Bouncing Baby Boy

Announcing the newest Gale Grandchild:

Remington Colt Gale

Born October 27th

7 lbs. 15 oz.

He made his grand entrance 3 weeks early--with that weight it was 

a tender mercy for Mama Adrianna that he didn't go to his full term size!

Her water broke early in the morning and when they got to the hospital 

they saw that he was breach (feet first!) and did a c-section.

So he was out into the big wide world pretty quickly and caught

us all by surprise. 

Baby Remi with his Papa--so sweet!

And with his Mama on the day he went home.

Adorable Baby Yawn!

He seems pretty happy with life so far...

Welcome to the world little one!

I am patiently waiting for my time with him--

I can't wait to smoosh those chubby cheeks!

P.S. If you want to see a cute picture of baby Spencer for comparison purposes, go here.

Here We Go Again

The Gale Academy of Classical Education is on hiatus for the week so here is an opportunity to do some catching up. 

A list of recent happenings:

We found out that we have a couple of more Gale grandbabies on the way. 

Always joyous news! The Seth and Taylor Gale family have officially announced. That sweet little blessing is due in September. 

That is all I am authorized to say. 

Sam is almost finished with his freshman year at BYU. We got this notice in the mail:

He was invited into BYU's honor society due to his

"...early academic achievement at Brigham Young University"

He joins Siara who also earned that prestigious honor. 

He received his mission call to the California, Los Angeles (Spanish speaking) Mission. He reports to the Mexico City MTC June 11th. 

Spencer will be graduating from BYU next week.

 We are heading out to Utah for graduation and during our whirlwind trip, Andy will ordain Sam an Elder and we will all go to the temple with him to receive his endowment. So, overlapping happy family milestones! 

Spencer has earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering and he and Adrianna will be heading out to Wisconsin to begin gainful employment right after graduation. Well done! Graduation and a real job! 

Also, this happened:

General Conference with CONFERENCE BINGO!

They ate all the Skittles right away so coloring was a fun way to fill in the squares.

Scott and Nicole and fam were here for Conference livening

things up for us.

I got to spend a week with these two princesses.

There was a lot of Frozen going on around here--

including some fun braided hairstyles.

Norah made the crown and dubbed herself

"Queen Norah"

She also planned a party. When she read the announcement and invitation she was

so cute, Shane and I laughed. She became quite indignant 

and decreed:

"No laughing at Norah! No laughing at the party!"

It was hard not to defy her Royal Decree!

This was the creative party favor she came up with.

These two loved sleeping in the "Big pretty bed" and were

merciful on their old Nana and slept really well. Bailey had some

growing pains the last night so I moved Norah to another room and laid down beside Bailey to rub her feet and her leg. At one point she was crying and I felt so

bad for her. I asked her if she wanted to say a prayer and she wailed,

"Nana, I can only do one thing at a time and I am crying right now!"

And, in conclusion,  you may already know that this is also going on around here:

Another move...

Clear back across the continent to

California.

Deja vu. 

Another job lured Andy away and he started there last Monday. 

Shane and I shall hold down the fort here until someone buys the fort.

I am in denial--the first step in the mourning process. 

Although I have done a lot of packing in spite of my delusional thinking.

I will let you know how it goes.

In the meantime, we have  been blessed beyond measure in so many ways I am going to trust that we will be where we need to be and our family will continue to grow and progress in all the ways we need to.

Mom's Magical, Mystical Tour: An even longer over-due update

I seem to be falling behind here in Blogland.  I looked through my archives and found some unfinished posts from the somewhat recent past. This is from last August and it is way too long--usually I edit and pare down before I post. I don't like to bore you with my EVERY thought--just a select few thoughts. I tried to tie this together with all of the happy little lucky things that happened on this trip but I think I got carried away...


Gentle Reader,
I just returned from Utah where I settled our seventh child into his new life as a college student. I know you get this a lot here, but WHERE DID THE TIME GO?! It doesn't help that Sam skipped his last year at home and jumped into college a year early. Good preparation for mission and life and all but not enough time for Mom to take in the reality of another fledgling leaving the nest. I have a firm grip on the reality that my job is to work myself out of a job. I want my kids to learn and grow into upstanding, independent, hard-working, mature, useful adults so I can't complain when that is what they actually do. But I can complain that it happens too fast.

