Letter from Aunt Ruthie

Dear Andi,
I would like to wish you a very Happy 3rd Birthday!!!!
I am your Great Aunt Ruthie! and I want to tell you a few stories about your cute dad, who is my favorite nephew! I always called him Mikey, from the very beginning of his life, and tho' it irritated your Grandma Cathi, and Grandpa Ron, it always made Michael and I smile, and giggle. I made trips from Texas to see your daddy when he was small, and we had so much fun playing in the mountains, on picnics, going shopping, singing, telling each other stories, we would make up... I was always wanting to be closer to see your dadddy and family, so when your dad was about 8-9 years old, your great uncle Kent and I moved our family( Kendra and Tara) to Colorado Springs, Colorado! We were so happy to be closer, we would drive over to see everyone, play, eat, laugh, cry, till it was time to leave... and then we thought... man, we can take Mikey with us!!! which we did once for 2 weeks! Oh, Andi, me and my girls loved having your daddy with us!! We had adventures hiking, discovering new plants, we would make up games on the trampoline and jump till we dropped, we would make up plays in the basement, with costumes and props, songs, galore! I would always make some treat that would go with the new wonderland they created, so much fun!! I had your 2nd cousin Dallin, and your dad was afraid I would love him more than I loved your dad, I told him, You will always be My Mikey! He knew everything would be okay. Your daddy is so smart, he worked so hard in school to learn all he could about this world and especially medicine... he would tell me the most amazing things about the way the body functions worked, I was very impressed that he knew so much! When we took him home from that visit, Kendra and Tara and Dallin went with us, they were all tired and fell asleep, so Mikey was sitting up front with me, and we drove thru Vail Colorado,( which is like driving up to Park City in Utah where you live), I'll never forget it... it had been raining and the sun came out and we saw 7 count 'em, 7, rainbows!!! We tried to wake everyone up, but they were too sleepy... We talked about how beautiful this world is, and how Heavenly Father and Jesus must really love us to give us such beauty to enjoy! I'm not sure but I think your Auntie Bethany might have been with us too, I just want you to know that your daddy, is one of the most dear, tender, kind, intelligent, loving, fun, memories of my life, and this is when he was just a few years older than you.
When your Grandpa Ron married your Grandma Joann got to stay with your daddy at their house for a few days, and I wanted to visit some of the friends that I missed who had moved from Texas. We went to find their house, and got lost and started laughing so hard cause we both had to go potty, and we couldn't find a place that was open on a Sunday nite, I guess i was driving a little wobbly and a policeman pulled us over, and we were trying to straighten up and stop laughing, but we couldn't!! We were so silly, we kept trying to tell the officer that we just had the giggles, and he had me get out of the car to see if I could walk a stright line, which is what they do to people they think have been drinking alcohol!! Well, that made us laugh all the harder, and I can't walk a strait line because of the way my legs are, your dad was in hysterics!!! I finally pulled out my temple recommend and showed it to the officer,, he wasn't impressed... I told him to direct us to a bathroom so we could get control of ourselves, which he did! I laugh everytime I think about it.
We had to move back to Texas because of Great Uncle Kent's job, and once a few years later, Mikey came to see us and spend a week, we swam, ate, watched movies, danced, laughed and went swimming! I had to drive over to Houston Texas, to pick Mikey up and it had taken us longer than we expected, so when we got there your dad was laying on the luggage round, and was asleep! Well I yelled, "Where's My Mikey?" and he jumped up and tripped over his bag, and we both started laughing and we got back to our house in Pflugerville (3hrs away) talking and singing and laughig all the way! We all love Michael, because he loved us and loved being with us... he has always been a ray of sunshine, full of light and joy.
Your Granpa Ron told me when your daddy was going to the temple for the 1st time, before his mission, so I went! It was such a delight, to see his face when he got into the car that morning (we had to leave for the temple and it was still dark) and he turned around and saw me sitting there... and was sooo excited, to have me there... What a great missionary your daddy is!! Always willing to help others learn about Jesus, and the gospel, he wrote me from his mission about who he was teaching at the time and how he prayed that they would listen to the still small voice and be baptised... Our whole family was at the airport joining, your Grandma Cathi, Bethany, Isaac, Daniel,Grandpa Ron, and Grandma Joann welcoming him home from his mission in California!
Your Daddy went to work and school and always called and talked to me about the crazy things that happen sometimes in life, or with a good story , or a song that reminded him of something we shared, especially if we had a good joke to share, we would just laugh and tell each other to make someone happy... I treasure those memories, he was always concerned about lifting and strengthening those who were downhearted. What a precious man he was becoming!! I guess Andi, I could write a book about all the memories I have of your cute dad... but since you are only three years old, I'll only share a couple more...
I came into Salt Lake City to visit and wanted to see your dad, and he always was busy, so he told me we could meet up for a short visit, I was surprised to find out that he had a date, with your mom, and she was waiting for him to come and pick her up in Farmington! Good Grief! Well he told me how wonderful Lisa was, and he wished I could meet her, I said "well, where does she live?" and he took me to her house, and we went for ice cream! and talked... I knew they would get married, the way he looked at her and talked about her... it was true love! I loved your mommy from the moment I met her!
We came for the wedding, it was so amazing, they both looked so happy, and were so in love! I have to skip forward to a few years ahead, because, the next happiest day in your daddy's life, was the day you were born!!! He was so in love with you and your beautiful little mommy! We were so happy to finally get to meet you, what a little angel sent from heaven! No little girl could ever be loved more!
We had such delightful moments talking about you and what you were doing, and how you were growing, he loved everything about you and was so proud of how your mommy knew just what to do and say to take care of you... I loved watching him play with you
and sing silly songs to you, and dance with you...
Our family reunion up in Park City was especially fun, because I know everyone is so busy and its hard to break away from things that need to be done, so I brought a gift that could be won by the most helpful, cheerful, person at the reunion, your daddy was hilarious! He was running around trying to be the best house elf serving everyone!! Oh how we all laughed at his craziness, and fun! We also played 'Pass the Pig' (a game he had given Tara when she was in the hospital) for hours, and then he would take you and try to pose you in some of the poses of how the pigs would land, hahaha, soooo fun!!!! Well, he and your mom and you had to go back to Ogden to your house, and I selected him as the winner of the prize I had bought, which was a blender to mix smoothies in, called THE MAGIC BULLET!!! He was so excited, he won! hahaha I love him, love him, love him, and when we get to be together again, and can laugh and share our stories again, there will be no more goodbyes... Remember, my darling, beautiful,sweet,little grand niece, you are his and your mommies girl f-o-r-e-v-e-r. He is doing what the Lord needs him to do right now, sweetheart, teach the gospel to those who are ready to hear it! We all love you
Always and forever,
Your Great Aunt Ruthie