Things go well here, more or less, more than less. I had my first experience hosting new missionaries right out of the cars. The whole drop-off scene, slightly dazed new missionaries. It wasn't bad. They had hot chocolate. For us, but I imagine the new missionaries could have partaken of it if they so noticed and desired. We just led them to get some stuff, where their residence hall is, their classroom. Good stuff. Talking about hot chocolate, it has been slightly more chill this week. More snow, and it just feels not quite as good. Too much chill, brrr, cold. I like me some sunlight and warmth. On a separate topic, Jeffrey R. Holland came and talked to us on Tuesday. It was pretty sweet. Occasionally awkward, occasionally funny, occasionally the opposite of both. Also, another separate topic, I should get my flight itinerary. In layman's terms (not Laman's, as I thought for several years) this means my travel plans. Then should I know if my visa went through. I believe it will. I'm excited. I want to be in an environment where there is Spanish all around, where I can learn how people actually speak the language, all the little things you can't really pick up in a classroom. And I have this pretty sweet message I want to share with them. Double bonus for me. I'm really excited, like ooh boy, yeah yeah yeah yeah excited. I remember some episode of Avatar where someone was excited and said something similar, but I can't remember which.
Matt & Sam - That is a veritable plethora of plants. My favorites as of my first glance were Camellia Sasanqua because it kinda sounds like Sasquatch, and Gladiolus grandiflorus, because it sounds like a name from a book that Alex or Ty would read. Good to know you're going to fix your reactive airways also. I had some trouble with those things some time back. Just ask for advice if you need it. And fun fact, the word lung in Spanish is pulmon. With an accent over the "o" but I couldn't quite get the keyboard to do that. So a pulmonologist, or whatever you said it was. Have fun. Eat some brownies for me.
Matt - You probably knew that I would ask this as soon as you wrote the word, but what in the world is a ugoogley? I'm a bit short on dictionaries in English here and Google is offlimits. I did greatly enjoy your comment about Alex writing your obituary. In fact, I'm still enjoying it, and will continue to do so. I also agree with it. Ha. And boy oh boy. You went all hoity toity. Blew up your piggy bank on that little escapade. It did sound good. I want some lobster leek potatoes now. I also just want to find a restaurant that has some class, but that isn't crazy overpriced, and the food is good. And wingapo. No wonder. Never saw Pocahontas a ton. Talking tree creeped me out a bit. And the fact chart needs to go deeper. I've known the platypus fact for a few years now.
Alex - Transferred, really? I don't even think I mentioned that word. It does help to read things before responding... But hey, to each their own. And service learning. I should have done something like that. I could have for drafting, for drafting an old house, I forget the actual term, but just remembered it, historic, but my teacher didn't quite follow through on it. But it was fun and good experience. You are one eager beaver. You have like three months of school left. You're only 16. You have like 60 days left of school, perhaps more. You've got time yet in the good old school system.
Mom - Real bacon. They have it here, but it's usually well crisped to something past real bacon. I think it's funny how you were able to receive all of Ty's messages like that. For months. I'm also quite surprised I haven't heard sooner. I think I might have heard a tidbit once. I probably still get texts for FHE from Matt on my number. Working 5 in a row is a lot. It was weird reading the word "hammered" from you. I didn't laugh. I was slightly disconcerted. It is quite applicable to the circumstance, but it sounds so weird coming from my mom. My mind is still in the process of being boggled. Even hearing about a bed like that is scary. I would not like that. Terrible situation. Shudder at that bed.
Dad - Typing "not much to say" and leaving it at that is a wonderful understatement.
Ty - Schedule schedule. It'll be tough to organize everything. I've got no clue how you fit it all in. I've been learning to appreciate time better since my assignment takes away from some of the language study and personal study we have. It's harder to prepare for our investigators as well, but it's good experience for the field, where I likely won't have much time to plan then either. And ward clerk. I typed wark at first, which is also an interesting word. If it is really a "word." For some reason it seems weird to me that that's a stake calling, because you're a ward clerk. But it is nice to know you paid attention enough to write things down. I've been trying bit by bit to listen to everything that is said, even if it's something I hear often. Por ejemplo, prayers. I wants to be able to listen to a prayer well enough so that afterwards I can state the points that they prayed about, more or less. Something I need to improve on. Maybe it'll help me remember people's names better. And six hours of video. Good luck. I have little clue how you'll pack that in with all your other responsibilities. But you can do it. I also greatly thank you for remembering to send the spelling of bougainevillea. I didn't even have to look at the paper again to spell it. It means you're reading my letters. And that even a little question counts. Because I was very interested in how to spell it.
