3.1.15

I have such an awesome story to tell!! Wednesday night my sister came over. (Aurora s mom) Aurora was in the dance festival practice. So Cindy, my sister, and I got to spend some time together. She kept mentioning things about some people in her ward. (she hasn't been active for at least the last 10 years.)I was very confused and tried not to ask too many questions or be too excited. Then she told me that the missionaries stopped by. I asked her, did they just randomly stop by or did they have your address? She said maybe Mom gave him my address. I didn't say anything but was thinking mom doesn't even know your address... So she told me this whole story of how they stopped by and she was talking to them and mentioned Aurora's name and one of them asked, Aurora Dilk? The one that is at the shoop house and lives in lacey? Cindy said yes that's my sister, Aurora is there a lot. The elder then said, I love Aurora and the shoops! So, then I was asking her, who was it? She couldn't remember. All she knew that is he had dark hair and wasn't from utah or idaho.(the not being from utah or idaho is a huge clue! :) ) so, I began texting my missionaries that were home to try to figure this out. With Adam chichoski's help, we figured out what ward she was in and it was elder Fuller who had been in our ward almost a little over a year ago. This was great news because I love elder fuller and aurora does too. Then my sister mentions to me, yeah I've been missing church. I kept calm, but I wanted to scream in delight! I just quietly said Oh? Then she said yeah I went to church last Sunday. I could hardly believe it. I knew I had to keep calm but inside I was dying and so happy! It was kind of funny because she was playing games on her phone, and I was texting to some of my returned missionaries. So I was texting them in all caps my sister went to church last Sunday! And they were texting me in all caps that's so awesome! So, hopefully something will come out of this!! Even if it takes a long time (which I'm sure it will the way my sister moves at things..) Hopefully this is a start!!!

My other great thing this week is friends.  I've been blessed with really good friends in my life.  When I was a younger adult, we used to have these long girls night out where we would talk about everything laugh and sometimes cry all night! We would end anywhere from 3-5 a.m.!! My friend,  Angela Redding unexpectedly came this weekend and some of us got to have a girls night out. We "only" stayed up until 330ish.  Haha   We got to spend most of Saturday together, too. (Picture is of me, Angela Redding,  Jennie Klumker,  and Sue Williamson)

 The only sad thing for me (well 2 sad things) a lot of our close friends have moved away, so it was a small group. And I wasn't really feeling well. In fact, today, I stayed home from church,  which I can't remember the last time I've done that. I'm sure I'll be better soon, though! 

This week, I went to the Capitol to visit my mom. She works there during session (January - April). I love the Capitol Campus anytime of the year! It is so beautiful!  I'm finally able to go there without feeling sad. It took me a long time to do that! Ray worked there for 16 years. When he was laid off a few years ago, it was one of the hardest things we went through.  But, it has been for the better in the long run.

Love you all! We keep you all in our prayers! 

Love,

Sis Shoop