EVERYONE NEEDS AN AUNT JOAN

Almost from Day One, Vale had been asking to go visit Great-aunt Joan. Finally, we got the opportunity to spend six days with her. Of course there are lots of cousins, "kinda" cousins, a big trampoline, Scnauzer puppies, fresh corn on the cob, pvc pipe swords, bikes, unlimited candy dish, etc., etc. at Great-aunt Joan's, but that's not the big attraction! The BIG attraction is that since Uncle Steve was in eighth grade or thereabouts, Aunt Joan has been a player of video games and of one game in particular--Zelda. In spite of a heavy workload, many, many interests, Joan has conquered almost all of the Zelda cames on the market; she admits to being a bit compulsive about it! So, the scene in the picture on the left was enacted many times. If Aunt Joan was not with Vale, his cousin, Marissa was. It made for a week of total attention for Vale.

Everyone needs an Aunt Joan. Joan patiently got Vale out of the pitfalls and snares that the little character in Zelda found himself in. Sometimes, she made him read and re-read the cheat sheets to find the solution; other times, she gave broad hints of solutions, and at times she gave him the answer immediately. She didn't judge Vale nor demean him while they spent their time together. Most of all, she was interested in what Vale was doing. All of us need someone like that to be in our corner, cheering us on. When there isn't a real person--a spouse or a good friend, there is always our Father in Heaven who is our constant cheerleader. He only needs our invitation to walk with us through the pitfalls and snares of our lives.

All is well here. The summer is winding down. Dad has built the first stage of a very impressive sun deck. Now, he has wood to stack and rocks to gather. Vale goes home on Saturday, and it's none too soon for him. He says he must be very sick because he wants to go to school. I have a new assignment--a temple assignment--and am privileged to attend the temple all day once a week with a group of ladies from the ward!! Yesterday, I was sitting in the foyer of the temple, daydreaming, and I heard a voice say, "I know you. You're related to me. You're my aunt." It was my niece, Nadine, who was on a romantic getaway with her husband! Life is full of the tender mercies of God. We must look for them and then pass on our tender mercies to others as Aunt Joan did for Vale. Love from here. Mom