If there is one big thing I've been thinking about since Tuesday, more or less, it'd be about living the gospel. Like living it, for real. It's been apparent since I've been here the importance of being obedient. Because once I take the first step of being obedient, I can have the Holy Ghost with me. And the Holy Ghost is what really makes me better. Like happier, when I act, how I feel day to day, the good stuff. When I look at the scope of an entire life, it seems like a huge commitment, to obey each day. But it helps me not to look at that, but to focus on living the commandments day by day. Less stress, more clarity of thought, which I greatly appreciate. It means giving up less important things, for sure. But I can deal with that. If I can repent daily, set goals to change daily for the better in small manners, I can become better. I need to use the Atonement daily to improve. Change change change. In a good way. Love you all, I think about you occasionally. Not sad, still glad I don't have a girlfriend. But until next.
Love again,
Elder Hansen
Letter from the Family Feb 28, 2012
To: The Boy (Mom's phrasing)
From: Matt and Sam
A list of the plants we planted. We haven't gotten around to a description of each one. Maybe you'll get one description each time we write. Hibiscus rosa-sinensis X, Agapanthus africanus 'Cobalt Blue', Clivia miniata, Gardenia jasminoides 'Veitchii', Camellia Japonica or Camellia Sasanqua ( I can't remember which) Hemerocallis fulva , Freesia, Zantedeschia aethiopica, Gladiolus grandiflorus, Dahlias, Violas, Aquilegia, Lupinus, Clematis, Ixia, and Convallaria majalis. We'll also probably buy some annual flowers in a flat and plant them but we haven't done that yet. Budgetary constraints of living within your means...
Anyways, I've landed in Urgent Care yet again this week. I definitely like the second one better than the first. They took x-rays and decided that I'm having problems with "reactive airways", their term for" we don't know why you feel like you can't breathe but we'll give you the benefit of the doubt and pretend you're not making it all up". They did give me a different medicine that seems to help though and I'm all set to see the pulmonologist on Tuesday.
Matt's birthday is on Friday so we both took the day off and we're going to go mini golfing or bowling and then go out to lunch. Just hang out and do something fun. He wanted brownies instead of cake so I'm gonna make these peanut butter cheesecake brownies. They've got a layer of brownie, then cheesecake with reeses pieces, then a chocolate layer topped off with chopped reeses peanut butter cups. It looked really good.
Matt has got a new schedule at work. He works Sunday afternoon/evening and then Monday through Thursday on a regular shift. Not his preferred choice but he does get Fridays off so he's been scheduling his interviews for a new job on Fridays. He's hoping he can change jobs and possibly work a second job to pay off some student loans early or save money for the bigger house projects.
Enough from me, until next time.
Nicholas,
I have an important question for you that has been no small debate amongst us. I am wondering who you would like to write out you ugoogley and obituary. I know you are a young whippersnapper and probably haven't thought much about it, but I think it's good of me to encourage you to plan it out nicely. Myself, I am going to be buried on the moon, there will be bagpipes of course, and I'm thinking Wildflower Bread company will be catering (they make some delicious breadbowls). Ty gets my car since he called dibs some time ago. I'm thinking Alex will write my obituary and you can write my ugoogley. Nothing flowery now - say it straight and clean. I expect Alex to make the obituary like some dramatic Facebook post, although Sam will probably have to edit it for the sake of clarity. Of course this is all very preemptive of me since I'll probably outlive all of you and perhaps your children. Nevertheless! It is good to have it all planned out.
Now I'm all hungry for a breadbowl.... I went and saw Wicked yesterday evening. I even went out to a fancy restaurant beforehand and had myself some filet mignon with lobster-leek mashed potatoes with some with brown sugar something something else glazed carrots and sauce on top. It was delicious. The starter was a cheese and fruit plate, of which 3 cheeses were quite tasty and 2 were much less so. I wish I knew what cheeses they were so I could tell you, but I have no clue. They were however quite diverse and of varying consistencies. Overall, the food was respectable enough, but intensely overpriced. Considering how much the tickets cost it was a rather pricey date, but hey - I had to do it right.