I took Sam out to Utah a few days early so we could take in Education Week. It has been a dream of mine for lo these many years to go to Education Week but it never seemed to work out with the constant scheduling complications of a big family, not to mention the moves from one state to the next--and one coast to the other. So, this year all of the planets aligned and even my frequent flier miles added up to allow the luxury of some Mom-time basking in the hallowed halls of learning at BYU. 

You may have gathered from my blog that I am a bit of a Pollyanna--an annoying optimist--but even I was surprised at the many ways this trip seemed especially blessed. It started when I checked in for our flight. I saw that we were seated in first class. Of course this had to be a mistake! I had paid with frequent flier miles and I was lucky to get a flight that was coming and going at the time I needed to come and go.Usually there are so many restrictions I'm lucky to leave within a month of my hoped for travel. I worried that I had clicked on an upgrade and would be charged an arm and a leg for my mistake. I checked my account and saw that I had only been charged the $5.00 fee per flight as expected--I would get to keep my arms and my legs. I printed off the receipt just in case there was any doubt about Sam and I having a seat on the plane--let alone a seat in first class! I have flown first class before but that was back in the days of Andy's premiere, business, special super duper traveler status. 

So then, as I was packing. I pulled down a bin of summer clothes I hadn't looked at for a few years. I pulled out a pair of capris and tried them on and felt something in the pocket. I knew it was money and figured it was a couple of bucks. But when I pulled it out, I was pretty happy to see two twenties. I'm thrilled if I find a quarter so I was feeling a little giddy--although I had to wonder how I had managed to pocket 40 bucks and forget about it--that's a concern all of its own! 

We got up the morning of our trip well before the crack of dawn to  beat the morning commute traffic to JFK. Sam had packed everything he owns into our biggest suitcase and we didn't have time to weigh it. According to my serendipitous first class accommodations, we each got two free checked bags. But that would only be IF those cushy accommodations were ours for real. And there was still a weight limit of 70 pounds. Even if you are fancy enough to travel first class, they still have some limitations on the pounds of belongings you can haul on your trip with you.So, you know, maybe you can only take five gold bars instead of ten.  We got to the airport an hour early and got in the special line for awesome first class people. 

I was  holding my breath hoping that my first class tickets would be legit. As we stepped up to the counter, I handed our boarding passes to the airline employee. She glanced at them and told Sam to put his suitcase on the scale. 76.6. Oops....too heavy. She looked at the flashing number and said, "This is way over. I don't have time to deal with it. Just go." So we went. We got to the gate just as they were boarding first class so we found our comfy accommodations and settled in for the flight. Sam fell asleep immediately. It was nice that he had room to stretch out his long legs and get some real sleep. I could have used some shut-eye myself but I didn't want to miss a thing: Juice in real glasses. A delicious breakfast served on real dishes with real silverware--we were even entrusted with a butter knife! Seriously! The omelet and biscuit were tasty and the fruit was ripe and sweet. Then, the warm towel. Such a civilized way to travel. 

After landing in Salt Lake City, we were fortunate to have Spencer and Adrianna there to pick us up. We enjoyed the drive to Provo visiting with them. After a quick stop for lunch, we drove to Siara and Tyler's house--our hosts for the week. Just as we were turning onto Siara's street, the car began to sputter and gave out right in front their house. Don't worry-- they were able to get it going again later--but thankfully it didn't sputter out on the freeway. Imagine hauling Sam's 76.6 pound suitcase down the road, hitching a ride.

