Tinkerbell April 9, 2008

Our male cat named Tinkerbell was put to sleep on April 9, 2008. Tinkerbell had a problem with digesting food. We noticed before we moved that he was having a hard time going to the bathroom so we took him to the vet and they put him on a special diet. He basically had kidney stones from the cheap food we were buying him. His new food cost $30.00 a bag, but the doctor was hoping it would help regulate him and then he could try a less expensive brand. Well after being on this food for about 6 weeks he got sick again. This time he was really sick though. He looked swollen in his tummy and he wouldn't even move. He kept throwing up and trying to pee, but couldn't. I took him to the vet again and they told me he had a raquet ball size blockage in his urinary tract. It would've cost us $800.00 to fix him but the problem is is that the food he's on is the longterm medication and it wasn't working. We didn't really have a choice but to put him down and the kids were very upset. They waited for Cameron to get home from work so we could say goodbye to him together as a family. I went with Tinkerbell while they put him down and it was a lot harder than I thought it would be. We miss Tinkerbell very much and decided to bury him in our garden so the kids can remember him. They still wonder when he's coming home and Alina keeps telling me we need to get him from the doctor. It was a good teaching moment about death for our little family. Here is a conversation I had with Greta.

Greta: Mom what if Dad hurts Tinkerbell when he puts him in the hole

Mom: Greta Tinkerbell is dead, he can't feel anything.

Greta: So if I dropped a book on his head he wouldn't feel it.

Mom: Nope

Greta: What about if I stepped on him.

Mom: He can't feel anything because his spirit is in Heaven

Greta: Well then why can I see him and when is he going to wake up.

Mom: He won't wake up until we're resurrected, after we all die.

Greta: When am I going to die.

Mom: Not until your 85

Greta: Oh that's going to take foooorever!!!

Here is one with Alina:

Alina: That doctor killed my cat.

Mom: No he didn't Tinkerbell was so sick he had to die

Alina: I'm going to spit on the doctor, he killed my cat.

When we were in the vet with Tinkerbell the first time he was sick the kids were with me and were sitting on a bench in the room with Tinkerbell and the doctor. The kids were very worried and when the doctor said I think he's going to be okay Alina put an arm around Greta and Austin and said, "Boys and Girls Tinkerbell is not dead, so don't cry."

Car ride home from Boise March 30, 2008

Our car ride home from Boise was less than desirable. The kids were not happy to be in the car and they let us know it. Austin thought it would be fun to torture his sisters by simply talking to them. So Greta plugs her ears screaming "I can't hear you!" And of course Alina has to join in. It was a REALLY long drive home.

Baby Paige March 30, 2008

We went to Boise for Paige's blessing. It was so good to see everyone again. We surprised Landon with a stop in Twin Falls to drop off Austin, he just couldn't bear being stuck with the girls in Nampa. Greta, Genea, Alina and Riley had so much fun playing together. Crystal and I go to go to Real Deals and spend some money and the boys went on a hike. Jeremy and Crystal made us some yummy chinese food. It was a great weekend. Somehow all my pictures of Paige got deleted so she won't be posted here. I'll get her later.

Where is Alina March 26th 2008

Alina was missing and I was frantically searching for her. She likes to play hide-n-seek with me without letting me know that we are playing. Usually I find her by yelling "Alina do you want some candy?" She usually comes running out of her hiding spot, but this time she wasn't. I was starting to panic. I looked in her closed a dozen times and decided to look one more time and I saw some movement in her hamper. She had hidden herself in her laundry basket covered with blankets and had fallen asleep. I'm trying to teach her to play hide-n-seek when she isn't tired:)

Easter Sunday

The Easter Bunny hid the kids Easter baskets outside this year. They had a lot of fun hunting them. We went to Grandma and Grandpa Egan's home to decorate eggs the night before. The kids were so excited to wear their new outfits to church. They all looked snazzy!

This Week's Letter From Elder Ryan Egan

Family...

How are all of you? fantastic I hope! Things are really great here in
Paita! this week we went to Kuelap! It was the small machu picchu!


We got back yesterday and are finally back to work! We left Sunday afternoon and drove and drove and drove! It Was a 12 and a half hour drive! Twice! Oh my! It was long! With eleven of us in a van!

we went with the pres as well! but it was totally worth it! I think it was the most beautiful place I've ever been to in my entire life! It really was just like a small machu picchu! It was in the very tops of the mountains and a city that was completely surrounded by walls for about a mile. And there was only one entrance in! It dates back to 800 b.c. and was built right before the Incas came in. then they took over and then about 95 years later the Spanish came in! Pretty amazing! I took at least 250 pics! If I have time I will definitely send some!

As far as the work goes... things are going great! We didn't have any
baptisms this week... and this coming week is going to be hard since
it’s mother’s day! Here when there's a holiday... it{s a holiday!

Everyone is out and about and usually drunk! For example the first of every month is a holiday! Only because that{s when everyone gets paid! And EVERYONE is drunk! I found that out a week ago! Oh my!!

So holly{s b day was yesterday! Tell her happy birthday for me! It{s
weird to think that I wasn't there for it! Oh my!