Just finished processing my taxes and they are looking very lovely. Like 2 paychecks lovely, and I get paid bi-weekly so that's okay indeed. I'm saving up my dollars so that I will have something to live on when I take out my buttload of a loan here in a while once I find a nursing program to get into. I'm thinking it'll be 2013 simply because I have prerequisites and junk to get out of the way and it just isn't something you can make happen magically. Dumb bureaucracy. There had better be little of that in the hereafter or I'm in for a bad surprise. Anywho, I'll be slow getting to the end of the school race, but I'm going to get there.
And by the way....wingapo. Think Disney. Think native american. Think 'Wingapo Father!' Yeah, that's right. I can sing with all the colors of the wind. Your fun fact for the week is that the male platypus is the only mammal that produces poison - in their hind leg spurs in fact. So don't go petting any platypuses without due caution. Also, learn the power of the mighty flashcard awesome way to mass memorize vocab. Also, you should dedicate at least one page of your planner to words you want translations for as they come up. If not you'll end up forgetting when you try to go back and remember.
Alas, I must now close mine letter. I will do so with this sage advice: 'Maintain good blood circulation in your butt so that thou mayest not develop sitting sores from overuse of thy plushy nether region.' Wisdom!
- Your future dictator and wiseman,
Mathias.
Have not much to say.
Dad
Hey man. Hows life in the MTC I heard you got transferred or something. But I will read that email after I send this one. Life here is good. Been keepin busy. Really busy. I am almost done with high school bro! That is crazy!! The musical is this week and it will be one of the best ever. Uhmm... Oh I can turn in all the hours I have put into the musical and get service learning hours. I have like 110 or something so far and I need only like 20 more to get a gold seal on my diploma. That's about all I got in terms of anything to offer colleges, but it is better than nothing right? So life slowly rolls on. I haven't heard from Bryce yet. Kevin is still a beast and it appears Matt can still beat me up when it comes down to it. But yea man. I miss you bro. We had to do some long multiplication problem tonight and no one could answer it for a while. It's gonna be good to have our human calculator back in a few years. When ya get back try not to get married to fast. Because I hafta
approve of the girl. But do what your there to do nick. There are people who need what only you can give them. You make us proud.
- the youngest and best looking Hansen brother. Ever.
Hello Nicco,
Miss you. So, today is AIMS testing and Alex doesn't have to go this am. Instead he's making waffles and bacon for his friends. At least attempting to make bacon. We'll see about that. Somehow Ty managed to put my phone number in on his church records as his when he was at BYU. For months I've been getting messages about FHE meetings and such. I thought it would all end when he went to Boston. Not so. I was called by a member of this bishopric when they wanted him to speak there. Then this week I was called by someone in the Stake Presidency when they wanted to talk to him. They woke me up out of a dead sleep. They thought I was his sister. I only hope I sounded coherent. Anyway, they called him to be the ward clerk. I thought that was a good job for him; at least he could change his phone number that way...
I just finished working 5 in a row. I'm a little hammered right now. The last 3 nights I only had 1 patient though. A 46 year old guy who in January was minding his business hiking in Prescott and came down with bronchitis and achey legs. They did some tests and he has Leukemia. Came to my hospital for chemo which toasted his lungs. He ended up on the Rotoprone bed. Yup, it turns him upside down for 4 hours then 1 hour on his back. He breathes better that way. Still not a good story. Outcome will be pretty touch and go for him. Lesson, appreciate that you are healthy because it can be gone in a heartbeat.
Speaking of health, Dad has been weak lately. You know how much he hates that. Especially when the dumpsters came today. He drug Matt out to the sheds to shed ourshelves of more junk. Grandpa's ancient welder went in. So did the plate glass doors/windows that Dad was saving for a greenhouse. I don't know what else (and probably don't want to know). You just have one more reason to be grateful you are where you are.
I'm off to quilt. I need to finish Sam's quilt that I was unpicking before Christmas. I also have some other projects started. Have a great week. Love you lots, Mom
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