11-16--09 "If You Have to Say It, Say It in a Song"

Both Cassidy and Mom sent me e-mails this week that reference/are song titles/lyrics. Which is good, because I've been saving some fun music references for y'all. We've been traveling to and from our weekly district meeting with the Spanish elders in the area, and they have quite an abstract selection of music. One of the CDs features LDS artists that sound much like David Archuleta's cousin and James Blunt's brother. Weird. One of the songs had a lyric something like "disconcerted circus clown." I'd be disconcerted, too, if I were a circus clown. Not to mention a circus freak. But the best one of all is one of those highly sentimental numbers you just shake your head at while you're laughing uncontrollably. I like to call it "Stillborn Princess." (Not to be confused with a stillborn sloth.) It's a ballad about from the perspective of a mother who just knew her first child would be a daughter, "but the day came too soon/ and in a hospital room/ the word that I feared/ was the word that I heard/: Born still..." You get the tune. Try to look up the lyrics on google, because they will have you in stitches. I'm thinking this song straddles the line of appropriateness for missionary approved music, but hey, at least it's not the Even Stevens theme song. That would not be acceptable. At. All. Although just as hilarious. Sister Kemp said her family once sent her brother a contraband CD, disguised as MoTab. The first song was MoTab, but the rest of it was a band called, "They Might Be Giants." What a surprise. I can't imagine what that feels like...Wink. Wink. But thanks for the CD. And the pictures. Frank and I have been admiring them all week.
And speaking of the Spanish elders in our district, each one of them has a strange celebrity resemblance. One of them, Elder Inkley, has the personality of Louis Stevens. Very quick witted. Very talkative. Very energetic, almost all the time. And he likes to make movies. I haven't asked him if he made one called "Three Eyes Wide Shut" yet, Cass, but I'm sure his are just as good. Second, the other one, Elder Bell, has often been told that he looks like Edward "The Vampire" Cullen. It's hard to tell for certain, because he still has missionary hair, but there's definitely a small resemblance in the face. Nothing like "Oh, he looks just like Ed/Ced," but just one of those glancing resemblances. Judge for yourself. I'm sending some pictures of recent escapades home this week.
We had transfer calls on Saturday. Sister Kemp and I are staying together in Tomball for this one. I'm glad. I really like it here, and I still need to find out the detail about "Jesus is Coming." Will do, Mom. We moved last Monday for a very undramatic reason. The senior apartment coordinating missionaries wanted us to move because missionaries had been living in the old complex for 16 years or something. Plus they'd recently had a rat in the apartment. (Story forthcoming, Cassidy. Just you wait, Henry Higgins.) So now we are in a nice new apartment, complete with stacked washer/dryer unit, which makes laundry really nice on Mondays. At least it has so far. Our address here is: 29807 Tomball Parkway #376, Tomball, TX 77377.
I'm so glad to hear that ANNIE was a success. Particularly a $25,000 success! Does that include after theater commissions and everything? AND "Forever Plaid"!?! I'm jealous, but not green. Eli will love it. Maybe he'll be motivated to get those spinning plates back out. And I'm glad to hear he's swimming. I had a near run-in with swimming this week. After district meeting, we went out for lunch, of course, to the restaurant that was showing the World Cup of swimming. I knew we HAD TO LEAVE when Rowdy Gaines announced, "Michael Phelps will be swimming in about five minutes." Not good. I would lose all resolve to focus. It was hard as it was. But keep playing basketball, Eli. That's great that you scored! And just keep swimming.
It's also good to hear that you are being blessed, despite nearly burning your finger off at the soup kitchen (ouch! I feel your pain, after having gotten a blister burn on Valentine's day from baking red. velvet. cupcakes. to. die. for.) Cassidy, gross about your bladder infection. Get better soon. That's an order from your older sister. You're in my thoughts this week as Cameron and Mark head off to the MTC. Sounds like you're doing great at school, and I promise a letter soon just for you. Don't get too sad about being off track in the winter. Just think, that'll be perfect when I get back because you and I can spend tons of time together!
Time flies. I wish I could write more, but we have a few other things to take care of today, and the e-mail wasn't quite working this morning, so we are here for the second time now. Love you all! Oh, I also went to the other doctor this week. Very nice. Bills were $150 or so for his office visit, and about $50 for lab work. Please let me know if that's a hardship, although I don't know what I'll do about it except just pray. It sounds like our family is being richly blessed in many ways. And while we're on the subject of money, that's something I'd like for Christmas. Just a little in my checking account, (plus to know my current balance would be great). Foundation from Miss Peg would be DEEPLY APPRECIATED. I just bought some Cover Girl stuff, but it's really not the same. I wear the same color as Cassidy. Okay, best of luck and love!
The always shining,
Sister Whitney Mikell Sorensen
PS Look up "fainting goats" on youtube. Apparently, it's hilarious.