amy and Mike just shared some photos of Claire.  But times flies.

 I can remember the old days when Brad and Brian were on missions and the only phone calls that were allowed were on Christmas and Mother’s Day if they could manage it. Long distance charges are now a thing of the past.  Now things have changed and they can call home once a week and use email.  That would have been such a blessing.  I remember when Chernobyl (nuclear power plant in Russia) exploded and Brad was serving his mission in Finland – he was so close that I was sick with worry. Now Carter can call and talk to his folks and exchange emails.  This is his email address: carter.schnell@missionary.org.  I’ve added this new email address to the weekly letter list so that he can read up on us and respond if he wants to.  What a wonderful change for our missionaries and their families.

 

Just in case you haven't seen Elder Schnell (Carter) for a while.  He was leaving for the Merico MTC in this photo,

From Elder Carter Schnell:

I’ve officially been living here in Chile for a week now. After a week, I'm starting to see myself improve a bit in the language. I've been assigned to the Cartagena area and its beautiful here. It's right on the coast. You can see the curvature of the earth on the ocean from the gate of your house. Most of the mission area is pretty flat, but Cartagena is just about the only place that is very much not so. It's built on huge hills, you're either lunging up hill, or skidding downhill, there is no in-between, I'll have thighs as big as tree trunks by the time I'm come home. On day three, I was able to get a baptismal date. There was a member that the previous elder stopped teaching and I just picked up where he left off. One could call my efforts the third day. ;) sorry for all of the genesis quotes you'll be reading in these, I'm currently reading through the Bible as part of my personal study. The people here are usually really easy to talk to, I’ve been able to make some connections on the street, even with the little Chilean Spanish that I understand. In English, Try cutting out all the 'S's and just adding words that don’t exist and you'll see what I mean :)  it's kind of alarming how dangerous it is here, not because of the gangs or anything, but because of the dogs. There are packs of stray dogs that roam around and like half of them want to kill you. All you have to do is look at then as you pretend to pick up a rock and hold it above your head and they'll back off. If you're anything like me, you'll actually pick up the rocks. I don't like the idea of not having a rock in my hand if it comes down to having to swing and throw it. No Bueno. The exchange rate here is about 1000 to 1, so a bus ticket is about 700 bucks, or 70 cents. kinda nice With it being so easy to exchange, but it is a bit alarming to see that $66,000 has taken out of my bank account every time I withdrawal at an ATM for bi weekly funds. Im sorry, but I don't have much time, but all is well here, I love it here, my companion is great, i will write more next week, I love you all!

 

Con mucho amor- - Elder. Schnell  (I remember enough of my two years of high school Spanish to know that it means “WITH MUCH LOVE”

 

President Hinckley (who was heavily involved in the day to day teaching tools that missionaries used from the early days when he served up until he passed away) said, regarding D & C 42:5-7; Shining through all missionary service is the reassuring faith that the work is true and that the service being given is given unto God.  Missionaries serve with faith in their hearts.  It is a phenomenon of great power that quietly whispers, “This cause is true, and to you there is an obligation to serve regardless of the cost.” 

 

Update with me; I had a gig on Friday.  It was for Veteran’s Day.  We played our military medley with the theme songs from Marines, Navy, Army and Air Force.  We were informed by a nice lady that there is now a Space Force and we should get their theme song.  It was lovely actually.  The boy and girl scouts from two difference packs? Came and did an honor guard with flags, etc.  Then Brad Davis played taps.  His rendition of taps was so beautiful it brought tears to the eyes of many, including me.

However, we had to play with two subs! Uggg!!!! Brad and I were so stressed out by the time it was over that it was a huge relief.  One played too loud all through and the other was totally out of tune all through the hour.  To top it off, I played an acoustic piano.  Even though Brad mic’d it, I tend to pound the piano because I can’t hear it well (even with my hearing aids in).  By the time I was finished my right wrist ached.  Then I picked up my adjustable piano bench and tweaked my right wrist and and a nerve in my wrist got angry.  Now I’m wearing a “carpal tunnel” wrist brace.  I hope I’m better by next Friday because we have another gig at Terwilliger Plaza. 

 

Jay and Alena came and spent the night Friday.  It is so wonderful when they come to visit.  Alena and I have the same sense of humor about many things and we tend to laugh until our sides hurt.  Jay and Juno just sit and watch the fun.  They are wonderful company and I always miss them when they leave.

 

Amy and Mike have come to my rescue again!  My dryer was causing me worry.  It took a long time for anything to dry and the lint was wet in the lint trap.  Moisture was around the door.  Not good!!  I bought a “dryer vent cleaning tool” and they brought their shop vac and they cleaned out a wet mess.  Moral of the story;  Buy a vent cleaning tool and use it once a year. 

 

For the past few weeks I’ve been taking one of my “visiting teaching sisters” (ministering now), to physical therapy twice a week.  She is 89.  She used to live in Vale, OR also.  Our family lived there from 1952 until 1956 or 57.  That period of time is where all my “farm” stories originate.  Judy and I used to play on the haystacks; we gathered eggs; we helped mom with canning fruit and tomatoes; we helped dad with the milking as much as we could.  Judy was assigned to stir the “formula” that the calves drank after being weaned from mama’s milk.  We used to watch the calves drink from buckets with a nipple at the bottom outside of the bucket.  Fun memories!  Anyway Norma and I talk about Vale and Nyssa Oregon.  Our family spent lots of time in Nyssa at Stake Conference in those years.

 

It is interesting that while you are living during a period of time in your life, you don’t realize how much that period of time will mean to you in later years in your memories.  I guess that’s why we are encouraged to journal.  I’m not good at it day to day, but hopefully these weekly letters count for something.

 

Enjoy each day, each period of time, each phase of your life.  I had a bishop one time who conseled “Don’t wish away your best years” saying,  “I can’t wait until the baby is out of diapers, or I can’t wait until the kids are all in school.”  It was great advice and I changed my thinking immediately. 

 

Have a wonderful week.  Thanksgiving is approaching and I’m excited to go with Amy and Mike to Brad and Sheri’s home for the holiday.  Yippee!

Love Mom, Grandma, Great Grandma, Sister and Aunt Suzanne

Vote

 

November 6, 2022

Dear Family:

Just an ordinary week….Nothing exciting or noteworthy to report except that the Houston Astros won the World Series yesterday.

Remember to vote this week.

Harry Emerson Fosdick: “Democracy is based upon the conviction that there are extraordinary possibilities in ordinary people.”

I get frustrated listening to the news, so I rarely watch it.  However the political commercials have been shoved down our throats lately.  Besides being irritating, they remind us to vote.

In Oregon, we should have already voted and sent in our ballots.

Have a wonderful week. Just remember that I love you.

 

Love Mom, Grandma, Great Grandma, Sister and Aunt Suzanne