A Handwritten Letter Can Mean So Much.

So my ever goofy mother tells me that I write too much. She tells me that she only loves seeing pictures of the family. I was like, rude!! But seriously, even though she may not read my entire post knowing that she is at least scrolling down through the pictures makes me happy. I think that if she had her own computer she would actually read all my posts in their entirety, but because she doesn't and doesn't get the chance to go over her friends house too spy on me online too often can be frustrating for her. She's so old school, and even if we bought her a computer I honestly don't think she'd use it too much. She has an old school flip phone, and hardly ever texts. Heck, she hardly calls, but will write. Isn't it ironic for someone who likes receiving, writing, and mailing handwritten letters doesn't read blog posts. She'll also read books, but has to be in the mood. Again...all my posts are on a computer, on not on a piece of paper so..... Luckily the kids and I send her good mail from time to time, and that she enjoys that very much. 

Which brings me to what this post is about.  

Mail...

Okay mom if you're looking at this post I promise I'll limit the amount of words typed on this screen, and I'll try my best to blog like it's 2005 with pictures instead of words, but forgive me if this post ends up being picture less and a little too long for ya! 

Ever since I was a little girl I learned from my mother that it is kind and thoughtful to write to others, and send thank you cards every time someone sends us something. That was very rare back in the day, because we hardly ever got any gifts via snail mail from anyone. Now that I'm older with children I constantly have friends, and family write, and send packages from time to time. I have, and will always encourage them to never lose the art of handwriting, and to never forget to send someone a thank you card...even if it's local. Even though I've noticed my hands aching after a while of writing, I still manage to send a card every now and then to anyone who I feel may use a little "pick me up." Even a random letter just saying hello, or I'm thinking of you can mean so much to that individual. Texting, Facebook, twitter, instagram??? What? What's that??? Wouldn't it be wonderful if we all thought that way from time to time?  Knowing that you took the time to sit down, put pen to paper to send a lovely thought to someone can go a long way. 

I know at times my daughter will tell me that when she calls her friends they either don't pick up the phone, or "freak out" when they answer. I honestly think that's the saddest thing because nowadays a phone conversation can mean so much. Knowing the person through a voice instead of silent texting is much better. Even though I consider myself "social savvy" I'm pretty old school when it comes to snail mail, and calling people. So often I will text or email, and ever since I got into the bad habit of emailing certain people I have caught myself emailing them in such a way where it can give a different meaning to the other person on the other end, therefore I will call instead. 

I know that it's never too late to teach our children even at the age of four to learn to write their own thank you cards, or a short note. If a toddler can draw stick figures, circles, a square, I'm pretty sure that they can write "i love you" "miss you" and their name. Start them out with small sentences, and I guarantee they'll get into the habit of writing as they get older. I also think that if you keep a handwritten journal that'll help them even more. The task is to keep it up, and may I add that it can be very therapeutic too!

I love mail! I love to write, and I have my mom to thank for that! She was (still can be) a good example of corresponding, and never want to waste that art. Even when I'm old, 80, and grey! 

And so with the holidays coming up instead of texting, emailing, or typing a message via social networking make an effort to send a card. I guarantee it'll make someone's day! 

"Email is a way to exchange information, but nothing beats sitting across from the friends you love, and have known for years sharing your lives and news. I feel recharged when there is that shorthand, the inside jokes that need no explaining, the revisiting of friendship lore, the sympaththetic ear of a friend who is also dealing with elderly parents or a child's undecided future plans. These friendships were never ones that were taken for granted, and still aren't." 

Rita Wilson couldn't have said it any better, but I will add in snail mail, and picking up the phone to reach out to those friends who are just too far away to sit with them and have a coke, and talk about our families. 

Okay...I think this post without any family pics has gotten ridiculous for my mom to read (if she's reading it) so I'm logging out! 

Happy Monday! 

Snail mail is my favorite.

One of my favorite things to do in this world is to write and send cards to those I love. I especially love the fact that I am in charge of sending out cards to the sisters in our church on their birthdays. Even if that wasn't my calling I'd still be sending them cards...ask anyone that knows me on my face book, (or in my congregation.)

