October 22, 2012

From: Jade Swayne <jade.swayne@myldsmail.net>
Subject: Re: Monday, Monday....la la la
To: "Penny Paxman" <paxmanp@yahoo.com>
Date: Monday, October 22, 2012, 11:57 AM

Dawww...mom, you're going to make me cry with that song haha you and I are going to have to sing that duet style when I get home. So be practicing. Also I heard rainbow connection playing at the grocery store a few weeks ago and of course it made me think of you and our ole pal Kermit thee frog. "He's a carribean anphibian!" lol...that stuffed animal drove me nuts. but I know how much you love it ;) and wanted to play it ALL zee time haha I love you mom. You're seriously one of a kind. These days I find myself thinking more and more about how awesome our family is. I got really excited the other day thinking about the family reunion in 2014. I hope you can make it this time around

I recieved a Halloween card from the Vances the other day that really made me smile. Will you please thank them for me. I want to write them. but the sooner they can feel my grattitude the better, right? :) I can't even contain the joy that I felt when I heard from you, grnadpa, patti and now Mckenzie herself telling me that she is working on here papers...that is so awesome.

But ok. let's do some of these questions :)

1. Sister Stewart is from a suburb of Sacramento, California. And has 2 younger sisters Named Tabitha and Tiffany. She also has an older brother who was recently reactivated in the church and later baptized his wife. isnt that sweet!! She still can't believe it! Her brother and his wife will be married/sealed in the temple a few months after Sister Stewart gets back to Cali. She is super stoked! Ohh, and she leaves July 24th of this coming year. She hit her 9 month mark a few days after we became companions. SO yes....she is dying. (that's missionary lingo ;) )

2. Our apartment is really cutsy tootsy. It's actually one of the nicest housing situations in our mission. We are basically living in a mini community and the place we are staying in can hardly be called an apartment. It's more like amini house! It is owned by a semi-active member named Sister Tina Nunley. She is this awesome senorita from Mexico. She takes such good care of us mom...you would love her. But basically, there are 3 houses on their property. One where Sister Nunley and her husband lives, when his not out doing a job. Then her daughter lives in the next house (which is placed next to ours) and then there is our little two bedroom house. It's pink. lol. and we have a basketball hoop...legit. I know...

3. We have eaten at a members house almost every night since I've been here. They are so kind and the entire ward basically knows me as "Sister Swayne, the Sister with the messed up stomach" lol...I have starrted a new thing where I get pictures with every family that we eat with. I havent been the greatest at this. But since you are asking about them, and since I love them so much already, I need to step up my game so that I can remember them when I leave this area. Because they really are so great. I wish you all could meet this amazing ward.

4. Nope. zero honks...lol people make more of an effort to look at the ground when we come around. They know what we're all about..haha

5. Yes!! I love my bag :) She needs a name though...any suggestions?

6. Alot of salad!!! and Im lovin it. the members don't always know what to make so we just ask " if it's not to much trouble Sister Swayne can always eat salad. She loves that. But if that's not possible she can just eat whatever you serve. We are very grateful for you wanting to feed us and don't want to be annoying" it has worked well and the memebers have been so creative as to the differnt salads that they make...I feel like such a punk asking for special treatment. But they have been so understanding.

7.And lastly, we get our groceries home in style mama ;) We drive trucks out in this mission. So We have a Jeep Compass. YEA YEAAA!

Sorry that I was not able to write more about Alex. We did see her again and I will write more next time. k! Love all of you

And thank you Kylie for the blog. I know if my blog is anything like yours it is simply wonderful.

And please send any letters to the Gallup address and any packages to the Farmington address. The Farmington addy is for the mission office and will be forwarded to us. But letters can be sent directly to the Gallup address if you want me to get it quicker. It's up to you :) And I apologize to anybody who has written but has not recieved anything in return. I have not forgotten about you. Your letter will be in your box soon :) I love all of your letters....I wish you only knew what the mean to me.