WV Bollschweiler's

Dear Family,

Sorry that we missed last month and that we are late this month. We have had a busy and eventful summer.

First for my spiritual thought. I have this picture hanging on my wall, one of the gold leafing ones, which has a scripture reference to 3 John 4. “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.” I find that the older I get this scripture become more and more true in my life and has deeper meaning. There are many things that give me joy in life. My hubby, children, grandchildren (even though I don’t get to touch them often, technology is the greatest thing, I LOVE skype). Most are small things, for example every time I see a butterfly (especially the Monarch), fall leaves and colors, our food storage (home canned from the garden), camping in Yellowstone, my job (I know most of you probably don’t feel that way about yours), going to the Temple and there are so many more. However, as our children have grown up and are now making decisions of their own in regard to life, the words of 3 John 4 have taken on a new deeper meaning to me. I have great joy in knowing that 2 of our 3 children are worthy to enter the Temple doors. The 3^rd may be worthy to, however she is focused on school now and the Temple is not in her immediate future, so there has been no interview to determine that. There truly is no greater joy for me than to know that your children are living the Gospel, that they know it is true and that living by the standards and values they have been taught, that although life is hard, it is better because of the Gospel.

Now onto the news. Last month while Brenda had 2 weeks out of school, she has been going year round and working for years, we took her to Florida to Sea World, Silver Springs and to the beach. It was a short trip down and back, due to Steve’s work schedule. We had a great time, even in the 100 degree weather in Florida, I thought I would literally bake in the heat. I have to say the Killer Whale show was not nearly as good, because they no longer get in the tank with the whales, since a trainer was killer earlier this year. We spent an afternoon walking on the beach and she picked up several small shells and brought back Florida sand for several of her friends. Christopher had to stay home and work, so it was just the 3 of us. On the way home we were camping in South Carolina and I as usual had to get up in the wee hours of the morning and go “potty”, well I was not looking where I was going and I hit with my leg and fell over the firepit ring. Yes, I cut my leg open down to the bone, had to go to the emergency room and have 23 staples put in my leg. They x-rayed it and the bone was not fractured or chipped which was good. This was my first time in the emergency room for myself. I have never had stitches (except c-section) or broken bones, etc until I get to be this age, should have just stayed in bed and ignored the “potty” call. Anyway, it has taken a long time to heal up, I did not have any pain, but it really looks awful.

Brenda went back to college the day after her birthday, she turned the big “21” this year. She is down to her last two semesters and will graduate in May as a repertory therapist. She is in clinicals two days a week this semester. Some parts she really likes and others not so much. She is still working at WalMart and has been moved out of the connection center, back to over the counter pharmacy where she started. She is much happier with her job now that she is out of connection center and away from the cash registers. She has a pretty focused life right now, work and school, not much time for other things.

Christopher is still working at Kroger, night shift, stocker. His mission papers are in Salt Lake and we expect to receive his letter this week or next week. He meets with the Stake President and one of his counselors on a regular basis and has a great respect for these men. He is currently in CA visiting his “Greta Rose” and having a great time with his sister. He is ready for the mission call and ready to serve. He said last week he wished he could leave for the MTC as soon as he gets back from CA. There are so many young men and women who sacrifice their time to serve, to bless people lives who are searching for truth. I am living proof of the great joy and blessings that the Gospel brings to your life, and to have a son be an instrument in the Lord’s hand, there is great joy in this convert mother’s heart to know that her son is going to go and bring the Gospel to people’s lives.

Steve is still working hard at the airline. Did I say working hard, well not exactly hard (watches NCIS on the internet) I meant to say puts in long hours. We have mission to pay for, so he takes all the extra shifts that he can pick up.

I did not get to teach the Basic income tax class this year. I have taught it for 5 years and am really disappointed that I did not get to teach this year, not enough students to have multiple classes. However, that is money that we always had for the end of the year that we don’t have this year and I now have extra expenses for the end of the year with a mission. Oh well I suppose there is a reason and I am sure there is a blessing in store for me, I just don’t know what it is.

Our garden did pretty well, at least we were able to keep the deer out of it this year. I pickled sweet bell peppers, froze bell peppers, pickled and froze banana peppers, froze butternut squash, onions, fried and at the zucchini, froze yellow squash, have not dug all the potatoes yet, canned over 100 quarts of tomato juice, canned over 50 pints of applesauce, the cantaloupe and water mellon did not do well. All in all not a bad garden considering the spring was really wet and rainy and then it dried off and was hot and humid, not the ideal growing season this year. Maybe next year will be better.

Well I suppose that will do for now. Happy Fall everyone, enjoy all the colors, well I guess that really only applies to us and Sandra.

We love each of you. Diane & Steve