MOM....... HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!!!! And I have a gift for you!! I will
be calling this SUNDAY!!!! hahah I knew like two months ago but decided to wait to tell you! So make sure you're free on Sunday! I'm not sure what time we'll be calling! Church is at nine till noon and then we'll eat at about one so I'm assuming we'll call around 1 to 3! but I'm really not sure! just be ready! haha

Wait you guys have church at one don't you!? Ok new plan... I'll call that night when we go to the pension for dinner! Around seven to ninish your time! sound good! Ok! hahahh oh man!

Mom thank you for that scripture you sent! That really is an amazing
scripture! Believe it or not I used verse 35 just yesterday in a
lesson we taught! We have a ton of people that we're teaching! And a lot of them have accepted their date... the only problem is getting them to come to church! Especially all of the family! Obviously it's best if we can baptize the whole family together and not one here and one there! And a lot of times the dad can't come or the mom has to cook! Idk! it's difficult! but we're working hard and the lord will bless us!!

Doris... she's still the same! It{s hard to find her in her house to
talk to her! Really she just isn't progressing! We can't keep trying to find her home to talk to her to only have her not progress further! but we're really doing all that we can!

Norm... Wow that{s really sad about the seminary! I bet he took that
really hard! He really was kinda depending on that job and I know he
wanted it REALLY bad! That's too bad! I'll have to write him a letter!! Tell him I sad hi and sorry about the seminary position.

Dad... your questions;

My comp has never been with a comp for more than two cambios (each
cambio is 6 weeks). And so I might be getting a new comp this coming Tuesday! Or I might be with him for another six weeks!

Average length to have a comp is prob about 12 weeks or two cambios!
How long does it take to get someone baptized after we teach the first lesson... ideally two weeks! They need to have gone to church twice and
they can be baptized their second Sunday! But like I said the hardest thing is getting them to come to church!

How much to get them married... it{s about 250 soles! So like 80
bucks! not much... but 250 soles here is a ton! We only get as missionaries 110 to buy anything we need for the entire month!

So that{s pretty much it! I hope things are awesome at the house!

Oh last thing... the mariscos! They're kinda like what you described
mom! but a little different! About the same size but look a little
different! I don't know how to explain it! but yeah that{s basically it! hahah they're quite tasty!

Well tell everyone hi for me!
Thank you for your prayers and your e-mails!
Love,
Elder Egan

Letter From Elder Ryan Egan in Peru

The following is this week's letter from my brother-in-law Ryan, who is serving a mission in Peru. He's said that his Spanish is coming along nicely, and from this letter I can see that so is his Spanglish. Notice the use of "the family so and so" instead of "the so and so family". That's Spanish grammar starting to creep in. I fully expect next week's letter to say something about having to "reveal fotos". :-)





Family...

How are you? I'm currently amazing!! I would like to start this E-mail by saying that me and Elder Zegarra currently hold the record in the history of the mission Peru, Piura for the most baptisms in one week!! The record currently stands at 11. Pretty crazy! This last week was one of the hardest tiring weeks of my life but was absolutely amazing! I can't even describe the way I feel right now!

The family Pacherez was baptized on Saturday (The parents are Juan and Griselda, and their three kids... Kateline Jackaline and Jonotan.) we had two marriages on Friday and three of the four were baptized (including Franklin and Darlin, and Esmelda, the husband of Esmelda is already a member). Then we had Carlos and Ismelda who are the cousins of Kati and Andi (my first baptisms) and also Anderson (his mom has been in active for years) on Wednesday. Pretty amazing!

We still have two families that just need to go to church and they can be baptized and several other individuals that we're working with too. And we almost broke the record for most baptisms in a month! We had 16 and the record is 18.

I've never felt this good in my life!

And on top of that... the pres gave each zone a goal for the month... what ever zone was able to complete the goal is going to some place far east of the mission. it's actually in another mission. but it's supposed to be like a mini machu pichu and it's in the jungle. But we go next Sunday and come back Tuesday! It's like a nine hour bus ride! And we were the only ones that completed the goal! We ended up with 32 baptisms. Half of those were ours. Pretty amazing!

This week was awesome! Today we haven't done anything! Which is awesome! I mean we had meetings and ate and watched October sky (approved by the pres) and now we're here and it's like five o clock. Now you asked about my room... my room is no bigger than twelve by twelve with a bathroom that I can touch all four corners while I'm going to the bathroom! It's pretty awesome! The food is awesome! I've never not had rice for lunch and dinner! They really like their fish here! Mariscos are the best! I actually hate them! They're small octopus! That look just like an octopus. But everything else I absolutely love! Our pension is a member who owns a restaurant which is awesome. She's way cool! She always makes good food. We either eat chicken or fish everday! but I really like it a lot!!

Tell Andrew I sent him a letter today! It should be there in about three weeks.

No we don't buy off the streets! well we can buy candy and stuff but not bread or hand made stuff! but we can buy these things called bodoques! They're so good! They're basically a Popsicle but they're made from real fruits and stuff! So good! And no we don't have a maid! Not at all! but our rooms small so it's easy to clean!

Oh and mom sorry but this week I don't have any time to write a letter to the ward! And next week I'm really not sure what's going on as far as e-mailing goes... it might be on Wednesday! Cause we'll be traveling to paradise! but idk! I guess we'll just have to see! But the second I have time I promise I will! If you want you can take this letter and reformate the good stuff to make it look like it was sent to the ward! hahah idk just an idea!

Well I'm out of time! Here are two pics! One is of me at the beach and the other is the family Pacherez!

Thank you for your e-mails!

Love,
Elder Egan