There's not a unifying theme here

I guess the unifying theme could be that all these things are on my mind.  Bear with me.

First of all, happy Independence Day to you and yours.

Ammon and Melanee and family are coming over later today.  Adam accidentally blended words and referred to them as Ammonee and I think it works.  Besides, that sounds better than Melmon.

I'm grateful to live in this country.  Sometimes I shake in my boots when I think about little things, like...oh, the presidential election.

I didn't create this meme and I know Hillary's name is spelled wrong.  You get the idea though.

I wonder if we are sort of doomed.  I think of the people though.  So many good people.  If we can band together and keep trying to be good and do good, we will be OK.  I'm grateful to live in a country where we are free to choose our own path.

Yesterday at church we sang The Star Spangled Banner for the closing song.  I started crying.  (That is such a theme in my life.  I always start crying.)  I couldn't help it.  I was remembering Ferris Brough.  He was a man in my ward growing up.  We called him The Lifesaver Man.  He was a big man with a booming friendly voice and he had deep pockets full of Lifesaver candies.  Every Sunday he was swarmed by children (and teenagers) who would hold out their hands for a piece of candy.  He'd unroll one after another and greet us kindly.  He was such a fixture in my childhood.  (Did I ever thank him adequately?  Probably not.)  He also served in World War II.  Usually around the 4th of July, he would bear his testimony.  Without fail, he would get choked up.  He loved our country and he had seen a lot of terrible sacrifices that were made that ensured freedoms that I enjoy.  Like a little kid, just holding out my hand for a Lifesaver, I have been freely handed many things.  So during The Star Spangled Banner, I cried.

Because I am grateful.

We went to Nevada on Friday.  We were excited to be reunited with Mark after his scout camp.  He had a glorious time.

Robert and Edgar were also involved with the scout camp.  I appreciate them and all the scout leaders in the world that leave their families and the comforts of home on behalf of teenage boys.  Edgar texted me this picture during the week:

It made me happy to see his face and it made Adam jealous because he wished he could be there too.  Mark loved every minute of the camp and I love that he had a good time.  And I'm glad he's home.

Saturday was the baptism for Savannah.  Maybe there's been a sweeter little girl in the history of the world, but I kind of doubt it.  She asked me to speak at the baptism and--you'll never guess--I cried during my talk.  Curses on those tears!  Adam and my sisters and my mom all said it was OK that I cried.  (What else are they going to say?)  The problem was Savannah.  Once I saw her in her white dress, all this love welled up inside of me and came spilling out of my eyes.  I should have done the whole thing blindfolded.

Because that wouldn't have been awkward.

We had a hard and fast time we needed to leave in order to not get home too late Saturday night.  I had early church meetings and I'm also wimpy so I wanted to get home and get to bed.  6:00, we decided.  We had to leave at 6:00.

Saturday afternoon we were making potato salad around the kitchen table (I love making potato salad around the kitchen table.  It's the ultimate female bonding experience in my life).  Enoch called and was talking to my mom about tables and chairs for the dinner  that they were hosting at their house after the baptism.  "Tell him we can't stay for it," I told my mom.

Enoch asked to speak to me.  Because he knows something and that is that I can't say no to that kid.  He's too charming for my own good.

OK, we will come to the dinner, but we are leaving at 6:00.

Enoch had cooked brisket overnight in his Traeger.

I stole this picture.

And I stole this picture.

I just posted a picture of meat on my blog.  It was that tasty.  Even though we cut to the front of the line and ate fast, we left for home at 7:00.  But it was worth the delay.

Could you say no to these two?

While I was in a picture stealing mood, I took this one too.

It made me happy to be there for the big day.  My whole family was there except the two missionaries and I don't take that blessing lightly.  I love all those people!

Speaking of people I love, when we got home, I noticed a text from Adam's cousin Pam.  (I hadn't seen it earlier because I left my phone sitting on the kitchen counter at my parents' house.)

Branson, who is one of Pam's charming sons, got his mission call.

yep, I stole the picture

He's going to the Virginia Chesapeake mission!  What?!?  That made me so happy!  I hope he and Braeden get to be companions someday--two handsome cousins setting the world on fire!

I asked Adam if he thought Grandpa Linn pulled some strings in heaven to make it happen that those two would serve in the same mission.  Adam looked at me like I was crazy and said, "I'm not sure it works that way."

Whatever.  It might.