The last three months of the year always fill my calendar with birthdays, and sending out Halloween, Thanksgiving, and last but not least...Christmas cards. I keep my journal updated with everything that has happened and what I mailed out thus far.

Of course I have cards for every occasion...even those we wish didn't exist (i.e. sympathy, get well.) It is nice to have greeting cards for those purposes, and if you find the perfect one it can truly make a difference in that person's life who has lost a loved one, or who feels deathly ill.

Sending a card can mean a world of difference, and do it's justice to that one person. I don't get a lot of mail like I used to since I got on facebook two years ago, and I miss it. I myself am a little guilty of not writing as much to my friends and family because of the blog I started a year and a half ago. After all...isn't that the purpose of a blog. I wanted to make it easier for friends & family to keep them updated on the happenings, and goings of our life. It's a pro and a con having a blog because you won't get a lot of snail mail, but I enjoy it for the mere fact that I love to write. It does feel good though when I look into my mailbox, and find me some good mail.

I recently received some good mail throughout my birthday week last month, including this really cool embossing machine that my mother-in-law sent me. I think my girls are in love with it more than me because they have already used it! It is such a nice gift, and I will put it to use from time to time. Even though I love making cards I also love venturing out to the craft stores to find beautiful card stock, and going to Hallmark stores to find that perfect card for that special someone. It's so cute it looks like a little purse!

I have to admit I've received more birthday cards in the past, and I am extremely grateful to those who sent me birthday wishes via Facebook. I'll always miss handwritten mail, but luckily I have this cool machine to make my cards look more fancy!

I am not sure how many Christmas cards we'll receive this year since many of our friends email their cards, or post them on facebook. I do send out cards to close family and friends, and I hope I'll always be financially able to do so. I know that postage increases, and so does the cost of printing pictures as well as finding that perfect photographer to take your picture. I'll tell you something though, if you have a tripod, and can take pretty good pictures you can be your own photographer, and just save up on stamps starting now. You don't have to have a decked out Christmas card with all the fancy gadgets. It is nice though to splurge at least once a year, and have fun taking a fancy picture as a family.

Overall snail mail will always be my favorite, and you never know whose heart you'll be touching when that special someone receives a beautiful colored card with a beautiful stamp on it in their mailbox instead of junk mail.

A letter a day.

A couple of weeks before Sierra left to go to Utah for SOAR Lexie did something very impressive and thoughtful for her personal progress. She wrote a letter for each day that Sierra would be gone. Since Sierra was gone for ten days... she wrote ten letters.

When I asked her why she was up in her room all the time (which is very rare) she said that she wanted to do something nice for Sierra to remind her of home, and to remember her by while she was away. Writing stories, and letters is Lexie's forte. Not many people are into handwriting letters today, and knowing that she did this sure made me smile. She faithfully writes in her journal as well as writing letters to friends and family. I sense how writing makes her feel, and she was going to town with the letters she was preparing for Sierra.

The times we spoke to Sierra over the phone while she was in Utah Lexie would say, "Please don't forget to open a letter a day until you come home." Sierra loves her letters, and of course said that she was definitely reading one a day, and really appreciated the time and effort that she put into it.

When Sierra came home to talk about the letters she said to Lexie that she certainly has a gift of writing. She told her how her letters were so animated, funny, and inspirational. In some of the letters she drew a crossword puzzle for Sierra to work on. Since Sierra has a penchant for history Lexie drew different continents on the first letter so she could play "guess what continent this is" for her to do on the plane. She also jotted down a lot of Harry Potter jokes. She especially loved the letter in which she wrote this riddle for Sierra to solve:

First think of the person who lives in disquise who deals in secrets and tell naught but lies.

Next tell me whats always the last thing to mend the middle, and the end of the end.

And finally give me the sound often heard during the search for a hard to find word. 

Now string them together and answer me this...which creature would you be unwilling to kiss?

Did you solve it yet?

As I was reading some of the letters they reminded me of the way Amelia writes in these books. I have always loved Amelia's books, and no matter what age our girls are they find her stories hilarious. Heck I read them and I love Amelia! That is how I find Lexie's handwritten letters...cute, funny, and amazingly bold!  