One of my all-time favorite authors is H.Wallace Goddard. He is an author of some very helpful books and he writes for Meridian Magazine. I was pretty thrilled to see that he was speaking at Education Week. One more unexpected blessing this week! After our long day of travel across the country and in spite of the time change and jet-lag, I marched up to campus that evening and attended his class. I have given his book "Drawing Heaven Into Your Marriage" to each of our children when they got married. They may not realize it is the best gift they got until that nice mixer wears out and the pretty towels are threadbare. About that time marriage begins to require some soul refining and humility and charity. And about that time, this book will be waiting.  But I digress, the man knows what he is talking about and he brought the Spirit and I was scribbling notes as quickly as possible to keep from missing any of his pearls of wisdom. 'Twas a beautiful beginning to a wonderful week of learning.

A few days before I left for Utah I got an email from my FAVORITE Institute teachers from our California days. Becky Davies and Lesley Meacham. They were a last minute addition to the Education Week schedule. So glad I am still on the mailing list for the Poway Institute! Another bonus: I got to bask in the glory of their amazing insight into the scriptures and enjoy a reunion with many dear friends from our old Poway Stake. It was heavenly. Sam even rolled out of bed and joined me for their classes. 

One of the many insights they taught on symbolism in the scriptures.

Then, I happened to find my favorite ice cream in the little kiosk at the Cougareat one day after lunch (Cherry Vanilla, thanks for asking). And as I was strolling through the Wilkinson Center enjoying that, I ran into these guys:

I just wanted a quick picture of them to prove that I actually saw them,

but they insisted that I get in the picture. So there I am awkwardly

trying to shrink down so as not to tower over Stacy and Mallory and also

keep a grip on my ice cream and my book bag. 

And the guy taking the picture insisted on his expertise at phone photography and

they all endorsed him--but the picture is blurry!

But, you know, it's still Studio C so hey!

And, as if that weren't enough, one day while I was on campus, I came across an exhibit in the Joseph Fielding Smith building. It was all about the history of BYU as well as education in the church.

I read every plaque and soaked up all of the pictures and artifacts. So much of what I was learning about the

importance of education and the importance of learning by study and also by faith, fit my personal philosophy as a mom teaching and guiding learners in our home for so many years. 

A much needed reminder of why I do what I do. 

And why it matters. 

This has turned into a novel--let me find a conclusion here somewhere...

Sunday Dinner at Siara and Tyler's

She is the hostess with the mostest!

The main serendipity was family time with Seth and Taylor, Spencer and Adrianna, Siara and Tyler.

 With Sam there now, half of our children are in Utah Valley!

Since they are all gainfully employed and/or going to school,

we were somewhat limited in times that we

could all be at the same place at the same time.

But we did our best.

It's always fun to catch up with all of them. 

Did I take pictures of all of us together? 

No...I tend to be in the moment when we are all together.

I did take this one of Siara cutting her little brother's hair:

And Sam and Wolfie cat-napping

Is this post ever going to end?

Yes.

Reflections Upon Sending Our Sixth Child Off to College

Shayla (and Sam) in front of the Portland Temple
Age 7

Last week I met up with Shayla at the Salt Lake City airport. She came from Washington where she has spent the summer restoring a car with her Grandpa Gale. I came from Connecticut where I have spent the summer packing and then unpacking boxes and trying to make order out of the chaos--whilst enjoying the comings and goings of adorable grandchildren and their parents. Siara picked us up and we enjoyed that sweet mother/daughter/sister rhythm that we fall into so naturally. (We had that last month when Shayla and Shanna were both in Connecticut--I just need to hang in there 'til Christmas and we will all be together.)

We were there to get Shayla settled into her new life as a freshman at the BYU. Yes, our little Shayla is off to college. Keeping up with family tradition, I helped her move in and get her books and various supplies and necessities to make sure she was covered for the duration. Siara took time off of work to help and she had the added benefit of the wisdom and inside information on how to survive dorm life and homework and the like. She also shared her expert hairstyling skills and gave us both amazing haircuts. She and Tyler shared their hospitality with us and put us up in the Christensen Bed and Breakfast: A homey and comfortable place which includes an entertaining cat named Wolfie and delicious toast made from Dave's Killer Bread. (I am starting a campaign to get it into the Costco here!)

