Hey family! Man have we been out of it! So sorry! We have got to slow down around here. Brian has been in Austrailia for 3 weeks and then over to China just in time to get caught in the awful winter storms there and stuck in the airport. Of course luggage was delayed and he was greatful he bought a jacket in Austrailia at the last minute and stuffed it in his carry on. (He said they don't warm the airports there, so it is everybody for themselves to keep warm) Anyway, I get to cover his basketball team practices, accompanying games - with no losses mind you- cover his sunday school classes and of course the usual parenting duties, reprimands, worries and surprises that go along with that. So, with him home I am feeling much more relaxed and able to be write. Drew, I totally forgot about the funny Marboro package I sent you. I figured you cant go wrong sending it to a missionary right? I didnt know your end of the story!

Fabulous! So....we got a new stake presidency today at stake conference and were supposed to have Elder Uchdorf here. The stake handed out missionary cards with his pic on them so we could encourage non members to come here him speak...well, as you know he was "re-assigned" recently and so we got a distant member of the 2nd quorumn of 70's. He was great but we have been discussing this idea of being "reassigned." President Hinckley was also "reassigned" wasnt he? If I get to the great day of judgement I hope not to be "reassigned" from my original goal. I suppose many of us are "reassigned" as we move thru life and choose various paths, for good or bad. I like this word, but it has a two edged meaning doesnt it! We thought about Uncle Kevin as our 70's representative told us that he added up all the hours a bishop or stake president spends in service to his ward or stake. He guessed it was somewhere in the neighborhood of 20 hours per week. Over a 9.5 year period he thought that meant close to 2 years of service for a stake president. Hmmmm. Anyway, we hope you are all well and happy and making thru this cold winter ( and I have the mildest I am sure) LOVE YOU ALL!!! The Thomas Fam