One of my personal favorites is the one in which she tells Sierra that she isn't doing these letters just to complete a value in her personal progress:

Dear Sierra,                                                                                                            July 16, 2012


I just want you to know that I am not doing this so that I can complete my personal progress and get it done with, but because I love you. I want to show you how much you mean to me. You can tell I hardly use these markers. 


Love,
Lexie

Apparently Lexie drew pictures in the last six letters using colored pencils, markers, and even added stickers.

When I read the final letter I felt so much appreciation for Lexie in all the writing that she did by hand. I could tell that she put a lot of thought into the things she was writing and how honest she was with her writing. It put a huge smile on my face, and reading all those letters made me feel good knowing that they were written with love, and in good taste. This is what her final letter read:

Dear SIERRA,                                                                                                         July 18, 2012


So this is the last letter. It is gonna feel weird knowing that no more letters coming your way. I really hope that you have liked what I have written for you. I hope that they have made your days feel better whenever you have read them. Anyway I hope that you have liked them a lot. I love you very much and I look forward to seeing you when you come home. 


Heart, Heart, 
Lexie


P.S. You can now throw away all the stickers that were attached to your letters! 


I was smiling, laughing, nodding, and chuckling while I read those ten those ten letters, and I am so grateful that Lexie has the talent, but mostly the motivation to write. I know that I have taught her well, and who knows...maybe one day she will compile all of her notes, thoughts, quotes, & letters written to various people, siblings, & parents into Alexandra's Letters. 

That would be nice. Very nice!

From coast to coast

Our lovely young women of New Jersey

I was thrilled when a friend of mine in my old ward in Utah thought of a pen pal activity with her young women, and the young women in our ward. I thought that would be one great way for different young women across the country to get to know each other through their written testimony, and eventually become long distance pen pals, or in our generation today...Facebook friends.

Sierra brought the idea up to her Young Women President and it was a done deal. Although it took a couple of months to get it started the girls in our ward finally had an activity of where all the young women  wrote out their testimonies along with an introduction of who they are.

I helped Sierra make these cute cards with the theme for this year, "Arise and Shine Forth" labeled on the front of each card, and had each young woman choose one to send to their pen pal in Utah.

So many of us today are not into handwriting letters especially for those who find it so easy to email, text, and Facebook a message. I know it's a lot easier to communicate that way, but I know from personal experience that receiving a piece of mail that is not junk or a bill can really brighten up someones day. 

I have had countless experiences of receiving good mail, as well as sending off good mail.  A piece of mail can be a light in someone who is having a dark and dreary day. It can also be an answer of hope to a young soul who feels lost, and thinks to herself, "wow, there is someone out there who loves and acknowledges me." You never know who you will be uplifting by simply sending a handwritten note. Sometimes those handwritten notes mean more than an audio or electronic message. It is saying that you took the time to sit down and put pen to paper to write down a few simple sentences. It's saying that you do care, and that you want that individual to know that you do. 

Sierra has grown to love writing letters, and I think it helps her talent by having a love for her english class, as well as having an amazing talent in writing essays. She knows how it feels to receive good mail, and has found the joy in handwriting a letter. She wants others to have that euphoric feeling knowing that someone far away is thinking of you, and taking the time to jot down a few words on your behalf. 

I am so grateful for the friendship that I have kept with Vilisha. It has been almost seven years since moving from Utah and I still keep in touch with her and her family. It's through letters that have kept us in touch this whole time, and when I got on Facebook two years ago...it made us closer. It also became easy in not writing as much, but I still try my best to keep up with handwriting letters to many friends, (and I have a lot!)

 

There are so many young women who will benefit from receiving good mail. Especially those who just turned 12 and are new to the program. I'm sure they will be thrilled to be receiving a sweet message on handwritten paper. 

I hope that all the young women in both wards will strive hard to keep up those handwritten letters. Even if it's just a simple postcard where you don't have to write a whole paragraph! It's the thought that will count, and believe me when I say this...that simple thought will do its justice through a handwritten simple little note, and the person receiving it will be cheerful. They will truly be cheerful.