Spencer is between semesters and took time from his busy schedule of sleeping in and watching Fox News to give Shayla a personalized guided tour of campus. He is majoring in Chemical Engineering and she is majoring in Mechanical Engineering so he has the expertise to share on all things science and engineering. His wife Adrianna and I tagged along and  we exchanged baffled looks as Spencer and Shayla talked about chemistry and economics and physics  like they were enjoyable pastimes they happened to have in common.

It was a short trip and my 48 hours flew by before I knew it. I hugged my little girl good-bye and left her at the tiny dorm that will be her home for the next 9 months. We got a bit teary-eyed but I managed to hold back the full flood of mom tears until Siara and I started down the stairs. It doesn't matter how many times  I send  a child off on that first step of the journey to adulthood, it doesn't get any easier.  I am thrilled for the opportunities that are ahead for her. I am proud of her for doing the work and preparation intellectually and spiritually that got her to BYU. So the tears may be a little bit of sadness for me letting her go but they are more of happiness in knowing she is in a good place.

One More Baby Story

Spencer: The Hospital Picture

Spencer celebrated a birthday this week. He is fourth child, second son and brought balance to our family by evening up the boy/girl count--much to his big brother Scott's delight.

We thought our family was complete after three children. That is really the tipping point for parents--the third child leaves you outnumbered and in our case, they were close in age so we were feeling physically exhausted with the demands of our three active, busy young 'uns. But after Shanna was potty-trained and things began to feel a little calmer, I felt like there were more who were supposed to come to our family.

When I was expecting Spencer, I was serving as the Primary President in our ward. Our ward was growing and our Primary had doubled in the few months after I started. The weeks leading up to his birth were filled with "record highs" in the weather. We didn't have air conditioning at home--it really wasn't necessary most years in the rainy, cool Northwest--but since I was pregnant, of course it had to be the hottest summer anyone could remember. According to my journal, I sweated my way through Primary every Sunday. Although the church was air conditioned, we were crowded into the small Primary room of the Washougal building where the warmth from all those wiggly children and my very pregnant self generated more heat than the air conditioning could push out.

 Spencer's due date had been changed from August 12th to July 27th after an ultrasound because he was so big. This was the first ultrasound I had ever had so I trusted in their expertise and mentally prepared for birth at the end of July. But that date came and went with no sign of labor. About 10 days before he was born, it was 99 degrees on Sunday and after church I started having contractions. It turned out to be false labor brought on by dehydration. I was instructed to drink more and try to get some rest.

We had agreed on a name after some debate amongst the children. I thought we should end the "S" thing and branch out. I was out-voted. The three older children thought he would feel left out and it wouldn't be fair. So they convinced me that we should continue our tradition and we chose Spencer for his name. He was named for a beloved prophet : Spencer W. Kimball and it's also a family name on my Dad's side. His middle name is Matthew after Matthew in the Bible--a faithful disciple of the Savior.

So another week of record highs went by. I had dragged home a big wading pool for the kids earlier in the summer which we set up in the back yard. They spent those hot days playing in the cool water and enjoying Otter Pops. When the heat became unbearable, I joined them and became the big beached whale in the middle of their fun.

My presidency and I had planned a Primary Activity for August 14th. Naturally, that is the day I went into real labor. I tried to convince my fellow Primary compadres that I could handle my part of the activity--I figured I would be in labor all day and might as well be doing something to take my mind off of it.  But my counselor who was the mother of six told me to stay home and they would take care of it. "We don't want the Primary Activity to turn into a birthing activity!" she said.

So, I paced around my house. I had already thoroughly nested--the crib was set up and ready and I had cleaned and scrubbed and organized in spite of the construction chaos that was a constant in our lives.After consistent contractions all day,  I fed the kids dinner and waited for Andy to get home from work. Our across the street teen-age neighbor, Antje (who was more of a beloved big sister) came over to stay with the older three and we headed for the hospital.

When we got up to the labor and delivery area, I wanted to cry. The place was in the middle of a big renovation and it was a mess. Walls were torn down, insulation was hanging from the ceiling, a nurse went by with a bin of dirty laundry. There was no place to sit while we waited to be checked into a room. There were three other women standing there with me. One was in a lot of distress and her husband was begging for a chair for her. It's stressful enough to be in labor but to have paid good money for insurance and thinking you live in a civilized world and time and expecting a nice, clean, hospital birth only to find yourself in the middle of a construction zone had put everyone over the edge.

I did what I usually do in difficult circumstances, I told myself "It could be worse." And took deep breaths.

I was the last to be put into a room--the squeaky wheel gets the grease as they say. I was fine with that because I didn't want to be tied to a monitor too soon. My labor room had bare studs along one wall which they had covered with what looked like burlap. But it seemed clean and I figured I wouldn't be in there for long. Andy hadn't had a chance to eat so he went to the hospital cafeteria and I got hooked up to an IV. Unfortunately, I got a rookie doing the needle work and she informed me she was really bad at getting the needle in. She was right. She managed to get my blood all over both of us, the sheets and the floor. She's lucky I didn't have any dread diseases to share.

By then it was about 10:30. It felt like labor was taking forever. I didn't make any note in my journal of dilation so I don't know what my progress was. I must have been far enough along for them to keep me. I loved the nurse that was on duty. She dimmed the lights and spoke softly. We talked about the miracle of birth and how precious children are. She had a book that had just come out with actual photographs inside the womb and she brought it in and showed it to me. There were five women in labor at the same time and there was a lot of screaming going on--probably more noticeable because of the missing wallboard. One doctor was on duty going from one to the next waiting to see who would deliver first. My contractions were getting closer together and lasting longer and I was coping with them by closing my eyes and pretending I was outside my body.  The doctor walked into my room munching on a sandwich and asked the nurse "What have you got her on? She's so relaxed."
My nurse was so proud of the fact that I wasn't on any medication and she said "Nothing! She's doing this all on her own!" After he left, she said, "I can catch this baby--don't worry if he's too busy--we'll have this baby just fine."

It wasn't long after that that it was time to push. As it turned out, the doctor waltzed in on the last  two pushes. Spencer was born at 12:26 am.  He cut the cord, laid Spencer up on me, told me congratulations on a fine healthy son and waltzed back out. The nurse was disappointed that he made it in for the delivery. I was too. Spencer didn't cry right away--he looked around and quietly took it all in. The nurse rubbed him vigorously with a blanket and he took his first big breath with a healthy cry.

1st Birthday

The nursery was on a different floor than the mom rooms, so Andy went with the nurse and Spencer to see him get weighed and cleaned up. I was wheeled off to another room. I didn't get to see my baby for about an hour and I was pretty anxious. Andy brought him to me and announced the stats: 9 pounds 4 1/2 ounces and 21 inches long. He had a whole head of thick black hair and big eyes. He was very calm and nursed easily. I was in heaven. I had waited almost 4 years for this addition to our family and I was a very happy mom.

Later in the morning, Andy came back with the other kids. They were so excited to see their new brother. I had to stay longer in the hospital than I wanted to because of some hemorrhaging issues. I was given pitocin and had the privilege of having a nurse come in and "massage" (actually "smash") my uterus every hour or so. It was painful and made it impossible to get any rest. I was fortunate to find a midwife before the birth of our next child and learn about red raspberry leaf so that I never had bleeding problems with any of our other babies.

We brought Spencer home to a very enthusiastic crowd. He was loved and adored. According to my journal Scott loved taking care of him and even changed his diapers. He didn't want Spencer to nap because he loved playing with him. Even though Shanna wanted a little sister, the minute she saw him she decided he was so cute she would love him anyway. As he got older, I had to convince them to put him down once in awhile so he could learn to crawl.

When I took him in for his one month check-up, our family doctor asked about how I was feeling. He was screening me for postpartum depression. I told him, "I feel like I have postpartum euphoria. I am kind of over-the-top happy. Is that hormonal?" He laughed and told me he wasn't sure but to let him know if it changed. It didn't. Spencer was a very happy, easy-going baby. He would go to anyone and people at church loved to hold him. If the person behind us in the pews held out their hands, he would go to them and often spent Sacrament Meeting sitting with various ward members.

And now our Spencer is home from a faithful mission, married to his childhood sweetheart in the temple and getting through his Chemical Engineer degree at BYU. Happy and easy-going as ever.

Happy Birthday!

Found

I am mostly finished with the packing around these parts. But I have a few decisions still to make about "pack and take" or "get rid of". I had put that off with these suits that were left in the upstairs closet--one by our currently serving missionary and the other by our recently returned missionary. I was trying to see into the future and determine if Sam might need them for a back up (it's happened before when I forgot to pick up the dry cleaning --oops!). Also in my future-gazing I was debating whether Sam would pass his older brothers in height, rendering the suits useless.

 Except in the event of a flood.

That seems to be the direction things are going--Sam passed Seth up and seems to wake up taller every day. So, I was ready to find a new home for the suits.

As I tossed them onto the chair, I saw something peeking out of the inside jacket pocket.

It was Elder Gale's last planning book. Filled with Hmong names and appointments and some funny drawings. Also in the pocket was the flight information and boarding pass for his trip home.

So I checked the other pockets and found 

his name tag, 

where he had tucked it away after his official release from missionary service.

I'm glad I discovered that missionary suit jacket time capsule before I sent it off to its next life.

Newly Wed

This boy...

...and this girl

Got married in the temple...

It brought the whole Gale bunch to the rainy Northwest

to support their brother Spencer 

and his new bride, Adrianna

Baby Mason enjoyed some time with Pops

and Uncle Seth

Pre-wedding primping courtesy of the Gale sisters

Shane, Shayla, and Sam spiffed up for the occasion

Hanging out in our cozy hotel room

We checked on our cabin--

love that place.

Bonus Mason picture

Love that face.

A Week to Remember

A week ago we were in Texas (GRANDBABIES!!) so that Andy could ordain Scott a high priest. It was a sweet experience to see our son called as a counselor in the bishopric and sweeter still to see his father ordain him to the last priesthood office that can be done by his dad.  I loved playing play-doh with Bailey and peek-a-boo with Norah. Pops was a big hit with little Norah--she thought he was a big teddy bear to jump on. It was over much too soon.  Even as we were winging our way homeward, my mind was racing with the logistics of the events of the rest of the week.

Spencer came home from his mission on Wednesday. His plane was a small puddle jumper so we met him at the commuter airport. That meant that I got to watch him walk down the stairs from the plane door to the tarmac. I watched carefully as each person came off the plane and when my boy stepped out onto the stairs, I caught my breath as I realized how grown up he looked. I did my best not to cry but you all know me well enough to know that was a lost cause.

Today, Spencer gave his report to the high council and then his "homecoming" talk in church. It was a unique experience for him to speak to a congregation of people who are essentially strangers to him since we moved here right before he left on his mission. He did a beautiful job. I am his mom  so you may suspect that I am bragging but I had some corroboration. The counselor in the stake presidency told me: "Your son is a spiritual giant."  So there you go.

We topped off the week by having Seth ordained an elder by his father the last hour of church. He will submit his mission papers as soon as he gets back to Utah. Our missionaries are coming and going.

Tonight for FHE we watched home movies. It is so fun to see my big strapping boys watch themselves as little silly babies/toddlers/preschoolers. We laughed at their funny antics and their little squeaky voices that have now morphed into identical deep bass voices. I loved mothering them when they were little guys but I had no idea the joy that would come my way as they grew into men. My cup runneth over.

Returning With Honor

In FIVE DAYS Elder Gale will be home. After serving for two years in the

 California, Sacramento Hmong Mission. 

FIVE DAYS! 

It feels like Christmas.

We received his "Going Home" letter from his mission president--his words are a sweet

culminating affirmation of his faithful service:

"It is a great personal pleasure to write this letter upon the approaching release of Elder Gale from extraordinary service in our Mission. Elder Gale has been a truly wonderful missionary here. He has been diligent, faithful and very effective in every responsibility and assignment. As an indication of his dedication and testimony of this work I would like to quote from a talk he prepared for a zone conference. He said, "I know there is no other way to see success in God's work except to do it God's way. I bear my testimony that we are engaged in the most important work on the earth, spreading the true gospel of Jesus Christ and saving souls." These two sentences summarize well how Elder Gale has approached his missionary service to his Heavenly Father. 

Elder Gale has a special love for the Hmong people and cares deeply for them and their welfare. Elder Gale has truly blessed the lives of many, many in the Hmong community. He will forever be remembered fondly and reverently by the Hmong people."

Like Christmas.

3 John 1: 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.

News From the Field

We hadn't heard from our missionary for a few weeks--and I had to assume he was anxiously engaged in the work-- so not too much Mom-worrying here. But it was nice to get his email today and find out that he is fine and yes, working hard.

Here is an excerpt from his email today:

So we had an amazing baptism yesterday but you kind of missed out on the whole background story. There names are Qhua Lauj (Khoua Lo) and Neeb Thoj (Neng Thao). They are the ones that I wrote an email to Elder Trythall of the 70 a couple weeks ago about. So after he got the email he spoke with President Lewis and the answer was no, they couldn't be baptized. I spoke with President Lewis for a while about it as he tried to explain Elder Trythall's reasons and I tried to explain why there really wasn't any other option but to baptize them here. I don't think I've been so upset my whole mission, to work so hard to baptize, have an amazingly elect family that wants to be baptized, but have a general authority say they couldn't just seemed so wrong. Elder Trythall offered to meet with Elder Thao and I so that Saturday we set an appointment to go see him. I don't think I've ever prayed so long and hard as I did the couple of days leading up to the meeting. It's pretty intimidating argueing a case as 2 missionaries against your mission president and a member of the 70. The meeting was mostly him talking and trying to convince us that these boundaries are super important, and I pretty much got his point but he hardly even let us speak. The most upsetting part is that he kept trying to say that if they had enough faith they would go anywhere. Khoua and Neng are being completely disowned from their families for this, Khoua's older brother told him, "If you get baptized we're no longer brothers." They have tons of faith, they just don't speak English! But after an hour he finally admitted that with Neng not speaking any English that it would be ridiculous to make them go to an English ward when there's a Hmong ward so close. So in the end he gave us permission to baptize them and said that eventually they would need to move within mission boundaries but they could have at least until their lease ran out, that they weren't under any pressure to do it now. So we had the baptism yesterday and it was great. Nyiaj Looj Lauj, Khoua's uncle baptized him and Elder Thao baptized Neng, who is actually his aunt (by Hmong standards anyway, his great grandpa is her granpa or something like that). As soon as Qhua came up out of the water he started crying and he cryed again during the confirmation (we had a water side confirmation). It was an incredible baptism, very spiritual and very amazing. We still have 2 more people working towards baptismal dates at the end of the month and a few more that we're hoping to firm up for dates in October, hopefully before the 19th :)

So the work is still going fantastic. Oh, I forgot to mention transfers, I'm still in North Sac with Elder Thao but I'm stuck being a district leader. It may be my last transer but I don't plan on slowing down with the baptisms, I'm deffinitely going to make this last transfer count. We have a lot of good people and the ward has never been more behind us. Bishop Lo is super impressed with us for going all the way up to a general authority to in his words, "fight for the Hmong Ward." He even made a big deal out of it in Ward Council yesterday. So while all my emails about school and coming home seem trunky I promise I'm still 100% in the work. I love you all and will try to email again next week.

Love,

Elder Gale

Happy Birthday to Our Missionary!

Elder Gale: Front Row Far Right

Our Elder Gale is coming down the home stretch! We received the travel itinerary for his trip from the mission field to home. It will be a long, arduous journey from Sacramento to San Diego but after two years of sacrifice--what's a few more hours? He actually has a layover and plane change in Los Angeles--just to break it up a little.

In the meantime, our missionary is celebrating his birthday today! It is also his p-day so we got an email. He is celebrating his 21st birthday a little differently than the typical 21 year old guy. As he said,

 "The work is the most important thing so that is what I will be doing."